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Articles 1 - 30 of 127
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Releases Of Hazardous Materials And Waste From Transportation Incidents In The Us: An Analysis To Increase Environmental Resiliency, Elizabeth Irene Tautges
Releases Of Hazardous Materials And Waste From Transportation Incidents In The Us: An Analysis To Increase Environmental Resiliency, Elizabeth Irene Tautges
Master's Projects and Capstones
Excessive amounts of hazardous materials and waste are released into the environment from transportation incidents. The United States federal government has regulations on the movement of hazardous material and waste during transportation, but preventing environmental releases is not a major priority. Multiple external factors influence the release of hazardous material and waste into the environment. Transportation incidents can be prevented by modifying the information collected in emergency reports, adjusting transportation patterns and conditions, and expressing negative environmental impacts, preparing responder efforts to communicate effectively. The components of previous hazardous materials and waste releases emphasize the needed improvements for increasing environmental …
An Inventory Of Tidal Marsh Restoration Opportunities In Humboldt Bay And Their Impact On Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Nicholas Rowlands
An Inventory Of Tidal Marsh Restoration Opportunities In Humboldt Bay And Their Impact On Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Nicholas Rowlands
Master's Projects and Capstones
Blue carbon ecosystems like tidal marshes, mangroves, and seagrass are efficient carbon sinks that release minimal methane under saline conditions. However, coastal wetlands globally are under threat, and on the U.S. West Coast some 85% of historic tidal wetlands have been lost. As such, there is increasing interest in their restoration as a necessary climate mitigation strategy. This GIS analysis identifies potential tidal marsh restoration sites in Humboldt Bay, California, and estimates the post-restoration greenhouse gas benefits. An elevation-based model of Humboldt Bay’s full estuary extent developed by West Coast researchers was combined with data from the California Aquatic Resources …
Assessing The Use Of Regenerative Agriculture In California Almonds As Climate Change Resilience, Skyler M. Seamons
Assessing The Use Of Regenerative Agriculture In California Almonds As Climate Change Resilience, Skyler M. Seamons
Master's Projects and Capstones
The agriculture sector is responsible for 10% of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions. In turn, anthropogenic climate change threatens crops. With its Mediterranean climate, California is the country’s largest agricultural-producing state. Many California crops are at risk due to increasing temperatures and changed precipitation patterns. This paper investigates regenerative farming techniques as a tool to protect California crops from a changing climate. Almonds are used as a case study to analyze the soil management practices, finances, and policies underlying regenerative agriculture in California. A literature review and comparative analysis are used to compare regenerative and conventional soil management practices …
U.S. International Climate Finance: An Analysis Of Historical Shortfalls And A Proposal For More Equitable Distribution, Maria-Cristina Kealey
U.S. International Climate Finance: An Analysis Of Historical Shortfalls And A Proposal For More Equitable Distribution, Maria-Cristina Kealey
Master's Projects and Capstones
Least-developed countries experienced 69% of deaths from climate disasters over the past 50 years despite comprising only 13% of the world’s population. Low-income and climate vulnerable nations around the world are suffering disproportionately as wealthy, high-emitting countries, such as the U.S., profit from the climate crisis. This research provides a comprehensive overview of past U.S. contributions to international climate finance efforts, assesses the climate finance deficit globally and specifically for developing countries, and proposes a more equitable share of U.S. funding from a quantitative and restorative climate justice approach. The primary analyses included quantifying the U.S. share of global greenhouse …
Elevating Urban Landscapes: How Green Roofs Enhance Biodiversity And Address Climate Change In California, Jeffrey R. Beaudoin
Elevating Urban Landscapes: How Green Roofs Enhance Biodiversity And Address Climate Change In California, Jeffrey R. Beaudoin
Master's Projects and Capstones
Green roofs are increasingly valued for mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect, providing thermal comfort amidst rising temperatures of climate change, enhancing hydrological properties, and improving urban biodiversity. In this report, I explore the environmental benefits and practical challenges of green roofs, with a specific focus on California. My study evaluates the effectiveness of green roofs in enhancing environmental sustainability using a weighted rating system. I categorize the benefits of green roofs into key areas: thermal performance, stormwater management, ecological support, mental health benefits, noise reduction, air quality improvement, and water quality enhancement. Green roofs have shown the potential for …
