#energy efficiency

Is eating organically grown food actually beneficial? The answer is yes. In most cases, eating organic food is healthier, though not always the most economical. But what does organic really mean? In a farming sense, organically grown means food was not grown using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and was not genetically modified (GMO’s).

While these processes often make farming more efficient and inexpensive, the chemicals and radiation used can have harmful effects on consumers. It’s simply a trade-off between cost and quality when it comes to buying organic for most families in America. Some of the benefits of eating organic include:
● Avoiding the consumption of harmful synthetic pesticides and herbicides found in conventional farming. which can result in short- and long-term health problems.
● Buying organic helps the environment, because food grown with excessive chemical fertilizers and pesticides can pollute the surrounding soil and water, even creating chemical run-off that implicates nearby residents.
● Avoiding greenhouse gas emissions from nitrous oxide, commonly found in conventional fertilizers.

Keep in mind, all conventionally grown foods that are sold in the US are grown with the necessary safety standards. Additionally, equal amounts of micronutrients are generally found in both types of produce.

However, to be extra cautious, it is always a good idea to wash your produce (no matter how it was grown) before you consume it to get rid of dirt and any pesticide residue. Check out the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen on Environmental Working Groups (ewg.org). A few of the ‘dirtier’, more important foods to buy as organic are strawberries, kale and cherries while some of the ‘cleaner’ foods are pineapples, avocados, and onions. If you’re looking to include more organic produce in your diet, now is a great time! The PC Farmer’s Market, every Wednesday at Park City Mountain, includes many local and organic options to choose from.

By Grayson Rae

Ever wonder what happens to those plastic bags you stuff into the recycling containers at retailers? The ones you sometimes have to hunt for near the store’s entryway? These bins aren’t just for shopping bags—they’re for all sorts of stretchy plastic film, like shopping and home shipping bags, bread bags, frozen food bags, zip-lock bags, sandwich bags, produce bags, kitchen wrap, dry cleaning bags, and bubble wrap. But not everything belongs here—leave out cellophane (it tears and isn’t stretchy) and snack wrappers (they’re often too small or made of mixed materials).

This “plastic film packaging”, made from stretchy polyethylene, is recyclable at many retailers and drop-off centers, including Recycle Utah in Park City. A local retailer explained that collected material is gathered into huge shipping bags, combined with the store’s own plastic packaging waste, and transported to facilities. There, it’s sorted, baled, and processed into plastic pellets. These pellets are used to make new products, including plastic bags and synthetic lumber for fencing, decking, and outdoor furniture.

To ensure your plastic film can be recycled, it must be clean, dry, and meet the location’s guidelines. Contaminants like food, liquids, or non-recyclable items can ruin a load, making it unusable and destined for the landfill. If you’re ever unsure, it’s better to throw it out than risk contamination.

One of the biggest players in recycling this material is Trex, a manufacturer of durable composite lumber. According to Trex, a 500-square-foot deck contains approximately 140,000 recycled plastic bags! Since its founding in 1996, the company has diverted more than 5 billion pounds of plastic bags and film from landfills.

Trex has partnered with retailers and businesses to make plastic film recycling more accessible. To find a nearby drop-off location, visit nextrex.com. Smith’s stores, for example, are Trex recycling partners, making it easy for you to recycle responsibly.

By Bev Harrison

Sustainable Ski Gear When we think about skiing or snowboarding, we often picture fun trips with friends or locals hitting the slopes regularly. However, many people overlook the environmental impact of ski and snowboard gear. For example, jackets and pants are often made with “forever chemicals”, also known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals don’t break down easily and can persist in the environment and human bodies for decades, contaminating water, soil, air, and living organisms.

Although the ski and snowboard industry has taken steps toward eco-friendliness, navigating these options can sometimes be confusing. So, what can you do to help?

Start by supporting eco-conscious brands. Arc’teryx has made significant strides in sustainability, using more sustainable fabrics like “bluesign® certified” materials, which reduce harmful chemicals during production. Brands like K2, Salomon, and Lib Tech are also moving toward greener options.

K2 uses eco-friendly resins in many of its skis and snowboards, reducing the environmental impact compared to traditional petroleum-based resins. Salomon is minimizing waste by switching to 100% recycled paper and cardboard for packaging, reducing their footprint in shipping and retail processes.

Lib Tech is another leader in sustainability, known for using FSC-certified wood in their snowboard and ski cores. This ensures the wood is responsibly sourced without contributing to deforestation.

These brands, along with others, are actively working to reduce their environmental impact. By choosing gear from these eco-conscious companies, you can help support more sustainable practices in the winter sports industry. It’s important to do your research and support brands that prioritize sustainability!

By Uliana Moshina

Considering the environmental impact of your daily habits and the potential for utility savings, you may find it worthwhile to adopt more energy-efficient cooking methods. Using appliances like air fryers, toaster ovens, and crockpots instead of a traditional stove or oven can make a big difference.

Cooking with an air fryer, toaster oven, and crockpot can maximize sustainable home cooking.
All of these countertop appliances require significantly less electricity than an electric stove, and they enable you to cook without using your gas stove. Look for models with energy star ratings for the greatest energy conservation.

Because of its small cooking chamber and super-convection, an air fryer cooks food much
faster than a traditional oven – often in about half the time. Air fryers heat up much faster than
full-size ovens. Food cooked in air fryers becomes crispy and flavorful with little or no added oil, promoting healthy cooking. Roast vegetables, cook meat and fish, make french fries and veggie chips, and crisp up leftovers in your air fryer.

Both an air fryer and toaster oven allow for precision cooking and temperature control, so it’s
easy to avoid overcooking food and unnecessary food waste. Their smaller cooking capacity
encourages portion control and minimizes preparing and wasting excessive amounts of food.
When reheating food, using an air fryer or toaster oven is much more energy efficient than
heating up a large oven. Use a toaster oven to cook a few baked potatoes, small portions of
pastries, and quickly broil vegetables and fish.

A crockpot is an excellent choice for preparing large batches of food in advance, reducing the
need for multiple cooking sessions and saving energy in the process. Because it is designed to
operate cheaply at low temperatures for an extended period of time, using an unattended
crockpot per manufacturer instructions is generally considered safe. Braise tough cuts of meat, and cook stews, soup, and beans in a large crockpot.

By Bev Harrison