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GREEN BY NATURE Park photo
Salt Lake is different — and green — by nature. It's part of our heritage and fills our views no matter where you look in Salt Lake. When settlers first came here, the Salt Lake valley didn't have many trees. Along with planting crops, planning the city, and building their farms, the settlers planted trees around the valley. If you look around now you won't have to look far for trees and nature. Lift your gaze a little bit and you'll see the majestic Wasatch and Oquirrh mountains that are just minutes away.

On this page you'll find links and information about how Salt Lake, the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, and area businesses, are trying to help the environment and be green.

Calculator Offset your travel to Salt Lake
We want you to come to Salt Lake and enjoy our nature, unfortunately even travel to Salt Lake creates extra carbon. Now you can calculate and offset the extra carbon caused by your travel here with.

Check out our handy carbon footprint calulator to get started.

Salt Lake CIty Green E2 Business Certification Salt Lake City Green
The goal of the Salt Lake City Green program is to maintain a high quality of life, while ensuring a healthy, sustainable future. This comprehensive program promotes alternative transportation, greenhouse gas emission reductions, and water conservation while inviting businesses, citizens and students to institute environmentally and economically sustainable initiatives and become e2 certified.

On May 27, 2008, the first e2 Business Certificate awarded during Mayor Becker's term was given to The Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. Environmental programs at the SLCVB include:

Cruiser Bicycles The SLCVB has purchased 5 bicycles for staff to use for short errands and nearby meetings.

Energy Conservation All lighting fixtures have had their bulbs replaced with CFL or other energy efficient alternatives. All workstations have been set to energy saving mode.

Dishes in the break room Rather than use paper plates and foam cups, there are dishes and silverware available.

Recycling All recyclable waste is collected at one of 7 recycling stations within our offices; employees also maintain a recycling container in their offices. Additionally, all computers, batteries, and other e-waste are recycled as needed.

Reduction of waste Staff members of the SLCVB are encouraged to avoid printing or to print two-sided when necessary.

Paper Products All paper products used by the bureau are printed on recycled paper.

Carbon Offset Calculator The bureau, in conjunction with Tree Utah offers a carbon offset calculator to visitors. Using this calculator, a visitor can assess the carbon that will be emitted by traveling to Salt Lake and purchase seedling trees to be planted to offset the negative effects of those emissions.

"Million Miles for a Million Trees" For 2009 the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau will be responsible for approximately one million miles of travel in the effort of promoting Salt Lake as a meeting venue. In recognition of that travel, the SLCVB is offsetting that travel, all proceeds to benefit the Salt Lake County Million Trees Program.

County Green Logo Salt Lake County Green
Salt Lake County's green efforts span a wide variety of programs including smart growth combined with the preservation of open space, building green, focusing on the Jordan River and other waterways, decreasing energy use, and increasing air quality. One of the County's hallmark programs is the Million Tree Program - a ten-year campaign to plant one million trees in Salt Lake County by 2017.

Find out more about the environmental programs in Salt Lake County.

Green Salt Lake badge Meet Green in Salt Lake
Join us on our journey to make our community an environmentally-sustainable host for conventions, meetings, and visitors. The Salt Palace Convention Center along with hotels and local businesses make it easier than you think to have a green meeting in Salt Lake.

Find out more about Meet Green in Salt Lake

The Clear the Air Challenge
This challenge, issued by Utah's Governor John Huntsman, Salt Lake City's Mayor Becker, and Salt Lake County's Mayor Corroon, is a creative initiative to help Utah's residents drive less and drive smarter to help reduce vehicle emissions and improve Utah's air quality. Challenge dates are from June 1-July 10, 2009.

Find out more about the challenge