Digital Commons Network^™

Surviving Future Pandemics: The Economic, Social, And Political Battle Against Climate Change And Infectious Diseases, Dayana Gonzalez

Student Theses 2015-Present

COVID-19 has been a rude wake-up call as it showed us how unprepared we are to fight off infectious diseases. This paper analyzes our political, social, and economic decisions to develop a plan against the future development of infectious diseases. Before the analysis, it is essential to understand that it is natural for infectious diseases to develop and spread; however, climate change has and will continue to exacerbate the number of diseases developed and spread. Chapter 1 provides data on how climate change has destroyed habitats and displaced millions of animals, forcing them to live under cramped conditions that have …

Ignoring Native Voices: Environmental And Cultural Impact Of Oil Pipelines, Nicolette Makris

Student Theses 2015-Present

Historically we have denied and stolen the Native rights and culture. This continues today and is debatably a global human issue. Our current damaging and negative environmental actions are no exception to this problem. The fight between corporate and capitalist america and the environmental movement is one that catches not only the Native American people, culture, and philosophy in the crossfires but philosophy continues to ignore basic human rights. This thesis explores the impacts and implications of the uses of unsustainable resources, like oil pipelines, in relation to cultural and environmental impacts. This impact extends past the historical wrongdoings of …

Water Remunicipalization: Insights And Policy Implications From Atlanta, Georgia Case Study, David L. Fretz

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper investigates the ways in which water remunicipalization and the natural right to clean drinking water has affected the livelihood of the population of Atlanta, Georgia. Looking at the failures of water privatization efforts across the globe within the context of the ecosystem resources that water provides, I show in chapter 1 that the privatization of water is antithetical to the core goals of water supply, and an increasingly pressing issue as climate change produces increasing water scarcity. In chapter 2, I analyze the efforts of utility privatization in general through the lens of political science, both in motivations, …

Locked Inside: The Importance Of New York City’S Parks In The Wake Of Covid-19, Ellena Dickerson

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper investigates the role of green space in combating the negative impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on New Yorkers. Access to the outdoors is vital for ensuring the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of individuals at all times, but especially in times of communal crisis. Chapter 1 investigates park usage during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, from changes in the numbers of people patronizing their local parks, to the implications the pandemic had on park maintenance. Chapter 2 discusses Nature Deficit Disorder and the benefits of time spent outdoors to understand the vital role parks have in individuals’ …

Towers Of Trash: Dissecting India’S Solid Waste Management Crisis, Maya L. Reddy

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the complex issue of poor solid waste management in the nation of India. The infamous Ghazipur landfill in New Delhi serves as a focal point of this paper as it provides drastic examples of the consequences of solid waste management systems that do not operate effectively. Drawing on information from various scholarly sources, Chapter 1 discusses the issue of solid waste mismanagement in India and its surrounding quantitative and qualitative data. Chapter 2 highlights the socioeconomic, cultural, and religious aspects of consumption, growth, and waste, specifically in relation to prevailing sociological attitudes on material wealth and luxury. …

The Bitcoin Standard: The Pursuit Of Sound Monetary And Environmental Management Systems, Yuta T. Kobayashi

Student Theses 2015-Present

The adoption of blockchain technology as a medium for monetary and management systems creates an opportunity for an environmentally conscious economic system. This paper discusses how Bitcoin and blockchain would provide a socio-economic management system better aligned with a society’s eco-friendly aims and to address the extent of environmental degradation. Unfortunately, our ecosystems are not being protected or restored reflective of the value they provide. Economic models also ignore the varied costs of polluting our ecosystems. Advancements of blockchain-based technology enable a decisive move from current legacy market structures and incentives. Efforts in environmental policy and regulation have ultimately been …

Reaching Climate Resiliency: The Challenge For Urban Areas, Anita Gitta

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores some of the current challenges urban areas face in regards to climate change and the shifts that are necessary for urban areas to reach a state of climate resiliency. Chapter 1 uses the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on urban areas to understand the current and future challenges that urban areas will face in the years to come. Chapter 2 explores how New York City is working to address climate change. Chapter 3, explores the role that urban agriculture can play in moving urban areas closer towards a future of climate resiliency. Within …

Commodifying The Commons: American Individualism And Corporate Agriculture, Sarah A. Cryer

