In Spring 2020, The Environmental Ambassadors held the very successful 2-day New Year New Use Free Swap event in January designed to be a spring cleaning opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and WSU community members to donate items they no longer needed to the event and to take any items from the event that they may need. The purpose was to help reduce the large amount of waste expected to enter the landfills after the holidays. All leftover items were donated to Savers. This had a total of 207 participants and tracked 1037.5 pounds of items donated!
Our Impact
Every year, the Environmental Ambassadors have the opportunity to implement projects and programs on campus. As a group, we also hold many events to help educate students on sustainability-focused subjects.
Past Projects
New Year New Use 2020 Free Swap
Fall 2019 Xeriscaping Project
In partnership with WSU Landscaping and sponsorship from WSU Bookstore, the Environmental Ambassadors hosted a 2-day Xeriscaping Project to replace water intensive plants with drought-tolerant plants. The goal of this project was to conserve water and create a more realistic desert aesthetic on campus.
Spring 2019 Ogden Idle-Free Week
Every February, Ogden City hosts a no-idling campaign week. In Spring 2019, the Environmental Ambassadors along with students from Ogden High School participated in Ogden's Idle Free week. These students pass out snacks and idle-free fact sheets in WSU parking lots to help remind students to turn their key since WSU is an idle-free. This event was one of several events during the month of February to promote the state-wide Clear the Air Challenge.
Fall 2018 Alternative Fall Break - Moab, UT
Environmental Ambassadors host an Alternative Fall Break service trip about sustainability. They volunteer to help a local non-profit, Community Rebuilds, with xeriscaping at a newly built sustainable straw-bale home in Moab, Utah.
Spring 2018 Tree Planting
Every spring, students from Shadow Valley Elementary School help us to plant trees on our campus. This year we planted 5 trees by the residence halls. We also have a tradition to name the trees we plant. Some of the students from Shadow Valley named their tree "Special Mustache" while some of the Environmental Ambassadors named their tree Charles in honor of WSU President Chuck Wight and his service at the University.
Thank you so much for all of your help WSU Landscaping Team and the 6th grade students from Shadow Valley!
Fall 2018 Water Wise Landscaping Project
After Weber State University was awarded the H2Oath Award pledging to reduce water usage on campus, the Environmental Ambassadors partnered with WSU Landscaping to plan the Water Wise Landscaping Project. This event brought over 45 students, faculty, and staff together to plant drought-tolerant plants that will reduce water usage by about 32,000 gallons each watering season. This 960 square feet area that was once entirely grass, used around 48,000 gallons of water annually. Now with the drought-tolerant plants in place, watering will be reduced dramatically as watering will only be needed once a week! Through this project, we are reducing water waste, getting the WSU community involved, and saving money. Thanks to all who came out to help!
We would like to highlight Drew Hodge, WSU's Water Conservation & Sustainability Specialist, for his leadership and efforts in winning the H2Oath award which allowed this project to happen. Thank you, Mindy Mortensen with Continuing Education for your water-wise plant expertise and Troy, Larry, and Brandon with WSU Landscaping. Thank you all!
Spring 2018 Clear the Air Challenge
For the past few years, the Environmental Ambassadors, the Energy and Sustainability Office, WSU Employee Wellness, and WSU Student Wellness have helped to bring the Clear the Air Challenge to Weber State University. This month-long competition challenges students, faculty, and staff to drive less by taking alternative transit. By taking the challenge, participants are actively helping to limit the health-harming PM2.5 emissions during a time when the inversion traps such pollution along the Wasatch Front. Congratulations to WSU Students Division for winning 1st place in this year's challenge.
Fall 2017 Tree Planting
Every Fall and Spring semester, the Environmental Ambassadors and WSU Landscaping bring together students, faculty, and Staff to plant trees on our campus. This past fall, we brought together over 40 Weber State University students, faculty, and staff to plant 8 new trees on our campus. As many of us know, trees play a vital role in our lives. Trees help us by cleaning pollutants out of the air, provide mental health benefits, beautify our campus, save energy and, therefore, save the University money. Last but not least, for every tree we plant on our campus we help to sequester about 48lb of Carbon Dioxide annually. Trees help WSU be more sustainable by not only giving us these amazing FREE benefits but by also bringing us together as a community to plant them. See our calendar to find out when you can help with our next tree planting!
Fall 2017 Alternative Fall Break - Moab, UT
Environmental Ambassadors lead a sustainable service trip helpping Community Rebuilds build sustainable straw bale homes for low-income families in Moab, Utah.