Biodiversity
Instructions: To obtain your Biodiversity badge, it is recommended that you complete the following by September 2, 2024.
**Only submit the form once you have completed all of your actions. Remember, you only have to complete the prerequisite and 2 additional actions of your choosing. You do not have to complete all of the actions to earn your badge. |
Prerequisite:
Prerequisite Action: Watch Educational Videos on Biodiversity
Description: Watch all three videos to learn more about biodiversity, how we impact it, and why it is important.
- (5:39)
- (8:34)
- (11:36)
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about what you learned from each video.
Choose at Least Two of the Following Actions:
Action 1: Attend the Employee Wellness Gardening Day! (May 28, 2024)
Description: Join the Garden Club and Employee Wellness as we prepare the NEW community garden for the summer. In honor of Employee Wellness Month, there will be a volunteering day to move earthlike materials and plant vegetables in the community garden. Help us create a healthy and thriving ecosystem within our community! For more details on registration and parking, see .
- When: May 28th from 11:00 am-2:00 pm
- Where: Wellness Annex (A29): 3650 Taylor Ave. Ogden, UT 84403
Time Commitment: 3 hours
Required Documentation: Upload a photo of you volunteering at the Wellness gardening event.
Action 2: Volunteer with the Community Garden
Description: Join us at the NEW Community Garden every Tuesday for our "Zen at the Garden" volunteering event! Not only will you be doing good for the community, but you'll also get to soak up some sun and make new friends. We're excited to have you join us, so come on out and be a part of something special!
- When: Starts-June 4th, Ends-August 27th
- Where: Wellness Annex (A29): 3650 Taylor Ave. Ogden, UT 84403
For more info on registration or parking details, see .
Time Commitment: varies (1 hour+)
Required Documentation: Upload a photo of yourself volunteering at the Community Garden.
Action 3: Learn About and Cultivate Native or Keystone Plants
Description: Watch this to learn more about keystone species and then enhance your garden, a friend's or neighbor's garden, or even a porch or patio with a diverse selection of native or keystone plants.
has many great resources that include where to find native plants and services in your area, the best plants for your area, a planting calculator, and more. and Localscapes are also great resources to learn more or to find free courses to plan a landscape designed specifically for Utah. A guide for native plants that are suitable for a garden or a container in Utah can be found .
***Doug Tallamy from Homegrown National Park provides a longer (49 minutes) overview called "What's the Rush" if you want to learn more. You are not required to watch it to complete this action, but it is a very informative resource.
Time Commitment: varies (1 hour+)
Required Documentation: Share your planting experience by writing 3-4 sentences about your new plants and include an optional photo.
Action 4: Support Businesses or Buy Products that Protect the Environment
Description: The products you buy, the companies you support, and your buying habits have a big impact on the environment and could be contributing to the destruction of habitat elsewhere. Take a few moments to examine your regular purchases for eco-certifications like FSC () or labels and explore alternative options that promote sustainability. You can learn more about various eco-labels available in the US .
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Required Documentation: Write 3 or more sentences about products you identified that have eco-labels and if there are any alternatives you could transition to.
Action 5: Take a Stand for the Environment
Description: Look at local policies and support local initiatives to protect threatened habitat. The provides a great resource to learn more about local issues and associated legislation. Check out current bills related to biodiversity in Utah (scroll down and click on the state of Utah). Find and contact your national, state, and local elected leaders.
* has a Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) that provides useful guidelines highlighting the types of biodiversity that need the most protection. Check out the RLE Database .
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Required Documentation: Choose a bill or issue that interests you and write 3-4 sentences about what you learned and why it is important.
Action 6: Educate Yourself on Utah's Environmental History
Description: Take a course, read a book, watch a documentary, or research the environmental history of where you live. PBS Utah has a 5-part series called "" about the the indigenous Paiute, Goshute, Navajo (Diné), Northwestern Shoshone & Ute peoples who have lived on the land we now call Utah for generations. Sara Dant wrote a book called "". Utah Division of Wildlife Resources provides resources such as the . Utah History Encyclopedia also offers an overview of . There are so many more resources available to learn more!
Time Commitment: varies (1 hour+)
Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about which resource(s) you used and what you learned.
Action 7: Reduce the Use of Pesticides and Fertilizers
Description: Reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers. provides a variety of resources including tips to be pesticide-free and pesticide alternatives. Composting your food and yard materials can also be a great alternative to chemical fertilizer. Learn more about "" and "". Some 91¶ÌÊÓƵ students have made some useful guides on how to compost or .
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about what you learned and which alternative(s) you will utilize this summer.
Action 8: Reconnect with Nature and Leave No Trace
Description: Visit and observe your surroundings at a local green space (park, hiking trail, etc.). Studies have shown that connecting with nature can produce an array of position emotions leading to better mental health and a greater appreciation of outdoor spaces. You can learn more .
"As we spend time outdoors, in the natural world and in wilderness, it’s important to be conscious of the effects our actions may have on plants, animals, other people, and even entire ecosystems"- National Parks Service. Learn more about the .
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about where you visited, how it made you feel, and how you left no trace.
Action 9: Take Part in the Celebrate Urban Birds (CUBs) Data Study
Description: Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a program called Celebrate Urban Birds that anyone can help with 5 easy steps! Learn more and get started .
- Learn to identify your neighborhood birds,
- Pick a time and place to watch birds and stick to it
- Watch for only 10 minutes
- REPEAT your bird-watch in the same area two more times
- Don't forget to enter your data. The paperwork to submit is pretty minimal.
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about your experience and the data you submitted for CUBs.
Action 10: Volunteer with a local Environmental Organization
Description: Volunteer with a local environmental organization such as the to get involved with restoration activities such as invasive species removal, native seed collection, seeding with native species, and planting and watering trees. and list some other organizations that may have volunteer opportunities.
Time Commitment: varies (1 hour+)
Required Documentation: Write 3 or more sentences about where you volunteered and what you did.
Innovation Action:
Description: Innovative actions are welcome, but please email greenbadge@weber.edu for approval before submitting this as one of your actions.
Time Commitment: varies
Required Documentation: varies
