The 2018 Utah Clear the Air Challenge has wrapped up and the first wintertime event was a huge success, said the Salt Lake Chamber, a sponsor of the event. The chamber, along with its partners TravelWise and UCAIR, released the lis of winners last week.
The Clear the Air Challenge is a month-long initiative that encourages Utah residents to drive less and drive smarter during the month of February. Participants help improve air quality by avoiding trips alone in their cars and using alternative modes of transportation such as carpooling, taking public transit, walking, biking or trip chaining.
For the first time in its nine-year history, the 2018 challenge was held in February to draw attention to individuals and teams who make a difference for the air by creating new commuting habits and changing their individual behavior during a time when air quality is visibly at its worst.
“The Clear the Air Challenge shows us that small, individual changes can — and do — make a difference to Utah’s air quality,” said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “Doing our part to clear the air isn’t just about our quality of life; it’s about the quality of life of our children and grandchildren. We are encouraged that so many businesses and individuals are taking responsibility and have taken actions towards clearing up our air and creating a better future for all Utahns.”
According to the sponsors, this year’s participants collectively eliminated 89,076 trips; saved 1,427,134 miles, 368.1 tons of carbon dioxide and $423,388; and burned 2,120,838 calories in just 28 days.
“We at UCAIR continue to be optimistic with the way our business community comes together to find solutions related to air quality,” said Thom Carter, executive director of UCAIR. “With the amount of participation this year, it is clear that our business leaders are looking inward and finding ways to work within their organizations to have the best long-term effect on our air. In our efforts to clear the air, there are no perfect answers, but there are practical solutions. Everyone that participated in the Clear the Air Challenge now knows how easy it is to find a practical solution that works for them.”
Winners in the Large Teams category were: University of Utah, Utah Transit Authority, Fidelity Investments, Salt Lake City Corp. and Weber-Morgan Residents.
Small Team winners were: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Weber-Morgan Health Department, Management and Training Corp. and HEAL Utah.
In the Top Users category, winners were Clayton Price, Soren Simonsen, Megan Price, Spencer Hancock and Stephen Rufus.