Park City, UT
Home MenuPCMC Newsletter-December 2011
Community E-Newsletter December, 2011
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, PARK CITY!
A Park City Holiday
Santa is coming to the Park City Ice Arena December 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dress warm and join us for our community event. The following activities are free of charge: visit with Santa, cookies, ice skating, hot chocolate, Christmas tree ornament, face painting, performances by Jeremy Ranch 5th Grade Choir, Figure Skating Club of Park City and Park City Glee. Click for more.
Update on the PC MARC
The opening date of the MARC will be January 12, 2012. With much anticipation, we look forward to opening this great new facility to the public.
We are still open at Iron Horse with a full schedule of group fitness and spinning classes as well as weights & cardio. It’s never too late to start feeling great!
Special Events Department Award
The Park City Special Events Department (Max Paap on the left and Tommy Youndblood on the right) received a Certificate of Recognition from the Recycling Coalition of Utah for Outstanding Achievement to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle in the State of Utah
Another Recycling Award! . . . this time for Public Works
Public Works Operations staff has been recognized by Recycle Utah as “Recyclers of the Year” for varying the Citywide Cleanup program to a smaller multi weekend event, partnering with Recycle Utah to capture a greater concentration recyclable materials and reduce hazardous waste being introduced into the landfill.
Becoming an increasingly sustainable community has been a focus of City Council particularly over the last several years with a spotlight on recycling, energy conservation and environmental stewardship. By reducing the material which makes it to the landfill, several environmental benefits including extending the life of the landfill and reducing costs to residents.
Quinn’s Junction Water Treatment Plant
Construction of the Quinn’s Junction Water Treatment Plant (QJWTP) began during the summer of 2010 and will continue throughout the summer and fall of 2011. Final completion and startup of the QJWTP will be in early 2012. This project consists of a main treatment building and a separate maintenance building. The main building will contain all of the water treatment process equipment including piping, valves, membrane filters, finish water pumps and a 155,000 gallon reservoir. The maintenance building will be used by the Water Department to store spare parts such as pipes, valves, meters, and other equipment necessary to maintain the water system. Once online, the QJWTP will treat raw water imported from the Weber River at a rate of up to 3 million gallons per day. The QJWTP design includes provisions for future expansion to a capacity of 9 million gallons per day and space for hydropower turbines.
Great Utah Shakeout
Park City Municipal in coordination with Summit County, the State of Utah, surrounding cities and counties and FEMA Region 8 will be participating in the April 17, 2011, regional full scale exercise called the Great Utah Shakeout next April. Are you and your family prepared for a major disaster where you live and/or work?
Park City Municipal is registered for the Great Utah Shakeout, but you may want to register your family on the website, plus the website has lots of good resources.
FAM Program
For each of the past 20 years, Park City Municipal has teamed up with the Chamber/Bureau to present a FAM Program (short for familiarization program) for new city employees, front desk personnel and other interested community members. The underlying philosophy is that Park City depends on its hospitality business. One of the keys to our success is our knowledgeable and informed employees and citizens. This year, 55 people attended the FAM Program, There were presentations on Park City's unique past including fascinating pictures of our mining history and Olympic planning and celebrations, the Chamber/Bureau's marketing efforts, future trends and prospects for the ski industry, and an update on emerging city issues like affordable housing, open space & trails, walkability, economic development and the City's Low Carbon Diet program.
The presentations were followed by a social lunch at Bandits Restaurant. As usual we received excellent comments on the program which participants found to be very informative, worthwhile and well time well spent. We anticipate continuing this FAM Program which is offered once a year in early December, but if you missed this opportunity or would like more in-depth information on citywide issues, we offer a day long Leadership 101 program on Wednesday, February 8. Watch for details in the January newsletter.
