Digital Commons Network^™

Expanding Eco-Visualization: Sculpting Corn Production, Jennifer E. Figg

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation expands upon the definition of eco-visualization artwork. EV was originally defined in 2006 by Tiffany Holmes as a way to display the real time consumption statistics of key environmental resources for the goal of promoting ecological literacy. I assert that the final forms of EV artworks are not necessarily dependent on technology, and can differ in terms of media used, in that they can be sculptural, video-based, or static two-dimensional forms that communicate interpreted environmental information. There are two main categories of EV: one that is predominantly screen-based and another that employs a variety of modes of representation …

Visual Fantasy Themes In The Ebony Fashion Fair (1963-1965): An Interdisciplinary Study, Brittany Estoria Blanton

Theses and Dissertations

Ernest G. Bormann's fantasy theme criticism and the media studies analysis were used to analyze and critique images from the Ebony Fashion Fair from 1963 - 1965. The importance of this fashion show was revealed during a time when the Civil Rights Movement was at its climax. The results concluded that John H. Johnson and Eunice Johnson, founders of Ebony magazine and the , challenged the prevailing social situation with their actions by showcasing positive images and experiences in Black and European communities.

A Local Exploration Of Educators’ Perceptions, Collaboration And Usage Of Natural Sites In Introducing The Outdoors To Marginalized Students, Todd Beasley

Theses and Dissertations

A recent trend in social science research has focused on factors that lead to low participation rates by racial groups, specifically the African American population, within outdoor and wilderness settings as a connection to the issue of low participation rates by these same groups in outdoor and environmental careers. Much of the research has relied upon theories that address the marginalization of the African American population in relation to the social context: marginality, subculture/ethnicity, discrimination, acculturation, and opportunity. However, an area of interest that warrants a deeper examination of potential contributing causality is the role of the educator.

The purpose …

Elucidating Perceived And Actual Cancer Risk In Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Differentially Impacted By Environmental Hazards To Inform Future Public Health Interventions, Lashanta J. Rice

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, racial and ethnic minorities, economically disadvantaged and medically underserved groups bear a disproportionate amount of the cancer burden. Myriad social and environmental factors attribute to these disparities including disparate exposures to environmental pollutants, which account for two percent of all cancer deaths nationally. There is empirical evidence demonstrating risk perceptions and cancer worry are shaped by race/ethnicity and social and environmental experiences. Cancer risk perceptions among Non-Whites, especially Blacks compared to Whites is lower for various reasons. Low perceived cancer risk may explain persistent cancer disparities, since protective health behaviors are higher among persons who perceive …

Bluefield, Jennifer Sharain Bartell

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses poetry to explore the history of my childhood neighborhood Bluefield, which lies outside of the city of Johnsonville. Several factors have gone into the writing of this manuscript: interviewing elders of the neighborhood; researching land deeds; conducting water and soil samples to explore the possibility of environmental causes of high cancer rates; and exploring my individual grief and the collective grief of an aging and dying community. Bluefield is a community that is Southern, predominately Black, and low income; the voices of its residences, along with my poetic voice, pervade the manuscript, which includes elegies for the …

Birds And Beaches: The Affective Geographies And Sense Of Place Of Participants In The Coasst Citizen Science Program, Benjamin Kent Haywood

Theses and Dissertations

Participatory science research initiatives within the natural sciences like citizen science or crowd sourcing have enjoyed a recent explosion in popularity due to the efficient and expansive data collection processes they foster and the opportunities for general science outreach and education they provide. Now often the tool of choice among informal science outreach practitioners, Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR) programs are purported to expand knowledge and understanding of science and ecology, increase the relevancy of science for society, and cultivate more environmentally sustainable attitudes and behaviors. Despite such claims, the influence and impact of participatory science engagement is still …

A Framework For Identifying Appropriate Sub-Regions For Ecosystem-Based Management In Northern Gulf Of Mexico Coastal And Marine Environments, Jennifer Sloan Ziegler

Theses and Dissertations

Nearly half of the population of the United States lives in coastal regions, and millions of visitors from across the nation and world enjoy the coasts every year. Coastal and marine areas provide for recreation, economic activities essential for the financial health of the nation, and vital ecological services. As they provide so many benefits to the U.S., it is vital to protect and preserve the coastal and ocean areas from the increasing, competing demands they are facing. In order to protect and preserve these complex systems, a comprehensive approach incorporating science, engineering, humanities, and social sciences should be taken; …

