Digital Commons Network^™

Revitalizing New York City Food Deserts: On Addressing, Examining, And Solving Food Insecurity In New York City, Eleanor Ann Rodde

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to expose the food deserts of New York City and present ways that the government and non-governmental organizations can combat food insecurity in the urban environment. Food deserts are the product of insufficient access, availability, utilization, and stability of food in a particular area due to environmental racism. Food insecurity in New York City will rise with the increased impacts of climate change on our agricultural system. To that end, disadvantaged neighborhoods will bear the burden of environmental costs. The first chapter of this paper considers the failing agricultural system to prove that massive reform to protect …

Stepping Towards Sustainability: Analyzing Walkability In Urban Environments, Elli Lewis

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines path walkability in the urban environment and its various impact levels on different neighborhoods. One of the most accessible forms of sustainability is walking, as it produces zero carbon emissions and can harvest a greater sense of care for the human environment. In a growing urbanized world, providing citizens easy access to clean and safe sidewalks, parks, grocery stores, local restaurants, and religious organizations is essential. Accessible walking routes are vital in large, urban cities. The first chapter analyzes the need for walkable cities concerning ecosystem services and their functions. A brief history of New York’s urban …

Unnatural Climate Solutions: The Naturalizing Practice Of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ryan Chen Mx.

Student Theses 2015-Present

Can we really save the world with trees, solar panels, and ‘net zero’ sustainable business? These are the mainstream solutions proposed by powerful actors–however these are largely false ‘Natural’ solutions that embrace greenwashing and ignore environmental justice. The rhetoric of ‘Nature’ has led to the violation of indigenous sovereignty and urban green gentrification in the name of ‘Conservation’ and carbon offsets. But what does ‘Natural’ truly mean, what is at stake when we use the word, and what does it mean for humanity? Through interviews and public observations in Flushing, Queens I learned how the Chinese diaspora naturalizes the city …

Breaches In The Levee: Increasing Sea Level Rise And Hurricane Activity In New Orleans, Ian A. Gere

Student Theses 2015-Present

No abstract provided.

Confessions Of A Contemporary Consumer: Environmental And Humanitarian Impacts Of Fast Fashion, Maria Jose Salume

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the impacts fast fashion has on the environment and people, drawing from the reality in South Asia and the Shein factory located there, while also addressing global consequences. Today’s consumer culture has incited a behavior of purchasing clothing at a rate that has never been seen before. Trends go in and out, and along with them, the clothing items that are created to fit the current styles. Fast fashion has become an environmental issue due to the amount of fabrics that are being incinerated and discarded daily that pollute the oceans and land. Additionally, it is a …

Urban Agriculture: Sowing Seeds Of Sustainability In New York City, Taylor K. Takahashi

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper critically examines urban agriculture as a vital strategy for addressing the interconnected challenges of food insecurity and climate resilience in New York City. Chapter 1 employs quantitative data to illuminate the complex interplay between climate change and food injustice in New York City, highlighting reciprocal impacts and underscoring the urgency of intervention. Chapter 2 traces the historical trajectory of urban agriculture in New York City, emphasizing its anticipated contributions to the city's food security and climate resilience. This section also explores the diverse forms urban agriculture takes and assesses their suitability for the contexts of New York City. …

An Environmental Justice Framework For Transportation Equity, Alex Kay Depinho

Student Theses 2015-Present

In 2021, transportation accounted for 29% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, making it the largest contributor by sector, and 58% of these emissions came from the use of passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Electrification of personal vehicles and promotion of sustainable transit options is often centered in environmental discourse and policymaking, but many discussions neglect pertinent issues of social inequity at play. The transit-reliant urban poor, isolated in city centers by suburban sprawl, live in communities with not only a reduced access to jobs, healthcare, education and public resources, but an increased exposure to pollution, especially …

A Just, Sustainable Transition At Fordham University, Ethan Shepard

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper takes a deeper look at Fordham University’s environmental impact and concludes with a strategy outline that works towards a just, sustainable future on the university campus and surrounding areas. New York City is an area already facing the adverse effects of climate change, and there are several threats that have the potential to cause grave consequences moving forward. Prior to constructing a climate action plan, it is integral to understand the past and present status of The Bronx under a socio-environmental lens. Chapter One focuses on the current status of Fordham’s Rose Hill Campus from a sustainability perspective …

