Weber State University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

1) In the Fall of 2022, a student enrolled in COMM 4890 with a focus on Civic Advocacy had an internship in the Energy and Sustainability Office. This intern contributed to producing sustainability newsletters, managing outreach activities and tabling, handling social media posts, planning events, various marketing efforts, and taking photos. These efforts were aimed at enhancing awareness and participation in sustainability initiatives on campus.

2) Professors K Stevenson, Andrew Rice, and others in the visual arts department work with students to create sustainability-focused artwork for the Intermountain Sustainability Summit hosted on campus each year. URL: https://www.weber.edu/issummit

1) Student interns in the Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC) work each fall and spring semester to develop sustainability-focused newsletters, social media, and create fliers and other materials to get the word out about what is happening on campus. URL: https://weber.edu/sustainability/newsletters.html

 2) For the past few years, students in GEOG 3060 World Environmental Issues class have completed various service projects related to sustainability on and off campus. In the Spring 2024 semester, the students volunteered for the Ogden River Cleanup project, put on by Weber State Community Engagement Team, SPARC, and Ogden Nature Center to help clean and restore the Ogden River. These students were able to apply their knowledge gained from their course to this service project which helped to advance sustainability through public engagement.

3) A student intern from the SPARC office helped to coordinate a poster contest, open to all students across the Intermountain West, for the 15th annual Intermountain Sustainability Summit. URL: https://weber.edu/ISSummit/student-poster-contest.html

Since 2016, WSU has hosted the Clear the Air Challenge -- a month-long and statewide competition where local businesses, universities, and communities compete to reduce emissions. In 2022, the state-wide challenge was moved to take place in July so WSU now hosts its own internal challenge each September to encourage more engagement from students, faculty, and staff. Each year the campus participation in this program is co-coordinated by a student intern and a staff member in the Energy & Sustainability Office. URL:  https://weber.edu/sustainability/CTAC.html

1) Students in the GEOG 4950 field course learned about straw bale construction and clean energy production with Community Rebuilds, a local nonprofit in Moab that focuses on providing affordable, energy-efficient, and sustainable housing to the workforce in the Moab community. Students are educated about the intersection between social sustainability and ecologically sustainable housing. This class is conducted every spring. URL: https://www.weber.edu/issummit/archives/speakers/2020/bryan-dorsey.html

2) Students from the Weber State Department of Construction & Building Sciences partnered with the Weber County Housing Authority to complete a net zero home and a fully electrified home between 2022-2023.

3) In Spring 2024, students from Jake Cain's engineering class helped design the mechanical and electrical specs for the house that will be retrofitted to be WSU's new Sustainability Solutions Hub.

1) In the fall of 2023, a student intern in the Energy & Sustainability Office helped address the university's metering system to ensure the accuracy of incoming data. They identified which meters on our buildings were missing and then will work on a project to install additional meters during Spring 2024. In addition, they are helping to identify and establish alarm set points to trigger alarms if a building exceeds typical energy usage.

2) Dr. An Ho taught EEN 4300 -Energy Auditing in the Fall of 2023 and conducted an energy audit of the Shepherd Union building. This audit looked at energy conservation opportunities and potential projects by looking at the energy consumption of the building and the different products used.

1) Students in the NUTR 1240 Nutrition and Sustainable Cooking course utilize the Garden and Greenhouse on campus. In the laboratory experience, they develop skills, knowledge, and competencies for individuals to support more sustainable ways to acquire, prepare, and consume food to support a healthier population and environment. Principles of food science are applied in a foods lab that aids in developing basic culinary skills. URL: https://catalog.weber.edu/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=18&coid=74823

2) Students from a variety of courses volunteered for the student-led WSU Chapter of Food Recovery Network (the largest student-led movement in the U.S.) to reduce food waste from the Shepherd Union and address food insecurity by donating the recovered food to WSU’s Food Pantry and the Lantern House – a local homeless shelter in the community. URL: https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/food-recovery-network.html

