Heal Utah Podcast

Matt chats with Ben about the origins and current operations of Salt Lake’s bike share program, which now has 33 stations in and around downtown and 141,000 rides in 2016. They talk about how GREENbike is funded, the demographics of the program’s ridership and the challenges the program has faced, including how to serve a more economically diverse group of riders. For more information check out recent articles about GREENbike in Catalyst, Slug Magazine and the Deseret News. And to find out more about the program, including how to buy a membership, check out GREENbike’s Web site and its presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Matt chats with Nazz, the CEO of Petzl America, about the outdoor company, its products and its involvement in policy issues. They talk first about Petzl’s history and products, and how the company makes gear not just for rock climbers, but for anyone who works in “a vertical environment,” from firefighters to window washers. Nazz then talks about the company’s decision to be a strong voice on important health and environmental issues, from air quality to the health of the Colorado River to protecting Bears Ears. Lastly, they chat about the recent announcement that the Outdoor Retailer shows will be leaving Utah, and Nazz’ disappointment with the development. For more information about Petzl, check out its Website, its Facebook page and on Instagram.

The Matts chat about the very timely issues of health care and health coverage in Utah, focusing on UHPP‘s valuable advocacy. Slonaker speaks to how, while Utah’s uninsured rates has improved in recent years, it is still higher than other states with similar populations and demographics. He compares how the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) has helped Utah families, with how the American Health Care Act (Trumpcare) is projected to reduce coverage. The two Matts also discuss how certain populations, such as refugees, the LGBT community, and those who speak English as a second language, face challenges accessing the health care system. For more information on UHPP, check out their Website, Facebook page and Twitter feeds.

Laura joins Matt in the studio to discuss all things related to water in the Salt Lake Valley. As the Director of the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, her role is focused on ensuring that 350,000 residents reliably receive clean drinking water and can flush their toilets with sound mind that their waste will be properly disposed of. Laura describes the importance of our canyon streams to providing drinking water, her role in protecting the source waters of the Wasatch Front, and how the Department is preparing for climate change, which is a real concern for water security here in the Salt Lake Valley. She touches on the progress being made with the recent Salt Lake County Mountain Accord, and concludes with insight to how Salt Lake can be a leader in water resource planning going forward. Join Matt and Laura in their dynamic discussion of the challenges that face water in Utah!

This week, Joan speaks with Matt about her time as the Senior Policy Advisor for EPA Region 8 under former President Obama from 2013-2016. Joan worked closely with Shaun McGrath, former Region 8 Administrator, who will be joining HEAL as the keynote speaker for our 2017 Spring Breakfast in May. During her tenure at the EPA, Joan was responsible for ensuring Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act were carried out in Region 8, contributed to the development of the Clean Power Plan and Obama’s Climate Action Plan, and worked closely with tribal governments on issues surrounding oil and gas development. Join us as she and Matt discuss the role of the EPA in ensuring clean air and a healthy environment along the Wasatch Front, the sea change of the current Administration and how this could affect the EPA, and the ways the EPA is looking to the future. She concludes with a taste of what Shaun will bring to the Spring Breakfast – get your tickets here! Be sure to listen!

Matt chats with the founder and namesake of Ken Sanders Rare Books. They discuss how the history of environmentalism and literature in Utah have often gone together, discussing such literary giants such as Edward Abbey and Wallace Stegner. Ken reminisces about his time spent with these great writers, and describes how he came to be an early founder and activist with Earth First!. They then chat about books, including the brisk trade in first edition Book of Mormon. He also bemoans the fact that, because of Salt Lake City’s growing gentrification, his iconic store on 200 East in Salt Lake City faces eviction within a couple years. Despite that, Ken has faith in the future of the book, insisting that books have a lasting, tangible presence that electronic copies cannot hope to emulate. Lastly, Ken delights listeners with a powerful reading of “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front,” by farmer, poet and activist Wendell Berry.