Climate Change And Environmental Crises In Coastal Cities: Charleston Vs New York City, Nolan Rodriguez

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the increasing vulnerability that coastal communities face regarding climate crises and rising sea levels. Specifically, this paper investigates the environmental crises facing Charleston, South Carolina, and New York City. The geographical location of these cities places a more severe threat upon their environment, as opposed to urban collectives removed from the immediate effect of rising sea levels. A cross-examination of politics and economics is discussed in order to determine the causal relationship of each city’s engagement with its surrounding environment. This paper examines how each city is affected by climate change, what measures are in place to …

Beyond The Tap: The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis As An Issue Of Environmental Racism, Vincent J. Vitanza

Student Theses 2015-Present

The following paper provides insight into the Flint, Michigan water crisis of 2014 through the lens of environmental racism. The Flint, Michigan water crisis saw the contamination of the municipal water supply of the town of Flint as a result of the decision to switch the main water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River as a temporary measure as the town of Flint switched to the Karegnondi Water Authority contract to supply their municipal water. Flint is a majority minority community, and the facets of race and socioeconomic status played a significant role in how the crisis was …

Sustainable Urban Design In New York City: The Case Study Of Manhattan’S Chinatown, Tiffany Wu

Student Theses 2015-Present

How should urban cities like New York City adapt with climate change? Can sustainability and cities co-exist? This paper addresses the environmental challenges New York City faces due to its geographical location and design plans of sustainable urban cities with a case study of Manhattan’s Chinatown. While there is existing discourse on ways to develop sustainably amid a grim environmental outlook, analyzing similar issues through racial and social perspectives are extremely critical particularly in a multi-culturally diverse city like NYC. This city offers rich architectural histories that intertwine with burgeoning immigrant communities during the 20th century. Chinatown, located in the …

The Air We Breathe: Understanding Individual Exposure To Air Pollution, Claire Culliton

Student Theses 2015-Present

Every day, people are exposed to air pollution. But not all people experience the same levels of exposure. Human exposure to ambient air pollution is commonly represented by the concentration of pollutants in the air outside, but this is not accurate in revealing the complex and individual experience that is pollution exposure. This paper reevaluates how we represent exposure to ambient pollution and presents data from an ongoing study to broaden our understanding of the role of indoor air quality. Chapter one uses quantitative data to describe the relationship between humans and ambient air pollution and explain why the current …

From Pasture To Pavement: Urban Expansion And Its Environmental Consequences In Perth, Anastasia Charelishvili

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis addresses the pressing issue of ecological problems of urban sprawl and its intricate impacts on urban health, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities in Perth, Australia. Chapter 1 presents the city's historical background and emphasizes the depletion of ecosystem services, underscoring the need for environmental justice. It also introduces the causes and effects of the sprawl in Perth and draws upon a diverse range of environmental problems created by suburbia, such as air pollution, biodiversity loss, water pollution, and runoff. As these threats translate into urban health declines, such as respiratory problems and increased healthcare issues, Chapter …

Greening Urban Spaces: Harnessing Houseplants To Reclaim Ecosystem Services, Alana Snyder

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses how there is a lack of green spaces and access to nature within big cities, and thus, we lose the ecosystem services provided naturally by plants, such as clean air and mental well-being. By filling an interior space with houseplants, some of these ecosystem services can be brought and utilized indoors. Chapter one describes the benefits of plant ecosystem services on human life and how human alteration, such as urbanization and the creation of large cities, diminishes the availability and accessibility of these natural systems. Chapter two examines the environmental history of human relationships with plants. For …

New York City’S Rising Sea Level And Coastal Erosion: Approaches To Resiliency, Ryder D. Isidro

Student Theses 2015-Present

No abstract provided.