1) Student researchers assist Professor Dr. Cavitt in the College of Science in conducting monthly point counts of Avifauna at a banding station on campus. This is done for both class projects and research. The banding station not only helps to monitor bird productivity and survival but also protects the ecological site from being developed. URL: https://faculty.weber.edu/jcavitt/about.htm

2) There have been several campus Tree Plantings and Xeriscaping projects held each semester coordinated by student interns in the Energy & Sustainability Office and Weber State’s Facilities Management team. The Xeriscaping projects replace water-intensive plants with drought-tolerant and water-wise plants which advances sustainability on campus concerning grounds by reducing water use. In addition to water conservation, the Tree Planting projects help to advance sustainability on campus in relation to grounds by sequestering carbon dioxide. There are usually 5-9 trees planted each semester and each tree planted sequesters about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. URL: https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/past-projects.html

During Spring 2023, a student intern in the Energy & Sustainability Office helped research and create our university procurement guidelines. These guidelines are used to encourage the campus community to purchase more environmentally friendly office supplies, office paper, electronics, swag/giveaways, furniture, transportation/fuels, food/dining, cleaning products, and construction. URL:  https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/green-purchasing.html

1) During Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, a student intern in the Energy & Sustainability Office worked on analyzing data from recent campus transportation surveys and researched ways to encourage the use of alternative transportation and carpooling to campus. A variety of events such as "Coffee for Commuters" and "Carpool Speed Dating"  took place during Spring 2024 to help students take advantage of alternative transportation. This student also helps lead the monthly Transportation Plan Implementation Committee.

2) In Fall 2023, the GEOG 4410 SUS - Sustainable Land Use Planning course where students researched and presented on how to make WSU a Bicycle Friendly Campus.

1) In Fall 2023, an Environmental Science student did a project on waste diversion to compare recycling rates among students, faculty, and staff. The student conducted weekly audits of strategically positioned garbage bins in three distinct buildings throughout the period from September 2023 to December 2023. The findings revealed that the building predominantly occupied by students exhibited the highest accuracy in waste diversion. This research will be presented at the Intermountain Sustainability Summit in March 2024.

 2) In Fall 2023, a senior enrolled in GEOG 4990 conducted a seminar research project focused on recycling rates within the Tracy Hall building. She implemented distinct signage and messaging above the recycling bins on each floor to assess their impact on recycling rates across the various levels of the building.

3) Students from a variety of WSU courses volunteered with the student-led WSU Sustainable Clubs (Environmental Ambassadors, WSU Chapter of Food Recovery Network, Community Garden Club) in the fall of 2023 for the “Wildcats Go Zero-Waste” events to help advance WSU’s Zero-Waste by 2030 goal through the Zero Waste Athletics Plan at Football and Men’s Basketball games. Volunteers were equipped with proper recycling knowledge and behavior change strategies to implement during the games in an effort to increase recycling rates. The fall 2023 football season closed with 160 pounds of clean recycling.

The Environmental Compliance student intern from the Energy & Sustainability Office assists WSU’s Water Conservation and Stormwater Coordinator with a variety of duties to help WSU maintain compliance with state and federal drinking water and stormwater regulations. The intern also assists with the implementation of the campus water conservation and stormwater plans. Some of these duties include conducting campus stormwater inspections, water meter readings, and collecting water samples.

For the 2024 STARS submission, four student interns in SPARC (Sustainability Practices & Research Center) and two student interns in ESO (Energy & Sustainability Office) were instrumental in gathering and analyzing data for STARS submission. Additionally, three SPARC students assisted in reviewing the Univeristy of Utah's STARS submission.

WSU's Centers for Belonging & Cultural Engagement offer opportunities for students of every race, ethnic, and cultural background to participate in various services, social activities, and educational events. The Native American Student Association (NASA) is a student-run club that organizes activities to honor Native American cultures. The Center for Belonging & Cultural Engagement as well as NASA offer ethnic-based scholarships. Scholars are encouraged to participate as leaders at the cultural centers.