Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Urbanization On Environmental Parameters In Aquatic Systems Along An Urban-Rural Gradient In Northeastern Illinois, Tiffany Garrett

All Capstone Projects

The transformation of landscapes from rural to urban land use impacts affected ecosystems. Replacing natural vegetation with impervious surfaces and introducing environmental stressors through increased human activity can significantly alter aquatic ecosystems. This study examined the effects that urbanization had on salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, and pH of aquatic systems along an urban-rural gradient in Illinois, Chicago land area- Little Calumet River, Thorn Creek, and Kankakee River. The first objective of this project was to examine whether there were changes or fluctuations among various environmental parameters that may be due to heavily populated residential areas when compared to a …

Reducing Cluster Power Consumption By Dynamically Suspending Idle Nodes, Brian Michael Oppenheim

Master's Theses

Close to 1% of the world's electricity is consumed by computer servers. Given that the increased use of electricity raises costs and damages the environment, optimizing the world's computing infrastructure for power consumption is worthwhile. This thesis is one attempt at such an optimization. In particular, I began by building a cluster of 6 Intel Atom based low-power nodes to perform work analogous to data center clusters. Then, I installed a version of Hadoop modified with a novel power management system on the cluster. The power management system uses different algorithms to determine when to turn off idle nodes in …

The Impact Of Local Environmental Activist Organizations On State Environmental Policies, Molly Patricia Casperson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In the past ten years, the state of Indiana has been recognized as having a poor environmental record, with an increasing carbon footprint, poor air and water quality, ineffective hazardous waste management, and few policy initiatives to correct the problems. Because most the environmental issues are "creeping" environmental problems (Moser and Dilling 42), citizens too easily dismiss them when other, more pressing issues, like job loss and high taxes become apparent. Ironically, Indiana is a state with a numerous active environmental groups, some with long histories in the state. While Indiana attracts criticism for its poor environmental record, many citizens …

A Study Of The Sustainability Of Wild Capture Salmon In The Pacific Northwest, Justin D. Hansen

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Integration Of Biomimicry Into A Built Environment Design Process Model: An Alternative Approach Towards Hydro-Infrastructure, Timothy Lee Albertson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Current methods and processes that support the planning, design and construction of a sustainable built environment include ambiguous principles (Roseland 2000), lack feedback loops (Van Bueren and Jong 2007) and lack a common language between disciplines (Brandon et al 1997). As a result of 3.8 billion years of "research and development" (evolution), nature provides a set of design blueprints that may be used to guide us to create elegant, sustainable, and innovative designs for human technologies (Benyus 1997). The field of biomimicry analyzes nature's best ideas and adapts them for human use (Benyus 1997). The built environment could benefit from …

Maternal Effects In Transmission Of Self-Medicative Behavior From Mother To Offspring In Sheep, Udita Sanga

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mammals begin learning food preferences in utero and maternally mediated influences early in life help offspring develop their feeding habits. Mammals also learn by individual experience to ingest medicinal compounds such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), which attenuates the negative post-ingestive effects of tannins, a group of potentially toxic plant secondary compounds. The objective of this study was to investigate the transmission of acquired self-medicative behavior from mother to offspring using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a medicine to relieve malaise caused by tannins. I hypothesized that: 1) mothers trained to associate the beneficial effects of PEG while consuming tannins will pass …

The Impact Of Individual Decision Making On Campus Sustainability Initiatives, Aurali Ella Dade

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) have increasingly committed to become more sustainable in recent years. Despite this commitment, academic publications in the sustainability field assert that progress has been slower at IHEs than expected and that most IHEs have found sustainability initiatives difficult to implement. Comprehensive sustainability initiatives require cooperation from a broad set of constituents with diverse and sometimes conflicting goals. Creating a sustainable IHE also requires changes in both physical infrastructure and individual behavior. Any number of institutional factors can advance or limit progress towards these objectives.

