February 2025

Apply for SUS Course Attribute 

Faculty, if you teach a class that connects with sustainability or would like to, you are encouraged to apply for the Sustainability (SUS) Course Attribute. All disciplines, perspectives, and skills are needed to address our collective sustainability challenges and improve life for all. Currently, 63% of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ departments offer one or more SUS classes. Is your department one of them?

Applications for Summer or Fall 2025 courses are due March 1. The application involves two steps: preparing your syllabus to include the required SUS elements and completing the HIEE attribute form (used for all course attributes, e.g., CEL, SUS, CRE). Visit here for details. Approved courses may retain the SUS attribute for five years before renewal. Three SUS help sessions are open to faculty interested in learning more about SUS or wanting assistance with their application. Join one or more sessions: 

  • Thursday, Feb. 20, 1-2 pm, via
  • Monday, Feb. 24, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, via  
  • Wednesday, Feb. 26, 12:30-1:30 pm, via

A SUS course can cover various topics and approaches within sustainability's intersecting environmental, social, and economic aspects. The SUS attribute signals to students that the course includes sustainability-focused learning outcomes. These courses help students develop a meaningful understanding of sustainability and provide tools to create positive change on local and global scales. The attribute also helps students find relevant courses during registration.

For questions or more information, contact the SUS Attribute Committee Chair, Alice Mulder, at amulder@weber.edu.

Star Grants for Faculty - Call for Proposals 

SPARC is excited to announce the spring round of funding for the Sustainability Teaching, Application, and Research (STAR) Grants. These grants aim to support 91¶ÌÊÓƵ faculty in leading research and practices that foster engagement with sustainability at Weber State. Projects may receive funding of up to $5,000, with the possibility of up to $10,000 for high-impact, collaborative initiatives. Each year, a total of $20,000 is allocated for funding grants. Proposals should be submitted to heatherroot@weber.edu by February 28. Learn more here

Turning Off the Steam Behind the Scenes

Sometimes, sustainability works behind the scenes. On Jan 14th, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ reached a significant milestone in its electrification journey by turning off the energy-intensive, natural gas-powered steam system, which previously powered the north half of campus. This achievement was made possible by years of dedication to installing heat pump electrification projects in over a half-dozen buildings, including:

  • Noorda
  • Engineering Tech
  • Interprofessional Education Building
  • Lind Lecture Hall
  • Allied Health North
  • Skysuites
  • Heat Plant and Campus Services.

This change not only advances campus sustainability but also boosts energy savings on campus, providing utility savings, which fund even more transformative energy initiatives. With efforts like these, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ is on track to achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2040. 

Electrification projects are currently underway in the McKay Education, Engineering Tech North and the Dee Events Center. This summer, projects will begin in the Allied Health South and Student Services Building, ensuring continued progress toward a greener future.

f l o e : Only Ice Knows

Step into a world where art and activism collide. Join the Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities for f l o e : Only Ice Knows, a multidisciplinary, collaborative performance that transforms the ice into a stage for storytelling, creativity, and connection. 

When: Saturday, February 8th | 6:30 p.m.  
Where: Weber County Ice Sheet  
Admission: FREE  

This event addresses the climate crisis through the power of movement-based theatre on ice. In addition to contemporary ice skating, this performance will feature dance, live original poetry, and environmental (icescape) sound design. 

Bring your family and friends to this free event to witness the ice come alive as stories of climate and community unfold. This event is supported in part by a STAR grant awarded to Dr. Sarah Grunnah (Theatre).

Connecting with the Land through Story, Song, and Dance 

 

Date/Time: Tuesday, February 25th | 1:30 p.m.
Location: Shepherd Union, Wildcat Theater (Room 208) 
Admission: Free and open to the public 

This unique symposium, part of the Weber Storytelling Festival, intends to highlight Native Americans centered on the land and emphasize familial relationships between all creatures on Earth—humans, plants, animals, bodies of water and landforms—each with their own stories, songs and dances. The festival embraces the principle from deep ecology to address climate crises effectively; humans must transform how they think about and relate to the natural environment.  

Story, song and dance can be powerful means for impacting worldviews and prompting climate action. These forms of artistic expression and social interaction are inherently sustainable, time-tested social practices that require only modest use of material resources, if any. This event is made possible, in part, by a 2024 STAR grant awarded to faculty Vincent Bates & Sara Gailey (Education). Learn more about the Storytelling Symposium here.

January Sustainability Film: Common Ground 

This month, join SPARC for a screening of A New Climate Vision. 

Date/Time: Thursday, February 13, 12:00-1:15 pm.
Location: Shepherd Union, Wildcat Theater (Room 208)

The impacts of climate change are growing, but so are the world’s attempts to stop them. This special TED documentary examines the rapid technological revolution underway – and the real possibility of a better future for all.
The 57-minute film will be followed by a discussion about the growing impacts of the climate crisis and how technologies and innovations can offer a hopeful path to a better future.
This event complements this month’s theme of “Education and Outreach.”

All are welcome. Free popcorn is provided!

