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University of Nebraska - Lincoln

2017

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Effects Of Environment On Depressive Symptoms On Chinese Left-Behind Children, Lanyan Ding, Eric S. Buhs Dec 2017

Effects Of Environment On Depressive Symptoms On Chinese Left-Behind Children, Lanyan Ding, Eric S. Buhs

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

Estimates indicate that about 70 million children in China have been left behind in their hometowns by one or both parents as their parents migrate to other places for work opportunities. However, the potential impact of parental migration on the emotional well-being of left-behind children is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine depression levels in Chinese left-behind children and to identify potential risk factors contributing to depressive symptoms in this population. Using a nationally-representative, stratified sample from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database (3019 children, ages 10-15), an HLM model was applied at 1) the …


Students On The Edge: Evaluating An Academic Support Group, Benjamin P. Heinisch, Nicole M. Smith Dec 2017

Students On The Edge: Evaluating An Academic Support Group, Benjamin P. Heinisch, Nicole M. Smith

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

This qualitative case study evaluated the effectiveness of the Academic Skills Discussion Group, a new retention intervention targeting undergraduate students on academic probation. This intervention utilized a support group structure to provide social and academic supports to academically-poor students. These supports incorporated didactic educational presentations and interpersonal discussions relating to life change and college expectations. The case comprised one pilot administration of the intervention for three student group members. Data was collected from pre/post-intervention resiliency surveys, grade point average comparisons, journal-entry analysis and semi-structured exit interviews. The researcher conducted inductive data analysis by coding participant statements for meaning, calculating and …


2017 Nebraska Water Leaders Academy - Final Report, Mark E. Burbach, H. Reiners-Hild Dec 2017

2017 Nebraska Water Leaders Academy - Final Report, Mark E. Burbach, H. Reiners-Hild

Conservation and Survey Division

Twenty participants completed the 2017 Water Leaders Academy bringing the total number of graduates to 101 since the inception of the program in 2011. Assessment of participants’ transformational leadership skills, champion of innovation skills, water knowledge and engagement, civic capacity, and entrepreneurial leadership behaviors showed a significant increase over the course of the year, from both participants’ and their raters’ perspectives. Feedback from participants was highly positive and constructive. Participant concerns were addressed, and only minor changes are planned for the 2018 Academy curriculum. Results of the program assessment indicate that the curriculum is meeting Academy objectives. Most importantly, Alumni …


Application Of Bradford’S Law Of Scattering To The Discipline Of Law: Analysis Of Doctoral Theses Citations Submitted By Universities In India, Jeyshankar -. Ramalingam -, Nishavathi Elangovan Dec 2017

Application Of Bradford’S Law Of Scattering To The Discipline Of Law: Analysis Of Doctoral Theses Citations Submitted By Universities In India, Jeyshankar -. Ramalingam -, Nishavathi Elangovan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study mainly examines the applicability and appropriateness of Bradford’s Law of Scattering to the literature of law. It also ranks the most cited law journals by the research scholars. This study covers citation of journals provided by the law research scholars in their Doctoral Theses submitted to various universities in India, which are available at Shodhganga is the digital repository of Indian electronic theses and dissertations. This study examines 773 journals, containing 3187 citations collected from 252 doctoral theses. Rank list was prepared to identify the core journals in law. Top most preferred journals among the law research scholars …


Primer Registro De Celidophylla Albimacula Saussure Y Pictet, 1898 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) En Panamá, Alonso Santos Murgas, Yostin J. Añino R., Iris Y. Gómez De Huertas Dec 2017

Primer Registro De Celidophylla Albimacula Saussure Y Pictet, 1898 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) En Panamá, Alonso Santos Murgas, Yostin J. Añino R., Iris Y. Gómez De Huertas

Insecta Mundi

Celidophylla albimacula Saussure y Pictet, 1898 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) es reportado por primera vez para Panamá. El espécimen fue colectado en la Reserva Hídrica de Turega, en la provincia de Coclé. Celidophylla albimacula solo había sido reportado anteriormente para Costa Rica y Nicaragua.

Celidophylla albimacula Saussure and Pictet, 1898 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) is reported for the first time from Panama. The specimen was collected in the Turega Water Reserve in the province of Coclé. Celidophylla albimacula had only been previously reported for Costa Rica and Nicaragua.


