Digital Commons Network^™

Classifying Multi-Generational Products For The Circular Economy, Buddhika M. Hapuwatte, Fazleena Badurdeen, I. S. Jawahir

Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing Faculty Publications

Manufacturers are increasingly interested in the circular economy (CE) and potential of circular productions. To fully utilize CE, better guidance at the design stage is needed to establish closed-loop flows and prioritize higher value retaining end-of-use (EoU) practices such as reuse and remanufacture (i.e., parts harvesting). Intergenerational commonality (IC) is a method to increase EoU parts harvesting. However, closed-loop parts harvesting potential depends on the compatible timing between design generations’ production and EoU returns curves. Therefore, in this paper, we explore an approach to make an initial assessment on where IC as a closed-loop CE strategy can produce most benefit, …

Tallgrass Prairie Center 2022-2023 Highlights, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Annual Reports

Contents:

--- Staff
--- From Our Director
--- Iowa Roadside Management: Enhancing our public roadsides
--- Research and Restoration: Investigating successful methods for prairie restoration
--- Plant Materials: A prairie pedigree for Iowa’s roadsides and beyond
--- Prairie on Farms: Making prairie practical
--- Irvine Prairie: Restoring a piece of the original Iowa landscape
--- Prairie Roots Project: A deeper appreciation of the prairie ecosystem
--- A Hidden Gem - UNI's Biological Preserves: A legacy of service and partnership
--- Green Iowa AmeriCorps: Service members expand TPC capacity
--- Student Accomplishments: Hands-on experiences at the TPC lead to new adventures …

Streaming With Butterflies: A Whole School Stream Project, Carey L. Averill, Janet M. Herrelko

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explores the commitment of a school faculty to use the pedagogical practices needed to employ a project-based unit of Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM). The unit of study concentrated on environmental sustainability of butterflies through project-based learning (PBL). Teacher interviews were analyzed to reveal the similarities and differences, strengths and weaknesses in the teachers’ reactions to implementing a cross-curricula content unit designed for a pre-kindergarten (PK) to eighth grade school. Analysis of teacher data and classroom artifacts provided evidence of: content mastery at the student levels; implementation of scaffolding for developmental levels; and the need …

Caring Communities For Radical Change: What Can Feminist Political Ecology Bring To Degrowth?, S. Barca, Giovanna Di Chiro, W. Harcourt, I. Iengo, P. Kotsila, S. Kulkarni, I. Leonardelli, C. Sato

Environmental Studies Faculty Works

In this chapter, we share the insights of feminist political ecology (FPE) for degrowth, building from the debates on “caring communities for radical change” at the 8th International Degrowth Conference in August 2021. We discuss how FPE links to the principles of degrowth as an academic and activist movement and why it is necessary to take feminist political ecology perspectives on care and caring communities in resisting, questioning, and counteracting the structural racial, gender, and wider social inequalities that uphold and are perpetuated by growth-dependent economic systems. As we critically reflect on the experiences of paid versus unpaid, collectivised versus …

The Combination Of Activated Sludge And A Constructed Wetland For Treating Soybean Wastewater, Tri Nguyen Minh, Nhan Nguyen Thi, Hoan Le Thi-Hai, Thanh Pham Van

Applied Environmental Research

Soybean is a nutritious and popular material in the Vietnamese food industry. Soybean processing wastewater contains a significant amount of organic compounds, which have a negative impact on aquatic life due to light penetration and oxygen consumption limitations. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine whether the combination of activated sludge and a constructed wetland using VA06 grass could be effective in treating soybean wastewater. Various amounts of activated sludge were investigated. To be specific, a 20% additional sludge percentage resulted in the shortest treatment time for chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and phosphorus (TP). Additionally, the …

Riverine Microplastics Pollution In Vietnam: A Review Of Current Scientific Knowledge And Legal Policies, Sang Truong Tran Nguyen, Emilie Strady, Thuy Chung Kieu Le, Thi Minh Tam Le, Phuoc Dan Nguyen, Ngoc Bao Pham, Yukako Inamura

Applied Environmental Research

Plastic litter and microplastic pollution in the aquatic environment have become a major concern since scientists, politicians, and citizens began to learn about the impacts in recent years. This in-depth desk review of scientific papers and Vietnamese policies aims to state the current knowledge, legal framework, and action plan relative to microplastic assessment, release, and control in Vietnamese aquatic environments, especially rivers. Regarding scientific literature, this paper focuses on (i) the occurrence of microplastics in riverine surface water and sediments, (ii) the fate and transfer of microplastics in Vietnam’s canals-riverine- estuarine systems, (iii) their accumulation in biota, and (iv) effects …