Student Theses 2015-Present

An individualistic ideology strongly defines the American value system, shaping the economic and political landscape of the country. It encourages a competitive, free-market economy with little government restriction, prioritizing short term economic growth over environmental and social sustainability. This paper addresses how American individualism fuels the commodification of food and corporately controlled agriculture. The egocentric ideology opens the door for unfettered corporate control of farming, meant to maximize profit and control resources, despite its effects on food insecurity and small farms. Consolidated agriculture, corporate contracts, and farm subsidies are meant to expand the pockets of corporations, though leaving low income …

The True Cost Of Clothes: Sustainability Issues In The Fashion Industry, Grace Costa

Student Theses 2015-Present

Fashion is one of the most environmentally harmful industries on the planet. From greenhouse gas emissions to toxic chemicals in water supplies, the price that the planet, and vulnerable populations, must pay in the production of the clothing we wear each day is not cheap. This paper discusses the role that the fashion industry plays in environmental degradation today, as well as strategies that can be employed within the industry to make it more sustainable. Chapter 1 provides an overview of and through quantitative data on why and how the manufacturing and sale of clothing is environmentally harmful. Chapter 2 …

A Meadow From Above: Expanding Green Roof Implementation In Nyc, Lydia Hallett

Student Theses 2015-Present

Urban green roofs are among the encouraging climate solutions that can transform the future of cities. The reincorporation of vegetation into the built environment enhances invaluable natural services, like clean air and water, for all New Yorkers to enjoy. Although the natural services aren’t economically valued, the benefits that stem from them are. Benefits range from stormwater management, increased property value and increased lifespan of roofs, and lower energy bills. Many buildings can be retrofitted for green roofs that work with natural systems to maximize the environmental, economic, and social benefits unique to the needs or wants of the installer. …

Conservation And Murder: The Plight Of Indigenous Land Defenders In Mexico, Costa Rica, New Zealand And The Philippines, Jillian G. Kenny

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis focuses on four countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, New Zealand and the Philippines, and focuses on the state of Indigenous land defender cases in each country. Each country has a different approach to granting free, prior, and informed consent to Indigenous communities in regard to environmental issues. Chapter 1 focuses on the issue of Indigenous land and environment defenders, explaining who they are and why they are activists within their communities. It also elucidates how Indigenous people are being treated within their countries and how reliance on ecosystem services leads to an environmental justice issue. Chapter 2 focuses on …

A Living City: Food Accessibility And Urban Growth In New York City, Kat Coleman

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the way in which food equity and localization initiatives, specifically in New York City, are a vital response to urban growth and sustainable food demand. Improvements to the current food system in the form of changing the way food is produced, procured, stored, transported, and distributed improves nutrition and contributes to urban sustainability. Chapter 1 provides data on urban environmental justice issues related to food equity, drawing on research from the United Nations and food justice organizations in New York City. Chapter 2 explores the ethical issues surrounding food access and food justice in an increasingly urban …

The Ongoing Effects Of Apartheid On Waste Management In South Africa, Katherine Kuemerle

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the negative imprint that apartheid has left on the waste management sector in South Africa and the strategies being put in place to decolonize and restructure the current system. Chapter 1 includes quantitative research to introduce this topic as well as a discussion of the history of colonization in South Africa, with data on how indigenous groups interacted with the environment in pre-colonial history. Chapter 1 will also examine how, after the arrival of the European colonizers, the creation of townships and informal settlements and their inaccessible, unsustainable infrastructure has led to the current ways in which …

Storm On The Horizon: Climate Change, Hurricanes, And The Future Of The Eastern Caribbean, Joseph P. Odegaard

Student Theses 2015-Present

Hurricanes are a fact of life in the Caribbean. This meteorological reality has shaped the islands’ development throughout its history. However, in recent years, the Atlantic’s most fearsome storms have been unprecedented, both in strength and number. This paper explores the relationship between climate change and hurricanes and the effect this relationship has on the Eastern Caribbean. Chapter 1 uses quantitative data from a variety of sources, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment of the United Nations, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the National Climate Assessment of the United …

The University Greening Movement: Is Carbon Neutrality Enough To Avert A Climate Crisis?, Sean R. Finlay

Student Theses 2015-Present

Because of the impact that educational institutions have on the intellect of the American youth, universities play a crucial role in our nation’s path towards sustainability because of their ability to guide educational focus toward the well-being of the environment. Through a unified movement among these institutions called the “University Greening Movement”, or UGM, campuses are utilizing current technological breakthroughs to their advantage by implementing them into the structures and foundations of their campuses to reduce and even eliminate carbon emissions. However, as monumental as these technological advancements and this movement has been, the question arises of whether or not …

