Biodiversity

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.

• "Why is biodiversity important - with Sir David Attenborough" (5:39)
• "Biodiversity is collapsing worldwide. Here's why." (8:34)
• "The global movement to restore nature's biodiversity" (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 here. 

• 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 here.

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 3-minute video 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. 

Homegrown National Park 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.  Utah State University 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 here. 

***Doug Tallamy from Homegrown National Park provides a longer (49 minutes) overview called "What's the Rush" here 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 (Forest Stewardship Council) or Rainforest Alliance Certified labels and explore alternative options that promote sustainability. You can learn more about various eco-labels available in the US here. 

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 National Caucus of Environmental Legislators provides a great resource to learn more about local issues and associated legislation. Check out current bills related to biodiversity in Utah here (scroll down and click on the state of Utah). Find and contact your national, state, and local elected leaders here. 

*The International Union for Conservation of Nature 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 here. 

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 "We Shall Remain: A Native history of Utah" 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 "Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West". Utah Division of Wildlife Resources provides resources such as the History of the Great Salt Lake. Utah History Encyclopedia also offers an overview of Conservation and the Environment in Utah. 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. Pesticide Free SLC 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 "Pesticides and Soil Health" and "Compost vs. Fertilizer". Some WSU students have made some useful guides on how to compost in your kitchen or your garden. 

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 here.

"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 Seven Principles of Leave No Trace.

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 here. 

1. Learn to identify your neighborhood birds,
2. Pick a time and place to watch birds and stick to it 
3. Watch for only 10 minutes
4. REPEAT your bird-watch in the same area two more times
5. 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 Ogden Nature Center to get involved with restoration activities such as invasive species removal, native seed collection, seeding with native species, and planting and watering trees. SLC Sustainability and Environmental Groups in Utah 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