Developing Cost-Effective Specialty Adsorbents To Meet The Emerging Challenges Of Pollutant Removal In Surface Water Systems, Diana Ordonez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The production of clean water is emphasized under the United Nations goals for sustainable development (SDGs), enlightening the acute need of developing new sustainable technologies in all disciplines. SDGs have urged all engineers in the 21st century to mitigate pollution of drinking water sources and prevent all receiving waterbodies from the impact of agriculture discharge, wastewater effluent, and stormwater runoff. Current water matrix constituents of concern include traditional pollutants (i.e., total nitrogen and total phosphate), natural organic matters (i.e., total organic carbon (TOC), tannic acid), heavy metals (i.e., copper, calcium), and harmful algae toxins (i.e., microcystin), as well as contaminants …

Futures On Dry Ground: Anthropology And Coastal Planning, Theodore Hilton, Sheehan Moore

Publications and Research

Around the world, governments, industry, and other actors are creating plans to save coasts from environmental crisis. Louisiana is one prominent example: levees and other measures protect oil and gas infrastructure from inundation as the wetlands buffer rapidly erodes—in large part due to that same industry. The state’s primary answer to land loss is a $50 billion Coastal Master Plan. To illuminate such responses in Louisiana and globally, this article reviews emerging literature and frames an anthropology of coastal planning around three themes: (1) novel orientations toward time and space, (2) the reproduction of power and capital in the name …

Leading Climate & Environmental Action In The San Diego Region, Tessa Tinkler, Eo Hanabusa, Emily Young, Darbi Berry, Connelly Meschen

Environment

Leading Climate & Environmental Action in the San Diego Region presents the state of environment-focused nonprofits in the San Diego region and their legacies that position them to continue impactful climate action. Findings in this report are synthesized from quarterly public opinion pollings (San Diego Residents Survey), surveys of 30 local environmental nonprofit leaders (Nonprofit Leaders Survey), the latest nonprofit data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and data on foundation grants awarded to local nonprofits (Candid). The environmental nonprofit sector in the San Diego region is relatively small, but it has worked on the frontlines for many years to …

Evaluating Gizzard Shad Dorosoma Cepedianum And Threadfin Shad D. Petenense Populations In Two Kentucky Reservoirs Recently Invaded With Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix, Nathan Klein

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum and Threadfin Shad D. petenense are ecologically important fish species found in many reservoirs throughout the southeastern United States, such as Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. One current challenge that Gizzard Shad and Threadfin Shad may face in these two reservoirs is competition with the invasive Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix. However, quantifying the effects of this competition may be difficult because of limited baseline population data for Gizzard Shad and Threadfin Shad in these two reservoirs. Gizzard Shad and Threadfin Shad were collected by boat electrofishing and surface trawling in cove and main channel locations …

A Geospatial Analysis Of Crime Hotspots, Campus Safety Measures, And The Campus Community’S Perceived Safety At Murray State University, Rachel Stuckey

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Murray State University (Murray State) is in far Western Kentucky. Murray State prides itself on being a safe campus for prospective students. In this study spatial analysis was used to analyze the relationship among crime hotspots, campus safety measures, and students’ perception of safety on campus the campus of Murray State. A survey was distributed to students to determine the areas of the campus where students feel safe and unsafe. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) were used to determine the location of crime hotspots over eight years (2014-2022) to measure the spatial relationship between logged crime hotspots and perceived safe and …

Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix Movements In The Lower Cumberland River And Lower Tennessee River, Miranda Belanger

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of exotic fishes in freshwater environments has caused significant ecological and economic changes. Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix are an invasive species in the United States but are native to large rivers in eastern Asia. This species is expanding its range throughout the Mississippi River basin, beginning with the Cumberland River and Tennessee River drainages. Although Silver Carp movement patterns have been studied in other portions of the Cumberland River and Tennessee River, the lowermost portion of both rivers below Lake Barkley Dam and Kentucky Lake Dam is a unique environment in which the movement of Silver Carp has …

Application Of Machine Learning In Assessing Spatial Distribution Patterns Of Soil Microplastics: A Case Study Of The Bang Pakong Watershed, Thailand, Ugochukwu Ihezukwu

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Microplastics (MPs) are persistent environmental pollutants introduced through various factors. Understanding the spatial distribution characteristics of MPs is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies. However, the relationship between MPs and their covariables remains largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the abundance of MPs in 40 soil samples from different land-use types in the Bang Pakong Watershed and assessed the applicability of machine learning models for predicting the spatial distribution patterns of soil MPs. The samples were divided into three categories: 1.2 µm-500 µm, 500 µm-1 mm, and 1-2 mm. They were analyzed using ZnCl2 density separation, H2O2 digestion process, …

