Park City Community Foundation’s Climate Fund Focuses on Waste Diversion and Reduction to Have the Greatest Local Impact on Slowing Climate Change

In partnership with community leaders, the Climate Fund aims to eliminate food waste in the Summit County landfill by 2030.

 Park City, UT – April 24, 2023 – Park City Community Foundation is pleased to announce that its Climate Fund is committing to a large-scale waste diversion plan with the goal of eliminating food waste from entering the Summit County landfill by 2030. The Climate Fund will focus on high-impact waste reduction and diversion by funding and advocating for efforts in Summit County, with an emphasis on composting and energy recovery.

“Eliminating food waste significantly reduces methane emissions and is one of the best and quickest ways we can have a local impact on slowing the rate of global warming,” says Joel Zarrow, President and CEO of Park City Community Foundation. “The Community Foundation plays an important role in addressing critical challenges in our area which is why we focus on climate and our mountain environment. Our Climate Fund will bring together partners, business leaders, nonprofits, and donors to get the entire community on board with zero food waste.”

The zero food waste goal directly aligns with Park City Municipal’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2030. In 2022, the Climate Fund studied how its work can have the greatest impact toward net zero emissions. Eighty percent of solid waste that ends up in the Summit County landfill is divertible, with most of it being food waste. Stopping and diverting food waste is a tangible way to make a difference.

“Summit County residents care about the local and global impacts of climate change, and waste diversion is an essential step in creating a more sustainable, safe, and healthy environment for our residents,” said Eyee Hsu, Board Member of Park City Community Foundation and member of the Climate Fund Steering Committee.

“The climate solutions we implement in Summit County have the potential to scale through partnerships with other mountain towns, which will further amplify the impact on CO2 emissions,” continued Hsu “We have a unique opportunity as a mountain community to be leaders in this space and I believe we truly can make a measurable difference.”

Solid waste landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.[1] Waste diversion in Summit County can create a wide range of positive impacts on the community, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced impact on surface and groundwater, lower costs of city waste management, improved local food security and resilience, and less waste in our already limited landfill.

When solid waste breaks down in landfills, toxic greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere, and pollutants seep into soil and groundwater. Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, traps heat at a rate 84 times that of carbon dioxide, and scientists estimate that nearly 25% of current atmospheric warming is directly related to methane emissions alone. At the same time, it has a relatively short shelf-life, so reducing methane emissions can have a dramatic environmental impact.

Since 2019, Park City Community Foundation’s Climate Fund has invested over $527,000 into local organizations since its inception in 2019 and offers occasional education events for the community about climate issues. On April 25, 2023, the Climate Fund will host a sold-out event with National Geographic filmmaker and photographer Pete McBride. To learn more about the Climate Fund, visit parkcitycf.org/climate.

About Park City Community Foundation – The Community Foundation plays a vital role in solving the biggest challenges in greater Park City. It cares for and invests in our people, place, and culture by bringing together local nonprofits, donors, and community leaders to contribute financial resources and innovative ideas to benefit all the people of Park City—now and in the future. As the home of Live PC Give PC, Women’s Giving Fund, Solomon Fund, and other important initiatives, the Community Foundation has generated more than $49.5 million in total impact to the greater Park City community and Summit County since its inception in 2007. Learn more about donating, volunteering, fundraising, and getting involved at parkcitycf.org. For more information about the Climate Fund, visit parkcitycf.org/climatefund.

Media Contact: Christine Coleman, Park City Community Foundation, christine@parkcitycf.org, 415-209-8506.

[1] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abf9c8?addl_info=2021%0AThe%20fastest%20way%20to%20slow%20warming