For the past two years UVU has been working to upgrade all of the lighting in campus hallways and concourses to LEDs. So far UVU has installed over 5,000 new LED fixtures and bulbs in CS, GT, LC, PS, SB, RL, and LA. These LED upgrades have averaged 57% lighting energy savings in project areas. Over the course of a year this adds up to a reduction in energy consumption of over 600,000 kilowatt-hours or 600 megawatt-hours.

How much energy is 600 megawatt-hours? It is equivalent to the annual electricity use of 77 US households. This reduction in lighting energy use also reduces UVU's carbon footprint, and the energy saved by these lighting upgrades is equivalent to preventing the burning of over 469,000 pounds of coal (US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator). It also represents a nearly 2% reduction in UVU's annual electricity use.

Beyond lighting energy savings there are several benefits to upgrading to LEDs. One of the most important benefits for UVU is the long lifespan of LEDs. This long lifespan (5-10 times the lifespan of fluorescents) reduces the amount of time UVU's electricians spend replacing bulbs and fixtures, freeing them up to do other work. During the summertime LEDs generate secondary energy savings because they emit less heat than other lighting technologies, reducing the cooling load. In addition to producing less heat LEDs also emit much less UV light. Since UV light can damage or fade art, paint, upholstery, and carpeting LED lighting keeps UVU looking nicer longer and prolongs the lifetime of these furnishings.

Looking for a New Years Resolution for 2022? Why not try being a bit more eco-friendly? Here are some ideas for simple sustainable changes you can make this year with a big impact.

• Eat Less Meat. You don't have to go completely vegan or vegetarian, but reducing the amount of meat you consume (especially red meat) can reduce much of your environmental impact as well. Starting the tradition of Meatless Mondays, or striving to learn more plant-based meals can be a great goal for this new year.
• Make a sustainable swap. This can be a physical replacement, like using cloth rags instead of paper towels to clean up your home or toting utensils with you to avoid single-use cutlery, or this can be a digital swap, like switching from Google to Ecosia, the search engine that uses its ad-revenue to plant trees in deforested areas.
• Green your commute. Make driving to school or work your last resort. Try active transportation, such as walking or biking, if you live close by, or using public transportation if you're a bit further away. UVU students, employees, and their dependents can get access to free UTA passes. If you have to drive, try setting up a carpool.
• Rethink your purchases. Avoid impulsively buying new things by following the "Buyerarchy of Needs", and prioritizing the following actions in this order: Use what you have, borrow, thrift, make, and lastly, buy new. Being intentional about what you buy helps you reduce emissions and waste. And if you're wanting to buy something to replace an item that broke, try repairing it instead!
• Contact your representatives. While all these small individual actions do make a difference, collective action is the best way to make lasting change. And this is best accomplished by making your voice heard and letting your elected officials know what changes you support. Plug in your address here to find your local and national representatives.

It's best to only pick one or two resolutions that you can effectively implement to avoid overwhelming yourself. Once you've mastered those small changes, come back and pick another challenge!

Outdoor recreation is one of the best ways to bring nature into our lives, but we can often hurt those eco-systems if we aren't mindful of our actions. The next time you go out to enjoy the snow, make sure you're following the Recreate Responsibly Winter Guidelines to to keep the environment safe, as well as yourself.

1. Know before you go- Research your destination ahead of time to make sure the weather is safe, and that the area isn't closed. Don't wait to find out when you get there.
2. Plan and prepare- Have emergency gear for first aid or for beaconing in case you get lost. Have alternate plans in case you can't do your planned activity.
3. Build an inclusive outdoors- Everyone deserves to enjoy winter.
4. Respect others- Remember you aren't the only person recreating, so don't take up excessive parking spaces and don't trash trails and make it more difficult for the people who come after you.
5. Leave no trace- Pack out what you bring in, and try to cause as little disturbance as possible.
6. Make it better- Make sustainable actions that will reduce your environmental impact and preserve our winter wonderlands. Car-pool or take shuttles instead of driving as individuals. Rent from the UVU Outdoor Adventure Center or buy second-hand equipment to reduce manufacturing emissions. Do what you can so that people will be able to recreate in the snow for years to come.

UVU offers several Recreation courses that cover responsible recreation and the Outdoor Adventure Center offers planned adventures and one-off outdoor skills trainings to empower the UVU community to recreate responsibly.