December 2024
Warmest Wishes To You This Holiday Season
As the year draws near its end, we are reflecting on the sustainability successes of the year, including 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Gold-level recognition in the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, as we shared in the September newsletter. This is a big achievement worth repeating, as it represents the work of many across all areas of campus to bolster sustainability as a part of what we do as an institution, from operations, planning and administration to academics and engagement, both on and off campus. Congratulations, again, to all of us! You’ll find more successes described in this newsletter, as well as both new and ongoing opportunities for getting involved or sharing your sustainability work in the coming year.
More immediately, as the semester wraps up and we all get ready for some much needed rest and downtime, we hope you are able to have time for more of the things that bring you joy and happiness. That might be enjoying peace and quiet with a good book or watching birds out the window, laughter and games with loved ones, outdoor adventures near or far, cooking a favorite meal or any one of a myriad activities. Whatever it is, we wish it for you.
All the best, from all of us, for the holidays, winter break and the coming year.
The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Sustainability Team
91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Ogden Campus Doubles Its Solar Capacity
Construction of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s new solar canopy spanning the paid parking lot in front of the Shepherd Union is nearly complete. This project is adding 1,649 new solar panels, providing enough electricity to serve both the Shepherd Union and part of Student Services buildings! This array will more than double the amount of solar currently available on the Ogden campus. The addition of this project will bring 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Ogden campus to 1,601 KW, enough power to run 141 homes.
This project also offers new electric vehicle charging stations, including stations for the ADA parking stalls. More solar projects like these are planned to be implemented over the next 16 years so that 91¶ÌÊÓƵ can achieve its 2040 carbon neutral goal.
Work with 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Sustainability Team!
Weber State's Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC) is seeking a candidate for a 900-hour
The CCAC member position will assist with developing communication platforms for a community program focused on sustainable living practices for residential households across the state of Utah. This position will run from January 21 – July 31, with a potential for continuation through the following year.
The position is great for those seeking a career in the sustainability field.
In addition to this position, SPARC will be seeking 3 new, full-time, year-to-year positions soon. More information on these positions will be shared once they are posted.
For more information about the CCAC position, contact Bonnie at bchristiansen2@weber.edu, or apply here: .
Hulet Round River Scholarship
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Wildlife conservation programs through Round River Conservation Studies (RRCS) are currently offered in Mongolia, Belize, British Columbia, Chile, Botswana, and along the Arizona-Mexico border, providing students with opportunities to learn directly from landscapes.
Due to a generous grant from the Hulet family, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ students can apply for funding to participate in the Round River Conservation Studies (RRCS) program. This scholarship provides partial support for a 91¶ÌÊÓƵ student to participate in one of the RRCS summer or semester-long courses. Participants earn 9 academic credits for summer programs and 15 academic credits for semester-long programs. More information about Round River and its field courses is available at .
The scholarship applications are available from Dr. John Mull (jmull@weber.edu) in the Department of Zoology. The application deadline is Friday, 17 January 2025 by midnight. Applicants not selected for the Hulet Scholarship may still be eligible for direct scholarship support from Round River.
91¶ÌÊÓƵ students who have taken part in Round River Conservation Studies describe the experience as life-changing. Apply now and broaden your horizons this year!
Welcome SPARC's New Staff
The Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC) is excited to have brought on three new staff this semester. Izzy Frazier and Andrew Barry are currently working to set up a new program to bring free energy efficiency upgrades to Utah households. Diya Shah is helping to get the word out about sustainable news, programs and events.
Izzy Frazier, is a Climate Justice Coordinator and a proud member of the Campus Climate Action Corps, an AmeriCorps program dedicated to helping universities provide energy-efficient resources and education to students and surrounding communities. She has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Utah State University. Izzy is excited to be part of this impactful team, where her role involves organizing educational events and conducting home energy efficiency assessments across communities throughout the state of Utah.
Andrew Barry is also a Climate Justice Coordinator for SPARC.. He will be working to identify at-risk communities to do home energy audits and save households money on energy costs. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in Journalism and Mass Communications, a Master’s degree in Environment, Development and Peace from the United Nations-mandated University for Peace, and is currently studying for an Urban Planning Graduate Certificate at the University of Utah.
Diya Rajya Laxmi Shah, the Student Sustainability Communications Coordinator at SPARC, is a freshman at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, pursuing an undergraduate degree in Architectural Design. Through her studies, she has gained a deeper understanding of sustainable design practices and their significant impact on both people and the environment. Sustainability has always been a core value for Diya, and she strives to incorporate it into her daily life. She is excited to collaborate with a group of inspiring individuals who share a commitment to creating a more sustainable and resilient future.