Evaluating The Impact Of Wildfires On Mixed Conifer Forest Regeneration And The Effectiveness Of Usfs Management Strategies On Restoring Ecosystem Services, Wyatt Farino
Master's Projects and Capstones
Wildfires are increasing in frequency, duration, and severity across Western North America. 20,438,720 acres (20.1%) of California has burned at least once since 2010. Projections suggest a statewide increase in burned area between 36% and 74% by 2085, with some forested areas in Northern California exceeding 100% in all modeled scenarios. Fire regimes have deviated far from their historical norm, significantly increasing the risk of type conversion from forest to other ecosystems. Californians rely on the myriad of ecosystem services produced by these forests to meet their basic needs. Access to these fundamental services will be severely reduced if appropriate …
From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel
From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel
Master's Projects and Capstones
Invasive plants cause significant impacts to ecosystems, the economy, and human health. California has experienced significant plant invasions and is well suited to future invasion because of its Mediterranean climate and human disturbance. Eradication or control of invasive plant species requires a detailed understanding of their spatial distribution, which typically involves on the ground surveys that can be expensive or inconsistent. Remote sensing offers a potential alternative or supplement to in-person invasive plant mapping. This study performed a comparative analysis of 41 remote sensing studies that mapped the distribution of California invasive plants. I found that while high spectral resolution …
Solar-Powered Microgrids In Northern California: An Opportunity For Resilience, Marina Riddle
Solar-Powered Microgrids In Northern California: An Opportunity For Resilience, Marina Riddle
Master's Projects and Capstones
Planned and unplanned power outages have been increasing in frequency and duration, negatively impacting all public sectors, and threatening public safety. These outages are deadly to those who rely on medical devices. As climate change-fueled extreme weather events (wildfires, earthquakes, storms, etc.) also increase in frequency, our electrical grid must be prepared to bounce back. Microgrids provide necessary redundancy and reliability. Through a novel GIS suitability analysis, based on solar radiation, land use type, local energy demand, distance to transmission lines, distance to roads, and slope, optimal locations for solar-powered microgrids throughout Northern California were determined. The counties of Fresno, …
Meet Me In The Middle: A Scoping Review On Understanding Adolescent Needs In Climate Communication, Gwendolyn Monica Hoff Anderson
Meet Me In The Middle: A Scoping Review On Understanding Adolescent Needs In Climate Communication, Gwendolyn Monica Hoff Anderson
Master's Projects and Capstones
The greatest effects of climate change are likely to be felt by youth. Young people are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their critical developmental stage and lack of power, and they experience both higher severity and prevalence of mental health issues related to climate change. Strong emotions have long been recognized as potential catalysts for action, or they may lead to paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed. Climate communication is a critical tool to spark climate concern and encourage action. Activism, in turn, may help youth manage their anxiety about climate change. This scoping review examines emerging evidence on …
Offshore Wind Energy And Seabird Collision Vulnerability In California, Whitney Grover
Offshore Wind Energy And Seabird Collision Vulnerability In California, Whitney Grover
Master's Projects and Capstones
California has ambitious clean energy goals designed to help mitigate the worst outcomes of climate change. Offshore wind is an important part of the solution to meet California’s clean energy goals, but has potential negative impacts on the marine environment. As offshore wind energy is new to California, this paper reviews and synthesizes existing literature from other parts of the world, looking at the real and theoretical risk of seabird collision with offshore wind turbines. Learnings from existing offshore wind projects in the U.K. as well as theoretical and modeled risk assessments are applied to California’s plans to determine the …
Clean Energy At The Crossroads Of America: An Integrated Resource Plan For Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Llc (Nipsco), Saad Z. Khan, Shend Boshnjaku
Clean Energy At The Crossroads Of America: An Integrated Resource Plan For Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Llc (Nipsco), Saad Z. Khan, Shend Boshnjaku
Master's Projects and Capstones
This paper outlines an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for the Indiana electric utility company, NIPSCO, looking forward to the year 2050 and evaluating different pathways to net zero emissions from the power generation sector. It is a plan for the future, identifying the most cost-effective and reliable mix of resources to meet the energy needs of NIPSCO's customers and reaching decarbonization goals by mid-century.