Revision Of The Northern South American Species Of Mortoniella Ulmer, 1906 (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae)*, Roger J. Blahnik, Ralph W. Holzenthal Dec 2017

Revision Of The Northern South American Species Of Mortoniella Ulmer, 1906 (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae)*, Roger J. Blahnik, Ralph W. Holzenthal

Insecta Mundi

Species of Mortoniella are revised for the northern and Andean part of the South American continent, including the countries of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Guyana. All previously described species from the region are reillustrated and redescribed, except for Mortoniella santiaga Sykora, 1999 and M. quinuas Harper and Turcotte, 1985, whose types could not be located, and M. tranquilla Martynov, 1912, whose type is based on a female specimen and thus is currently unidentifiable. Included in the revision are 35 described species and 59 new species. Mortoniella similis Sykora, 1999 is considered a junior synonym of M. roldani Flint, …


A New Cryptic Species Of Aleochara Gravenhorst Associated With Marmota Monax (Linnaeus) Burrows And Caves In North America (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Jan Klimaszewski, Reginald P. Webster, Adam Brunke Dec 2017

A New Cryptic Species Of Aleochara Gravenhorst Associated With Marmota Monax (Linnaeus) Burrows And Caves In North America (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Jan Klimaszewski, Reginald P. Webster, Adam Brunke

Insecta Mundi

A new cryptic species, Aleochara (Xenochara) castaneimarmotae Klimaszewski, Webster, and Brunke, new species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), associated with Marmota monax (Linnaeus) burrows and caves in eastern North America, is described and illustrated. A key to Canadian species of subgenus Xenochara Mulsant and Rey and revised distributions of the taxonomically difficult fumata species group are provided. Aleochara quadrata Sharp is recorded from Washington and Oregon for the first time.


Primer Registro De Sarucallis Kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy, 1907) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) En Lagerstroemia Indica (Lythraceae) En Guatemala, José Francisco García Ochaeta Dec 2017

Primer Registro De Sarucallis Kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy, 1907) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) En Lagerstroemia Indica (Lythraceae) En Guatemala, José Francisco García Ochaeta

Insecta Mundi

El pulgón Sarucallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy) conocido comúnmente como pulgón del árbol de júpiter, se reporta por primera vez para Guatemala. Esta especie de la familia Aphididae (Hemiptera) fue encontrada en Lagerstroemia indica (Lythraceae). También se presenta la información básica de la especie así como una diagnosis para identificarla.

The aphid Sarucallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy), commonly known as the crape myrtle aphid, is recorded for the first time in Guatemala. This species of the family Aphididae (Hemiptera) was found on Lagerstroemia indica (Lythraceae), known as crape myrtle. The present work also presents basic information on this aphid species as well as a …


South American Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Part Xvii: Systematic Revision Of Western Hemisphere Cephaloscymnini (Coccinellinae) With Description Of A Cryptic New Genus And Species Of Coccidulini (Coccinellinae), Robert D. Gordon, Guy A. Hanley Dec 2017

South American Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Part Xvii: Systematic Revision Of Western Hemisphere Cephaloscymnini (Coccinellinae) With Description Of A Cryptic New Genus And Species Of Coccidulini (Coccinellinae), Robert D. Gordon, Guy A. Hanley

Insecta Mundi

Genera of Cephaloscymnini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Coccidulinae) are discussed and a key to all recognized genera and species is provided. Succinctonotum, new genus, is proposed. Scymnus laboulbenii Mulsant and Prodilis maculata Weise are transferred to Neaporia as new combinations. Prodiloides bipunctata Weise, and Neaporia compta are transferred to Prodilis as new combinations. Neaporia cuprea Gorham is considered a junior synonym of Neaporia viridiscens Gorham and Cephaloscymnus bruchi Weise a junior synonym of Prodilis volgus Mulsant. New species described in Cephaloscymnus are C. beulah, C. candice, C. juanita. New species described in Neaporia are N. becky, N. …


Redescripción Del Género Ogyges Kaup (Coleoptera: Passalidae) Con Una Lista Comentada De Los Tipos Primarios, Enio B. Cano Dec 2017

Redescripción Del Género Ogyges Kaup (Coleoptera: Passalidae) Con Una Lista Comentada De Los Tipos Primarios, Enio B. Cano

Insecta Mundi

Se redescribe el género Ogyges Kaup, 1871 (Coleoptera: Passalidae), incluyendo su historia taxonómica. Se presentan las imágenes, los datos registrados en las etiquetas, las coordenadas geográficas, mediciones, comentarios taxonómicos y las instituciones depositarias de 19 tipos primarios que fueron descritos o que están incluidos dentro del género Ogyges Kaup. El nombre infrasubespecífico Ogyges laevior ab. vinculotaenia Kuwert, 1897, está indisponible, de acuerdo al artículo 45.6.2 del ICZN.

