Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

The Impacts Of Green Spaces On Crime In New York City, Matthew Edward Iannone Jr.

Student Theses 2015-Present

From the early 1960s through the mid-1990s, crime in New York City ran rampant. With a gradually dwindling police during this time, a high unemployment rate, and an rapidly increasing metropolitan population, crime peaked in the early 1990s, with the murder rate hitting a record-high of 2,245 in 1990. When Mayor Rudy Giuliani took office in 1994 and appoint Bill Bratton as the NYPD police commissioner, these rates immediately plunged. Numerous factors may have contributed to this sudden decline in crime: the police force grew significantly through the 1990s, more criminals were placed and held in prison, and the economic …

Burmese Refugee Health: The Value Of Plant-Based Medicine, Natalie Wodniak

Student Theses 2015-Present

The nation of Myanmar (formerly Burma) has been undergoing violent ethnic cleansing for over 60 years. Members of minority ethnic groups such as the Karen, Chin, Mon, and Rohingya have been forced to flee their homelands. For many individuals in Myanmar, the primary form of healthcare is traditional medicine, in which plants and other natural resources are utilized for their medicinal compounds. The ability for plants to be used as medicine is one of the many ecosystem services of plants that has greatly benefitted humans. This paper examines the use of traditional medicine in Burmese refugees, as well as the …

Food Apocalypse: The Future Of The American Diet, Kylie Farrell

Student Theses 2015-Present

At first glance, it would not seem that Americans must worry about their country’s current food system. After all, American grocery stores are equipped to accommodate consumers’ needs year-round and at all hours: shelves remain fully-stocked. What is not exactly comprehensible at this moment, is that it is highly possible that the American food system is economically bound to fail in the near future. This paper aims to explore the possibility of eventual failure of the American food system. This potentially looming event could be catastrophic for the United States, thus, this paper coins it as the Food Apocalypse. In …

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 …

Turbines Spinning Towards A Better Future: The Expansion Of Offshore Wind Farms In The United States, Noah J. Stiles

Student Theses 2015-Present

Wind power is increasingly being used as a source of renewable energy in order to create electricity for the power grid in the United States. Among renewable energy sources, wind power comes second to hydropower in the creation of electricity for the United States, though it is on track to pass hydropower. While there are many wind farms on land, companies and the United States government are beginning to look at offshore wind farms. This paper explores the wind energy sector in the United States, while also examining wind energy’s contribution to the power grid, and its financial and natural …

A Good Kiwi Isn't Acidic: How Ocean Acidification Is Affecting The New Zealand Economy, Lily G. Hurley

Student Theses 2015-Present

In a country that houses a mere 4 million people, it is no wonder that agriculture has become the main facet of New Zealand’s economy. However, while the sheep and produce have flourished from land protection laws, marine life has struggled in recent years due to an increase in oceanic carbon levels. In an area of the Pacific that is so rich in coral reefs, Great White breeding areas, and a plethora of fish species, any upset of the natural preexisting chemical balance has a tangible impact. New Zealand is dealing with a crisis with huge economic and ecological ramifications. …

The Disappearing Wetland Act: Climate Change, Development, And Protection, Jessica P. Doughty

Student Theses 2015-Present

Wetlands are the providers of ecosystem services and important local and national economic resources. Despite the services provided by these ecosystems, the importance of wetlands are often overlooked and they are filled in to make way for development, polluted, and degraded. These habitats are further damaged by the effects of climate change. This thesis focuses on wetlands in the Northeastern United States, using the Long Island Sound as a case study to explore the devastating effects of development and climate change on wetlands. In this thesis, I use environmental history, economics, and government policy to explore the importance of wetland …

Fracking In Pennsylvania: History, Geopolitics, And Public Health, Kathryn A. Susko

Student Theses 2015-Present

Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is the extraction of natural gas from deep within the earth through invasive drilling. This thesis explores the history of fracking, the geopolitical motivations for fracking in Pennsylvania, and the health risks associated with working and living near the sites. Seen within the context of the history and availability of our nation’s natural resources, represents for energy companies an opportunity to extract large quantities of natural gas, yet these companies express contempt for citizens who suffer from the polluting effects of this industry and do not receive compensation. As for the geopolitics, there are evident geographical …

Food For Thought: Analyzing The Impacts Of Livestock Factory Farming In The United States, Mallory Russo

