Author: Jenny Willden

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By Jenny Willden When it comes to gear, green is the new black. Companies in the outdoor industry are following the trend and pushing to go green and help the planet by following sustainable practices and using recycled materials. Join the revolution by purchasing eco-friendly items when you get new gear. This guide is a small sampling of our favorite earth friendly finds, but check your favorite local sporting goods store to see more.

Many people drink bottled water because it tastes better and may contain fewer chemicals, but you can enjoy bottled water flavor without hurting the environment. Just replace disposable plastic bottles with your own water purification device in a refillable water bottle. The first device is Guyot Designs’ TapGuard®, which fits on a widemouth water bottle (Camelbak and Nalgene) and uses a carbon filter to purify your water as you sip. The filter will remove 95% of chlorine and other unpleasant chemicals that can give tap water a bad taste. Each TapGuard comes with two replacement carbon filters, enough for 200…

Enlyten, which launched in January, has created a product that uses a patent-pending thin-strip technology to deliver active ingredients, like electrolytes or caffeine, over 10 times faster than pills, capsules or liquids. The claim is that you’ll feel the benefits of enlyten’s products in 2–3 minutes, instead of over 30 minutes like other products.

By Mike Newberry De-scend (verb): To move from a higher to a lower place; come or go down. That’s how Webster’s defines it, but how to do it is another thing entirely. For the novice mountain bike rider, going downhill fast can be intimidating to the point of freezing up—which is exactly what you don’t want to be doing. I, for one, am amazed at how the people I often ride with can do it so well, but following their tracks has taught me a few simple rules to make descending more user friendly.

Tips & Products for Off-Road Running By Jenny Willden You may run at the gym, in the park or even in your neighborhood, but have you ever run on a trail? Anyone can do it and it’s easier on your joints than road running. All it takes is a pair of trail running shoes to get started and our tips on how to ditch the gym and get off-road this summer. 1. Wear the right gear. A good pair of trail running shoes will protect your feet and keep you from slipping on unstable terrain. Check out our picks of…

By Bill Novak Utah has progressed in the past decade, when it comes to recycling. Gone are the days when everything is thrown in the trash. With curbside, residential recycling programs happening throughout the valley, Utahns have the opportunity to reduce the waste going into our landfills, while saving resources that are used in developing new products. However, some items are not included in these residential recycling programs, including glass, styrofoam, electronics and household chemicals. Here is a quick guide to recycling products not included in the curbside pickups. All addresses are in Salt Lake City unless otherwise noted. Car Batteries…

Winter resorts aren’t just for skiing and snowboarding. Enjoy summer in the canyons by attending events and taking part in activities at local resorts.

By Joel Harper, Illustrated By Mark Spusta This children’s book tells the story of two friends, Isaac and James, and their discovery of the relationship between our cities’ storm drains and the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers. It’s a great way to teach and inspire kids to do their part to keep our environment safe. Also, the book is printed on recycled paper, which saved 9,000 gallons of water, 22 trees and 1,000 pounds of solid waste. Soy ink was also used, which produces less airborne toxins than regular ink. A portion of the proceeds from the book go to…