Climate Change Impacts To Oil Spill Risk And Assessing California's Preparedness, Adeline L. Ford
Climate Change Impacts To Oil Spill Risk And Assessing California's Preparedness, Adeline L. Ford
Master's Projects and Capstones
This report investigates the possibility that climate change could increase the risk of oil spills in California. The primary climate change impact reviewed is the increasing severity of storms and extreme weather events. Natural disasters can be the initiating cause of technological accidents and the increasing severity or frequency of intense storms may increase the likelihood of an oil spill from refineries, extraction/drilling rigs, or oil in transport. A literature review of climate adaptation strategies and storm intensity predictions was completed to determine if severe storm events are expected to increase in intensity or frequency. A review of oil spill …
Considerations For The Use Of Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculants In Coal Mine Reclamation And Reforestation In Appalachia: A Guide Of Best Practices And Management Recommendations, Cole Hansen Reistrup
Considerations For The Use Of Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculants In Coal Mine Reclamation And Reforestation In Appalachia: A Guide Of Best Practices And Management Recommendations, Cole Hansen Reistrup
Master's Projects and Capstones
Nearly all terrestrial plants form symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. These beneficial soil microbes support plant health by increasing plants’ access to nutrients and water, protecting them from pathogens, improving soil properties, and more. A challenge to restoring forests on coal mined land in Appalachia is that mine soils are often degraded in a number of ways, including lacking mycorrhizal fungi, which makes mine soils difficult for trees to grow upon. Substantial improvements to coal mine reforestation success have been made since the development of the Forestry Reclamation Approach in 2005 that provides guidelines for how to create a suitable …
Composite Climate Risk Exposure In High-Emitting California Industries, Nicholas M. Graves
Composite Climate Risk Exposure In High-Emitting California Industries, Nicholas M. Graves
Master's Projects and Capstones
The correlation of anthropogenic carbon emissions and changes in the global climate system is unequivocal. Governments are enacting policy from the local, state, federal, and international levels that present major transition risks for businesses. In parallel, legacy emissions are already causing discernible changes in the climate system via increased frequencies of drought, wildfire, flooding, and extreme heat; these changes present material physical risks to existing business infrastructure. Taken together, these risks form the foundation of proposed regulations for climate risk disclosure by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Existing literature has not provided an at-scale screening methodology for climate …
Community Microgrids As An Equitable Climate Resilience And Adaptation Strategy In California, Savanna Olivia Smith
Community Microgrids As An Equitable Climate Resilience And Adaptation Strategy In California, Savanna Olivia Smith
Master's Projects and Capstones
Climate change summons more extreme and frequent weather events that threaten communities’ access to power. Without power, businesses lose revenue, essential services are limited, people are exposed to extreme temperatures, and lives are lost. California has adopted microgrids as a solution to costly power outages, electrification needs, and renewable energy goals. This work evaluates the adoption of microgrids as an equitable climate resilience and adaptation strategy through a geospatial analysis of California’s resilience investment needs, a case study analysis of 9 existing tribal and rural microgrids, and a gap analysis of California and federal policies and incentive programs. Programs like …
Assessing Equity Of Green Infrastructure Strategies To Address Heat Vulnerability In Los Angeles Sustainable City Planning, Sophia N. La Herran
Assessing Equity Of Green Infrastructure Strategies To Address Heat Vulnerability In Los Angeles Sustainable City Planning, Sophia N. La Herran
Master's Projects and Capstones
Urbanization has brought about many undesirable environmental changes, with extreme heat and urban heat island (UHI) effect being some of the most significant. In addition to the challenge of UHI effect and increase of extreme heat events, heat also disproportionately affects different types of urban populations with higher populations of minority and low-income residents, who are more exposed and have limited capacity to adapt to extreme. The increased vulnerability to heat faced by socially vulnerable communities can be linked to the inequalities in neighborhood level exposure to extreme heat events, underlying health conditions, workplace conditions, housing quality, and other lasting …
Sustainability Analysis: Large-Scale Desalination Implications For Coastal California, Elizabeth H. Whitford
Sustainability Analysis: Large-Scale Desalination Implications For Coastal California, Elizabeth H. Whitford
Master's Projects and Capstones
In response to prolonged drought, desalination is gaining popularity as an alternative water production method for fresh water. However, water desalting technology poses concerns; the process is energy intensive, creates brine waste, and has the potential to damage sensitive coastal ecosystems. Significant research is available on the technological, economic, and energy efficiency aspects of desalination, while only a small percentage of the current literature focuses on environmental impacts. This research analyzes the desalination literature holistically in terms of both energy consumption and environmental impacts by conducting 1) a historical and current state review of the sector, 2) a technology analysis …
Desalination: Adapting To A Changing Climate And An Increasing Demand For Freshwater, Rebecca A. Acosta
Desalination: Adapting To A Changing Climate And An Increasing Demand For Freshwater, Rebecca A. Acosta
Master's Projects and Capstones
The state of California is just one place in the world that is experiencing an increasing demand for freshwater while also experiencing increasingly hotter conditions and longer periods of drought. There are a number of plants slated for development in the state of California but have been met with resistance from the public with concerns regarding their impacts to the surrounding marine environments. This paper provides background on desalination plants, provides evidence for a potential indicator species, identifies potential impacts to marine environments, and addresses stakeholder concerns and perceptions around desalination plants.