Student Theses 2015-Present

The practice of large scale factory farming in the United States has raised moral and ethical questions since its establishment in the mid twentieth century. Though a relatively modern development in the field of agribusiness, factory farming has already accounted for drastic damage to both public and environmental health. Factory farming requires the unsustainable use of resources, gives off toxic waste, and poses a serious threat to public health. This paper aims the further analyze those damages, as well as investigate the lack of transparency and political corruption carried out by factory farm industry leaders. Major factory farming companies have …

Housing The Homeless: A Framework For Sustainable, Affordable Housing, Brianna Providence

Student Theses 2015-Present

New York City’s building stock is comprised of nearly one million structures. Buildings are responsible for unconscionable amounts of global energy, water, resources, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Thousands of buildings are annually constructed when the truth is that there is a significant stock of buildings that could stand to be rehabilitated. New green developments present an opportunity to increase efficiency while reducing energy use, resource consumption, and waste. If virgin new green developments provide the aforementioned opportunities, then it logically follows that sustainably retrofitting preexisting buildings represents an even greater opportunity to promote environmental sustainability and reduce inefficiencies. As …

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 …

Do Or Die: Environmental History, Environmental Politics And Environmental Economics And Their Implications For Mitigating The Effects Of Climate Change, Christopher Cannon

Student Theses 2015-Present

Beginning during the Industrial Revolution, global economic growth has been driven mainly by humanity’s ability to harness energy from the combustion of fossil fuels. Energy is a tremendously valuable resource; lands with few other resources yield wealthy nations, businesses, cartels, armies and kingdoms, grown primarily from deposits and reserves of coal, oil or natural gas below the land’s surface. Energy security is perhaps a prerequisite for a nation to achieve industrial and economic development, foreign investment and trade, and in most cases law and order. As energy markets stand today in our global economic system, the burning of oil and …

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 …

Controlling What Is Wild: The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act And Ecoterrorism, Thomas J. Levendosky

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis examines the extremist side of the environmental activism commonly known as ecoterrorism, and the subsequent implications of categorizing criminal activism as terrorism. Groups such as Earth First!, the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), and the Environmental Liberation Front (ELF) strive to protect the natural world from the detrimental impacts of industrialization. Activists affiliated with these groups endorse direct action against environmentally harmful enterprises. Extremists are motivated by the belief that they are on the frontline defending the defenseless. They hope to dissuade corporations and government agencies from exploiting the natural world by exposing unethical practices and causing economic damage. …

Giving Trees: Protecting Our Urban Forest, Catherine C. Laperche

Student Theses 2015-Present

Over 80% of Americans live in urban areas and that percentage is expected to rise in the coming years. As young people migrate toward cities and the global population rises it is estimated that over 6 billion people will live in urban areas by 2045. The city of the future will not only have to face this population pressure but will also have to deal with rising sea levels, unpredictable weather patterns, increasing energy costs, rising temperatures, and decreasing air quality. Cities that will thrive in this unfavorable future must have strategic plans that will address and alleviate these crucial …

Climate Of Fear: How The Most Privileged Voices In America Have Made Climate Change Denial Mainstream, Duncan B. Magidson

Student Theses 2015-Present

Climate change is a serious threat to the continued existence of human civilization. Despite this, the United States has yet to pass meaningful legislation to cub greenhouse gas emissions. Although tackling environmental issues once had a broad bipartisan support, the issue of climate change has driven a wedge between Democratic and Republican voters and politicians. Consequently, the United States finds itself deadlocked in the political sphere, unable to come together on any real strategies to adapt to the realities of a changing world. The driving force behind the lack of American action on climate change is the persistence of denial. …

Solar Panels: Lighting Our Future Path, Charles M. Woessner

Student Theses 2015-Present

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, renewable energy resources accounted for 13% of electricity generation in 2015. This figure is appallingly low, and needs to be raised in order to combat the effects of climate change. This thesis discusses the problems within America’s current model of electricity production, and what can be done to update our inefficient model into one that is much more efficient and environmentally friendly. Using data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, scholarly independent research, and economic projections, this thesis identifies the reasons behind the failure of the United States Government in not moving away …

Climate And Crisis: Environmental Degradation And Humanitarian Disaster In Darfur, Talia Macauley, Environmental Studies

Student Theses 2015-Present

As one of the largest humanitarian conflicts in the world, the situation in Darfur, Sudan continues to be characterized by a growing ethnically driven conflict, by a persistent number of displaced persons, and most importantly—at least for the sake of this thesis—by a widespread and significant number of environmental issues. While the former two characteristics seem to be at the forefront of humanitarian assistance programs, the latter is severely lacking in both acknowledgement and incorporation by the aid sector. In an effort to make apparent the need to incorporate environmental issues into humanitarian projects, this thesis uses the United Nations …