Intermountain Sustainability Summit

The Intermountain Sustainability Summit (ISS) is an innovative two-day event hosted by Weber State’s Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC). The ISS brings together sustainability professionals and emerging leaders from the education, business, government, and non-profit sectors. The summit is a great opportunity to connect with peers and those implementing climate solutions from across Utah and neighboring states. The public is welcome to register for the ISS here, and 91¶ÌÊÓƵ faculty, staff, and students can register here. 

The main day, Thursday, March 20, features the keynote speaker and over 35 presenters hosting sessions on a variety of topics, including Universe of Funding Opportunities in Utah, The Path to Zero Net Energy On-Site: Daybreak Library, Defusing Utah's Multi-Billion Dollar Bomb: Great Salt Lake Dust, among many others. The day also includes networking opportunities and the Eco Expo showcasing sustainability-focused businesses and organizations, and student-led posters and research on sustainability.

Friday, March 21, offers a series of in-depth workshops that include:  

  • Exploring How Utah Uses Water: The Role of Local Government and Public Policy in Preserving the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem
  • From Data to Decisions: Building Leadership Consensus for Smarter, Energy-Focused Facility Upgrades
  • Advocacy Action Tools for Bipartisan Policy Solutions
  • Fora.AI: Reshaping Collaboration for Climate and Social Impact 

View the full session and workshop schedules here. 

Students and recent graduates, submit your sustainability-based posters for the Intermountain Sustainability Summit! Students whose posters are chosen to be displayed will receive free registration (for up to two co-authors) to the main day of the ISS events on Thursday, March 20, and have the opportunity to network with professionals in the field and be entered to win cash prizes. Submissions are welcome through February 18, 2025.

Record Participation at the Annual Free Swap

This year’s Free Swap was a huge success, with record-breaking donation numbers, increased campus reuse, and overall participation. The Free Swap is an annual two-day event open to all members of the campus community, offering free items through donations and pickups.  

The first day is dedicated to donation drop-offs, weighing, and organizing items. On the second day, the ballroom doors open, and students, faculty, and staff are invited to come and take whatever they need! Results of this year’s event:

 
Donation Day: 77 people donated 2,750 pounds  
Pick-Up Day: 312 attendees, with 650 pounds remaining to be donated to Savers (2,100 pounds redistributed on campus)

A big thank you to everyone who participated in this year's Free Swap! We look forward to seeing you again in November 2025!

 

Green Badge Program Update

Participate in the Green Badge Program and start earning your badges today!

February’s Green Badge is “Education & Outreach.” Learn more about sustainability as a whole and discover how it connects to a variety of topics. 

12 people earned January’s “Food Sustainability” Badge.
As a part of their Green Badge activity, one student shared how they used the app SuperCook to find recipes based on ingredients they already had at home, helping them reduce waste. “Before this, I would throw out so much food because I didn’t know how to use it. Now, I can find a purpose for every item in my fridge,” they shared, reflecting on the positive impact of the experience. Way to go!

Does Your Department Have a Green Team? 

Form 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 Fall 2025!

 

Upcoming Events & Important Dates

f l o e : Only Ice Knows
Weber County Ice Sheet
Saturday, February 8
6:00 p.m.
Learn More

Wildcats Go Zero Waste- Basketball
Dee Events Center
Saturday, February 8
7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Environmental Ambassadors Club Meeting
Stewart Library, Room LI-223
Wednesday, February 12
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Learn More

Sustainable Clubs Tabling
Shepherd Union Building
Saturday, February 12
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Sustainability Screenings with SPARC: A New Climate Vision
Wildcat Theatre, Shepherd Union (Room 208)
Thursday, February 13
12:00 – 1:15 p.m.
Learn More

Earth Science & Society Seminar Series - Planning & Mitigation for Climate Change in Utah
Tracy Hall Science Center Room 211
Friday, February 14
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
More Info

Garden Club Meeting
Stewart Library, Room LI-333
Fridays, February 4 & 28
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Environmental Ambassadors Club Meeting
Stewart Library, Room LI-223
Wednesday, February 19
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Learn More

SUS Attribute Drop-In
Zoom Session
Thursday, February 20
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Learn More

Earth Science & Society Seminar Series - Geothermal Energy: Widespread, Wildly Underutilized Potential
Tracy Hall Science Center Room 211
Friday, February 21
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
More Info

Wildcats Go Zero Waste- Basketball
Dee Events Center
Saturday, February 22
1:30 - 5:00 p.m.

SUS Attribute Drop-In
Zoom Session
Monday, February 24
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Learn More

Connecting with the Land through Story, Song, and Dance
Wildcat Theatre, Shepherd Union (Room 208)
Tuesday, February 25
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Learn More

SUS Attribute Drop-In
Zoom Session
Wednesday, February 26
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Learn More

Environmental Ambassadors Club Meeting
Stewart Library, Room LI-223
Wednesday, February 26
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Learn More

Earth Science & Society Seminar Series - Carbon Capture, Utilization, & Storage (CCUS) in Utah
Tracy Hall Science Center Room 211
Friday, February 28
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
More Info

STAR Grants for Faculty
Submit your proposals to heatherroot@weber.edu by February 28. Learn more here.

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