Weber State University
EN-10: Community Partnerships

The Utah Climate Action Network is a partnership between government, research institutions, non-profits/foundations, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and individuals working to address climate change in Utah. The Network supports: Cross-sector relationships and connections Shared understanding of local climate change issues and solutions Collaborative regional climate action and long-term resilience Leadership in climate change impact sectors The UCAN website can be found at - https://www.utahclimateactionnetwork.com/ Information about how the network is supporting social equity, economic prosperity, and ecological health can be found here - https://www.utahclimateactionnetwork.com/about-the-network.html With regard to support, WSU has hosted webinars, tours, and workshops for the network.

Weber State University is currently partnering with the Utah Department of Air Quality, the Davis County Health Department, Weber-Morgan Health Department, Salt Lake County Health Department, and Utah County Health Department to provide electric mowers (and this year, trimmers) to the public in exchange for their gas powered equipment and $99 ($49 for trimmers). This program will last for five years and will commence every spring with the opening of the lottery in March. WSU is including underrepresented groups in the implementation of this program. Also, statewide, 10% of the mowers and trimmers are being set aside for free for low income individuals and families. WSU provides staff time to plan and implement this program. $5,000 each year is also contributed by WSU to purchase trimmers and mowers. The Davis County and Weber-Morgan Health Departments also provide a $5,000 match and the state Department of Environmental Quality is providing over $200,000 each year for equipment purchases. This program is intended to address poor air quality along the Wasatch Front. Per the DEQ, one gas-powered mower, for example, creates annual pollution that is equivalent to 4,235 vehicle miles traveled.

The Ogden Civic Action Network (OgdenCAN) is a consortium of seven anchor institutions, six partners, 22 allies, and 15,037 residents that is determined to create comprehensive neighborhood revitalization in the East Central Neighborhood of Ogden, Utah. The 30% poverty in this area must be addressed while respecting the significant diversity that exists, e.g., 45% are Hispanic-Latino from 15 countries. OgdenCAN is making a 40 year commitment to address inter-generational poverty in this neighborhood by addressing the nine social determinants of health that are summarized into three categories: health, education, and housing. The WSU Sustainability Manager co-chairs the OgdenCAN Housing subcommittee which has four goals: 1. Address housing gaps through the creation of a housing advocacy agency; 2. Address and improve substandard housing conditions; 3. Create pride of place; and 4. Collaborate to get new housing projects built that enhance the vibrancy and sustainability of the neighborhood. WSU contributes $50,000 annually to this effort and several WSU employees are involved in OgdenCAN work on a part-time basis.