Energy & Climate

Prerequisite:

Prerequisite Action: Assess Your Carbon Footprint 

Description: Assess your Carbon Footprint using the Carbon Footprint Calculator. The calculator estimates your footprint in three areas: home energy, transportation, and waste. Everyone's carbon footprint is different depending on their location, habits, and personal choices.

Time Commitment:  10 minutes

Required Documentation: Upload a Screenshot of your footprint results.

Choose at Least Two of the Following Actions:

Action 1: Convert Light Bulbs in Your Home to LEDs (March 6th and 20th) 

Description: LED light bulbs are highly efficient, produce less heat, & generate more light at a lower cost. Students, Faculty, and Staff can participate in the annual Light Bulb Exchange at the Ogden Campus in the Shepherd Union. Bring up to 5 of your old lightbulbs in exchange for free LEDs (or purchase your own). Learn about lighting comparisons here. 

When: March 6th and 20th in the Shepherd Union from 1:00-2:00. 

Time Commitment: 10-30 minutes

Required Documentation: Submit a photo of your new LED light bulbs.

Action 2: Attend the Walkable City Book Club Discussion (March 19th)

Description:  Join us to talk about the book "Walkable City" by Jeff Speck. Dr. Jeremy Bryson will be facilitating the discussion. Snacks will be provided. Please register via GivePulse here. 

• When: March 19th from 3:00 - 4:00 pm
• Where: Stewart Library, Hetzel-Hoellein Room (LI-321)

Time Commitment: 1 hour

Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about what you learned or enjoyed about the discussion.

Action 3: Attend a Session or Keynote at the Intermountain Sustainability Summit (ISS) (March 21st)

Description: The Intermountain Sustainability Summit is a place where sustainability professionals and emerging leaders from business, non-profit, government, and education sectors, come together to learn, share, network, build momentum, and work toward improving our communities, environment, and economy. 

Weber State students, faculty, and staff can attend the Intermountain Sustainability Summit's main day event (keynote and sessions) for FREE, with registration *(does not include lunch). *To enjoy ISS meals and beverages Thursday, March 21, or attend a workshop on Friday, March 22, students are invited to apply for a scholarship, preferably by February 15.  Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis if received after February 15. 

Learn more and register for this event here and view the session schedule here (TBD).

Time Commitment: varies by event (~1 hour+)

Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about what event you attended and what you learned.

Action 4: Attend the Community Garden Installation Event (March 25th) 

Description: This will be the 1st of 3 events to install the NEW Community permaculture-oriented garden at the Wellness Annex! During this event, we will be building the wooden raised beds and putting mulch down along all the pathways. Learn more about how to register for this event here.

• When: March 25th from 1:00-3:00 pm
• Where: Wellness Annex (A29)

Time Commitment: 1 - 2 hours 

Required Documentation: Upload a photo of you volunteering at the event.  

Action 5: Watch the "Climate & Energy" CrashCourse Series on YouTube

Description: "In 12 episodes, this series covers the evidence and science behind our understanding of climate change. By the end of this course, learners will be able to: *Understand the greenhouse effect and the role that greenhouse gas emissions play in climate change, *Identify the five major categories of greenhouse gas emissions/energy sources, *Describe existing decarbonization solutions and identify areas where future innovations are needed, *Explain the current and future impacts of climate change and how they affect different communities, and *Describe the political, social, and economic forces that complicate the path to carbon neutrality".

• Access the series here. 

Time Commitment: ~2 1/2 hours 

Required Documentation: Write 3-4 sentences about what you learned and if anything surprised you. 

Action 6: Purchase Carbon Offsets

Description: To reduce your impact and help WSU reach its goal of being carbon neutral by 2040, you can purchase Carbon Offsets. A Carbon Offset is an action or project (such as planting trees or carbon sequestration) that compensates for the emission of CO2 or other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Offsets are measured in tons of CO2 equivalent. The average WSU parking pass holder emits over two tons of greenhouse gasses annually commuting to campus. Learn more about the carbon offset project and how to purchase them here. 

*Bonus: This will earn your Green Team points for participating!* If your parking pass is purchased on auto-renewal, or if you do not purchase a parking pass but would like to purchase carbon offsets, you can still contribute. Login to your account at Parking Services using your Weber State credentials, and select "Add Carbon Offset".*

Time Commitment: 5 minutes 

Required Documentation: Upload a screenshot of your contribution.

Action 7: Wash Your Clothes and Hang Dry Them

Description: Wash your clothes on the "Cold" setting and leave your clothes out to hang dry. In American homes, dryers account for around 7–8% of residential electricity usage. When hang-drying one full-size load of laundry, you are saving 3 pounds of coal from being combusted into fuel which affects energy & climate. Hang drying can also save money, if you’re washing clothes at the North American average rate of 289 loads per year, you can save nearly $600 by line drying. Along with many other benefits that can be read in the article, "Hang Drying Revolution".  

Time Commitment: varies

Required Documentation:  Upload a photo of your laundry hang drying (excluding unmentionables please).  

Action 8: Support Blue Sky Credits 

Description: Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky Credits products are Green-e Energy certified, and meet environmental and consumer protection standards set forth by the Nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions.  Rocky Mountain Power allows homeowners to purchase Blue Sky Credits to help reach carbon neutrality through renewable energy. To sign-up for Blue Sky Credits and help support renewable energy register here. 

Time Commitment:  10 minutes

Required Documentation:  Upload a screenshot of your receipt (withholding personal information).  

Innovation Action:

Time Commitment: varies

Required Documentation: varies