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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 11 of 11
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Interview With Robert Kates, Pathfinder In Sustainability Science, Bridie Mcgreavy, Robert Kates
Interview With Robert Kates, Pathfinder In Sustainability Science, Bridie Mcgreavy, Robert Kates
Maine Policy Review
In this interview, Robert Kates discusses the challenges of sustainability science in moving from what scientists know to actions that can provide solutions to pressing environmental and development problems. Kates notes that sustainability science has the dual mission of addressing core scientific and intellectual questions, while at the same time addressing development in particular places. He suggests that one of the key questions is how to address long-term trends and transition to a “better synthesis between environment and society.”
Wicked Tools: The Value Of Scientific Models For Solving Maine’S Wicked Problems, Tim Waring
Wicked Tools: The Value Of Scientific Models For Solving Maine’S Wicked Problems, Tim Waring
Maine Policy Review
“Wicked problems” are urgent, high-stake socioeconomic-environmental challenges that often involve ideological conflict and have no “best solutions.” Using examples from Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative projects, Tim Waring describes how scientific models can be used to address these kinds of problems. When well-constructed and tested models are used to address policy-relevant issues, include input from stakeholders, and integrate social, economic and environmental dynamics, they can become “wicked tools” to address some of society’s biggest challenges.
The Path To Sustainable Water Resources Solutions, John Peckenham, David Hart, Sean Smith, Shaleen Jain, Whitney King
The Path To Sustainable Water Resources Solutions, John Peckenham, David Hart, Sean Smith, Shaleen Jain, Whitney King
Maine Policy Review
Water is essential both to human survival and to the ecosystems on which people depend. Although Maine is blessed with abundant water sources, managing them is crucial for both short and long-term uses. The authors describe the varying time and spatial scales involved in managing water resources, pointing out that policy decisions made at one time can have far-reaching consequences. They provide illustrations of water-resource projects from Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative, ranging in size from Sebago Laketo vernal pools on individual properties.
Introduction, Linda Silka, Bridie Mcgreavy, Brittany Cline, Laura Lindenfeld
Introduction, Linda Silka, Bridie Mcgreavy, Brittany Cline, Laura Lindenfeld
Maine Policy Review
Introduces special issue of Maine Policy Review focused on Maine's "Sustainability Solutions Initiative," an NSF/EPSCoR-funded project that brings together faculty from higher education institutions around the state to work with stakeholders on sustainability issues through the lens of sustainability science.
Healthy Lakes And Vibrant Economies: Linking History, Sense Of Place, And Watershed Protection In The Belgrade Lakes Region, James Rodger Fleming, Erin A. Love
Healthy Lakes And Vibrant Economies: Linking History, Sense Of Place, And Watershed Protection In The Belgrade Lakes Region, James Rodger Fleming, Erin A. Love
Maine Policy Review
Using interviews, targeted questionnaires, and historical documents, James Fleming and Erin Love show how history and “sense of place” can help encourage individuals to support environmental protection. The project they describe focuses on watershed protection in the Belgrade Lakes region of Maine, and is part of a larger Sustainability Solutions Initiative project in that region. They argue that “connection to place leads to caring about it.”
Sustainability And Workforce Development In Maine, Catherine S. Renault, Linda Silka, James (Jake) S. Ward
Sustainability And Workforce Development In Maine, Catherine S. Renault, Linda Silka, James (Jake) S. Ward
Maine Policy Review
Maine is facing challenges in terms of its workforce: education levels lag behind those in the other New England states; population growth is slow; and the economy is undergoing a change that has shifted from manufacturing to more knowledge-based jobs. Catherine Renault, Linda Silka and Jake Ward discuss these challenges, looking at what employers want in their employees and at the kinds of jobs the state is likely to see in the future. They point out that the Sustainability Solutions Initiative, with its emphasis on a boundary-crossing approach to education, is an example of a way to train today’s students …
Economic Development And Maine’S Sustainability Solutions Initiative, Caroline L. Noblet, Kathleen P. Bell, Charles Colgan, Mario Teisl
Economic Development And Maine’S Sustainability Solutions Initiative, Caroline L. Noblet, Kathleen P. Bell, Charles Colgan, Mario Teisl
Maine Policy Review
The authors discuss how Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI) can contribute to economic development in the state. SSI research is covering five of the seven targeted technology areas identified in recent reports as being important for economic development in the state (forestry and agriculture, environmental, information, composites, marine and aquaculture). The authors note how the broad scope of research carried out through SSI provides opportunities to catalyze new commercial opportunities. As important, SSI is providing many students with a unique learning environment that will prepare them for the new knowledge-based economy.
Advancing Science And Improving Quality Of Place: Linking Knowledge With Action In Maine’S Sustainability Solutions Initiative, Damon Hall, Linda Silka, Laura Lindenfeld
Advancing Science And Improving Quality Of Place: Linking Knowledge With Action In Maine’S Sustainability Solutions Initiative, Damon Hall, Linda Silka, Laura Lindenfeld
Maine Policy Review
The authors give an overview of how research carried out through Maine’s Sustainabilty Solutions Initiative (SSI) improves traditional models of science by providing a fuller picture of the interaction between social and ecological systems. They provide examples of university-community research partnerships, where there is a continuous communication and feedback process that identifies problems and develops projects with a solutions-oriented focus. SSI projects, they argue, “focus on issues that may make lasting improvements to Maine’s quality of place.”
Attitudes Toward Offshore Wind Power In The Midcoast Region Of Maine, James Acheson
Attitudes Toward Offshore Wind Power In The Midcoast Region Of Maine, James Acheson
Maine Policy Review
Given the likelihood of the development of offshore wind farms in Maine and the increasingly politicized nature of discussions about wind power in general, there is a need for more systematic information on Mainers’ opinions about offshore wind power. In this article, James Acheson provides information on the range of public opinion about offshore wind power based on a survey of fishermen, tourism-related business owners and coastal property owners in Midcoast Maine. He assesses the accuracy of some public concerns and discusses the broader policy issues raised about offshore wind development.
Letter From The Editor, Ann Acheson
Sustainability: The Challenges And The Promise, George J. Mitchell
Sustainability: The Challenges And The Promise, George J. Mitchell
Maine Policy Review
Senator George J. Mitchell’s Margaret Chase Essay reflects on sustainable development. He discusses how teams of Maine faculty and students are working in partnerships across business, government and non-governmental organizations to seek solutions for a wide range of ecological and economic challenges.