The genus Ogyges Kaup, 1871 (Coleoptera: Passalidae) is redescribed, including the taxonomic history. Also, images, data registered in labels, geographic coordinates, measurements, taxonomic comments, and repository institutions of 19 primary types previously described …


Nomenclatural And Taxonomic Changes In Staphyliniformia (Coleoptera), Alfred F. Newton Dec 2017

Nomenclatural And Taxonomic Changes In Staphyliniformia (Coleoptera), Alfred F. Newton

Insecta Mundi

Many nomenclatural changes are implemented in the beetle families Georissidae, Histeridae, Hydraenidae, Hydrochidae, Hydrophilidae, Ptiliidae, Leiodidae and especially Staphylinidae, of the beetle series Staphyliniformia (Coleoptera), in preparation for making a world catalog of this group available online. Limited taxonomic changes are also made in the staphylinid subfamilies Osoriinae and Staphylininae.

At the level of family-group taxa, Article 29.4 of the current (1999) Zoological Code is reviewed and the original spellings of two tribal names, Nymphisterini Tishechkin (Histeridae) and Cryptonotopsisini Pace (Staphylinidae), are resurrected. The tribal name Stictocraniini Jakobson (Staphylinidae) is also resurrected as the valid name for its new synonym …


Genus Hydrosmecta C. G. Thomson: A Review Of Species Occurring In Eastern Canada (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), Jan Klimaszewski, Reginald P. Webster, Anthony Davies Dec 2017

Genus Hydrosmecta C. G. Thomson: A Review Of Species Occurring In Eastern Canada (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), Jan Klimaszewski, Reginald P. Webster, Anthony Davies

Insecta Mundi

Species of Hydrosmecta C. G. Thomson, occurring in eastern Canada, are studied and reviewed. Six species are recognized, and two of them are described as new to science. The new species are: Hydrosmecta canadensis Webster and Klimaszewski, new species, and Hydrosmecta minutissimoides Webster and Klimaszewski, new species. Two species described in the USA are recorded from Canada and New Brunswick for the first time: Hydrosmecta caduca Casey and Hydrosmecta dulcis Casey. New distribution and collection data, diagnoses, a key for species identification, and images of habitus and genital structures are provided. Hydrosmecta newfoundlandica Klimaszewski and Langor, 2011, is transferred …


Revision Of The Endemic Madagascan Stag Beetle Genus Ganelius Benesh, And Description Of A New, Related Genus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae: Figulini), M. J. Paulsen Dec 2017

Revision Of The Endemic Madagascan Stag Beetle Genus Ganelius Benesh, And Description Of A New, Related Genus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae: Figulini), M. J. Paulsen

Insecta Mundi

This paper revises the genus Ganelius Benesh, which is endemic to Madagascar, in the stag beetle tribe Figulini Burmeister (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae). Species in the genus are striking in their highly sexually dimorphic mandibles, a character that rarely occurs in the tribe. The genus was previously comprised of four species, but three of these names were problematic or questionably applied. A lectotype is designated for G. madagascariensis Laporte, a neotype is designated for Ganelius oberndorferi Nonfried, and Nigidius passaliformis Benesh is newly synonymized with G. oberndorferi. Two new species, G. gnamptus Paulsen and G. zombi Paulsen, are described from …


New Genera And Species Of Mimetic Cleridae From Mexico And Central America (Coleoptera: Cleroidea), Jacques Rifkind Dec 2017

New Genera And Species Of Mimetic Cleridae From Mexico And Central America (Coleoptera: Cleroidea), Jacques Rifkind

Insecta Mundi

New genera and species of putatively mimetic Cleridae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea) are described from Mexico and Central America: Namba testacea, new genus and species from Nuevo León, Mexico; Aulicoides leavengoodi, new genus and species from Jalisco, Mexico; and Quadrophenia, new genus, which includes Q. townshendi, new species, from Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, Q. mooni, new species, from Costa Rica, Q. entwistlei, new species, from Guatemala and Honduras, Q. daltreyi, new species, from Costa Rica, and Q. sumidero new species, from Chiapas, Mexico. A key to the species of …


Systematic Revision Of The Species Of Geomyphilus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) Of Mexico And Neighboring Countries With Description Of A New Mexican Species, Marco Dellacasa, Giovanni Dellacasa, Paul E. Skelley, Robert D. Gordon Dec 2017

Systematic Revision Of The Species Of Geomyphilus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) Of Mexico And Neighboring Countries With Description Of A New Mexican Species, Marco Dellacasa, Giovanni Dellacasa, Paul E. Skelley, Robert D. Gordon

Insecta Mundi

A systematic redefinition of the species belonging to the genus Geomyphilus Gordon and Skelley, 2007 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) of Mexico and neighboring countries is presented. The new species G. tuzincola of Mexico is described and figured. The new combination Coelotrachelus macgregori (Islas, 1955) is proposed.