Stormwater To Groundwater: How California Can Increase Groundwater Storage And Build Climate Resilience., Emily M. Perales
Stormwater To Groundwater: How California Can Increase Groundwater Storage And Build Climate Resilience., Emily M. Perales
Master's Projects and Capstones
California is predicted to have more intense and frequent changes in weather patterns within the next 50 years. Historical and current groundwater use for residential and agricultural use is unsustainable and is creating significant deficits in groundwater aquifers throughout the state. To better adapt to potential damages caused by atmospheric rivers, better stormwater management and capture could increase California’s Climate adaptability. This study is focused on the means and methods to capture stormwater and increase groundwater recharge. Nature-based infrastructure (NBI), or Green Infrastructure (GI), has been used in urban areas throughout the country to mitigate harmful stormwater effects by replicating …
Increasing Access And Sustainability For Camping Along The Bay Area Ridge Trail, Hannah F. Bartee
Increasing Access And Sustainability For Camping Along The Bay Area Ridge Trail, Hannah F. Bartee
Master's Projects and Capstones
The Bay Area Ridge Trail (Ridge Trail) is a long-distance, multi-use trail that connects parks and open space on the ridge lines encircling the San Francisco Bay (Bay). Like the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail, the Ridge Trail offers continuous travel through protected natural areas, but this trail is unique as it is located in a densely populated metropolitan area. The trail is currently incomplete, with gaps where the trail does not connect. The Ridge Trail also lacks the number and distribution of overnight accommodations needed to support a full circumnavigation of the Bay. Addressing gaps in the current …
Possible Impact Of Additives In Artificial Turf On Aquatic Life In The San Francisco Estuary, Elena Galkina
Possible Impact Of Additives In Artificial Turf On Aquatic Life In The San Francisco Estuary, Elena Galkina
Master's Projects and Capstones
The use of artificial turf fields as a replacement for natural turf has been increasingly promoted as a green solution to reduce water usage, maintenance costs, and the need for pesticides. However, the potential environmental impacts of artificial turf fields are poorly understood, particularly in the context of the San Francisco Estuary, which is one of the largest and most polluted estuaries in the United States. This paper investigates the potential contribution of artificial turf from sports fields to the microplastic and chemical pollution of the San Francisco Estuary during artificial turf’s use and maintenance life stage. The study synthesizes …
Desal In So. Cal - Are We There Yet?, Luke F. Swanson
Desal In So. Cal - Are We There Yet?, Luke F. Swanson
Master's Projects and Capstones
Southern California has access to a finite amount of water that is vulnerable to the state’s changing climate and growing population. The increasing population’s water demands and hydrologic variability due to climate change inspire different proposals to solve these water limitations. Seawater or brackish water desalination and wastewater recycling are all water resources that have the potential to help meet the water needs of Southern California, specifically the South Coast Hydrologic Region. Every water resource requires energy to transport, treat, and distribute the water for use; in an era of climate change, when energy use contributes to greenhouse gases, utilities …
An Integrated Resource Plan For Tucson Electric Power Company, 2020-2050, Timothy Gary Sheehan Jr, Danny Alexander Zepeda
An Integrated Resource Plan For Tucson Electric Power Company, 2020-2050, Timothy Gary Sheehan Jr, Danny Alexander Zepeda
Master's Projects and Capstones
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States electric power industry is responsible for 25% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, many utilities face state mandates which force electric utilities to reduce their emissions by decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. An Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is the primary method by which electric utilities plan all aspects of future electricity supply and demand, presenting how the company will deliver reliable and affordable energy while meeting statutory requirements. We propose three IRP scenarios through 2050 for Tucson Electric Power (TEP), an electric utility in southern Arizona. The first …
Evaluating Equity In Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Strategies In Local Climate Action Planning In Oakland, California, Eliza J. Kane
Master's Projects and Capstones
Emissions from California’s transportation sector contribute to global climate change and impact local air quality and public health. Forty-one percent of California’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 were from transportation. Transportation emissions are also a source of many health-harming air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. Disadvantaged communities in California experience disproportionate impacts from transportation emissions and suffer worse health effects, including higher incidences of asthma, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. Cities have led the way in policymaking to mitigate and adapt to climate change, including creating Climate Action Plans (CAPs) to propose strategies to …
Analyzing The Effects Of Climate Impacts In El Salvador And How They Influence Pollution, Ecosystems And Communities, Veronica Norio-Tomasino
