Clear the Air Challenge

The Clear the Air Challenge is a month-long competition created by the Salt Lake Chamber, UCAIR, and TravelWise Tracker to encourage Utahns to reduce vehicle emissions, improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion by driving less and driving smarter. The statewide challenge takes place in July where businesses, universities, and communities have the chance to compete against each other.

In addition, Weber State University hosts an internal Clear the Air Challenge each September to encourage friendly competition within the campus community to reduce the most COby taking alternative methods of transportation. Students, colleges, and each of the university divisions compete to win weekly prizes and recognition. The winning division, or WSUSA if students win, earns the honor of housing the Clear the Air Champion plaque for the year. The winning college earns the honor of housing the Clear the Air College Champion trophy for the year.  

2023 Clear the Air Challenge Results

In 2023, students, faculty, and staff competed in over 13 teams to win prizes, Wellness points, and Green Team points in the WSU internal challenges. As a whole, Team Weber had 52 participants, logged 1,450 trips, logged/traveled over 25,000 alternative miles, saved $11k, burned 32k calories, and saved 7.5 tons of CO2 from entering our air! The winning Division, for the 4th year in a row, was WSU Academic Affairs with 8,613 pounds or 4.3 tons of CO2 savings. The college winner was WSU College of Science with 3,181 pounds or 1.59 tons of CO2 savings! 

By participating in the Clear the Air Challenge, “Team Weber” is actively helping to limit the health-harming PM2.5 emissions during a time when the inversion traps pollution along the Wasatch front.

Help “Team Weber” Clear the Air during the month of September and make a difference!


Why Should I Participate?

Utah’s air quality is an issue year-round. Poor air quality is harmful to our health, our communities, our environment, and our future. By participating in the Clear the Air Challenge, students, faculty, and staff gain knowledge and tools that can be utilized throughout the year. Inversions along the Wasatch Front are common in winter and almost 50% of the trapped particulate matter comes from vehicle emissions. According to the Department of Air Quality, if Wasatch Front drivers were to park their vehicles for just one day per week, emissions would decrease by 6,500 tons per year. 

Weber State University is encouraging all of our students, faculty, and staff to participate in the challenge throughout the month of February. You can save trips by riding public transportation, combining trips, biking, walking, or carpooling whenever possible. Trips will be logged into TravelWise Tracker to calculate the vehicle emissions reduced by using smarter travel strategies. 

Win Prizes!

The Clear the Air Challenge starts September 1st and continues until the end of the month. A drawing for weekly prizes takes place every Monday (have all trips logged by Sunday). Entries are based on those who logged trips that week. In addition to the division and college winners, the top three performing individuals will be selected to win grand prizes at the end of the challenge. Check your email weekly to see if you won a prize!

Ways you can win: 

  • Log your trips on travelwisetracker.com 
  • Each logged trip counts as an entry for the random weekly drawing
  • You will then be entered into a random drawing!
  • The individual who reduces the most emissions at the end of each week will also win a prize! 

How to Join "Team Weber"

Create a New Account

If you have not created an account:

  1. Go to travelwisetracker.com
  2. Click the “Join Challenge” button and follow the steps, as instructed. Please be sure to use your Weber State email.
  3. Join “Weber State University-Team Weber” as your network.
  4. Pick a subgroup to ensure your entries are counted properly for each competition. Type WSU in search bar:
  • If you are a student: Join "WSU Students".
  • If you are faculty or staff: Join your division (e.g. "WSU Academic Affairs Division"). 
  • In addition, you can add your college as another subgroup (e.g. "WSU College of Science").
  • Important: You will need to be a member of "Team Weber" and your subgroups for your entries to be counted properly. 

5. Start logging your trips for a chance to win prizes! 

 

Already Registered?

If you have participated in the past, and already have an account:

  1. Log in on the Travel-Wise Tracker: travelwisetracker.com
  2. Click on your name in the upper right-hand corner of the dashboard
  3. Click “edit profile” in the upper left of the dashboard
  4. Select “My Networks” from the left-hand navigation
  5. Ensure that you are still a member of the “Weber State University-Team Weber” network. If you aren’t, join the network.
  6. Pick a subgroup to ensure your entries are counted properly for each competition. Type WSU in the search bar:
  • If you are a student: Join "WSU Students".
  • If you are faculty or staff: Join your division (e.g. "WSU Academic Affairs Division"). 
  • In addition, you can add your college as another subgroup (e.g. "WSU College of Science").
  • Important: You will need to be a member of "Team Weber" and your subgroups for your entries to be counted properly. 

7. Start logging your trips for a chance to win prizes!

Questions?

For general questions regarding the Clear the Air Challenge, contact: analeahvaughn@weber.edu / 801-626-6539

Resources


What is an Inversion?


Download the Connected Apps

Commute Tracker

Strava

strava


Other Helpful Resources

Clear the Air Challenge
Utah Clean Air
How to Join and Download the App (.PDF)