Synopsis Of The Tribe Zolini In New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), André Larochelle, Marie-Claude Larivière Dec 2017

Synopsis Of The Tribe Zolini In New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), André Larochelle, Marie-Claude Larivière

Insecta Mundi

The tribe Zolini (Carabidae: Trechinae) is revised for New Zealand. Two subtribes, five genera, and fortyeight species are recognized. The presence of the subtribe Merizodina is confirmed for New Zealand; it includes three genera (Maungazolus n. gen., Pseudoopterus Csiki, 1928, and Synteratus Broun, 1909). The subtribe Zolina contains two genera (Oopterus Guérin-Méneville, 1841 and Zolus Sharp, 1886).

One genus and twenty-five species are described as new: Maungazolus n. gen.; Maungazolus acutus n. sp., Maungazolus priestleyensis n. sp., Maungazolus ranatungae n. sp., Maungazolus septempunctatus n. sp., Maungazolus tararuaensis n. sp., Oopterus anglemensis n. sp., Oopterus arthurensis n. sp., Oopterus …


Information And Communication Technology Use In Book Marketing By Emerging Indigenous Publishing Firms And Booksellers In Ibadan Metropolis, Daniel Olusegun Ikegune, Oshiotse Andrew Okwilagwe, Aliu Otoayele Dec 2017

Information And Communication Technology Use In Book Marketing By Emerging Indigenous Publishing Firms And Booksellers In Ibadan Metropolis, Daniel Olusegun Ikegune, Oshiotse Andrew Okwilagwe, Aliu Otoayele

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

This study investigates the Information and Communication Technology use in book marketing by emerging indigenous Publishing firms and booksellers in Ibadan Metropolis. Relevant literature on Book Publishing: An Overview and Information Communication Technology use in book marketing was reviewed. The descriptive survey research which includes the causal-comparative (Ex-post-Facto) method of research design was adopted for this study. The study population consisted of sixty (60) staff (CEOs and the marketing staff of the seven Indigenous publishing firms and booksellers in Ibadan metropolis). Data collected, were analyzed using simple percentages. The study provides answers to six research questions posed. Findings …


Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy Of "-Fe2o3, Imran Ahamed, Rohilt Pathak, Arti Kashyap Dec 2017

Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy Of "-Fe2o3, Imran Ahamed, Rohilt Pathak, Arti Kashyap

Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience: Faculty Publications

The epsilon Fe2O3 phase of iron oxide has been studied to understand the spin structure and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy in the bulk and in thin films of "-Fe2O3 and Co-doped "-Fe2O3. The preferential magnetization direction in the nanoparticles of "-Fe2O3 is along the a-axis [M. Gich et al., Chem. Mater. 18, 3889 (2006)]. Compared to the bulk band gap of 1.9 eV, the thin-film band gap is reduced to 1.3 eV in the Co-free films and to 0.7 eV in the film with partial …


Luminescence Of Defects In The Structural Transformation Of Layered Tin Dichalcogenides, Peter Sutter, H.P. Komsa, A. V. Krasheninnikov, Y Huang, Eli A. Sutter Dec 2017

Luminescence Of Defects In The Structural Transformation Of Layered Tin Dichalcogenides, Peter Sutter, H.P. Komsa, A. V. Krasheninnikov, Y Huang, Eli A. Sutter

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Layered tin sulfide semiconductors are both of fundamental interest and attractive for energy conversion applications. Sn sulfides crystallize in several stable bulk phases with different Sn:S ratios (SnS2, Sn2, S3, and SnS), which can transform into phases with a lower sulfur concentration by introduction of sulfur vacancies (VS). How this complex behavior affects the optoelectronic properties remains largely unknown but is of key importance for understanding light-matter interactions in this family of layered materials. Here, we use the capability to induce VS and drive a transformation between few-layer SnS2 and SnS by electron beam irradiation, combined with in-situ cathodoluminescence spectroscopy …


