Roses are red, violets are blue, we don't know where we'd be without YOU! You can look forward to the O2 PUNCHLIST the first Thursday of each month. This newsletter gives us an opportunity to keep you in the know with both our work and our community. None of this would be possible without your support, so we want to give you the inside scoop every month.
February is the month of lasting change. January is spent making resolutions and setting goals, but this month is where you really put your nose to the grindstone and make those dreams a reality. So, that's what we're doing. We have set the stage for the year to come and are positioned to accomplish our goals.
We have more hands on deck. We're thrilled to introduce you to the newest members of our team!
Grassroots Organizer | Bronti DeRoche
"I chose o2 Utah because of the ability to connect my passion for protecting the environment with policy. I am looking forward to community outreach and building a network of individuals who want to help improve Utah's air quality. Also, I am very excited to work with a great team! I love everything related to skiing, climbing and yoga. I enjoy creating pottery, gardening (so I can eat delicious food), and hanging out with my doggo."
Development Director | Greg Yerkes
"Born in SLC and raised in New Hampshire, I found my way back to Salt Lake City to attend Westminster College, graduating in 2015. Driven by passion for making Utah the best place it can be, I joined the Downtown SLC Alliance and worked with Salt Lake City businesses to form partnerships, hold events, and gather insights with the goal of promoting a thriving downtown core. Turning my focus global, I served in the Peace Corps from 2018-2020, living and working in Benin as an agriculture and entrepreneurship volunteer. Utah called me back post service, and I am joining the o2 Utah team as Development Director to continue my work to make Utah the best it can be.
Joining o2 Utah is an exciting step forward, and I am excited to be part of an organization with such a critical mission. Air Quality is the topic du jour for months at a time throughout the year, and work needs to be done to make meaningful change that impacts all those who call the Wasatch Front home. o2 Utah has the opportunity to enact this meaningful change and I firmly believe that o2 will be a leader in improving air quality in Utah. I am most excited to engage stakeholders and citizens alike. Air Quality affects everyone without bias and there is passion and motivation for action throughout our community that is just waiting to be tapped into. I am excited to have a role in this engagement and standing with the o2 team.
Fun facts! I was in 3 professional theatre productions in High School. I speak French, and it is a great way to talk with my wife when we are out and about. I have read all but 2 of Edward Abbey’s works. My favorite font is the classic WPA font you see on National Park sign."
We are so lucky to have the help of our awesome new interns!
Rhianna Foster
"I was born in Alaska and have always been surrounded by nature, which is a good portion of the reason why I want to be involved in environmental work, and why I joined o2! Two facts about me: I have three pet snails named Gabriella, Greg, and Garrett. I'm also a big fan of geology and my rock collection is pretty sweet!"
Jess Olsen
"I’m a senior at the U studying environmental studies and business management. I’m very passionate about ultimate frisbee and scuba diving. Dried mango is my absolute go to snack. I’m excited to be working with o2 and helping to make an impact on Utah’s terrible air quality. I was born and raised in Utah and the air quality here has always affected the health of those around me, myself included."
As we've mentioned, 2022 is our biggest year yet. Not only are we working to pass Prosperity 2030, the most innovative air quality solution in the Mountain West, we are also identifying key competitive races throughout the state and hand-picking legislative candidates to support who will fight for our air quality. For these reasons, we've expanded our team as well as our efforts to engage with this incredible community. We really can't do this without you!
For those of you who are new here, we do a biweekly interview series/podcast called O2 & You! Our Executive Director and host, David Garbett, meets with voices from both environmental and political spaces. We've had on some pretty incredible guests over this past year, and we invite you to get caught up! Each episode is presented as a Facebook Live event, but if you're unable to join you can access all episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
FEBRUARY GUESTS
2/16 | O2 & You! feat. Greg Yerkes, our brand new Development Director! From the Downtown SLC Alliance to the Peace Corps, Greg has a wealth of experience working on the issues he cares about. We're so excited to have him on the o2 Utah team!
TBD | O2 & You! feat. TBD. We are working on getting a very exciting guest—stay tuned!
LAST MONTH GUEST RECAP
January jumpstarted us into action on air quality. From industry leaders paving the way to making the most of legislative session to the impacts of air pollution on Utah families, we covered a lot—and we're just getting started. If you weren't able to tune in, here's what you missed:
1/5 | O2 & You! feat. Chris Parker (Lowering Costs for Clean Building). David spoke with Chris Parker, the Founder & CEO of Giv Group. Chris is a signatory of Prosperity 2030. Zero-emissions buildings? Giv Group is leading the way. Listen to find out why and learn more about what the future looks like with Prosperity 2030 on the horizon.