Previous investigations have assessed individual case studies, compared IHEs in a …

An Environmental Sustainability Assessment Of Taylor University, Kevin P. Crosby

Master of Environmental Science (MES) Theses

This is a master’s thesis project for the Department of Environmental Science at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. It is focused on sustainability which requires considering the social, economic, and environmental impact of actions on future generations. The three main questions being addressed are: 1.) In what ways is Taylor University practicing environmental sustainability? 2.) What is the best way to judge the sustainability of Taylor? 3.) What should Taylor do to become more sustainable? This paper consists of a literature review, a description of the problem being addressed, a review of similar studies, and assessment methods, the actual campus …

Building Sustainable Societies: Exploring Sustainability Policy And Practice In The Age Of High Consumption, Cindy Isenhour

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is an attempt to examine how humans in wealthy, post-industrial urban contexts understand sustainability and respond to their concerns given their sphere of influence. I focus specifically on sustainable consumption policy and practice in Sweden, where concerns for sustainability and consumer-based responses are strong. This case raises interesting questions about the relative strength of sustainability movements in different cultural and geo-political contexts as well as the specific factors that have motivated the movement toward sustainable living in Sweden.

The data presented here supports the need for multigenic theories of sustainable consumerism. Rather than relying on dominant theories of …

Toward A Policy Framework For The Design Of Economic Information Packages, Andrew Whitmore

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The emergence of product certifications such as "organic," "fair trade" and "shade grown" has gone far to introduce non-price related product information back into the consumer decision making process thereby reducing information asymmetries and improving market outcomes. Recently, these certifications have been supplemented by the emergence of several web-based consumer decision support systems that are designed to disseminate non-price product information to consumers. Like printed product labels, these new web-based systems present the same informational cues to each consumer regardless of his or her preference for the information and they rate products with fixed weights that are not customized to …

The Malawi Project: From Conventional To Holistic Decision Making, Grace Wetmore

Animal Science

How the Cal Poly Malawi Appropriate Technologies Team, and other development groups, can use Holistic Management to aid developing countries in an effort towards a sustainable future.

Time Valuation Of Risk A Delayed-Bang Approach, Abhishek Pathak

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The subject of this thesis is the combined use of engineering economics and survival analysis in estimating time-value of risk-related resources. The discussion includes (1) the need for sustainable risk management, (2) the importance of time-valuation of risk related resources in the allocation or selection among competing risk mitigation alternatives, (3) the convergence of deterministic engineering economics, survivability analysis, and probabilistic analysis, and (4) results and examples of application in the context of prevention of risk event or mitigation of its consequences.

The significance of this thesis is in how three topics: engineering economics, survivability analysis, and probability theory can …

Flowing Toward Sustainability: Two Stream Adjudications Analyzed Under The Iad Framework, Nancye Lou Bethurem

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

One of the most significant problems impacting the western United States today is the lack of naturally occurring water resources, especially during this period of drought and explosive population growth. This has led to intense competition over water use and ownership in the arid and semi-arid regions of the United States. During this period of water resource scarcity, it is extremely important to determine the ownership of water rights in order to implement optimal management systems. Most western states use a system of "general stream adjudications" to make water rights ownership determinations.

General stream adjudications are legal proceedings used to …

Examining The Influence Of Restaurant Green Practices On Customer Return Intention, Audrey L. Szuchnicki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In recent years there has been an increased awareness of how the actions of the foodservice industry are effecting the environment. With this awareness we have begun to see a change in priorities for both new and existing businesses. At the forefront of this change in the "green" direction is the GRA who certifies how eco-friendly an establishment is based on its' environmental guidelines. This study will examine the correlation between customer return intention and the institution of green practices within a restaurant setting. The expected outcome would be that a restaurant that is certified green or, implementing measures to …

Novel Lactide Derived Polymers; Synthesis, Properties And Applications, Dahlia Haynes

All Dissertations

This dissertation primarily encompasses the synthesis, characterization, properties and discussion of applications for lactide derived polymers. The methodology focuses on altering polylactide's (PLA's) dynamic and physical properties increasing its broad market utility in both traditional and non-traditional applications. The fundamentals of this work include understanding and enhancing the polymer chemistry and materials related processes through the use of copolymerization, fluorination, composite chemistry and materials science.
The first chapter discusses the important of this research with emphasis on current world issues that focuses on the feasibility of renewable resources and sustainability implementation. Modification of renewable resource materials like lactic acid is …