Rural North Dakota's Oil Boom, The Impact On Social Services, And The Implications For The Social Work Profession, Julia C. Geigle

Theses and Dissertations

Technological developments within the oil and gas industry (namely horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking") combined with record-high average oil prices have propelled North Dakota into the midst of the nation's largest oil boom in decades. Information about the boom has been dominated by the media, while scholarly attention--especially about the social impacts--has been unfortunately limited. Accordingly, the author (an MSW student) and two professors with the Department of Social Work at the University of North Dakota conducted a focus group with the state's county social service directors to explore the pressures and challenges faced by the social service …

A Qualitative Study Of An Urban Community Garden: Creating Healthier Neighborhood Environments, Lauren Workman

Theses and Dissertations

Neighborhoods influence population level health; the places where people live, work, and grow are an essential setting for health promotion interventions. In efforts to create healthier neighborhood environments, there is a movement to better understand neighborhood social characteristics. The neighborhood social environment potentially includes social relationships (including trust and cohesion), networks, norms, and the resources that may be generated from relationships. In addition, more work is needed to learn about how people may become engaged in neighborhood initiatives. Community gardens are a 1) potential strategy to promote health at community and individual levels 2) mechanism to involve community members in …

Article 24 Of The African Charter On Human And Peoples' Rights: An Individual Or Peoples' Right To A Satisfactory Environment?, Evan Longo

Theses and Dissertations

Article 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Right has been viewed similarly to the individual right to a satisfactory environment within international law. The African Charter however differs from the broader conception of the right to a satisfactory environment by expressing the right as a peoples' and not an individual right. Unlike previous authors, I argue that the fact that article 24 of the charter characterizes the right, as a peoples' right is significant and cannot be ignored. The SERAC v. Nigeria communication in the African commission is the only time in which the right to a …

The Superfund Program Past And Present Funding Implications, Nicole Franklin

Theses and Dissertations

The present research examines the impact of not reauthorizing the Superfund taxes on the operations of the program. EPA NPL site status data were obtained from the EPA CERCLIS database for analysis in this study. Data were selected for the fiscal years 1981 to 2009 in four NPL listing status categories: proposal to the NPL, final NPL listing, deletion from the NPL, and achievement of construction completion. Since the Superfund tax expired in 1995, data from the 1981 to 1995 fiscal years and data from the 1996 to 2009 fiscal years were analyzed to determine if there were mean differences …

Cumulative Risks To Eastern Oysters, Crassostrea Virginica In The James River, Va, Vrushali Lele

Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to apply Cumulative Risk Assessment (CRA) as developed by the U.S. EPA, the present study investigates the cumulative risks to Eastern oysters due to multiple stressors such as salinity, temperature and oxygen and carbon dioxide. I also compared the effectiveness of the Hazard Quotient Method (HQ) in CRA. Ambient conditions in the James River, VA were obtained from the Virginia DEQ database and respiratory responses were estimated using values from the literature. The multiple environmental stresses are evaluated using a probabilistic analysis that combines the environmental conditions. It was concluded that salinity was the most influential stressor …

Faith Based Environmental Stewardship: Practices And Attitudes Of Christian Churches On Virginia’S Northern Neck And Eastern Shore, Paoula Sehannie

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the relationship between religion and the environment. The purpose of this project is to explore the environmental practices and attitudes of Christian churches in two Virginia Communities. The two communities; the Northern Neck and Eastern Shore are located on the Chesapeake Bay and have a shared history of dependence on the Bay. The results of the dissertation demonstrate the prevalence of environmental programs in the population, the nature of these programs and the respondents’ attitudes towards a host of environmental issues. These results can be used by environmental professionals and …

Investigating The Relationship Between The Policy Implementation Process And The Utilization Of Information Technology In A Constitutional Republic: The Case Of I-269 Nepa Process, Joseph Hampton Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Information technologies (IT) have provided significant benefits for society. By drawing on the assumptions of the New Public Management (NPM) framework, the author investigates how, in one case, IT alters the policy implementation process. Additionally, the author tests reinforcement theory, sociotechnical theory, and technological determinism to determine which IT model best explains the utilization of IT at the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). This study examines the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. By conducting interviews, analyzing documents, and examining a physical artifact, the author explores the administration of an economic impact analysis (EIA) that was conducted on the …

