chelsea@recycleutah.org

The drying of the Great Salt Lake has been a hot-button issue for Utahns in recent years, with one major concern being the health risks associated with dust inhalation from the drying lake bed.

The lakebed of the Great Salt Lake contains heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, antimony, mercury, and cadmium, which are becoming increasingly exposed as water levels drop.

This metal-laden dust can be lifted by the wind and travel thousands of miles and stay suspended for weeks at a time, depending on the dust particle size and weather conditions. These airborne toxins can easily be inhaled and even ingested through produce.

Leafy greens exposed to Great Salt Lake dust have been found to retain these metals even after thorough washing. Some metals from Great Salt Lake dust are soluble in stomach acid, meaning that metals on these leafy greens can be absorbed into the body when consumed. In fact, some metals, including cadmium and lead, can have a three or four times higher absorption rate when dissolved by stomach fluids than when inhaled.

This poses a concern for those growing food in the area, as even small backyard gardens can be affected by windblown dust. It is essential to limit exposure and ingestion of these toxic metals. One way to do so is by implementing windbreaks around crops. 

For example, greenhouses and cloth covers can act as a barrier between dust and plants. Alternatively, planting taller, non-edible plants around sensitive crops can provide a more natural option to the same effect. It is also a good idea to avoid using overhead irrigation systems during dust events, as these can push dust particles onto plants.

By Jillian Perry

As wildfires become more frequent and the effects of climate change become harder to ignore, it can be difficult to feel like one person can make a difference. For young people especially, climate change can feel like an issue that is too large to influence. But creating change doesn’t always mean making a huge individual sacrifice. It can mean using your voice to encourage the people who make decisions to take action.

This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., with Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), a nonpartisan, grassroots organization that works to build political support for effective climate solutions in Congress. CCL brings together people from across the political spectrum and trains volunteers to communicate with elected officials, build relationships, and advocate for climate policy.

During CCL’s 2026 Summer Conference and Lobby Day, volunteers learned about federal climate policies and then met with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill. One of the policies CCL is currently advocating for is bipartisan permitting reform, which could make it easier and faster to build and connect clean energy projects such as transmission lines. 

My biggest takeaway from the experience was that being young doesn’t mean your voice doesn’t matter. You can write to your representatives, attend local government meetings, join an environmental organization, or simply talk with people in your community about climate solutions. CCL specifically encourages young people to lobby elected representatives, participate in grassroots outreach, and use their voices to advocate for climate action.

So, the next time climate change feels too big to tackle, start small: speak out. Contact an elected official about an environmental issue you care about, join a local organization, or encourage your community to support a climate solution. Change happens when enough people decide that their voice matters.

By Leighton Knieriem

“Every year, Americans throw out 265.3 million metric tons of trash — an average of 1,788 pounds per person …directly to landfills, incinerators, or other countries polluting our earth, air

and water.” (Trash in America)

Ever wondered what your personal impact equates to on the trash to landfill scale? I did, so I decided to experiment for a year to see how much I could NOT throw away. Here are a few things I learned:

• Food scraps need to find their way into a local compost or a Zero Food Waste Bin.
• “Single-use” plastic food containers make great organizers.
• Doritos and Takis bags are super fun to use in art as shiny stars, for crafting kaleidoscopes, etc.
• Trash has COLOR in it – for use in collage crafts, and various other types of art mediums.
• I switched to The World’s Best Cat Litter, which boasts a septic-safe flushable alternative. (It’s made from corn, so when the world gets on board with composting, I’ll be ready).
• Frozen meat comes in varying amounts of foam vs. plastic single-use waste. I saved the leftover trays and used them as art pallets, or for large amounts of paint when using a rolling brush.
• Soft plastic makes fluffy, 3D clouds!
• Just say NO to single-use utensils. Your junk drawer can thank me later. If you forget, or your local favorite eatery just gives it to you without asking, use them in crafts to make puppets.
• Recycle Utah partners with some very responsible companies that help take back plastic toothpaste tubes, single-use batteries, and many other unique items.
• FullFilled Lifestyle Co., a local refill store located at Junction Commons, offers refill options for varying soaps, toothpaste, floss, sans the plastic container, and many other sustainable items to help alleviate the single-use hygiene items that are not recyclable.
• If I don’t have a trash bin in my home, then I will take responsibility for what I bring into my home because I know I won’t be throwing it away.

When, exactly, did we decide that it’s normal to have a trash bin in the house, on every street

corner, and that every place of business needs a gigantic trash for all its unsellable items? Take OUT the trash!

Inspired to make trash art? Good, me too. Let’s make cool art together.