After The Storm: How Environmental Racism Impacted The United States' Response To Hurricane Maria, Hadley Ankrum

Student Theses 2015-Present

In September of 2017, disaster struck the territory of Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island. Although the storm itself caused tremendous damage to both the residents and the environment of Puerto Rico, the inadequate responses of both the United States federal government and local Puerto Rican politicians greatly exacerbated this devastation. This paper examines the efforts of the American government to ameliorate the issues created by the storm through the lens of environmental racism. The introduction will explore the events of the hurricane in order to give the reader context. Chapter 1 draws from the Millennium …

Green Politics: The Impact Of Grassroots Organizations On Environmental Political Movement, Eric Andrew Stolar

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper discusses how environmental political movements are impacted by grassroots organizations. In this paper, I explore the importance of the involvement of community-based initiatives in ‘eco-friendly' political and governmental decision making and the accountability of the American political system in responding to these baseline initiatives. This paper argues for both federal and local policies that are centered around environmental restoration, protection, conservation, and natural resource usage. Chapter one examines a look at the issue of coal mining in the United States and how the residents of Appalachia attempted to combat this threat. Chapter two introduces the Sierra Club, one …

Nature As Privilege: How Environmental Racism Changes The Access To Fresh Air And The Effects On New York City’S Communities, Sarah C. Morrison

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper serves to addresses the issue of environmental racism in relation to New York City, and more specifically comparing the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn, often characterized as low-income and high-minority populations with their white counterparts. New York, among other urban centers in the United States serves as an example of environmental racism because of the discrepancy in high air pollution levels in marginalized communities, the subsequent negative health effects (specifically asthma), and the lack of green spaces. The root of this issue is prominent in the history and construction of New York during the 1900s. The construction of …

Nature As Privilege: How Environmental Racism Changes The Access To Fresh Air And The Effects On New York City’S Communities, Sarah C. Morrison

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper serves to addresses the issue of environmental racism in relation to New York City, and more specifically comparing the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn, often characterized as low- income and high-minority populations with their white counterparts. New York, among other urban centers in the United States serves as an example of environmental racism because of the discrepancy in high air pollution levels in marginalized communities, the subsequent negative health effects (specifically asthma), and the lack of green spaces. The root of this issue is prominent in the history and construction of New York during the 1900s. The construction …

After The Storm: How Environmental Racism Impacted The United States’ Response To Hurricane Maria, Hadley Ankrum

Student Theses 2015-Present

In September of 2017, disaster struck the territory of Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island. Although the storm itself caused tremendous damage to both the residents and the environment of Puerto Rico, the inadequate responses of both the United States federal government and local Puerto Rican politicians greatly exacerbated this devastation. This paper examines the efforts of the American government to ameliorate the issues created by the storm through the lens of environmental racism. The introduction will explore the events of the hurricane in order to give the reader context. Chapter 1 draws from the Millennium …

The Ethics Of Environmental Litigation, Jenna Marie Dibenedetto

Student Theses 2015-Present

Abstract

We are raised from the early days of our youth to distinguish right from wrong, evil from good. Though there are many careers that have easily distinguishable ethics from their day of creation, others require spend their entire professional careers floating in a grey area. Being a lawyer can leave you in limbo very often. The ethical battle between prosecuting people whose actions go against everything you believe in and defending someone who actions you struggle to rationalize, looking for a “nail in the coffin” or finding a way to pry it open can play a large role in …

A Green Opportunity: Why American Conservatives Will Benefit By Fighting Climate Change, Byrne W. Cronin

Student Theses 2015-Present

For much of the twenty-first century, there has been a debate in America over the existence of anthropogenic climate change. This debate is unnecessary and polarizing, as liberals often advocate for climate-change-mitigation policy while conservatives often declare anthropogenic climate change false or unimportant. Along with this, debate over climate change largely prevents effective policy from being passed in the US, which is a problem because as one of the most populous, polluting and powerful countries, we have a significant impact on how the fight to mitigate climate change proceeds.