For each of the past 20 years, Park City Municipal has teamed up with the Chamber/Bureau to present a FAM Program (short for familiarization program) for new city employees, front desk personnel and other interested community members. The underlying philosophy is that Park City depends on its hospitality business. One of the keys to our success is our knowledgeable and informed employees and citizens. This year, 55 people attended the FAM Program, There were presentations on Park City's unique past including fascinating pictures of our mining history and Olympic planning and celebrations, the Chamber/Bureau's marketing efforts, future trends and prospects for the ski industry, and an update on emerging city issues like affordable housing, open space & trails, walkability, economic development and the City's Low Carbon Diet program. The presentations were followed by a social lunch at Bandits Restaurant. As usual we received excellent comments on the program which participants found to be very informative, worthwhile and well time well spent. We anticipate continuing this FAM Program which is offered once a year in early December, but if you missed this opportunity or would like more in-depth information on citywide issues, we offer a day long Leadership 101 program on Wednesday, February 8. Watch for details in the January newsletter.
Winter Fires; Safety Tips for the Home
The high cost of home heating fuels and utilities have caused many Americans to search for alternate sources of home heating. The use of woodburning stoves is growing and space heaters are selling rapidly, or coming out of storage. Fireplaces are burning wood and manmade logs. The following fire safety tips can help you maintain a fire safe home this winter.
To use wood stoves, fireplaces, and your furnace safely:
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Be sure the fireplace or stove is installed properly with adequate clearance
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Have the chimney inspected annually and cleaned if necessary
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Keep a screen in front of the fireplace opening
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Keep flammable materials away from your fireplace mantel
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Before you go to sleep, be sure your fireplace fire is out
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Have your furnace inspected to ensure that it’s in good working condition
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Be sure all furnace controls and emergency shutoffs are in proper working condition
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Leave furnace repairs to qualified specialists
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Keep trash and other combustibles away from the heating system
News You Can Use
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There is free parking on Park City's Historic Main Street until Friday, December 17th.
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Park City Library is excited to launch a new eBook platform, Axis360. You can browse for eBooks by using the "Magic Wall," subject areas, or you can search by title. A one-time online registration is required. The registration process will allow for easy check out and reading. After you check out an eBook on Axis360, you will need to open it using the Blio reader, which is available for free download at this link. Axis360 eBooks are free to Park City Library cardholders. Ready to get started? Click here to access the Magic Wall.
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Improvements to the Spiro Ditch are underway to help reduce flooding during snow melt season, improve efficiency of the raw water system and ensure downstream water rights are met. Installation of a diversion structure will begin this month.
Green Your Routine
Cooling Temperatures? Check Your Tires!
Rapidly cooling temperatures can negatively impact air pressure in your tires. Low air pressure is bad because it is unsafe and it also wastes fuel! In fact, you can improve fuel efficiency by over 3% by keeping your tires properly inflated. Click here for more info on air pressure and other tips for maintaining a safe, fuel efficient vehicle.
In November, City Council . . .
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Authorized the City Manager to sign an agreement with Fehr & Peers for a corridor study and strategic plan for State Route 224 from Thaynes Canyon Drive to Bonanza Drive.
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Approved the Park City Heights Phase 1 Subdivision.
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Approved a Purchase Agreement with Ivory Development, LLC, for 195 acres of unimproved land within the Park City Heights Master Planned Development.
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Departments » Sustainability » For Homes
Cleaning Supplies
When looking for natural and non-toxic cleaning products, avoid anything with synthetic ingredients or fragrances, petrochemicals, VOCs, chlorine bleach, phthalates, formaldehydes and more. You should always read the labels of any product, and if a product does not have a label with ingredients then it almost surely has harmful chemicals inside. Look out for words like Caution, Warning, Notice and Danger, which could signal a potential harmful chemical. Learn more about healthy cleaning products here.
When purchasing natural cleaning products make sure they bottle includes a list of ingredients. You should be able to pronounce the names of all of them and should know exactly what each one is. The best kind of natural cleaning product you can buy should be made with simple ingredients that you could find in the store and make yourself.
Exposure to these toxins indoors can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination; nausea; and damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous systems. And we certainly don't want ourselves, our family or our pets to come in contact with these toxins or experience any of these health problems. Children and pets are especially at risk because they experience a higher dose of toxins, not to mention their immune systems are still developing and not able to shed toxins from the bodies as quickly as adults.
