Personal cars and trucks are significant contributors to Salt Lake Valley's air quality problems. When you drive less, we ALL win!
Registration begins late September.
What is the Clear the Air Challenge?
The U Clear the Air Challenge is a six-week competition that gives you the chance to reduce vehicle emissions by choosing sustainable methods of transportation, including riding public transit, biking, teleworking, walking and more. By driving less, we improve our air quality, increase health and wellness, reduce traffic congestion, and save money on fuel costs.
Why is this important?
Across the Wasatch Front, air pollution is reaching alarmingly unhealthy levels. Prolonged summer and winter inversions can lead to high pollutant levels that create significant health and air quality concerns. Transportation emissions are responsible for nearly 50% of the pollutants that make up our poor air quality. This means that the vehicle emissions we produce are hazardous to our health and the health of our community. The U is committed to climate action, and driving less is important to achieve our climate goals and targets.
How do I get started?
Log in to your existing account or newly register to join the U team, complete your profile, and join the U Clear the Air Challenge. Please be sure you use your university student or employee email address to sign up for the challenge and log your trips to qualify for the opportunity drawings.
Log all your non-driving trips from Oct 1 - Nov 15 — including riding transit, carpooling, walking, biking, teleworking and more — on the mobile-friendly TravelWise Tracker website or using the Commute Tracker mobile app.
Read about the challenge in @theU.
If all drivers living along the Wasatch Front were to park their cars just one day per week, vehicle emissions would be reduced by 6,500 tons per year.
-Utah Division of Air Quality
Prizes for the 2024 U Clear the Air Challenge have been generously provided by multiple internal and external sponsors. Only current students, faculty and staff are eligible for prizes.
There will be two types of random opportunity drawings: weekly and challenge conclusion.
- Weekly: Prizes for weekly drawings will be available to any participant who logs at least one trip during the week, defined as 12 a.m. Sunday-11:59 p.m. Saturday. Winners will be selected at random from eligible participants.
- Challenge conclusion: Participants who log at least 20 trips throughout the challenge will be eligible for prize drawings at the end of the challenge, including the Grand Prize. Winners will be selected at random from eligible participants.
Log your trips to win these amazing prizes!
Grand Prize - TREK Verve electric bicycle, a Level 2 maintenance package, accessories
Apple AirPods Gen 2
Utah Jazz Tickets
Utah Grizzlies Tickets
Utah Jazz Jersey
Cotopaxi Bags
Campus Store swag
Chair massages for a group of 10 employees
DNA bicycling gear
'Best Staff Ever’ Mug with $10 Starbucks Gift Card
U of U Health socks
GREENbike annual memberships
University of Utah Women's and Men's Basketball tickets
UTA FAREPAY cards
Prize winners for random opportunity drawings will be announced in the weekly newsletter sent to all participants. Winners will be emailed with information on how to collect their prizes. They will need to present a current University ID or U of U Health ID card.
The Challenge is a WellU wellness activity!
Looking for more WellU Wellness Activities to count for your health care discount?
Academic campus and U Health academic employees who log a minimum of 20 trips during the Challenge receive one WellU credit!
Need some ideas to get started? Try these TravelWise strategies:
- Carpooling: Share your ride with coworkers, friends, family or fellow students.
- Public Transit: Your UCard or Employee Badge gets you FREE access to UTA buses, TRAX, and Frontrunner, making your commute smooth with less emissions.
- Active Transportation: Walk, bike, or skateboard to campus for a healthy, emission-free commute.
- Trip chaining: Save time, money, and emissions by grouping your errands. Instead of going home after work or school first, make stops at the grocery store or other locations to avoid traveling back and forth.
- Skip the trip: Avoid unnecessary trips. For example, bring lunch to avoid driving off campus for your meal, or plan out your meals for the week so you can make just one visit to a store.
- Telecommute: When possible, work or attend class from home to reduce trips to campus entirely.
To learn more about campus transportation options, visit the Commuter Services website.
Thanks to SPIN and GREENBike for sponsoring the challenge! All participants will receive an email with promotional codes for discounted scooter and bike rides!
A HUGE thank you to our sponsors and partners!
U of U Health Hospitals and Clinics
U of U Sustainability Office
U of U Auxiliary Services
Osher Center for Integrative Health
University Marketing & Communications
U of U Staff Council
U of U Health Marketing & Communications
UDOT TravelWise Program
Utah Transit Authority
Trek Bicycle Salt Lake City Downtown
GREENbike
SPIN
RideAmigos