September 2024
Welcome back to a new and exciting year of sustainability. We are thrilled to announce that WSU has recently been awarded a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Gold certification, through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, for our sustainability achievements across campus! This includes sustainability metrics in operations, academics, campus and community engagement as well as our planning and administration, innovations and leadership. Striving toward sustainability is a combined effort at Weber State University, as it is in the wider world, and we thank you for your part in working with us to achieve this milestone and improve our place and community.
Join the Club! The Sustainable Clubs Want You!
WSU is home to many sustainability clubs including the Environmental Ambassadors, Food Recovery Network, and Garden Club. They offer a community of friends, who like you, are passionate about promoting sustainability on campus. The clubs focus on taking action to promote solutions related to air quality, transportation, social sustainability, zero waste, health and wellness, food sustainability, education & outreach, clean energy, water quality and conservation, and biodiversity. Meet the sustainable club members at their upcoming events and find a group of peers with similar passions and interests!
- Garden Club meetings, Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m.,
3650 Taylor Ave, Ogden (This is a WSU Annex on the north side of campus.) -
Zero Waste Athletics Football Game, Saturday, September 28, Stewart Stadium, 6 p.m.Sign Up Here!
You can find additional ways to connect with the clubs and take part in sustainability events at the Sustainability Events Page.
Elevate Your Transportation
Even small changes can make big impacts. Consider these ways to make your travel to, through, and from WSU more sustainable.
The OGX
The Ogden Express, Ogden’s all-electric and emission-free bus line, is free to ride for the next two years! It’s perfect for Weber State students with stops at the Dee Events Center and main campus. There are also stops throughout Ogden City at the FrontRunner, The Junction, Washington Boulevard, Weber County Library, Monroe Park, Mt. Ogden Jr. High, Mt. Ogden High School, Weber State University, and McKay-Dee Hospital. Buses run every 10 minutes from 4:30 a.m. to midnight and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays. To see a detailed schedule go to rideuta.com.
Active Transportation
Choose active transportation like walking or riding a bike. WSU is diligently working to improve campus infrastructure to make active transportation a more accessible choice.
New Free EV Charging on Campuses
Electric vehicles with a WSU parking pass can charge for free for three hours. The charging stations are located throughout the Ogden Campus, Davis Campus, and Community Education Center located on 26th and Monroe in Ogden. Stations can be found on the campus sustainability map.
Carbon Offsets
Don’t forget that there is always the option to purchase carbon offsets to reduce or eliminate your commuting footprint. When you purchase your parking pass this year, please select the "Add Carbon Offset" option to contribute to the Carbon Offset Fund. All contributions will be matched by WSU's Energy & Sustainability Office! If you already purchased your pass for the year, you can still contribute by logging into your account at weber.myparkinginfo.com and selecting "Add Carbon Offset" as depicted in the screenshots here.
Sustainability Screenings!
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Weber State University students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to make connections through the medium of film at the Sustainability Screenings with SPARC – featuring short films/documentaries/TED Talks on the big screen followed by conversation.
The first film will be AWAiRE – What’s Beneath the Clouds on Thursday, September 26 at the Wildcat Theater in the Shepherd Union. The film will start at noon with an informal discussion to follow, ending by 1:15 p.m.
The screenings will align with the WSU Green Badge monthly themes, covering the interconnected environmental, social, and economic spheres of sustainability.
Movies will be shown in the Wildcat Theater with popcorn! Plan ahead: showings will be on the following Thursdays, noon-1:15 p.m.:
September 26
October 31
November 21
January 23
February 13
April 10
Apply for a "SUS"tainablity Attribute
All disciplines, perspectives, and skills are needed to address the collective sustainability challenges we face and improve life for all.
The SUS course attribute signals that a course includes some sustainability component (e.g., case study, module/material, challenge, themes) and at least two sustainability learning outcomes. A course may focus on a vast array of issues, topics, tools, and approaches in the intersecting environmental and socio-economic aspects of sustainability. These classes contribute to students’ understanding of sustainability in their daily lives, as well as providing the necessary tools to make positive change from local to global scales. Students can search for the SUS attribute during registration or find a list of current SUS classes here.