Dynamics Of Online Chat, Mihai Moldovan

Dissertations

Millions of people use online synchronous chat networks on a daily basis for work, play and education. Despite their widespread use, little is known about their user dynamics. For example, one does not know how many users are typically co-present and actively engaged in public interaction in the individual chat rooms of any of the numerous public Internet Relay Chat (IRC) networks found on the Internet; or what are the factors that constrain the boundaries of user activity inside those chat rooms. Failure to collect and present such data means there is a lack of a good understanding of the …

Water Centrality For Water And Society, Ute Goeft

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The current approach to water management in Western societies, including Australia, is based on allocating water between different users. Appropriate for commercial uses, this commodity view of water has proved difficult for the inclusion of environmental and social concerns. Issues, such as which aspects have precedence, how much water should be allocated to each and how to make trade-offs in cases of insufficient water, pose problems that are yet to be worked out. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the identification of environmental as well as social water needs. The latter has prompted the writing of this …

Toward A New Social Contract: A Tripartite Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Social Sustainability At Three Land-Grant Universities, Lyndsay Josephine Agans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly, colleges and universities in the United States are adapting toward a model of behavior that incorporates issues of sustainability. This adaptation in universities and in society has implications on the organizational and nation-state level, the very core of which may serve to reshape the social contract between the two. In addition to supplying a strong counter-hegemonic argument that alters the competitive economic agenda-setting paradigm, this study serves as a tripartite comparative case study analysis of university adaptation toward social sustainability. By employing a social capital lens to understanding social sustainability in higher education, this study seeks to examine the …

An Analysis Of The Environmental Content Of Las Vegas Strip Hotels, Andrew M. Levey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines the environmental content of hotel properties websites. The central question of this study is whether Las Vegas Strip properties have gone green, or plan to go green. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the frequency of the environmental content of twenty-three Las Vegas Strip hotels’ websites as well as five upcoming hotel projects and one hotel expansion project on the Strip. The twenty-eight hotels are all located along Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as the Strip. All properties examined have over two thousand rooms each. The goal is to determine how prevalent and important …

Extending The Season For Sustainability In Utah, Britney Hunter

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The importance of providing fresh produce on a local level is becoming a widespread consideration among people concerned with the character of their food. For regions without an opportune growing climate, extending the growing season can drastically advance productivity. High tunnels are one way to effectively and profitably extend the growing season in cold climates. The benefits of growing in a high tunnel go beyond raising the temperature. High tunnels contribute to higher quality small fruits and vegetables. The benefits of growing in high tunnels have been explored in other states and could be exploited by Utah growers. Utah's climate …

Evaluation Of Harvesting Disturbance And Establishment Practices On Early Height Growth Of Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda L.), Shanna Marie Mccarty

LSU Master's Theses

Land for forest plantations is declining while demand for forest products is increasing, creating concern over sustainable forest management. Maintenance of site productivity is fundamental to forest sustainability, and an assessment of cumulative height growth is a useful index of productivity. Loblolly pine height data were used from four research plantations installed by the project Cooperative Research in Sustainable Silviculture and Soil Productivity from Texas to Georgia. The sites vary in soil characteristics, management history, nutrient status at time of planting, and age (from 4 to 9 years). Each site is a randomized complete block design with a factorial treatment …

Onset And Persistence Of Biogenic Meromixis In A Filling Pit Lake-A Limnological Perspective , Oscar Flite

All Dissertations

Open pit mining usually results in a void that, over time, fills with water and becomes a pit lake. The goal for pit lakes is to create sustainable systems that positively contribute to local and regional watersheds. One long-standing hypothesis for attaining the goal of sustainability has been to create and maintain meromictic lakes (lakes that do not completely mix on a yearly cycle). It is believed that meromixis minimizes atmospheric oxygen exposure to pit walls and concomitant acid generation and minimizes reentrainment of metals to the upper waters during seasonal mixes. This seems to be a reasonable goal but …

Growing A Better Food System: An Analysis Of The Impact Of California School Gardens On The Sustainable Food And Food Security Movements, Michael Press

Pomona Senior Theses

In recent decades, environmental problems associated with conventional agriculture, children’s nutrition, and concern over the adequacy of the current food supply have led to the emergence of the sustainable food and food security movements. These issues have also inspired the state of California to pass legislation to place a garden in every school in the state. This thesis analyzes the accuracy of this policy’s implementation and its effects on the sustainable food and food security movements. Research found that the loss of state funding for this policy and the administrative, logistical, and informational barriers to establishing garden education programs has …

