Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Analysis Of Recycling Programs: A Case Study Of Three Universities, Jenny Jones

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract

The goal of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of three university recycling programs. This study looked at several aspects of the programs that included the diversion rates, per capita ratios of materials recycled and disposed, and the average net costs of waste disposal and waste diversion. The universities included in this study were the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Oregon.

To gather the information necessary for this analysis, I contacted each of the university’s recycling coordinators. To determine the average net costs of waste disposal and waste diversion …

Examining The Use Of Terms "Conservation" "Restoration" And "Preservation" Between Natural Resource Professionals And Literature Reviews, Josh Schenk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT This thesis will determine if there is a discrepancy between how literature defines conservation, preservation, and restoration, and how natural resource professionals define these terms. Interviews were conducted with six professionals from six different agencies that deal with natural resources. These agencies consisted of both government and non-government groups. In addition to interviewing these professionals regarding how they define the terms, they were asked where their work fits into the context of these terms. The interviewees’ responses were then compared with the literature to determine inconsistencies with the use of these terms in the literature and real world settings. …

Yellowstone Super-Volcano: Evaluation, Potential Threats, And Possible Effects On Nebraska Citizens Health And Prosperity, Jennie Korgie

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Yellowstone National Park is located over a hot spot under the North American tectonic plate and holds a potentially explosive super-volcano that has the ability to cause deadly consequences on the North American continent. After an eruption the surrounding region would see the greatest devastation, covered by pyroclastic deposits and thick ash fall exterminating most all life and destroying all structures in its path. In landscapes of greater distance from the event the consequences will be less dramatic yet still substantial. Records of previous eruption data from the Yellowstone super-volcano show that the ash fall out from the eruption …

Distribution Of Rain Gardens In Lincoln Nebraska: Are Rain Gardens More Likely To Be Built Near Bodies Of Water, Eric Voecks

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Rain gardens are an important tool in reducing the amount of stormwater runoff and accompanying pollutants from entering the city’s streams and lakes, and reducing their water quality. This thesis project analyzed the number of rain gardens installed through the City of Lincoln Nebraska Watershed Management’s Rain Garden Water Quality Project in distance intervals of one-eighth mile from streams and lakes. This data shows the distribution of these rain gardens in relation to streams and lakes and attempts to determine if proximity to streams and lakes is a factor in homeowners installing rain gardens. ArcGIS was used to create …

An Artesian Well System In Beaver Crossing, Nebraska, It's Development And Demise, Mary Lanik

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT

Nebraska has a veritable wealth of groundwater. The High Plains Aquifer underlies most of the state, and within its sand and gravel deposits, many interconnected aquifers provide fresh water for a variety of uses.

One of the most spectacular examples of this resource is the artesian well. Beaver Crossing, Nebraska was once home to one of the most prolific artesian systems in the state before its demise. Founded in the 1880’s, Beaver Crossing soon became known for its many artesian wells, that provided leisure activities and supported profitable business ventures such as small farming, ice production and aquiculture. Eventually …

Cellulosic Ethanol: The Benefits, Obstacles, And Implications For Nebraska, Cassidee Lin Thompson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Ethanol is a biofuel that has unique capabilities to mitigate global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously supporting rural economies and decreasing the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. Currently, the state of Nebraska depends on corn ethanol, which may be unsustainable. Cellulosic ethanol is a promising alternative but it is not without its problems, including high production costs and potential environmental damage. This thesis is an attempt to understand the benefits, downfalls, and processes of corn-based and cellulosic ethanol and the potential implications to Nebraska. This research should shed some light on the current obstacles …

A Proposed Plan For Managing Eastern Nebraska's Saline Wetlands, Vandhana Rabadinanth

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Eastern Nebraska’s saline wetlands play a major role in Nebraska’s environmental place in the world. Besides the role of scientific changes being important, education also is essential in the conservation of these wetlands. Through the observation of Salt Creek tiger beetle (Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) and soil electroconductivity, I propose that we need to reform Nebraska’s education system to help schools play a bigger part in environmental issues such as this one. There is a drastic trend in the correlations between Salt Creek tiger beetle populations and wetland degradation. Since many Lincoln residents have a limited knowledge of what is …

Distribution Of Dioecious Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus Virginiana) Along An Environmental Gradient In Ogallala, Ne, Taylor Sloey

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the sex distribution and energy allocation of dioecious Eastern Red Cedars (Juniperus virginiana) along an environmental resource gradient. The trees surveyed were growing in a canyon located at the University of Nebraska’s Cedar Point Biological Research Station in Ogallala, Nebraska. Due to the geography of this canyon, environmental factors necessary for plant growth should vary depending on the tree’s location within the canyon. These factors include water availability, sun exposure, ground slope, and soil nitrogen content, all of which are necessary for carbon acquisition.

