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- Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson launched "Green Vision" to unify sustainability efforts.
- Awards were given to departments for initiatives like water-efficient landscaping and energy conservation.
- Green Vision emphasizes environmental responsibility and taxpayer savings with a full launch in 2026.
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson gave 10 awards to various county departments, divisions and agencies for focusing on sustainability and energy conservation in an inaugural recognition ceremony on Tuesday.
But Wilson emphasized this isn't the start of that type of work in the county.
"It's not the first time Salt Lake County has done work in this space. It's the first time we've said 'thank you,'" she said. "Thank you for taking the time, energy and commitment to make a change."
Wilson also used the ceremony to unveil a new initiative dubbed "Green Vision," designed to highlight and unify cross-departmental sustainability efforts throughout the county.
"We want our county employees to understand Green Vision, and that just means we at Salt Lake County have a value of saving money for our taxpayers and also doing what's right for the environment. We're in a very arid state. We have a shrinking Great Salt Lake. We can conserve water ... we need to clean up our air," Wilson said.
The type of collaborative work Wilson is trying to push, she said, was demonstrated by this year's "Achievement in Land" award winner, given to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, Mountain America Expo Center, Central City Recreation Center, Meadow Brook Golf Course, animal services and facilities management.
The six agencies were recognized for their participation in an initiative called "Flip the Strip" that replaced turf park strips with water-efficient landscaping, reducing water consumption and helping support the county's long-term drought resilience plans.
Wilson said 160,930 square feet of unused lawn was replaced with water-efficient landscaping through the program.
"I am one of the people that gets a phone call when I say, 'Hey, county, can we cut back on our water use?' And then somebody's driving along and sprinklers are running in the middle of the night, or there's a pool in the gutter. People saying, 'Hey, county, if you're going to talk the talk, walk the walk.' And so we walked the walk with this program," Wilson said.
The rest of the county's inaugural honorees included:
- The Achievement in Water was awarded to Salt Lake County Arts and Culture for its Great Salt Lake-themed exhibit, highlighting collaborative efforts supporting the lake. The exhibit "celebrates the lake's landscape, an enduring source of inspiration for artists across generations, and brings renewed attention to its essential role in safeguarding Utah's environmental health," said a release from the county.
- The Achievement in Air award was given to the Salt Lake County Department of Health for its Vehicle Repair and Replacement Assistance Program. The program grants qualifying, low-income individuals financial assistance to replace a qualifying vehicle with a newer, cleaner vehicle.
- The Salt Lake County Library's Daybreak Branch took home the Achievement in Energy Award for becoming Utah's first Net Zero energy building, meaning it generates its own renewable energy and minimizes its energy consumption. Underneath the parking lot, the branch uses geothermal energy to avoid huge heating and cooling shifts while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The branch is also home to an array of 512 solar panels, which produce 102% of the on-site energy needs.
- The Achievement in Waste and Recycling was awarded to the Salt Palace Convention Center for its waste diversion and recycling programs. Wilson said that in 2025 alone, the building diverted 33.57% of its waste through recycling, composting and reusing.
Green Vision's full launch is planned for 2026.