Plan Ahead for January's FREE Swap
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Join us for on January 14th and 15th! Bring your gently used items you would like to donate to Shepherd Union Ballroom A from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14th. Bring a reusable bag on Wednesday, January 15th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and take home some great free items. Last year the Free Swap re-homed 2204.05 pounds of merchandise, preventing over a ton of waste from being sent to a landfill! Join us this year to donate, and see what unique items you can find!
Sustainability in Action: SUS Class Highlight
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This semester, students in Dr. Matt Gnagey’s SUS attributed Environmental Economics course (ECON 3300) gained hands-on experience running research projects that address one of sustainability's biggest challenges: How to encourage investment in shared environmental resources? Student teams designed and conducted experiments that could reshape how we approach funding for public goods like clean air, protected habitats, and climate action. The teams developed testable hypotheses about factors affecting contributions to public goods.
One innovative project explored psychological framing, testing whether presenting environmental initiatives as potential losses rather than gains would impact contribution levels. Another group tackled the uncertainty inherent in environmental outcomes, examining how unpredictable payoffs affect willingness to contribute to public goods, even when the expected benefits stay constant– gaining insights in support for climate action initiatives where outcomes are often uncertain.
A third project investigated the impact of shared versus individual costs. Through an interactive experiment focused on lighting choices, they investigated how splitting costs across groups versus individual responsibility shapes sustainable decision-making. Through carefully designed experiments where participants made real monetary decisions, the students uncovered more realistic preferences for environmental goods.
These student-led projects blended behavioral economics with environmental challenges, offering fresh perspectives on funding crucial sustainability initiatives. Their findings could help design more effective policies for protecting our shared environmental resources!
Garden Club Update
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The Garden Club has wrapped up an exciting season and is now putting the garden to sleep for winter hibernation! We’ll be back in April to gear up for summer 2025 adventures. This year, the Garden Club moved the Community Garden to the Employee Wellness Annex’s backyard. Volunteers dug deep into fun educational opportunities and boosted fresh food donations to the Weber Cares Pantry and Wellness Program.
The Club harvested over 266 pounds of delicious fresh produce, hosted four classroom visits, and welcomed three new club officers (Gloria Taylor, Romina Aguado, and Michael Daugherty),
Interested students can participate in The Garden Club next spring by contacting Korynn at .
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A permanent flaming W has been taking shape this fall semester on the foothills behind 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s main campus. Once finished in the spring, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s new flaming W will boast energy efficient LED lights and 284 solar panels providing 91 KW of power that will be consumed by the Dee Events Center.
Site and concrete work are largely finished. In the spring the panels will be installed and the disturbed landscape will be reseeded. By spring commencement, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ will have expanded renewable energy generation for campus and a beautiful new permanent flaming W to light up during special events.
Research Awards
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Have you completed or are you on track to finish a sustainability research project this year? Apply for the 2025 Sustainability Research Award through Weber State's Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC) to have your work recognized.
Awards will be given to both faculty and students. Faculty are eligible for two $1,000 awards in the categories of traditional scholarship (e.g., conference or journal-targeted academic research) and applied scholarship (e.g., research benefiting the community, campus, or students). Two $500 awards are available for 91¶ÌÊÓƵ students who have completed sustainability research in 2024 or the Spring 2025 semester.
The application deadline is Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Award winners will be honored at the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Sustainability Awards event on April 17. For more information and to apply visit the Student Research Awards page or the Faculty Research Awards page.
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Participate in the Green Badge Program and start earning your badges today! December’s Green Badge is “Health & Wellness”. Learn about health services and other resources to improve and maintain your
well-being.
10 people earned November’s “Zero Waste” Badge. Way to go!
Does Your Department Have a Green Team?
Form a Green Team today! The Green Department Program empowers faculty and staff to explore strategies for enhancing sustainability within their departments or offices. Green Teams collaborate to earn points and recognition by implementing changes and completing tasks outlined in a Green Team checklist. Stay tuned for the upcoming Version 4.0!
Upcoming Events & Important Dates
Community Input for Plan Ogden
Share your vision and ideas for Ogden's future
Visit to take the questionnaire regarding Ogden's General Plan for 2050
Food Recovery
Shepherd Union, Einstein Bros
Monday, December 16
12:00 – 1:15 p.m.
December Bird Walks Through Migration Season
Ogden Nature Center
Saturday, December 14
8:00 a.m.
Photography in Nature
Ogden Nature Center
Saturday, December 21
8:00 a.m.
Hulet Round River Scholarship Application
Application Deadline: Friday, January 17
Research Awards Application
Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Student Research Awards or Faculty Research Awards