We Are What We Eat: Unsustainable Food And Diet In America, Azzurra Bertelli Pisetti

Student Theses 2015-Present

The following paper addresses the issue of unsustainable food and diet in the United States, specifically, the problems related to the US industrial food system that lead to the exploitation of ecosystem services, public health burdens with social inequalities, and economic costs. Possible solutions may include an increased awareness of nutrition through education and policies, as well as urban agricultural technologies like the vertical farm. Chapter 1 analyzes the quantitative data on today's industrial food problem and its degradation of ecosystem services, with concerns for social injustice and ecological instability, including the global over-consumption of beef and its negative effects …

Cultivating Hope: The Influence Of Positive Outlooks In K-12 Climate Change Education, Agnes Brown

Student Theses 2015-Present

Abstract

Students studying the environment know and feel the emotional toll that it can take. This can easily contribute to mental health issues and utter defeat. This paper addresses the exclusion of optimism from environmental education and the impacts this has on childhood development and students as they advance to higher levels of education. Through this analysis, the goal is to find a role for hope in a topic typically framed in an apocalyptic manner. The shift from denying the existence of climate change to denying that it can be addressed, particularly through the usage of “doomsday language,” has created …

The ‘Surplus’ Of Siem Reap: A Comparative Study Of Cambodia’S Urban Recyclers, Karin Schroeder

Student Theses 2015-Present

The modern influx of consumer goods and waste from Western, capitalistic economies to Southeast Asian countries has amassed unprecedented amounts of solid waste. With no pre-existing, formal recycling infrastructure, managing recyclables fell to the informal sector. Driven to informal work by slow job growth, limitations to educational attainment, no pre-existing capital, disability, landlessness, or gender norms, a surplus of urban recyclers have emerged to uphold a waste commodity chain that returns value to discarded material while cleaning up urban environments. Despite providing an invaluable service, these waste pickers, buyers, and depot workers are rarely treated with respect by their communities …

Macroproblems Require Microsolutions: The Case For Microgrids In The U.S. Energy Infrastructure, David Howie

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the shortcomings of the modern United States Power Grid in the face of climate change and worsening climate conditions, and seeks to explore how alternative styles of power grids could be viable replacements for current designs. The power grid is one of the most fundamental aspects of modern life, without it there would be no reliable energy supply to power devices and machinery. Oftentimes when energy generation is discussed in the United States, it only focuses on the source of generation for the energy, not the transmission of the energy. The lack of complete discussion around this …

Identity Vs Institution: Political Violence Against Environmental Activists In Colombia, Sophie Genolio

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the political violence against environmental activists in Colombia and analyzes the roles colonization, political history, and identity play in this violence. It discusses the causes environmental activists have put their lives on the line for and the response of the state, which is often to murder, displace, silence, or brutalize these individuals. I argue that from the first instances of European colonization in the Americas to the modern extractive economies of globalization, the hegemony of foreign interests in Colombia has been maintained through the violence against Colombians resisting environmental degradation and the theft of wealth and resources …

Sick Of Zoning In Metropolitan Chicago: Healing Environmental Racism And Investing In A Segregated City, Caroline M. Sandoval

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the issue of the historical and present-day built environment in the Chicago metropolitan area, its roots in environmental racism, and impacts on community health. Chapter 1 utilizes mapping of Chicago to analyze U.S. Census and public health data, drawing conclusions based on community area residential patterns and demographics. Chapter 2 explores the origins of zoning practices in the United States and environmental history of Chicago, tracing the immediate impacts of the built environment and today’s community impacts. Chapter 3 dives into the political background of the built environment and city zoning in Chicago, with particular attention to …

An Oasis In Crisis: Lesotho Highlands Water Project Turned Drought, Justine Wendt

Student Theses 2015-Present

Water insecurity in underdeveloped countries is one of the most pressing issues for the longevity of our exponentially developing global economy. Countries like Lesotho, which are land-locked within another, more developed country, have few resources for water, food, and power without the aid of external forces. This paper investigates the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), its relationship to South Africa, and the ramifications faced by local communities. Further, this paper can serve as a case study into what we can avoid in the future, as water initiatives are both inevitable and crucial. Chapter 1 explores quantitative data regarding water scarcity …

Fighting Heat And Rain: New York City’S Climatic Problems And The Effect On The City’S Urbanism, Moises D. Lopez

Student Theses 2015-Present

Severe weather events have come about as a result of the changing global climate, which have drastically changed local and global environments. These events have destroyed many homes, land areas, and, unfortunately, lives. Therefore, it is important for cities that are highly populated to be aware of the great damage a severe weather event can bring. New York City (NYC) has been hit with many severe weather conditions, and with over 8 million habitants, it is important that this city should be prepared for any future weather events that may occur. This paper analyzes the effects of heat waves and …