Analyzing The Effects Of Climate Impacts In El Salvador And How They Influence Pollution, Ecosystems And Communities, Veronica Norio-Tomasino
Master's Projects and Capstones
Due to projections of rising temperatures and increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, the rate at which climate change is impacting nations is devastating. However, developing countries and vulnerable communities are not the primary contributors to climate change, but they are at a greater risk for climate impacts by industrialized nations. As a result of increased human activity, developing nations such as El Salvador are particularly susceptible to climate-related events. Deforestation, water pollution, and human health risks are some activities that have contributed to El Salvador's vulnerability to climate change, drastically affecting rural communities suffering from multidimensional poverty. …
Corporate Social Responsibility In The Information Technology Industry, Natalie Louise Calhoun
Corporate Social Responsibility In The Information Technology Industry, Natalie Louise Calhoun
Master's Projects and Capstones
Information technology companies contribute to greenhouse gas emissions via data servers, office administrative operations, and manufacturing of hardware components. Corporate Social Responsibility programs are a voluntary method of tracking and reducing negative environmental impacts. The 2019 Corporate Social Responsibility data from four Bay Area (California, USA) information technology companies (Adobe, Cisco, Salesforce, and Nvidia) all listed in sustainable index funds were compared to determine best reporting standards. The data analysis also allowed for research into how carbon emissions are categorized and reported on, and which emissions companies pay attention to through Corporate Social Responsibility projects. The physical ownership responsibility for …
Vulnerability Assessment Of The Gulf Of Maine Eastern Oyster Aquaculture Industry To The Projected Impacts Of Ocean And Coastal Acidification, Julia L. Neumann
Vulnerability Assessment Of The Gulf Of Maine Eastern Oyster Aquaculture Industry To The Projected Impacts Of Ocean And Coastal Acidification, Julia L. Neumann
Master's Projects and Capstones
Ocean acidification is an emerging global environmental issue with known impacts on calcifying marine and estuarine organisms, including oysters. Anthropogenic climate change increases ocean uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which decreases seawater pH and the availability of crucial calcium carbonate minerals, namely calcite and aragonite. Acidification poses a major threat to the Eastern oyster aquaculture industry in the Gulf of Maine (GOM), which is highly susceptible to acidification and highly economically dependent on the industry’s economic contributions. In this report, I evaluated overall vulnerability of the GOM Eastern oyster aquaculture industry by assessing ecological exposure, social sensitivity, and adaptive capacity …
Improving Salmon Population Restoration Efforts In California's Central Valley Region, Long Kim Doan
Improving Salmon Population Restoration Efforts In California's Central Valley Region, Long Kim Doan
Master's Projects and Capstones
Historically, the rivers draining into California’s Central Valley Region (CCVR) were abundant with Chinook salmon, migrating in four distinct runs throughout every year, including the Sacramento River winter-run & the Central Valley spring-run. Since the advent of the Central Valley Project in the 1930’s, and its 20 federal high rim dams, these salmon runs have become increasingly threatened. Using a comparative analysis research methodology, this Project critically reviews the existing literature to address the research question: how can current practices of Fish Passage Designs (FPDs) and collection-and-transport operations (CTOs) be improved to mitigate impacts created by dams in CCVR? After …
Assessing The Efficacy Of California’S Wildfire And Forest Resilience Action Plan, Chloe Nelson
Assessing The Efficacy Of California’S Wildfire And Forest Resilience Action Plan, Chloe Nelson
Master's Projects and Capstones
California’s wildfire threat eclipses current forestry management and wildfire mitigation strategies in place to protect people, infrastructure, and the natural environment. Climate change escalates wildfire risks with declining water supply coupled with hotter, drier conditions. California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan attempts to integrate and build upon previously successful wildfire resilience plans to amplify the scale and pace of the state’s land management and community protections. This research assesses the plan’s efficacy to respond to the growing wildfire threat. This study investigates if there is equitable planning for the needs of high-wildfire risk groups living in the WUI and …
A Circular Economy Approach To Improve E-Waste Recycling In California: Economic Potential And Policy Options, Kripa Shah
Master's Projects and Capstones
The higher consumption rates of electronic devices along with their short life cycles and few repair options poses a huge challenge for E-waste industries to manage them effectively. E-waste comprises of hazardous materials and toxic constituents that can affect the environment and public health through improper disposal. However, they also contain few valuable materials that, if recovered, can reduce the dependence on virgin raw materials. Circular economy has the potential to utilize these valuable materials and gain environment and socio-economic benefits. The research explains how the adoption of a circular economy approach can help improve the E-waste recycling in California …