OUR AIR POLLUTION CAN BE challenging, BUT
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Air quality is a common concern for Utahns, but there are things every Utah resident, business, and government entity can do to meaningfully reduce our emissions and keep the air cleaner for everyone.
your air
your utah
UTAH’S air pollution is the result of
Emissions, Geography, & Weather
While some sources of pollution might be more obvious than others, the largest sources are vehicles and our own homes and businesses. In other words, we all contribute to the pollution.
(Hover illustration for more information.)
(Tap illustrations for more information.)
Keeping it in
Our mountains act as walls that keep our emissions around for us to marinate in, especially during high-pressure weather systems, which act as a lid. These trapped emissions go through chemical processes to form PM 2.5 (often seen as smog) in the winter and ozone (a clear gas) in the summer.
12%
comes from non-road mobile sources like farming and construction equipment, trains, and lawn mowers.
17%
comes from industrial sources like mining, manufacturing, and industry.
29%
comes from our homes and businesses—things like wood smoke, furnaces, and even paints.
42%
comes from cars and trucks.
But it’s not all bad news. By working together, we've been reducing our emissions and our air is getting cleaner!
what can you do to make
The biggest difference?
There are a lot of things each of us can do. Some make a bigger difference than others. While it's important that we all do our part, imagine the difference businesses, organizations, and local governments can make if they help 100 or even a 1,000 people make these changes!
Hover over the strategies below to learn more. Emissions reductions are presented in annual NOx, PM2.5, and VOC emissions reduced for the average Utahn.
Hover over the strategies below to learn more. Emissions reductions are presented in annual NOx, PM2.5, and VOC emissions reduced for the average Utahn.
Don’t burn wood during inversions
Emission Reductions: 53.4 lbs/yr
Use an electric or zero
emissions car
emissions car
Emission Reductions: 21.8 lbs/yr
Use a cleaner car
Emission Reductions: 20.1 lbs/yr
take trax to work
Emission Reductions: 10.2 lbs/yr
Bike for all non-work trips
Emission Reductions: 6.4 lbs/yr
use an electric mower & snowblower
Emission Reductions: 4.6 lbs/yr
Telecommute 2 days per week
Emission Reductions: 4.1 lbs/yr
use an efficient home heating system
Emission Reductions: 3.1 lbs/yr
Use Tier 3 gasoline
Emission Reductions: 2.8 lbs/yr
Walk to church and school
Emission Reductions: 1.2 lbs/yr
Keep the heat in your home
Emission Reductions: 0.8 lbs/yr
use an efficient water heater
Emission Reductions: 0.3 lbs/yr
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