Wave And Tidal Energy In New York: Sustainable Hydroelectricity For The Grid, Lucas Basil Romanowsky

Student Theses 2015-Present

As humanity continues to exceed the ecological carrying capacity of the earth in its use of nonrenewable energy sources, it is imperative to find and shift to alternative renewable energy sources that can sustain human civilization. The ocean based phenomenon of tides, current, and waves are a way in which that source of energy can be obtained and broadened for human consumption. Oceanic energy can serve not only as a means to provide cleaner energy, but also improve the economy and the land based environment. The natural sciences and social sciences are examined within the quantitative data present. The natural …

Mindless Meat: An Exploration Of Meat’S Role In Environmental Degradation And World Hunger, Environmental Studies, Camille A. Danielich

Student Theses 2015-Present

Consider the humble hamburger. From start to finish, a pound of beef represents about a gallon of gasoline used, 13 pounds of feed, and over 2,400 gallons of water. This paper focuses on problems such as environmental degradation and world hunger that are exacerbated by heightened global demand and production of meat. Research centers around reports by the Committee on World Food Security, as well as organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. The paper utilizes three disciplines while addressing the problem: (1) the historical origins of industrial beef production, (2) …

The Solar Power Difference: How Solar Energy Can Boost Economies And Nicaragua's Rural Communities, Matthew R. Feuer

Student Theses 2015-Present

Abstract

In our present age there is a dire and growing need for energy. Nations that are modernizing continue to require more for their expanding populations. The old way of creating energy through non-sustainable methods such as, gas extraction, coal burning, and oil drilling is becoming ever more environmentally hazardous on a global scale. There are alternatives already being implemented today and one promising industry that will help move our dependence off of non-sustainable resources to sustainable is solar energy. However, while solar energy is completely sustainable and up to the task of mass consumption, how will it grow economically …

Home Gardens: A Key To A Sustainable Future, Keara C. Galvin

Student Theses 2015-Present

In today’s world of agribusiness and factory farming, the home garden provides an alternate source of nutritious food at the household level. The home garden occupies a unique place as a source of fresh produce, a place for families to unite, a cultural space to maintain one’s roots, and serves an ecological role in the greater landscapes that these gardens form part of. There is a lack of academic analysis and research done on home gardens. The majority of research on gardens is primarily technical -- tips on maintaining soil quality, on the best plants to grow, etc. Home gardens …

Prototyping The Environmental Impacts Of 3d Printing:
Claims And Realities Of Additive Manufacturing, Valerie B. Meyer

Student Theses 2015-Present

3D printing has the potential to become a disruptive technology by cutting down on the environmental and time costs associated with traditional manufacturing processes. For example, supply chains and product storage could essentially be eliminated if product design became entirely digital. Although 3D printing is potentially highly beneficial for the environment, awareness of 3D printing’s impact on the environment is essential for healthy development and should be addressed before the technology is used on an industrial scale. The purpose of this research is to discuss the environmental aspects of additive manufacturing. By objectively examining 3D printing sustainability claims and case …

From The Web Into The World: An Analysis Of Millennial Environmentalism, Cherokee Mcanelly

Student Theses 2015-Present

Environmentalism and sustainable lifestyles have steadily increased in popularity in recent years in the United States, especially among the 18-33 year old age group “Millennials, ” also known as Generation Y. Vegetarianism and veganism, involvement in environmental advocacy groups, and the popularity of green products are at record highs. However, research shows that the prevalence of young people living and promoting a sustainable lifestyle online rarely translates into tangible action, a phenomenon known as ‘slacktivism,’ and Generation Y also shows reluctance to identify as environmentalists or activists due to a perceived stigma associated with the term. Through the use of …

Fishing For A Sustainable Future: Aquaponics As A Method Of Food Production, Richard Ramsundar

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis compares and explains the advantages aquaponics farming has over modern industrial intensive farming. Through a comparison natural capital usage, conservation, recycling and cost, the thesis advocates for the expansion of aquaponics usage in urban settings. The thesis also explains the history of intensive farming and aquaponics in America, the science of how aquaponics operates, the economic and environmental costs of modern intensive farming versus aquaponics farming, and the social implications of aquaponics. Lastly, I propose a policy that reallocates farm subsidies by modifying the Farm Bill. Then I propose policies that support creating a new standard of farm …

Steps For Uploading Your Thesis Paper, Jeremy Watson

Student Theses 2015-Present

Follow these directions to upload your thesis to the repository.