Hello there!
Thank you for learning more about us! We are a Salt Lake-based organization dedicated to protecting the health of humans and other animals who call Utah home.
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Our aim is to provide you with access to the very best research and information. Additionally, we focus on providing easy, actionable steps that you can take as an individual to help us all continue living safely in Utah.
Our Mission
The goal of our organization is simple- to improve and protect air quality in Utah. A huge piece of this puzzle will be to increase and maintain Great Salt Lake water levels. Without question, the lake’s shoreline must be higher than it is now to prevent arsenic-laced dust storms from decimating Salt Lake and Utah Valleys.
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However, the execution is not so simple. As of 2023 the state of Utah ranks second worst in the nation for water usage per person. This is an area in which our state has struggled for some time, and the current situation is especially alarming.
Furthermore, Utah’s rapidly growing population and expanding development projects are diverting more and more water from the rivers that feed the lake. The Great Salt Lake reached historic lows in 2022, and at this point we are rapidly approaching a public health crisis.
In light of this urgent situation, our organization was created to carry out three basic functions:
- Increase public awareness of this impending plight
- Help Utahns make better choices regarding their water usage
- Encourage and assist Utah residents in contacting their House and Senate Representatives to urge legislative action for better water conservation measures
Researchers from several universities have long been studying our beautiful lake and its globally-unique ecosystem. They warn that Utah could have as little as 5 YEARS before an “environmental nuclear bomb” is released upon us. Evidently, the newly-exposed lake bed contains high levels of arsenic, antimony, and several other toxic heavy metals. Air quality in Utah is already estimated to reduce residents’ lifespans by 1-5 years, and we cannot afford to let it get any worse.
Our History
We started in the beginning of January, 2023. It was the result of our founder’s passion for keeping her loved ones safe and home habitable.
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She had encountered the alarming research regarding the lake’s dire condition. Furthermore, she discovered that this unsettling data was widely unknown to those around her. This quickly drove her into action: she spoke at a Salt Lake City planning commission meeting, attended the January 14th rally to Save the Lake, launched Stop the Arsenic Dust Storms, and signed up to be a Community Lobbyist through HEAL Utah.
Our journey has only just begun, and we are thrilled to share our passion with you!
Our Founder
A Utah transplant, Ren Griffeth was born in Idaho Falls, ID as the oldest of 6 children. Owing to her parent’s willingness to haul the rowdy bunch around, she was exposed to the great outdoors throughout childhood. As a result, she grew up to have a deep love for this world and the people in it.
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One key takeaway from her upbringing was the mindset that humans have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of the beautiful planet we have been given.
Ren moved to Logan and attended Utah State University in 2011. After a brief break from school she received her AEMT license and moved to Salt Lake City in 2014. Following a series of promotions, she became Medical Operations Supervisor at Biomat USA. For nearly 6 years Ren held this position before stepping down in order to return to school and pursue her academic dreams. She is currently working on two AS degrees, in Biology and Biotechnology. However, the ultimate goal is a PhD in Molecular Biophysics. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, indoor rock climbing, and attending live music events.
We hope you have enjoyed learning more about our organization. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out through the “Contact” page above or by clicking here. You can also email Ren.Griffeth@stopthearsenicduststorms.org.