Juniperus virginiana is a dioecious conifer. Dioecious …

Where Do We Draw The Line? Conserving Biodiversity In The Amazon Through Transboundary Protected Areas, Megan Sebasky

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The concept of borders brings up many complex issues, especially in regard to the creation of protected areas. International boundaries are not consistent with ecosystem borders, and conservation needs to be targeted at protecting ecoregions rather than areas ending at arbitrary international borders. When assessing the creation of a protected area, it is necessary to use an ecological approach in addition to a social perspective. Home ranges and locations of keystone species are important, as well as the use of a protected area as an ecological corridor. Buffer zones are also imperative for protected areas. This paper shows that Peru’s …

The Minefield Of Liability For Minors: Running Afoul Of Corporate Risk Management In Florida, Jordan A. Dresnick

University of Miami Law Review

No abstract provided.

Orsp Research Newsletter - Spring 2010, Office Of Research And Sponsored Programs

ORSP Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Mcnair Messenger- Spring 2010, Mcnair Staff

McNair Messenger

McNair Scholars Program

Assessing The Effect Of Simulation Models On Systems Learning In An Introductory Environmental Science Course, Heather J. Skaza

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence within the systems dynamics community supporting the use of systems simulations in the classroom to improve student understanding, there is little published, controlled, experimental research. This paper describes the results of a paired experiment testing the effect of using system dynamics simulations to increase systems understanding in an introductory environmental science course. We believed that the students using the systems simulations would demonstrate a greater systemic understanding of environmental issues than those who did not.

We conducted an experiment during the fall semester of 2009, with 304 students enrolled in four sections of …

2010 Friends Of The University Of Montana Herbarium Newsletter, Peter Lesica, David Dyer

Newsletters of the Friends of the University of Montana Herbarium

Forest Service's MRC Herbarium Moves Across Campus / Peter Lesica and Peter Stickney -- Activities -- Notes from the Board / Steve Shelly -- MONTU People: Blaine and Gloria Mooers / Peter Lesica -- MONTU News Briefs -- 2010 Friends of the UM Herbarium Annual Meeting -- Pacific Northwest Online Portal Comes to Montana / Peter Lesica -- Antennaria and Apomixis / Scott Mincemoyer -- Ahvi and Talasi: Two New Genera in the Herbarium!? / Dave Dyer

Valuing Information Literacy: Affective Learning And The Acrl Standards, Robert Schroeder, Ellysa Stern Cahoy

Library Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

Higher education information literacy standards have readily addressed cognitive skills, although affective competencies--the emotional abilities that students must acquire in order to successfully navigate the research process--have not yet been incorporated into standards. This paper presents examples of current information literacy standards, integrating affective competencies or dispositions, including the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "21st Century Learning Standards," and proposes a model for affective-focused higher education information literacy standards. The role of affect in library learning, the importance of affective competencies, and the centrality of affective learning to student mastery of research skills are discussed. Viewing information literacy as …

In His Own Words, Furman University, Jim Stewart

Furman Magazine

Over the last 16 years, Furman magazine has chronicled the course of the university under the leadership of David E. Shi '73. As his presidency winds down towards its conclusion June 30, we asked him to discuss the challenges, achievements and decisions of his presidency, and how he dealt with the complexities of the office.

Cc: Connecticut College Magazine, Spring 2010, Connecticut College

Alumni News/Connecticut College Magazine

No abstract provided.

Simplicity And The City: Understanding The Voluntary Simplicity Movement In Melbourne, Gershwin Penn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study was to understand the lifestyle of members of the voluntary simplicity movement in an urban setting. I sought to understand how they practiced simplicity in their day to day lives, how simplicity effected their emotional life, how simplicity influenced their values, how simplicity influenced their interaction with the city, and what their general ethos was. This study was conducted to understand how it is possible for individuals to live ecologically and socially responsible lives in settings that, by in large, reject their values. I conducted fifteen face to face in-depth interviews in Melbourne in April …

Spring 2010, College Of The Pacific

History News

No abstract provided.

