SILICON, SCARCITY, AND STEAK: REDEFINING THE WEST'S WATER CRISIS
Time: TBD
Location

Utah is living on borrowed time when it comes to water, and nowhere is that clearer than at the Great Salt Lake. As of this June 2026, the lake sits at just three feet above the record low of 4,188 feet set in November 2022. In the midst of the political fight over the proposition to construct a data center in North Western Utah, Utahns are concerned about the increasing pressure that the data center would pose on our already scarce water resources. While everyone's attention is on AI and data centers, we are neglecting an even larger culprit in our water crisis: animal agriculture.

About: Hannah was raised outside of Salt Lake City, UT. She spent her summers on long backpacking trips to the Uintah mountains with her Dad who helped cultivate her love of the natural world, eventually leading her to get two bachelor's degrees in natural sciences from the University of Utah. She worked for NASA before her current position at Weber State University. In 2025, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at 23 years old after an episode of paralysis. She spent most of that summer and fall learning how to walk again and learning how to live meaningfully and joyfully in spite of disability. She has two young daughters who are the light of her life. In her free time, Hannah enjoys spending time with those she loves, supporting animal rescues and any crafting project that she can get her hands on. 

Utah Animal Rights Coalition (UARC) believes that a wide array of lifestyles, beliefs, and opinions ought to be present at a community festival. The views and opinions expressed by the vendors & speakers at SLC VegFest do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UARC or SLC VegFest, and the presence of a vendor or speaker at SLC VegFest should not be construed as an endorsement of every idea, tactic, or position held by that vendor or speaker.