There are three categories into which most of the hazardous ingredients in household cleaning products fall are:
1. Carcinogens – Carcinogens cause cancer and/or promote cancer’s growth.
2. Endocrine disruptors – Endocrine disruptors mimic human hormones, confusing the body with false signals. Exposure to endocrine disruptors can lead to numerous health concerns including reproductive, developmental, growth and behavior problems. Endocrine disruptors have been linked to reduced fertility, premature puberty, miscarriage, menstrual problems, challenged immune systems, abnormal prostate size, ADHD, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and certain cancers.
3. Neurotoxins – Neurotoxins alter neurons, affecting brain activity, causing a range of problems from headaches to loss of intellect.
Here are some startling facts about the chemicals found in cleaning products.
- 17,000: the number of petrochemicals available for home use, only 30 percent of which have been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.
- 63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average American home, translating to roughly 10 gallons of harmful chemicals.
- 100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above outdoor air pollution levels, according to US EPA estimates.
- 275: the number of active ingredients in antimicrobials that the EPA classifies as pesticides because they are designed to kill microbes.
- 5 billion: the number of pounds of chemicals that the institutional cleaning industry uses each year.
- 23: the average gallons of chemicals (that's 87 liters) that a janitor uses each year, 25 percent of which are hazardous.
- White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Borax
- Hydrogen Peroxide (3% concentration)
- Club Soda (plain)
- Lemon Juice
- Liquid Castile Soap
- Corn Meal
- Olive Oil or Walnut Oil
- Toothpaste
- Pure Essential Oils - like lavender, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and tea tree oils
With all of these ingredients you can make your own natural and non-toxic cleaning supplies, which cost a lot less as well.
- All-Purpose Cleaners: This cleaner can be used for just about every surface in your home, from kitchen counters and appliances to bathroom surfaces and walls.
- Carpet Cleaner: To clean and disinfect your carpet, blend 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup borax, and 1 cup cornmeal. Sprinkle mixture over rug and rub with a cloth. Let rest for several hours or overnight, then vacuum. An even simpler way to clean your carpet is to sprinkly plain baking soda on your carpet, let rest for an hour and then vacuum up. You can also add dry lavender buds to the baking soda for an extra fresh smell.
- Hard Floor Cleaner: This solution can be used for all hard floors (except when directed by the manufacturer to avoid even mild detergents): Combine 1/4 liquid castile soap, up to 1/2 cup white vinegar or lemon juice, and 2 gallons of warm water in a large plastic bucket. Use with a mop or sponge.
- Glass Cleaner: To make your windows shine, you can simply use club soda in a spray bottle. Add 1 tsp. of lemon juice to increase your window cleaner’s degreasing power. Leftover newspaper works very well to reduce streaks
- Bathroom Surface Cleaners: You can use the all-purpose cleaners recommended above or, for even simpler bathroom cleaning, use baking soda or borax as a scouring powder. For a softer scrub, combine 1/2 cup baking soda with enough liquid soap to achieve a frosting-like consistency. You may want to add 5-10 drops of an essential oil for fragrance. Club soda works wonders on plumbing fixtures.
- Toilet Cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda or borax, or pour white vinegar into the toilet, and let sit for a few minutes. Scrub with a good toilet brush.
- Oven Cleaner: Cover the oven floor with baking soda, spray with water until very damp, and let set overnight. Spray with water every few hours before you go to bed to keep damp. In the morning, clean out the baking soda, and the stuck-on gunk will be loosened and ready to scrub off.
- Drain Cleaner: Put two tablespoons of baking soda into/over the drain of your sink or tub. Then pour one cup of vinegar on the baking soda. This will begin to fizz a lot and is completely normal. Wait a few minutes, and then pour a kettle of boiling water over the soda/vinegar residue.
- Mold Remover: Combe 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar with 1 cup water. Spray on mold and do not rinse. You can also treat mold with a spray mixture of 2 tsp. tea tree oil and 2 cups water.
- Wood Polish: To polish wood furniture, dab olive oil or walnut oil onto a soft cloth and rub.
- Silver Polish: Just put some toothpaste on an old toothbrush or wet cloth and go to town. When you’re done polishing, rinse the item well in warm water and then dry with a soft cloth.