By Indigo Love

Have you ever wondered about what happens to the little stickers on your apples, bananas, and avocados? Those produce stickers contain important information for pricing and identifying fruits and vegetables, but they create an unexpected waste problem.

Most produce stickers are made from non-biodegradable plastic with a synthetic adhesive. They are not compostable in either backyard compost piles or commercial composting facilities. If left on produce scraps, they contaminate compost and can eventually break down into microplastics polluting soil and waterways. Produce stickers should not be put down the garbage disposal. The stickers are also not edible, so it’s always best to remove them before eating.  

The simplest solution is to peel the sticker off before washing or composting your produce. Because they’re made from plastic and adhesive, they should be put in the trash, or stickers can be recycled with soft plastics at Recycle Utah.

Produce stickers may seem like a tiny piece of waste, but removing produce stickers helps keep compost clean and keeps plastic stickers out of the environment. 

It is also farmers’ market season! The Park City Farmers Market is held on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Park City Mountain Resort. Shopping at the farmers market whenever possible is an environmental bonus because the produce does not have stickers, the fruits and vegetables are in season, and there are significantly fewer food miles—the distance food travels from where it is grown to where it is consumed. There are many advantages to supporting the farmers’ market, but the greatest may be the sense of community.

By Stella Dustman

Saving water at home is most effective when combining two things: smart daily habits and the right technology. With a few thoughtful changes, residents can significantly reduce their water use while supporting a healthier local environment.

Upgrade to efficient technology

• Install highefficiency toilets that use 1.6 gallons per flush or less.
• Use drip irrigation or highefficiency spray nozzles in your landscape.
• Consider a smart irrigation controller that adjusts watering based on weather and soil conditions.

Build smart water habits

• Check toilets regularly to make sure they aren’t running or leaking.
• Monitor your irrigation system between watering cycles to ensure there’s no continuous flow.
• Choose plants suited to the local climate – here in the Park City area, lowwater, fireresistant plants are ideal. Collaborating with a landscaper can help ensure the right selections for your yard. Learn more for Park City, UT.

Take advantage of local rebates

Many state and local water providers offer rebates for highefficiency toilets, smart irrigation controllers, and waterwise landscaping. Residents can visit Utah Water Savers to view current programs or check directly with their water provider. Park City Municipal, Mountain Regional, and Summit Water Distribution Company all offer incentives to support conservation efforts. Learn more about Park City Municipal’s Landscape Incentive Program.

With the right tools and a few simple habits, every household can play a part in managing our community’s water wisely. Small steps today help protect this essential resource for future generations.

You may add Water Manager to your title, because that is what we are all doing, managing the water that we use, efficiently.

By Susan Cordone, Park City Water Department Conservation Coordinator

Okay, maybe calling it my emotional support water bottle is a stretch. But I don’t go anywhere without it.

These days, carrying a reusable water bottle seems completely normal. Yet when I was growing up in the 80s, nobody traveled with their own water. If you got thirsty, you found a public drinking fountain. If you were outside playing, there was always the garden hose. Somehow, we survived.

Then came the rise of single-use bottled water. Convenience became king, and before long, plastic water bottles were everywhere—in our cars, offices, schools, parks, and eventually our oceans and landfills. (Not to mention the microplastics in our body.)

That’s one reason I’ve become so attached to my reusable water bottle. It’s a half-gallon stainless steel beast that’s impossible to ignore. When I take a sip, everyone notices. (The size and sound is ridiculous). It’s heavy enough that I joke it could double as self- defense equipment if needed.

What I love most isn’t its size—it’s the stickers. I love that it’s become cool for grownups to sticker their belongings! Every sticker tells a story. Local nonprofits I support. Community organizations I believe in. Causes that matter to me. It’s become a little snapshot of who I am and what I value. And unlike disposable water bottles, this one doesn’t become trash after a single use.

While research continues into the long-term impacts of microplastics, many people are choosing reusable bottles as a way to reduce both plastic waste and their reliance on single-use products.

For me, it’s one small habit that feels easy to maintain. The best part? I only had to buy it once.

I’ve carried this bottle for years. It’s traveled with me on road trips, to work, the baseball field, and through countless errands. Every refill is one less disposable bottle that needed to be manufactured, transported, purchased, and thrown away.

Sustainability doesn’t always require a dramatic lifestyle change. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding a reusable item you genuinely love and using it every day.

So here’s this week’s green tip: Find your emotional support water bottle. Cover it in stickers. Take it everywhere.

By Kimberly Flores, Founder of fulFILLed Lifestyle Co.