Assessment Of Atmospheric Correction Algorithms For The Remote Sensing Of Water Quality In Southeastern U.S. Estuaries, Jerome Reimers

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Water quality is a key indicator in understanding and representing an environment's overall health. Through developments in remote sensing, we can utilize satellite imagery to measure water parameters in each aquatic system. When accurate atmospheric correction is performed, remote sensing can account for atmospheric attenuation and scattering effects to better measure the reflectance and estimate optically active constituents (OAC) present in upper water columns. Atmospheric Correction for OLI lite (ACOLITE) is an atmospheric correction algorithm designed specifically for robust atmospheric correction of water surfaces, in comparison to algorithms designed more for land surfaces such as the European Space Agency’s (ESA) …

The Impact Of Weather Shocks On Employment Outcomes: Evidence From South Africa, Harriet Margaret Brookes Gray, Vis Taraz, Simon Halliday

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, such as drought and heat waves. In this paper, we assess the impact of drought and high temperatures on the employment outcomes of working-age individuals in South Africa between 2008 and 2017. We merge high-resolution weather data with detailed individual-level survey data on labor market outcomes, and estimate causal impacts using a fixed effects framework. We find that increases in the occurrence of drought reduce overall employment. These effects are concentrated in the tertiary sector, amongst informal workers, and in provinces with a higher reliance on tourism. Taken together, our …

Modeling Current And Future Saltmarsh Distribution In Arcata Marsh, Madeline Kay Mcnerthney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Saltmarsh habitat is vulnerable to Sea Level Rise (SLR) and requires long-term management plans for communities to continue to benefit from their ecosystem services. This study analyzed the variation of above-ground vegetation biomass throughout I Street Marsh, using multiple variables, including classified vegetative community types, elevation and remote sensing indexes comprised of both visual (Red, Green, Blue) and non-visual (Red Edge, Near Infrared) bands. Plant community types were classified using a cluster analysis, and distinguished three communities, based on dominant species: Salicornia, Spartina, and a mixed type (diverse floristic makeup, with no dominant species). Above-ground biomass was significantly higher in …

Low-Head Dams (Aka Drowning Machines) Are Deadly: An Analysis Of Liability For Landowners And States, And Recommendations For Legislation And Warning Signs, Forrest R. Hansen, Rollin H. Hotchkiss

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Complexities Of Community Consultation In Chile's Lithium Industry, Isabella R. Whelan

Honors Theses

Echoed by November’s COP27 in Egypt, the climate crisis has become an increasingly pressing and global issue, with the need to move away from fossil fuels more urgent than ever. In attempts to decarbonize the global economy, many countries and companies have turned to electrification –particularly within the transportation sector, one of today’s largest contributors of greenhouse gasses. A crucial component of energy storage and batteries is lithium, now considered a “critical mineral.” Demand for lithium has skyrocketed in recent years and is only expected to continue growing. More than fifty percent of the world’s lithium supply is found within …

Trends In Cyanotoxin Production Potential In China Lake: An Edna Analysis Of Microcystis And Dolichospermum And The Environmental Drivers Of Cyanotoxin Production, Gennifer M. Rubin

Honors Theses

Episodes of cyano-harmful algal blooms (cyano-HABs) are hypothesized to be exacerbated by the effects of climate change. However, the dynamics of the interactions between elements of climate change and toxigenic cyanobacteria proliferation are not well defined. China Lake is the drinking water source for 7 municipalities in the Kennebec County and is one of many lakes in central Maine that has been subjected to high levels of cyano-HABs and microcystin toxin contamination in recent years. Monitoring the toxicity of these blooms in relation to various aspects of climate change may lead to identification of the major drivers of microcystin production …

A Psychometric Study Of Thai Farmer's Risk Perception On Agricultural Risks, Cato Lacroix

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Agricultural risks, such as pests and disease, crop price, debt, and floods and/or droughts, pose a threat to farmers as their livelihood relies on their crop yields. The purpose of this research is to evaluate cash crop and high-value crop farmers’ risk perception towards agricultural risks, as well as their ability to cope and deal with these risks in Ayutthaya and Chanthaburi Province, Thailand. To determine the perceptions on agricultural risk, the psychometric paradigm was used which is among the first study in Thailand to do so. This study hypothesized that different crop types, farming regions, and socio-economic factors, may …