April 2010 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Introduction: Environmental Justice Movements For A Post-Capitalist World, Devon Peña, Kathryn Blackmer Reyes

NACCS Annual Conference Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Online Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring And Control System, Paul Duffy, Gerard Woods, James Walsh, Michael Kane

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Libqual+ Survey- Institution Results, Acrl

Assessment Reports (2003-2023)

LibQual Survey report for Henderson Library at Georgia Southern University.

Integrated Water Resources Management: A Theoretical Exploration Of The Implementation Gap Between The Developed And Developing Worlds, Jennifer S. Schiff

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

As part of its Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations acknowledges that solving the world's water woes requires giving one billion additional people access to safe and affordable drinking water, while also noting that this is a difficult goal to achieve considering present environmental challenges. Amidst this atmosphere of vanishing freshwater, the legislative policy community has begun to encourage diverse discourse on the topic of efficient resource management, but the form and function of such a solution present unique political and theoretical challenges for policymakers and scholars alike. The current consensus among water managers is that a multifaceted policy framework …

Cattle Ranching And Biodiversity Conservation As Allies In South America’S Flooded Savannas, Almira Hoogesteijn, Rafael Hoogesteijn

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Cattle ranching in Latin America supports wildlife conservation. Ranching probably represents one of the few land uses in which we can advance conservation goals. The approximately 950,000 km2 of Bolivian, Brazilian, Paraguayan, Colombian, and Venezuelan savannas that are privately owned and dedicated to meat production provide a model for conservation programs. We present a geographic and historical description that covers several centuries and ends with descriptions of seven successful cattle ranches (three in the Venezuelan Llanos and four in the Brazilian Pantanal) where cattle ranching, ecotourism, and wildlife conservation coexist. These three activities support each other: tourism creates additional income …

Relatin Dissolved Oxygen Concentration To Fish Distribution In Jarecki Lake, Adam Sutton

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Water temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) profiles were measured once every month from mid July to mid February in a relatively deep sand-pit lake in southeast Nebraska. These profiles showed depleted DO concentrations below the thermocline during summer stratification indicating areas fish will likely avoid in summer months. Colder temperatures in fall caused complete mixing of the water column allowing fish to inhabit all depths of the lake. An inverse temperature stratification occurred directly below the ice during winter months as ice cover cooled the surface water to below 4 degrees Celsius. Ice cover also blocked air – water …

The Economic Feasibility Of Solar Panels For The University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Chris Schwarz

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract

The world runs on the electricity provided by gas, oil, and coal. These sources, while cheap, have some major drawbacks associated with them; they are polluting when burned, extraction damages the environment, and the resource reservoirs are limited. With this understanding, the world is turning to renewable energy sources as a means to alleviate its growing energy requirements. But there are problems associated with renewable energy sources preventing them from becoming major sources of electricity generation. These problems are usually monetary in nature.

The cost effectiveness of photovoltaic panels for use by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a means …

Herbicides And Amphibian Populations, Zach Shirk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Amphibians are a unique class of species that are found worldwide except Antarctica and Greenland. They range in size from a few millimeters to over six feet long. Amphibian’s habitats are as various as their size, but one thing in common is that amphibians require an aquatic location to breed. Amphibians live in deserts, mountain prairies, rain forest, wetlands, and almost everywhere in between. Amphibians are an integrated part of most natural ecosystems across the world. Amphibians are a critical part of many food chains; they provide the important link between secondary and tertiary consumers. Amphibians are indicator species in …

The Impact Of Individual Decision Making On Campus Sustainability Initiatives, Aurali Ella Dade

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) have increasingly committed to become more sustainable in recent years. Despite this commitment, academic publications in the sustainability field assert that progress has been slower at IHEs than expected and that most IHEs have found sustainability initiatives difficult to implement. Comprehensive sustainability initiatives require cooperation from a broad set of constituents with diverse and sometimes conflicting goals. Creating a sustainable IHE also requires changes in both physical infrastructure and individual behavior. Any number of institutional factors can advance or limit progress towards these objectives.

Previous investigations have assessed individual case studies, compared IHEs in a …

Toxic Inequities: Chemical Exposures And Indigenous Communities In Canada And The United States, Nancy Langston

Natural Resources Journal

No abstract provided.