Due to its geographic location as it sits in the bottom of the valley surrounded by mountains at high elevation, Salt Lake City and its surrounding areas have always been susceptible to unhealthy air. In 2013, Forbes and the American Lung Association have ranked the Salt Lake County as one of the most polluted cities in the nation. With the Innovative Activities Grant from the American Chemical Society, the University of Utah Student Chapter has reached out to high school students to start an environmental awareness campaign with the next generation of potential polluters. Air pollution has been an increasing problem in the state of Utah as more evidence is presented on its tremendous health consequences for the people of the valley. In this project, the University of Utah Student Chapter has developed a program that engages these students in the process of learning more about Utah's air quality by designing an informational packet that describes and simplifies the science behind air pollution. Topics in the packet included information on ozone, particulate matter, pollution-associated respiratory ailments, and toxic substances released in the air. The packet also provides demonstration and laboratory experiment protocols for teachers to use and implement in their science curriculum. The chapter also collaborated with other organizations on campus and the community to bring in these students to the University of Utah and give a presentation on the issue and propose some actions that individuals can put into action in their daily lives. This campaign has been a work-in-progress this year to be initiated and will have more changes that can be implemented in the future to increase awareness and activism to tackle air pollution.

Raising environmental consciousness in high school students in the Salt Lake Valley

248th National Meeting (2014)

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