Welcome to the March WSU Sustainability Newsletter!
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Cut Pollution: Mow Electric Program-Lottery Open!
Would you like to replace your gas-powered mower with an electric model?
The Cut Pollution - Mow Electric program is promoting cleaner air and healthier lives in Utah by replacing polluting gas-powered mowers with zero-emissions electric mowers. Running a gas-powered mower is equivalent to driving a car 160 miles (with you standing behind the exhaust pipe).
The program is hosted by Weber State University’s sustainability offices in partnership with the Davis County and Weber-Morgan Health Departments, and is offering 762 electric mowers for exchange for those living in Utah's non-attainment air quality zones.
A randomized online lottery is open now through March 31st for those interested in the program. Lottery winners can turn in their operable gas-powered mower on April 21st, and receive a new Kobalt 40-volt cordless electric lawn mower with mulching capability for $100 (plus tax and a 3% credit card processing fee). Typical retail price of the electric mower is $329.
Waivers of the $100 fee are available for
Visit our website, see us on Facebook, or join us at one of our community workshops to learn more:
Tuesday, March 20
Where: Weber State University Ogden Campus, Shepherd Union Building, Ballrooms A & B (3848 Harrison Blvd. Ogden)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 22
Where: Weber-Morgan Health Department Auditorium (477 23rd St., Ogden)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
At the workshops you can see the Kobalt electric lawn mower first-hand, try it out, and ask the product experts any questions you might have. There will also be electric edgers, blowers, and other equipment on hand.
This Year's Annual Intermountain Sustainability Summit a Great Success
Energy ran high at the 9th Annual Intermountain Sustainability Summit. Over 400 participants from education, business, nonprofit and government sectors networked and attended sessions on March 1. The Crossroads Project performance, the keynote by Professor Naomi Oreskes, and affiliated workshops on climate communication and green buildings drew additional participants with a total of over 650 people attending one or more Summit activities.
This year the Student Poster Contest was set up in the Shepherd Union Ballrooms, bringing more attention to student work. Student Poster Contest winners included the following students and their respective categories: Caitlin Vitale-Sullivan (Idaho State University) - Sustainability Education & Community Engagement; Peter Harrison (Utah State University) - Green Design; Rob Sowby (University of Utah) - Graduate Research; and Hailey Burton, Heather Couturier, Kyia Hill and Emily Kaemmer (Weber State University) - Undergraduate Research & the People's Choice Award. Congratulations to all the award winners!
There was also a colorful and thought-provoking exhibit of prints created by Weber State student artists in K. Stevenson's printmaking classes. These students created their projects for the Summit specifically around the theme of sustainability. They are currently showing in the Project Gallery, access thru the Atrium, (and right next to the Elizabeth Dee [main ] Gallery, in the Kimball Art Building. They will be on exhibit through April 14th.
If you missed the event, or would like to revisit a session you attended, Summit videos are available on YouTube. Others are being added, so check back for more videos in the coming days.
Utah Air Quality Conference to be held on Campus March 29th
Air Quality: Science for Solutions is a new annual conference on air quality, especially for Utah and the Intermountain West. The mission of this conference is to bridge divides that separate researchers of various disciplines from each other, from professionals in the industrial and regulatory realms, and from the public, as well as facilitating a cross-pollination of ideas and the development of solutions. It has origins a pair of conferences held in 2015 by the same name, hosted by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality; the Program for Air Quality Health and Society at the University of Utah; and Utah State University’s Bingham Entrepreneurship & Energy Research Center.
The conference will be held at Weber State University, Shepherd Union Building, Ballroom C, Ogden.
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"Earth Hour" March 24th 8:30 p.m.
Every year, millions of people around the world join the Earth Hour movement and switch off their lights for one hour to show support for reducing our energy consumption and mitigating against climate change. This year’s Earth Hour takes place March 24 at 8:30 p.m. Mountain Time and aims to recommit to the fight against climate change: https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/earth-hour.
Interested in Electric Vehicles? Explore WeberAuto on YouTube
With more than 84,000 subscribers, the YouTube channel, WeberAuto are no rookies regarding the latest automotive technology and knowing what people are interested in knowing more about. One video series walks through an entire semester of the Advanced Automotive Technology class at Weber State that focuses on hybrid and electric Vehicles. The latest video features the Toyota Prius Electronic Continuously Variable Transaxle (eCVT) model P112 to demonstrate how an eCVT works. ECVTs allow the engine to operate (when necessary) at the RPM for peak efficiency while increasing and decreasing the transmission drive ratio to change the speed of the vehicle. These videos are geared to college-level instruction but are perfect for anyone with background knowledge in mechanics curious about the construction of hybrid and electric vehicles.
PLAN is Looking for Interns
The Post-Landfill Action Network is looking for interns relating to partner expansion, reuse economy, and zero waste efforts. The priority deadline has passed but PLAN will continue to accept applications on a rolling basis through April 1st! PLAN cultivates, educates, and inspires the student-led zero waste movement. As the PLAN group notes, "We inform students about the waste crisis and equip them with the necessary skills and resources to implement solutions to waste in their campus communities." PLAN empowers our generation to be change makers. Internships are based in Philadelphia, PA.
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: Protection and Advocacy Training
Join the Environmental Ambassadors as the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance visits to discuss their plan for advocacy! Come to room 301 in the Shepherd Union building of Weber State from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on March 28th.
Green Department Update
Congratulations Certified Departments!
The Energy & Sustainability Office is also proud to announce that the following departments have recently achieved certification (since November 2017):
Silver
- Geosciences
- Developmental Math
- Political Science & Philosophy
- Bachelor of Integrated Studies
Bronze
- Division of Online and Continuing Education: West Center
- Division of Online and Continuing Education: Community Education Center
- Division of Online and Continuing Education: Hurst Center 110
- Study Aboard
- Teacher Education
- Chemistry
New Green Teams
- Military Science
- Psychology & Neuroscience
- Division of Online and Continuing Education
- Davis Enrollment
- Health and Administrative Services
Please congratulate your colleagues on their green achievements when you see them and welcome our new green teams!
Get on the Green Team
If you are interested in getting your office or department involved in the Green Certification Program, please contact Kayla Hickman at kaylahickman@weber.edu or visit https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/GreenDept.html. The purpose of the Green Department Program is to engage WSU offices and departments in the work of making the entire university more sustainable and carbon neutral. The program is voluntary and competitive. Participating departments assemble a green team and acquire points through sustainable practices. The number of points achieved determines certification at the bronze, silver, gold, or green levels.
Let’s Talk Trash Workshop
Due to the changes in the recycling markets, the types of items accepted at recycling facilities have changed throughout the western United States. All of Weber County, including Weber State University, have been impacted and are currently experiencing changes in recycling policies. The Energy & Sustainability Office is currently working on an education campaign to inform WSU on these changes. For more details on the changes in recycling and how to reduce waste at WSU, come to our workshop Let’s Talk Trash on April 17th from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Skyroom. Please register for the event on Training Tracker, and contact Kayla Hickman at kaylahickman@weber.edu for more information.