Combating The Climate Crisis: Anishinaabe Philosophy And Environmental Justice, Margaret Hunt

Student Theses 2015-Present

The climate crisis is considered one of humans' most detrimental issues today. Although there is a struggle to find solutions, many have been and continue to be at the forefront of the environmental movement, specifically Indigenous communities. The Anishinaabe people, in particular, have philosophies centered around environmental care. They view the environment as something deserving of honor and respect. Although these ideas have allowed them to have a respectful relationship with their local ecosystems, the United States government has ignored these ideas from the early stages of the environmental movement. With this, there is also an extensive history of harmful …

State Run Dry: How California Manages Inevitable Drought Due To Climate Change, Rachelle Yang

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis paper addresses the severe drought brought on by climate change that California is currently experiencing and examines methods to counter the drought in order to minimize water usage and increase water levels. Historically, California has experienced several periods of drought which are increasingly becoming more detrimental to the environment. It is crucial to mitigate the drought as California has already been feeling its major effects from it. As temperatures rise and the atmosphere becomes drier, the water supply in California could be diminished by 10% by 2040. Chapter 1 uses several studies and reports on the California drought …

The Green Core Of The Big Apple: The Significance Of Urban Green Spaces In New York City & Beyond, Grace Dailey

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the politics of urban green spaces which includes the issue of their inequitable distribution as well as related issues that can arise when communities do not have access to such spaces. There are a variety of types of urban green spaces, however, this paper will be focused on public parks. Together, such outdoor spaces can create cultural, recreational, and community building opportunities that are able to improve environmental and human health. Chapter 1 presents data about the existence and usage of urban green spaces around the world and in New York City in particular. Chapter 2 uses …

Beauty And The Beast: Plastic Pollution In The Personal Care And Cosmetics Industry, Olivia Frantzeskos

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the history of plastic in the beauty and cosmetics industry, and how this toxic material is irreparably harming our ecosystems resulting from nonrecyclable packaging and a lack of microplastic management. Properly managing harmful plastics found in personal care and cosmetics products (PCCPs) is essential for minimizing toxic wastewater in raw sewage, landfills, and the ocean, as discussed in reports such as “Plastics in Cosmetics” by the UNEP. Furthermore, this paper presents an argument for why the personal care and cosmetics industry should be included in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which gives the EPA authority to …

Controlling The Contamination: Preventing Environmental Impacts Of Combined Sewage Overflows In Nyc, Samiur R. Turjja

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the role and effectiveness of Water Pollution Control Plants (WPCPs) in remediating the negative environmental impacts caused by the release of raw sewage in NYC waterways. As global climate patterns shift and storms become more prevalent in coastal cities, the probability of flooding and consequently combined sewage overflows (CSOs) increases. This paper investigates the long-term environmental impacts of untreated wastewater caused by CSOs on two NYC water bodies with similar ecological and historical functions. Chapter 1 utilizes ecological and quantitative data from various sources such as the findings of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) …

A Woman’S Place Is In The Resistance: An Ecofeminist Response To Climate Change, Olivia Johnson

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the unique impacts of climate change on women and gender diverse people throughout the world, and seeks to move beyond identifying them solely as victims by instead focusing on their dynamic role in environmental activism while addressing the need for a gendered approach to climate policy. The inclusion of gender is often absent in much of environmental literature, which leaves women’s experience of climate change unseen and unaddressed. Beginning with a case study of the Indigenous women of Standing Rock and their battle against the Dakota Access Pipeline, this paper seeks to understand the critical involvement of …

The Colonial Legacy Of Public Lands: Exploring Extractivism In The Bears Ears Region, Josephine W. Cohen

Student Theses 2015-Present

As the colonial ideals that underscore the United States’ founding have bled into modern environmental policy, Indigenous communities have continued to be disenfranchised from and systematically oppressed through the creation, protection, and management of public lands. This, in turn, has manifested as vast human rights abuses through methods of cultural and physical genocide. This thesis examines the role extractivism and land grabs on public lands play in violating the basic human rights of many Indigenous populations, using the case study of extractivism on Bears Ears National Monument as a guiding framework. Chapter 1 provides an overview of public lands and …