A Comparison Of Two Common Classification Procedures For Economical Urban Land Cover Mapping Using Naip Imagery, Kent Lowell Simons

Theses and Dissertations

Detailed urban land cover maps are increasingly useful and important applications of remote sensing. Municipal agencies and others use land cover maps and data for numerous critical local planning and monitoring functions and for urban geographical research studies. Because of this, there is a demand for accurate urban land cover maps that can be produced quickly and economically. The availability of very high resolution multispectral imagery is an important factor in enabling such production, as the judicious selection of source imagery has a large impact on the resulting map products. Likewise, the implementation of appropriate digital image processing methods is …

The Precautionary Principle As Emvironmental Policy : Is The U.S. Media Undermining Ecological Health And Environmental Sustainability, Kristine Mattis

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Social Capital Determinants Of Environmentalism In Spatial Context, Kim Marie Steil

Theses and Dissertations

Sociological studies of society-environment interactions are based on a premise that population well-being is dependent on the environment. Here, I argue that not only are people innately connected to the environment, but the environment also bonds people to one another. That is, people have a mutual obligation to one another to care for the environment. An often ignored factor is that individual participation toward protecting and improving the quality of the environment rests upon the local social and spatial context in which the individual is situated. The ability of individuals in a local environment to come together to identify issues, …

Recreation As Destination: How A Public Recreation Space Influences Physical Activity In A Low-Income Neighborhood In A Small Mississippi Town, Frank Shaw Barbour

Theses and Dissertations

With an obesity epidemic of alarming proportions, there is a need for Active Living studies addressing the low-income populations in the state of Mississippi. This study uses behavior observation to examine physical activity patterns in a public park in a low-income neighborhood in West Point, MS. The influence of the built environment on physical activity and health is discussed, as are the implications of this research for designers and planners. Documentation of activity types and demographic comparisons between park users and the town population reveal consistent patterns of physical activity and suggest that the park may pull its users primarily …

The Spatial Distribution Of Industrial Production And Toxic Releases In The United States, Todd Lee Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

Manufacturing in the United States has been in a period of general decline over much of the past fifty years, though this overall pattern of de-industrialization has occurred at different times and intensities in specific geographical regions. However, local officials and development experts still focus efforts on attracting manufacturing industries into their communities, an effort often referred to as “smokestack chasing.” At the same time, environmentalism has been of increasing importance in the consciousness of American citizens. One of the central concerns of environmentalists and environmentally-oriented policy makers has been the pollution generated by these manufacturing facilities. As a result …

Assessing The Economic Impacts Of Transportation Improvement Projects, Andrew L. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

In that a transportation system can influence an economy for good or bad a system that enhances economic vitality becomes a crucial element in maintaining or developing economic prosperity. To provide a methodology to include economic development impacts of transportation improvement projects in the decision making process and the tools and alternatives available are here explored. Primary contributions of this document are results of a literature review, transportation professional and decision maker survey, economic modeling tool evaluation, and development of approach alternatives. The following thesis introduces the purpose and need for the given research, the procedure that was followed, the …

The Use Of Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques In The United States Air Force Environmental Conflicts, Nanci R. Pigeon

Theses and Dissertations

The use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in government disputes is mandated by the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1990. The use of ADR to resolve disputes provides a quick and inexpensive resolution versus litigation. The Air Force currently has a very strong ADR program in place to resolve acquisition and workplace disputes. However, the varied conditions and situations of environmental issues have prevented the Air Force from achieving similar success in this area. This research analyzes the experiences of 26 Environmental Conflict Resolution Practitioners who have resolved environmental disputes using ADR techniques. Content analysis and pattern matching were used …

Cadmium Removal Using Cladophora In A Flow Reactor, Ryan Dorn

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Air Force Environmental Justice Methodology, Barbara E. Owens

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze AFCEE's draft environmental justice methodology. The study provides background on the meaning of environmental justice along with related terminology, and covers historical events of the environmental justice movement leading up to the publication of EO 12898. A discussion of EO 12898, subsequent draft guidance, and other pertinent literature leads to the development of evaluation criteria used to analyze both AFCEE's methodology and an application of that methodology: the March AFB Disposal Final Environmental Impact Statement Given that AFCEE formed their own methodology to address environmental justice prior to any definitive guidance regarding …