Texture Development And Coercivity Enhancement In Cast Alnico 9 Magnets, Wenyong Zhang, Shah Valloppilly, Xingzhong Li, Lanping Yue, Ralph Skomski, Iver Anderson, Matthew Kramer, Wei Tang, Jeff Shield, David J. Sellmyer Dec 2017

Texture Development And Coercivity Enhancement In Cast Alnico 9 Magnets, Wenyong Zhang, Shah Valloppilly, Xingzhong Li, Lanping Yue, Ralph Skomski, Iver Anderson, Matthew Kramer, Wei Tang, Jeff Shield, David J. Sellmyer

Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience: Faculty Publications

The effect of Y addition and magnetic field on texture and magnetic properties of arc-melted alnico 9 magnets has been investigated. Small additions of Y (1.5 wt.%) develop a (200) texture for the arc-melted alnico 9 magnet. Such a texture is hard to form in cast samples. To achieve this goal, we set up a high-field annealing system with a maximum operation temperature of 12500 C. This system enabled annealing in a field of 45 kOe with subsequent draw annealing for the solutionized buttons; we have been able to substantially increase remanence ratio and coercivity, from 0.70 and 1200 …


Provitamin A Biofortification Of Cassava Enhances Shelf Life But Reduces Dry Matter Content Of Storage Roots Due To Altered Carbon Partitioning Into Starch, Getu Beyene, Felix R. Solomon, Raj D. Chauhan, Eliana Gaitán-Solis, Narayanan Narayanan, Jackson Gehan, Dimuth Siritunga, Robin L. Stevens, John Jifon, Joyce Van Eck, Edward Linsler, Malia Gehan, Muhammad Ilyas, Martin Fregene, Richard T. Sayre, Paul Anderson, Nigel Taylor, Edgar B. Cahoon Dec 2017

Provitamin A Biofortification Of Cassava Enhances Shelf Life But Reduces Dry Matter Content Of Storage Roots Due To Altered Carbon Partitioning Into Starch, Getu Beyene, Felix R. Solomon, Raj D. Chauhan, Eliana Gaitán-Solis, Narayanan Narayanan, Jackson Gehan, Dimuth Siritunga, Robin L. Stevens, John Jifon, Joyce Van Eck, Edward Linsler, Malia Gehan, Muhammad Ilyas, Martin Fregene, Richard T. Sayre, Paul Anderson, Nigel Taylor, Edgar B. Cahoon

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty and Staff Publications

Storage roots of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), a major subsistence crop of sub-Saharan Africa, are calorie rich but deficient in essential micronutrients, including provitamin A β-carotene. In this study, β-carotene concentrations in cassava storage roots were enhanced by coexpression of transgenes for deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) and bacterial phytoene synthase (crtB), mediated by the patatin-type 1 promoter. Storage roots harvested from field-grown plants accumulated carotenoids to ≤50 lg/g DW, 15- to 20-fold increases relative to roots from nontransgenic plants. Approximately 85%–90% of these carotenoids accumulated as all-trans-β-carotene, the most nutritionally efficacious carotenoid. β-Carotene-accumulating storage roots displayed delayed onset of postharvest …


Prediction Of A Mobile Two-Dimensional Electron Gas At The Lasco3/Basno3(001) Interface, Tula R. Paudel, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal Dec 2017

Prediction Of A Mobile Two-Dimensional Electron Gas At The Lasco3/Basno3(001) Interface, Tula R. Paudel, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal

Evgeny Tsymbal Publications

Two-dimensional electron gases (2DEG) at oxide interfaces, such as LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (001), have aroused significant interest due to their high carrier density (∼1014 cm−2) and strong lateral confinement (∼1 nm). However, these 2DEGs are normally hosted by the weakly dispersive and degenerate d bands (e.g., Ti-3d bands), which are strongly coupled to the lattice, causing mobility of such 2DEGs to be relatively low at room temperature (∼1 cm2/Vs). Here, we propose using oxide host materials with the conduction bands formed from s electrons to increase carrier mobility and soften its temperature dependence. Using …


Eliminate The Carbon Externality, Connor Mcfayden Dec 2017

Eliminate The Carbon Externality, Connor Mcfayden

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Before we do anything else, let’s establish two things: the global climate is changing at an alarming rate and the primary cause is human CO2 emissions. There is a worldwide scientific consensus on this fact. Even our own government, despite a remarkably vocal minority, has confirmed this. A report released this year by 13 government agencies identifies humans as the primary cause of global climate change and links this phenomenon to rising sea levels, increased incidence of droughts and floods, and the intensification of large storms. These events are the result of the carbon externality, the social costs of emissions …