People In Nature: Environmental History Of The Kennebec River, Maine, Daniel J. Michor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The quality of a river affects the tributaries, lakes, and estuary it feeds; it affects the wildlife and vegetation that depend on the river for energy, nutrients, and habitat, and also affects the human community in the form of use, access, pride, and sustainability. In an age of mass consumerism and materialism, dwindling natural resources and wild spaces, and advanced technology, the ability to make a living and at the same time enjoy the benefits of rural living is increasingly difficult. Using the entire Kennebec River watershed as the scale of investigation with particular focus on the river corridor itself, …

Integrating Environmental Education With Family And Consumer Science Education, Trina Lin Stangland

All Graduate Projects

This project provides lessons and activities for the integration of environmental education throughout the family and consumer science curriculum. The project reflects the most current standards including the Washington State Environmental Education Guidelines and Essential Academic Learning Requirements, as well as the Family and Consumer Science National Standards. Many appropriate areas of implementation were discovered in the review of literature. The lessons and activities presented in this project are informed by the literature and are, subsequently, diverse and desirable for family and consumer science education. Each lesson or activity includes detailed information on which standards they reflect as well as …

Environmental Awareness Curriculum For First Grade, Dianna Lynn Whitley

All Graduate Projects

An environmental curriculum was created to increase student's awareness about their environment. The purpose was to provide students with knowledge and skills to participate in environmental issues. Three sub-topics were researched, Waste Management, Water Pollution and Water Conservation. Lessons were developed for all three areas to implement in a first grade classroom. The lessons are diverse and will meet the needs of all learning styles.

Toward An Ecological Culture: Sustainability, Post-Domination And Spirituality, Jovan Ristic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This essay presents an overview of an emergent culture of ecological consciousness and sensitivity for nature within and without humans. The inquiry pertains to the interdisciplinary field of human ecology. The essential methodological approach is eco-systemic, implying the basic interrelatedness of entities and their environment. The essay explores the interconnections at various levels of human-ecological interaction, analyzed from the perspective of the basic components of an ecological culture: sustainability - as an economy of metabolic exchange with the environment and inclusion into natural cycles of renewal; post-domination - as human relations based on individuals' responsibility for their social and natural …

Studies Of Supply Responses In Indian Agriculture: Some Models For Planning Rational Food Supply., Nilabja Ghosh Dr.

Doctoral Theses

This thesis deals with food supply in a less developed country.In a world where social awareness together with technical progress is offering advances in all spheres of life, the persisting presence of hunger and malnutrition in any corner of the earth casts a shadow on all human achievements. It is said that over 800 million human beings in this world are suffering from hunger and a great majority of them live in Asia. Food problem has many dimensions (Timmer et al, 1983), but the solution lies mostly in adequate supply of foodgrains and proper distribution of the same. Any shortfall …

The Role Of Management In The Movement Towards Sustainability: Perceived Responsibilities, Challenges, And Opportunities, Martin Brueckner

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this thesis was to explore the role of management in the movement towards ecologically sustainable development (ESD), investigating perceived responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities facing business management today. The point of departure for this study was the acknowledgement of the present paucity of references to ESD within the management literature, widespread amoral business conduct, and the dominance of economic rationalism within business science. This research provided an analytical review of ESD related literature, concentrating on the history and rise of the ESD paradigm, its ethical underpinnings, and economic implications to management practice. The paper highlighted the importance of …

Limiting Growth In Las Vegas - A Necessary Growth Strategy For The Twenty-First Century, Cheryl Ann Frassa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Land development in the Las Vegas Valley continues at an unprecedented rate and future growth will no doubt be strongly advocated. Yet, water resources in this desert area are finite, and in the near future, supply will fall short of demand. Plans are underway to supplement the existing supply, and proposals to secure additional sources are under investigation. But there are no guarantees these ambitious endeavors will materialize. In light of the pending water crisis, the pervasive "growth at all cost" policies now dominant in the valley must be abandoned and more realistic land-use policies developed; ones based on the …