Natalie joins Matt to chat about Sage Mountain Farm Animal Sanctuary. As the Director of Communications (and a doctoral student within Environmental Sociology and Gender at the University of Utah), Natalie works to challenge the current food system through educational programs and creating a physical space for rescued farm animals. This organization hosts pot lucks and Thirsty Thursdays throughout Utah as a way to create community and have conversations about environmental degradation, water consumption, and animal cruelty associated with the current US food system. Natalie acknowledges the personal resistance to changing our diet stems from a fear of discomfort and an adherence to family traditions. However, each of us can make small shifts in what we consume – THREE times a day. Changes can be incremental: swap nut milk for diary or abstain from meat one or two days a week. We each have the power to make conscious choices about the food we eat.

Matt chats with Cheryl about her organization’s work protecting and preserving land in Park City, Summit County and beyond. They talk primarily about the current drive to preserve Bonanza Flats, a 1,350 acre parcel in the Wasatch which will be developed if local governments and nonprofits can’t raise $38 million by June 15. After a huge commitment from Park City—of $25 million— and significant gifts from others (if not Salt Lake County), the broad coalition fighting to preserve the land is now about $3 million short. Cheryl also discussed how quickly the Park City area has grown and changed and her organization’s many successes in preserving key land around the area, including the popular Round Valley area. For more information, or to donate to Bonanza Flats, visit the land conservancy’s Website.

Matt chats with Ryan about his work advocating for clean air and for the Utah solar industry over the past few years. First, Ryan talked about his efforts with the Salt Lake Chamber pushing good clean air programs. Ryan then discusses how he came to be the solar association’s new President, and the group’s growing program and influence. They then move to talk about some current issues, including the recent battle over a proposal to get rid of a state tax credit which supports rooftop solar. Lastly, they talk about 2017’s biggest solar fight, which is the decision about whether to approve Rocky Mountain Power’s three proposed fees which would make rooftop solar unaffordable to most Utah families. For more information about Ryan and his work, check out the website of the Utah Solar Energy Association, their Twitter and Facebook. 

Matt has a wide-ranging chat with Erin about air quality, politics and homelessness. They discuss Erin’s tenure at Breathe Utah and the historic climate goals Salt Lake City has committed to. They then turn to discussing a high profile local issue — homeless shelters and Erin’s concerns about the (now cancelled) Simpson St. shelter. In the immediate aftermath of a new agreement about the shelters, which the City Council was shut out of, Erin discusses the often-frosty relationship between Mayor Biskupski and the council. To find out more about Erin’s work on the council, and to sign up for her regular newsletters, click here.

Matt chats with Tyler, the city’s Sustainability Program Manager, about SLC’s’s efforts to push effective climate change policies. First, they talk about the greenhouse gas inventory the city did, which found that the biggest part of the carbon footprint of the average city resident comes from buying power from Rocky Mountain Power. Tyler also describes the historic agreement the city recently reached with the utility to acquire more renewable energy, among other climate change initiatives. For more information, visit SLCgreen’s climate change page and follow them on Facebook.

Matt and Dave, SUWA’s Utah organizer, chat about the organization’s efforts to protect Utah’s redrock wilderness, especially Bears Ears. He discussed the group’s collaboration with local Native groups, particularly the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition. Dave also described the key role that SUWA’s grassroots supporter play in their legal battles. For more information, visit SUWA’s website and find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Matt chats with Ashley about her work with Breathe Utah, a local clean air nonprofit that focuses on education and policy. Ashley describes Project Skyline, a project she’s been working on for several years to boost energy efficiency in buildings, to help reduce the emissions which foul our air. They then chat about the current legislative session and Ashley’s work (with HEAL) to defeat or at least improve HB65, a bill that forbids state officials from regulating the burning of wood in food preparation. Lastly, Ashley described their successful recent fundraiser, Running Up For Air. To find more about Ashley and her work, visit Breathe’s website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds!