1/19 | O2 & You! feat. Eliza Cowie (Legislative Session Rundown). To kick off the 2022 Utah Legislative Session, we welcomed our new Policy Director, Eliza Cowie, to give you the full rundown on the session and our involvement. What is it? Why is it so important? What are we working on? How can you get involved? Tune in to find out!
1/26 | O2 & You! feat. Matthew Fuller (Air Pollution & Pregnancy Loss). David spoke with Matthew Fuller, M.D., about his research at University Hospital on our polluted air and its direct correlation with pregnancy loss. Tune in to learn more and find out why Dr. Fuller is a supporter of cleaning our air with #Prosperity2030.
Each month, you're invited to come hang with the the o2 Utah team! We have a busy year ahead of us, but continuing to engage with this community is at the top of our list.
Like many organizations in the state, the legislative session is a hectic time for us. While we don't have an o2 Utah event this month, we're still going to be out in the community and we want you to join us!
We're excited to be tabling at The Front's "Climbing Up For Air" Challenge on Saturday, February 5th from 12-4 p.m.! Come see us and participate in the challenge at the South Main location (4140 S Main St, Millcreek, UT 84107).
Learn more about the challenge and come join your fellow air quality advocates!
We're enacting change with bold environmental policy. Each month, we want to keep you updated on our policy development: what we're focussing on, facts to help connect the dots, and progress on o2 Utah policy.
We are in the middle of the most critical 45 days of the year when it comes to policy. We're working hard to #PassProsperity2030. Here's why:
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Air pollution is impacting our health and our economy. A recent study revealed that Utahns are losing two years of life on average due to air pollution. Not only this, but Utah’s economy is losing out on $2 billion in direct and indirect costs each year due to air pollution.
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Air pollution is impacting Utah families in a devastating way. A 2018 study revealed that 16% of expecting mothers experience pregnancy loss due to air pollution (listen to the O2 & You episode here).
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We are nowhere near on track to meet the goals of The Utah Road Map. The Kem Gardner Institute published The Utah Roadmap: Positive Solutions on Climate and Air Quality at the request of the Utah Legislature. We are nowhere near on track for the goals laid out in this report.
Air quality is an undeniable crisis impacting all of us. It has consistently shown up as a top issue for Utah voters, yet the legislature has never done anything significant about it. It's time to get more specific with our demands—we're not just telling our legislators that we care about air quality. They already know. We're asking for legislation that cuts pollution along the Wasatch Front in half by 2030. We're asking them to pass Prosperity 2030.
We meet once a month to do just that. The Air Quality Utah Advocates (AQUA) are the driving force for action on air quality. We've had two meetings already, and if you haven't yet joined, we'd love to have you at the next one.
Join AQUA to stay updated on Prosperity 2030 as it progresses through the session, meet and take action with your fellow air quality advocates throughout the state, and help us pass the most innovative air quality legislation in the Mountain West.
If your last two years were anything like ours, you blew through just about every show, book, podcast, and playlist—leaving you searching for something new. Worry not, we've got you! Every month, you can look forward to recommendations for listening, watching, and reading from our team.
WHAT DAVID IS READING
Book | "The Song of Trees" by David George Haskell
"I love his observations and insights about trees."
WHAT ELIZA IS LISTENING TO
Podcast | Dolly Parton's America
The story of a legend at the crossroads of America’s culture wars.
WHAT MARCUS IS WATCHING
Series | "Ozark" on Netflix
“This makes me think about degrees of separation. The character named Ruth is good friends with David's sister-in-law. So, how many degrees of separation am I from Jason Bateman, the creator and star of this show? Only four! You guys should watch it—it's cool."
WHAT TRAVIS IS WATCHING
Series | "Ozark" on Netflix
"I've moved on to my newest binge show. I know I'm late to the game with this but it's addicting."
WHAT BELLA IS LISTENING TO
Artist | Htiekal
"Better known as LaKeith Stanfield, whose work you may know from films like 'Judas and the Black Messiah,' 'Sorry to Bother You,' and more. Did you know he makes music?! I just discovered this last month and have been listening nonstop! His song 'Fast Life' is his most played for a reason—really good stuff."
WHAT GREG IS LISTENING TO
Artist | Riki
"This musical artist is bringing back that 80s synth in a genuine and VERY danceable way."
WHAT BRONTI IS READING
Book | "The Emerald Mile" by Kevin Fedarko
"'The Emerald Mile' ties in historical events from multiple locations I have lived while also bringing two contrasting viewpoints into perspective. Good read!"
WHAT RIHANNA IS WATCHING
Movie | Encanto
"It's an amazing story about family and love and strength and it's a real tearjerker."
WHAT JESS IS READING
Book | "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
"It's based on a true story of a lawyer helping disadvantaged clients against an inherently racist and biased system. It's an incredibly eye opening book that I truly feel everyone should read."
Thank you for being in our corner. We'll see you next month!
