Park City Chamber/Bureau Joins Utah Climate and Clean Air Compact

In early August, the Park City Chamber/Bureau announced it has signed the Utah Climate and Clean Air Compact. The compact, a declaration of actions and principles mitigating pollution and climate change, was launched on October 7, 2020, and currently has more than 150 signatories. The Chamber is encouraging business and community participation to create alignment on efforts. “Our Board of Directors has voted unanimously to join in this statewide effort and we will be encouraging all Summit County area businesses to join in this effort that will impact numerous sectors of the Utah economy, including technology, tourism and agriculture,” said Chamber/Bureau President & CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff. The document states that poor air quality has an immediate, negative impact on people’s health and that climate change poses a large and growing threat to the health and prosperity of Utah communities. It asks people to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions by reducing auto dependency, improving energy efficiency, and advancing innovative energy solutions. Summit County is the first mountain community in the United States to launch a fleet of emissions-free buses and the county operates a popular e-bike share program. Businesses that pledge to sign the compact are joining an action plan to institute climate-friendly practices and clean tech solutions. Park City has already set among the most aggressive net-zero and carbon neutrality goals in the country. A six-step process is being advocated to change people’s behaviors and mitigate the impact of climate change: Name it (identify the threat); Frame it (work together as a community); Scale it (get the marketplace to provide tools); Shape it (reward companies that participate); Conserve it (remain conscious of wildlife and nature); and Inspire it (get leaders to include sustainability in their campaigns and platforms). To view the compact in its entirety, visit: https://climateandcleanaircompact.org/ and https://utahcleanenergy.org/climate-change/climate-and-clean-air-compact/.