Climate Adaptation Nexus Of Manjing’S Smallholder Tea Agroforestry And Livelihood Diversification Through Prospective Ecological Utilization On Highlands In The Greater Mekong Subregion In China, Yang Hongyan

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

A holistic approach that integrates environmental and cultural aspects within the community livelihood framework is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of agroforestry to tackle climate variability. Engaging the livelihoods of smallholder ancient tea agroforestry in the Jingmai Mountain region in the Mekong River Sub-region of Yunnan Province of China, the study aimed to determine the nexus of smallholder ancient tea agroforestry and livelihood diversification through prospective utilization under the context of climate change. Desk studies, field observations, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews were employed for data collection. 239 smallholders and 10 key informants were interviewed. Descriptive statistics analysis, regression analysis, narrative …

แนวทางการจัดการพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งอย่างยั่งยืนบนเกาะสีชัง, วรุต วรรณวัตร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ปัจจุบันพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งมีความต้องการใช้เพิ่มขึ้นเรื่อยๆ ในขณะที่การจัดการพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งยังเป็นปัญหาที่สำคัญสำหรับเกาะสีชัง จังหวัดชลบุรี งานวิจัยนี้จึงศึกษาหาแนวทางในการจัดการพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งที่เหมาะสมสำหรับพื้นที่เกาะสีชัง จังหวัดชลบุรี โดยมีการศึกษาถึงชนิดและปริมาณของพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้ง และศึกษาผลกระทบทางสิ่งแวดล้อมโดยใช้การวิเคราะห์การไหลของวัสดุและการประเมินวัฏจักรชีวิตของขยะพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งรวมไปถึงการวิเคราะห์ความคุ้มค่าทางเศรษฐศาสตร์เชิงคุณภาพ สำหรับผลการศึกษาถึงชนิดและปริมาณพบว่า เกาะสีชังมีอัตราการเกิดขยะพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งเฉลี่ย 395.51 กิโลกรัมต่อวันหรือ 0.395 ตันต่อวัน โดยพบ ถุงพลาสติกหูหิ้ว พลาสติกบรรจุภัณฑ์ฟิล์มชั้นเดียว และขวดพลาสติก มีสัดส่วนปริมาณมากที่สุดร้อยละ 31.59 25.39 และ 21.27 ตามลำดับ ซึ่งมีปริมาณไม่แตกต่างกันทั้งฤดูฝนและฤดูแล้ง และสำหรับผลการศึกษาผลกระทบทางสิ่งแวดล้อมและความคุ้มค่าทางเศรษฐศาสตร์พบว่า แนวทางที่ 2 คือการนำขวดพลาสติกและฝาไปเข้าสู่กระบวนการรีไซเคิลร้อยละ 24.54 และพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งอีก 5 ประเภทหรือร้อยละ 75.46 นำไปกำจัดด้วยการผลิตเชื้อเพลิงขยะ มีผลกระทบต่อสิ่งแวดล้อมในทุกด้านและมีค่าดำเนินการต่อปีต่ำที่สุดเมื่อเทียบกับแนวทางที่ 1 (S1) และแนวทางที่ดำเนินการอยู่ในปัจุบัน (S0) จากผลการศึกษาเทศบาลเกาะสีชัง ควรมีมาตรการหรือนโยบายการจัดการพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งตั้งแต่การบริโภค คือ นโยบายการลดการใช้พลาสติก ส่งเสริมการใช้วัสดุที่เป็นมิตรต่อสิ่งแวดล้อม ส่งเสริมการคัดแยกขยะตั้งแต่ต้นทาง การปรับปรุงค่าธรรมเนียมในการจัดเก็บขยะเพื่อเพิ่มแรงจูงใจ เพื่อให้การจัดการพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียวทิ้งของเกาะสีชังเกิดความยั่งยืน

Perception-Based Actions On Sustainable Living: A Case Of Foreigners Of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, Nelly Waithera Ndenya

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Living is sustainable when it recognizes the effects of our lifestyle decisions on the environment and figures out how to make life better and lighter for everyone. A "people lens" approach to sustainability is novel, contemporary, and highly advantageous. Chulalongkorn University, Higher Education Institutions acting as the spearheads of sustainable living in local and international communities, are mandated to implement crucial policies, practices, and programmes supporting sustainable living of foreigners of Chulalongkorn University. This study aimed to identify factors influencing sustainable living of foreigners of Chulalongkorn University and to provide recommendations for boosting sustainable living in the university. By applying …

Tenvr: Matlab-Based Toolbox For Environmental Research, Aleksandar I. Goranov, Rachel L. Sleighter, Dobromir A. Yordanov, Patrick G. Hatcher