The goal of this thesis is to work towards ending that …

The Planet On Our Plates: The History, Economics, And Ethics Of An Unsustainable Globalized Food System, Erin Wattley

Student Theses 2015-Present

In today’s age of globalization, the world’s food systems are no exception to this dominant economic trend. Although globalization has ushered in an unprecedented economic boom, the globalization of the food system has negative implications for the environment, including the pollution and energy costs of transporting food around the globe, the exploitation of land for farming, particularly in developing countries, and the degradation and depletion of natural resources. This paper seeks to address the environmental problems associated with the globalized food system and provide possible solutions to those problems, using the food system of Bronx residents as a case study …

A Historical, Political And Social Look Into The Problem Of Floatable Pollution In Nyc's Bronx River, Zoe L. Bellapigna

Student Theses 2015-Present

Once clean enough to be considered as a potential potable water source for New York City, the Bronx River and the overall quality of the water has steadily declined since European arrival in North America. As the socioeconomic divide between Westchester County and the Bronx developed and grew, so did the flow of floatable pollutants in the Bronx River. Quantitative data on the current number and category of floatable pollutants removed from the river in 2017 through the Bronx River Alliances’ Project WASTE is explored to provide the most up to date data on the trash in the river. Research …

Urban Parks For All: Reclaiming Public Green Space In New York City, Emily Putnam

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis focuses on the issue of public green space in an urban environment and the politics surrounding such access in New York City. It turns out that the otherwise affluent Upper East Side and Midtown East actually report the least amount of public green space in the city in Community Boards 6 and 8. Against the backdrop of an investigation of the environmental history of New York City, I focus on a small park in Sutton Place that has been exclusively used by residents of an elite apartment building for decades despite being legally owned by the city of …

Parks And W[Rec]K: Ecosystem Services Of Urban Parks, Serena Iacoviello

Student Theses 2015-Present

As the general population and specifically urban populations continue to grow, cities must become more sustainable. Unfortunately in New York, cherished green spaces and their respective ecosystem services have been gravely degraded. This is especially true for underserved urban neighborhoods that often have the highest levels of pollution. In restoring mixed-used parks and protecting their ecosystem services, city dwellers can reap the benefits of improved social fabric, quality of life, local environment and economy. In my exploration of this subject I reference natural science and social science quantitative data. This data describes the ecological degradation and climate change and the …

Infiltrating Green Into The Urban Machine: Creating Equity Through Zero-Acreage Farms In Nyc, Hania Hribal-Kornilowicz

Student Theses 2015-Present

Urban centers have long been areas characterized by teeming activity, innovation, and idealized opportunity. However, without fail every urban center contains the paradox between abundance and injustice as evidenced by high rates of food insecurity, lack of green space, and the compounding health disparities experienced by predominantly low-income and minority residents. These injustices will only worsen as the impacts of climate change accelerate. In response, this thesis uses New York City as a case study to explore the efficacy of ZFarming, which is farming in and on buildings, for creating more equitable and sustainable cities. This is accomplished by establishing …

A Wasteful Disposition: How A Consumerist Society Can Slowly Become Zero-Waste, Paige G. Werman

Student Theses 2015-Present

Humans have exploited planet earth’s resources to generate many different forms of useless remains: solid waste, food waste, pollution, electronic waste, wastewater, hazardous and chemical waste, and nuclear radioactive waste—so many that we have disregarded the environmental principle that waste in any form is not sustainable or natural. Developed countries have habituated a lifestyle of excess—the societal concept of waste being the most detrimental to the Homo sapiens’ future as a living, thriving species and the reason why we have succumbed to a climate crisis. Through a reframing of ethical philosophies, economic theories, and sustainable design, societies are capable of …

Silent Summer: The Epa Spill & Neglected Navajos - A Review Of Environmental Tragedies In Navajo Nation & Their Effect On Diné Life, Jillian Verzino

Student Theses 2015-Present

On August 5th 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released approximately one million gallons of mine waste into the Animas River near Durango, Colorado. The one hundred and twenty-six mile long river travels through both Colorado and New Mexico and is a source of water for many individuals and farms along its path. This thesis analyzes the effects of the EPA’s spill on nearby Indigenous communities, specifically the Navajo community. Further, this thesis explores the relationship between the Diné (Navajo) and the United States government, seeing as American Indian cultures and the government deal with pre-existing hostilities. Referring to the …

Greening A Drug-Addicted Economy: Can Puerto Rico Ease Away From The Toxic Pharmaceutical Industry To A Sustainably Diverse Economy?, Natalie Galarza

Student Theses 2015-Present

Puerto Rico is not the most well known place to most Americans. The small island in the Caribbean is neither an independent nation nor a state, bur rather a commonwealth of the U.S. Life filled coral reefs surround the coasts, rainforests and lush vegetation cover the land, and an underground cave system and glowing bioluminescent bay fascinate all those that venture to them. These natural wonders as well as the vibrant culture are the primary aspects most people who are familiar with Puerto Rico think of. However, the main sector of Puerto Rico’s economy has nothing to do with any …