Matt sits down with Brody, a professional skier, storyteller and activist, to discuss his career traveling across the globe skiing and embarking upon outdoor adventures, while also advocating for environmental issues. A graduate of Westminster College, Brody has built a career chronicling far-flung trips on his website and on Instagram, from riding the slopes of Norway to biking through Southern Utah in jeans. Brody also talked about his engagement with activism, from attending the Paris Climate Conferencein 2015 to writing op-eds on issues like the need to clean up pollution from Utah’s power plants, to his role with the Riders Alliance with Protect Our Winters (POW), an organization that gives a platform to athletes in the outdoor sports community. Check out Brady’s latest adventure “Pedal to Peaks Norway” where he and a group biked and skied the 350-mile Lofoten archipelago in Arctic Norway.

Matt flies solo this week and describes the 19-point plan which HEAL and other groups released to offer specific policy solutions which Utah should embrace to “ensure a healthy, prosperous future.” Matt goes into a bit of detail about each of the three main sources of emissions — vehicles, buildings and industry — and offers suggestions for how to reduce each. For more information, check out the blueprint, the press release which HEAL put out upon releasing the blueprint and coverage it received in the Deseret News. Clean Air BlueprintDownload

Matt chats with Gehrke, the Trib’s newly minted columnist, his new gig after years spent as a reporter covering the Utah Legislature, as well as writing about politics in D.C. They discuss what Gehrke has learned about how the Legislature works after years of close observation, from the role that Gov. Herbert plays, to which legislators are most powerful, to how lobbyists wield influence, to why positive environmental and clean air legislation sometimes struggles to pass. To read Robert’s excellent columns, go to his staff page at the Tribune. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Matt chats with Philip about his new book chronicling the sharp growth in America’s solar industry. He compares the current reality of solar to wind, which he wrote about in his previous book “Harvest the Wind.” They talk about the fights over tax credits that have supported solar’s growth and the current controversy over Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed trio of fees that would cripple Utah’s solar industry. They talk about the advantages and disadvantages of rooftop solar vs. utility scale solar and conclude by discussing the various ways that renewables “intermittency” problem can be overcome. For more information, check out Phil’s website and his Twitter feed.

Matt chats with the McGill University professor, who has written a very interesting and provocative new book about America’s electricity infrastructure. The book is about much more than just renewable energy and the issues it poses to our electric grid, but that’s what she and Matt primarily talk about. They discuss the challenge of intermittency — what do you do when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine? — and the need for re-thinking the grid entirely. Bakke also describes the various approaches to storing energy, from batteries to less conventional approaches, in arguing that we’re farther than many people think from a clean energy utopia. For more information, read more about the book on Amazon and read an article she wrote recently in the New Yorker, or listen to her interview on NPR’s FRESH AIR.

Matt chats with HEAL’s Policy Associate, Michael Shea, about a hugely critical campaign: Our efforts to defend the affordability of Rooftop Solar in Utah. They talk about the history of the issue, going back two years to when Rocky Mountain Power tried— and failed— to charge rooftop solar customers a $5 fee. Michael then describes the three separate, and much larger, fees which the utility is now seeking. (See an op-ed Michael wrote about how Rocky Mountain Power fails to properly account for the benefits of solar.) They chat about the relative merits of big solar farms vs. rooftop solar and the devastating effects the fees would have on Utah’s fast growing solar industry. Lastly, they talk about the process that the Public Service Commission will go through to decide what to do about the utility’s application.  For more information, check out the PSC’s docket on this issue, sign up for HEAL emails, and if you own your rooftop solar system, please let us know! We’d love to help rooftop solar owners have a par

Matt chats about Real Food Rising, a youth farming program of Utah Community Action, with their program coordinator, Krystal, and community engagement coordinator, Erin. They describe Real Food Rising, an innovative program for teens, which mixes farm work at a 1.5-acre plot on Salt Lake’s West Side, educational and leadership workshops, and volunteer opportunities with hunger relief organizations. They also talk about the challenges they face as a small farm operating in an an urban environment, such as getting organic certification. Lastly, they talk about how the teens they serve take to farm work and food preparation — and the changes they’ve seen in the lives of these young people, many from underprivileged backgrounds. For more information, visit their website, Facebook page , and Twitter feed . You can also join their text network by texting the word REAL, for general updates, or MARKET, for alerts about where they sell the food they produce, to 51555.