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

With the advancements in science and technology, datasets become larger and more multivariate, which warrants the need for programming tools for fast data processing and multivariate statistical analysis. Here, the MATLAB-based Toolbox for Environmental Research "TEnvR" (pronounced "ten-ver") is introduced. This novel toolbox includes 44 open-source codes for automated data analysis from a multitude of techniques, such as ultraviolet-visible, fluorescence, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies, as well as from ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. Provided are codes for processing data (e.g., spectral corrections, formula assignment), visualization of figures, calculation of metrics, multivariate statistics, and automated work-up of large datasets. TEnvR allows …

Breakwater: Anti-Blackness In Geoscience Lessons From Long Beach, Ca, Christina Marsh

Pomona Senior Theses

Breakwaters are more than just physical structures that protect against storm surges and in the context of Long Beach, CA, my hometown, they are actualizations of economic, social, environmental, geologic, and policy challenges. Inspired by Trace: Memory, History, Race, and the American Landscape by Lauret Savoy, and Teaching to Transgress by bell hooks, I use an extended metaphor and autoethnographic approach to connect a chronology of my educational life to the physical structure of a breakwater. Where the breakwater also acts as a signifier of my personal experiences of seeing it, questioning its purpose, and not always finding an answer. …

Quantitative Change Analysis Of Undisturbed Lands In Eastern South Dakota: 2012-2021, Riley W. Wollschlager

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The actual rate of loss of undisturbed prairie and woodland in eastern South Dakota is unknown, and the landscape composition of the region continues to change. Undisturbed land is land with no proven prior cropping or other disturbance history. Agriculture, development, recreation, and other land use practices create disturbances resulting in the further conversion of undisturbed prairies and woodlands. Previous work by South Dakota State University (SDSU) quantified the remaining undisturbed land in eastern South Dakota as of 2012 (Bauman et al 2016). Farm Service Agency (FSA) common land unit (CLU) and National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery were the …

Public Works Programmes And Agricultural Risk: Evidence From India, Vis Taraz

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

The agricultural sectors in many low-and middle-income countries remain highly vulnerable to weather risk, a vulnerability that will only intensify under climate change. The globally trending public works programmes have the potential to impact weather-related agricultural risk. I explore the impact of India's National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) on weather-related agricultural risk. My empirical strategy explores the staggered roll-out of NREGA and random weather fluctuations. Using a nationwide panel of data, I find that NREGA makes crop yields more sensitive to low rainfall shocks. I posit that these results are consistent with a labour market channel, by which NREGA …

Relating Predator Community Ecology And Duck Nest Survival In Eastern South Dakota, Samantha R. Fino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As conversion of native grasslands and wetlands to croplands continues in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), managers are tasked with maintaining sustainable waterfowl populations. Mesopredator community dynamics is a hypothesized mechanism driving spatiotemporal variation of waterfowl nest survival in the PPR, yet studies often lack detailed information on mesopredator species occurrence and abundance. Therefore, understanding spatial and temporal variation in behaviors of mesopredators provides valuable insights for understanding predator-prey interactions between mesopredators and upland duck nests. Further, differences in a predator community resulting from lethal removal of dominant species may influence composition and space use patterns of subordinate and non-target …

Anticipating And Adapting To The Impacts Of Climate Change On Low Elevation Coastal Zone (Lecz) Communities, Lynn Donelson Wright, Thomas Allen, Kiki Caruson, Alain Hénaff, Jaia Syvitski

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

[Scholarcy Abstract] The rates of sea level rise in coastal Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay significantly exceed the global rate and weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation adds to the annual rates.

The original vision was to enhance future resilience of Low-Elevation Coastal Zone communities by advancing understandings and approaches to better anticipate and mitigate hazards to human health, safety and welfare and reduce deleterious impacts to coastal residents and industries. The goal of the thematic Research Topic has been to assemble interdisciplinary papers that contribute to better understanding of the couplings among physical, ecological, socioeconomic, management and policy …

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Options For Western Australian Agriculture, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Climate Science Published Reports

The Western Australian (WA) Government is committed to building the climate resilience of the agriculture industry. The WA Climate Change Policy underscores this commitment to adapting to climate change and working with all sectors of the economy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Achieving climate resilience requires both adaptation and the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which accelerate climate change.

The Sectoral Emissions Reduction Strategies (SERS) are a core commitment of the Western Australian Climate Policy. These will provide robust and credible emissions reduction pathways across sectors for the whole of WA. Development of the SERS, announced in …