Leading in the Community

Abstract

Salt Lake City, Utah, nestled cozily between the Wasatch Range and the Great Salt Lake, offers residents gorgeous scenery and easy access to world-class hiking, biking, skiing, and other recreational opportunities. But there is one big downside to living there: meteorological conditions often trap pollution close to the ground within the valley, especially in the wintertime, creating some of the worst air quality in the United States. To address this concern, Vicki Bennett, sustainability director for Salt Lake City, and other green city leaders created the Clear the Air Challenge, a public-private partnership and social marketing campaign that provides information and incentives to encourage residents and businesses to voluntarily cut back on driving.

“To advance urban sustainability, we have to get it out into the culture of the community. Residents, neighborhoods, blocks, and businesses small and large. Public-private partnerships. Bringing people together to collaborate on ideas, but also to pool resources and dollars. To really move forward, we have to partner even more.”

—Brendan Shane, director, Office of Policy and Sustainability, Department of the Environment, Washington, DC