The application process is easy in GivePulse. The “Why, What, and How” of the SUS attribute and necessary links to apply can be found here. Approved courses may retain the SUS attribute for five years before renewal.
Contact the SUS Attribute Committee Chair, Alice Mulder, at amulder@weber.edu for more information.
Sustainability Job Openings
Now is a fantastic time to join the WSU sustainability team. The following opportunities are open for application. Apply today! Contact Bonnie Christiansen (bchristiansen2@weber.edu) with questions. Talk with your academic advisor if you are interested in receiving internship credit for these positions.
Student Sustainability Communications Coordinator
This position helps manage community and campus outreach — working with others to promote sustainability at Weber State. The coordinator will write, compile, and edit monthly newsletters, create social media content, and assist with updating websites (proficient writing and communication skills are necessary). This role is an excellent way to engage with the WSU community. This student job/internship is a unique opportunity for English or Communication students with a passion for sustainability.
Sustainability Outreach Coordinator
This position will manage and lead WSU’s Environmental Ambassadors Program and coordinate with other associated clubs to promote a culture of sustainability on campus. The person in this role will help advance WSU’s sustainability goals.
Food Sustainability Coordinator
The Food Sustainability Coordinator will assist the Sustainability Manager with the implementation of WSU’s food sustainability plan. They will also be responsible for serving as the president of WSU’s Food Recovery Network which reduces food waste by coordinating with Dining Services to have leftover food donated to the Weber Cares Pantry or local homeless shelters.
Find more sustainability jobs, internships, scholarships, and opportunities on our Sustainability Jobs/Internships Page. This resource is great for current and graduated students!
Reach for a STAR Grant
The Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC) seeks proposals for faculty-led research and practices that foster engagement with sustainability at Weber State. Projects should broadly connect environmental and socioeconomic aspects of sustainability. Projects may include direct action to solve sustainability problems, developing new educational experiences, outreach/communication spreading sustainability awareness, or research that furthers knowledge or technical solutions. Engagement with students and/or community is encouraged.
Proposals should be submitted to SPARC by email by September 18, 2024. Proposals should be 2-3 pages and include a clear statement of the project goals, impacts, student/community engagement, budget, timeline, and plans for dissemination of results. Projects may be funded for up to $5,000 (or potentially up to $10,000 for high-impact, collaborative projects). Please be sure to detail any matching funds that may be available to support your work. Each year a total of $20,000 is available for funding grants. In addition to discipline-specific dissemination of results, projects funded by the Sustainability Teaching, Application and Research (STAR) Grant are expected to be shared at the Research and Engagement Symposium, the faculty Thrive Symposium, or the Intermountain Sustainability Summit. We anticipate future calls for proposals in Spring 2025 (Feb 29).
Green Badge Program Update.png)
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Participate in the Green Badge Program and start earning your badges today! September’s Green Badge is “Air Quality.” Learn about air quality issues in Utah and ways you can reduce your emissions.
Five people earned summer’s “Biodiversity” Badge. Way to go!
Green Teams Update
Join a Green Team today! The Green Department Program is for faculty and staff to learn ways to make their departments or offices more sustainable. Green Teams work together to earn points and recognition by implementing change and taking actions outlined in a Green Team checklist. Version 4.0 will be coming soon!
Upcoming Events & Important Dates
Community Input for Plan Ogden
Share your vision and ideas for Ogden's future
Visit Plan-Ogden.com to take the questionnaire regarding Ogden's General Plan for 2050
Food Recoveries
Shepherd Union, Einstein Bros
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Noon –1:15 p.m.
More Info
Garden Club Meetings
Community Garden
Tuesdays
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
See Events Calendar
Sustainability Screenings Series
Shepherd Union, Wildcat Theater
Thursday, September 26
12:00 –1:30 p.m.
See Events Calendar
Zero Waste Athletics-Football
Stewart Stadium
Saturday, September 28
6 p.m.
Sign up here
ONC's Wellness Through Nature Series
Ogden Nature Center
September – December
Learn more here
News & Resources
How colleges can become ‘living labs’ for combating climate change | The Hechinger Report
Can eating less beef and dairy help save the Colorado River? | NPR
How rural families are saving thousands with electric vehicles | Yale Climate Connections
The Rights of Nature Prevail Again in Ecuador | Yes! Solutions Journalism
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