The Community 5 with Spencer Slade and Lacey Holmes
Sierra Adler is a senior at West High School and has helped to organize, among other events, the Swing into Action that takes place on September 24, 2011.
This article originally appeared on examiner.com. Links updated Feb. 2017.
- Drive Less. For the average driver, parking the car for one day will keep a quarter pound of emissions out of the air according to DAQ Mobile Source. That means if a driver uses the car only three days a week, he or she would eliminate a pound of emissions a week. That’s 52 pounds per year. If several people participated, Utah air quality would be vastly improved.
- Use Public Transportation. The Utah Transit Authority offers a great alternative to driving for some people. By using public transportation and keeping the car at home, Utah drivers are saving money in gas and wear and tear on their vehicle. They are also keeping pollution out of the air and sending a clear message to the government about public transportation.
- Walk. Make road rage a thing of the past. Walking keeps the car off the road and provides the person with an opportunity to get some exercise, which is shown to reduce stress.
- Eat Locally. By supporting the local economy, people who choose to eat locally are also lowering the number of miles that food is transported to them. The Salt Lake area has some great local farmers, like Bell Organic. The Farmer’s Market is a great place to meet your local farmers as well.
- Talk to your government representatives to address climate change. We are the government. If we are not participating, we cannot make the change that we need to see to address our climate change crisis. Writing letters, setting up face-to-face meetings and sending emails are all ways to start taking control of our government.
This article originally appeared on examiner.com. Links updated Feb. 2017.