A Forgotten Resource: Thorium, Daniel Rico Dec 2017

A Forgotten Resource: Thorium, Daniel Rico

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

The year is 1945, the morning of August 6th, 8:16am to be exact. The United States just dropped the world’s first militarized atomic weapon on Hiroshima, Japan. With this singular act the world virtually witnessed the end of its second world war, the birth of warfare like never before, and the foreseeable death of nuclear power. With this act an aura of negativity and destruction accompanied the word nuclear that it would likely never be rid of despite untapped high grade energy potential that can outweigh its military application. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima was composed of 64 …


Lithium-Ion Batteries: It’S Not About The Lithium., Jace Kranau Dec 2017

Lithium-Ion Batteries: It’S Not About The Lithium., Jace Kranau

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Malnourished children and tired men chip away with ancient tools at Cobalt-containing rock for you to have the next best electronic device. The impoverished, artisanal workers of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) supply up to 25 percent of global Cobalt according to The Washington Post. The battery manufacturers don’t care. Their dominant thought is profit.

Artisanal workers are paid between two and three U.S. dollars a day. “We are suffering. And our suffering is for what?”, 29-year-old digger, Nathan Muyamba, told The Post.

The batteries in phones, laptops and for some, their cars, contain Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel …


Gmo Regulations Are Killing Biofuels, Megan Franklin Dec 2017

Gmo Regulations Are Killing Biofuels, Megan Franklin

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Progress in creating profitable biofuels is being slowed down by strict regulations on genetically engineered (GE) crops (aka GMOs). Setbacks that biofuels face can be addressed with genetic engineering. However, public pushback and regulations make it extremely difficult to implement solutions. We should have more lenient regulations on GE crops so that we can speed up the progress of improving biofuels.

A genetically engineered crop is one that has DNA from a different species inserted into its own DNA. As a result from GE crop benefits, CO2 emissions were reduced by 26.7 billion kg in 2012, and poverty was alleviated …


Palm Oil: The Hidden Costs, Rachel Goehring Dec 2017

Palm Oil: The Hidden Costs, Rachel Goehring

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

ENSC 230. Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policy

12/7/2017

Palm Oil: The Hidden Costs

Lurking behind your soaps, cosmetics, pantry groceries, and household cleaning supplies is a product killing endangered species in Southeast Asia. This same product is destroying the survival mechanisms for local communities in Southeast Asia while pumping large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. To keep its identity hidden, it uses over twenty different names on ingredient labels. What is this product? Palm oil. Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world and increased demand for palm oil in our …


Cardboard Ban Is An Investment Opportunity, John Schwaninger Dec 2017

Cardboard Ban Is An Investment Opportunity, John Schwaninger

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Lincoln’s cardboard ban was a hot topic in 2016, but 2017 has shifted focus to the city’s recycling education contract. Gone is discussion of Mayor Chris Beutler’s failed, revived and ultimately victorious struggle to reform Lincoln’s recycling program. In its place, an air of financial discomfort stagnates over the city’s already troubled budget.

The cardboard ban will take effect April 2018. The recycling education program was drafted in part to support the ban by educating households about recycling drop-off locations and sorting requirements. However, the recycling education contract’s $850,000 cost raised eyebrows, undermining Beutler’s earlier effort.

The recycling education contract’s …


Crop Productivity In The Ag Belt On Borrowed Time, Logan Winters Dec 2017

Crop Productivity In The Ag Belt On Borrowed Time, Logan Winters

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Most people by now have heard the terms “climate change” and global warming. Many acknowledge that it’s a problem, but they may not know how it can impact them directly. This is especially true for those living in the middle of the country, because most of the media attention goes to the coastal impacts of climate change. While putting adequate focus on the coastal impacts is a good start, since the most widespread and severe impacts will be coastal, but there needs to be more talk and discussion about the future impacts over the middle of the country. One big …


How Innovative Companies Gain From A Cap And Trade Agreement, Lucian Montgomery Dec 2017

How Innovative Companies Gain From A Cap And Trade Agreement, Lucian Montgomery

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

The purpose of both a cap and trade agreement and a carbon tax is to reduce emissions by setting a price on carbon. However, that is where the similarities end.

A cap and trade agreement gives a certain amount of allowances to each company that adds up to an emissions cap, allows companies to trade them. Companies only pay for carbon emissions if they produce more than the amount of allowances they are given, either by paying penalties to the government, or by buying more allowances from other companies. This creates a market for allowances, and based on demand, sets …