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Laudato Si’ And Integral Ecology: A Reconceptualization Of Sustainability, Jessica Ludescher Imanaka, Greg Prussia, Samantha Alexis

Journal of Management for Global Sustainability

This study analyzes sustainability concepts through the lens of Roman Catholic Social Teaching (CST) with a special emphasis on Laudato Si’. CST expands the focus of sustainability to include social justice through its emphasis on human dignity, the common good, and caritas. In CST, justice is understood as structural while environmental obligations are connected to integral human development and peace. In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis calls on us to counter prevailing unjust systems with a structural reordering of multiple ecologies: environmental, economic, social, cultural, and daily life. Based on this reordering, he developed the notion of integral ecology, and we …

Re-Imagining Local Governance: The Landscape Of "Local" In Toronto, Alexandra Elizabeth Flynn

PhD Dissertations

In 1997, the Province of Ontario formed the City of Toronto, amalgamating one regional and six small municipalities into a single city government. This action altered the formal institutions of local governance, replacing what was once regional with a City Council meant to represent city-wide issues, and without providing a clear model for local or smaller-than-city decision-making. The purpose of this dissertation is to conceptualize the meaning of local governance within the City of Toronto as a result of the overlap of wards (as represented by councillors), community councils, business improvement areas and neighbourhood associations, each of which claim geographical …

Ecofeminism: The Path Towards Healing The Earth, Jamie Thompson

Dialogue & Nexus

The concept of the patriarchy, or any concept in which one group dominates another, is inseparable from the formation of human kind’s domination of nature. This domination of nature has led to the current the ecological crisis humanity faces. Those who deny climate change can admit to the massive amounts of pollution, trash, and deforestation. Despite this worsening economic crisis, those in power have been slow to react. Women can ultimately provide and lead the movement to solve this ecological crisis through the growing movement of Ecofeminism. In the philosophy of Ecofeminism, individuals recognize and reject western dualistic thinking that …

Conversations In The Rainforest: Culture, Values, And The Environment In Central Africa, Richard B. Peterson

Environmental Studies Faculty Books

This book examines the environmental perceptions, values, and practices of inhabitants of Central Africa’s rainforests in order to help build a more firm foundation for ecological and social sustainability at the local level, while also making contributions to global environmental ethics from underrepresented African cultural traditions. It focuses on two case studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one an integrated health and sustainable development project in the Ubangi region, and the other a large wildlife reserve in the Ituri Forest. Through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation conducted with local farmers and foragers, project staff, and local …

2013-2014, August - Integrated Regional Water Management Plan For The Greater Monterey County Region

Miscellaneous Monterey and San Luis Obispo County Documents and Reports

An Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWM Plan) developed by 18 member entities that include government agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational organizations, water service districts, private water companies, and organizations representing agricultural, environmental, and community interests. The IRWM Plan is an expansion and modification of a previous plan – the May 2006 Salinas Valley Integrated Regional Water Management Functionally Equivalent Plan developed by Monterey County Water Resources Agency. While the traditional approach to water resource management has typically involved separate and distinct agencies managing different aspects of the water system, i.e., water supply, water quality, flood management, and natural resources, integrated …

2017 Commencement Program (Afternoon Ceremony), Earl Blumenauer

Commencement Archives 2010-19

The program for the Portland State University 2017 Commencement (Afternoon Ceremony: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences).

U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer received an honorary doctorate and delivered the commencement address.

Africa In Global Climate Change Governance: Analyzing Its Position And Challenges, Anwar Hassen Tsega

International Journal of African Development

Climate change has emerged as a major global issue that affects all nations and has become a phenomena requiring global governance in the modern globalized world. Though the African contribution to the increase Greenhouse Gas (GHG) is very small, climate change is a concern of African countries. This paper is aimed to analyze the African position and challenges in the governance of climate change. Nonetheless, there are opportunities created for adaptation and mitigation, the implementation of these measures is constrained by lack of financial, institutional and human capacities. Accordingly, the Africans position in the international system and lack of the …

International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 4, Issue 1

International Journal of African Development

Complete issue of International Journal of African Development, Volume 4, Issue 1 - Fall 2016.

Non-State Actor Access And Influence In International Legal And Policy Negotiations, Elizabeth Burleson, Diana Pei Wu

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

June 7, 2017 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Grassroots Resistance In The Sustainable City: Portland Harbor Superfund Site Contamination, Cleanup, And Collective Action, Erin Katherine Goodling

Dissertations and Theses

How does progressive change happen in so-called sustainable cities? In this dissertation, I present findings from a three year-long ethnographic investigation of grassroots organizing in Portland, Oregon, a city at the leading edge of the green urbanism movement. This research centered on an extended case study of the Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC). PHCC is an alliance of grassroots groups working to ensure that cleanup of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site benefits those who have been most impacted by pollution. In this dissertation, I develop three main empirical findings. First, despite depoliticized (sustainability) discourse permeating the harbor cleanup planning process, …

‘Inauthentic’ Sukumbasi: The Politics Of Aesthetics And Urgency In Kathmandu, Sabin Ninglekhu

HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies

This article discusses how claims of the urban poor for the right to the city come up against governmental programs seeking to secure norms of private property, environmental sustainability, and elite aesthetics. Here, the city in question is Kathmandu, Nepal, and the urban poor are referred to as sukumbasi, squatters. Baviskar (2011) defines ‘elite politics’ as a mode of expressing anxieties of the self in relation to one’s physical surroundings. I interpret a liberal environmentalist project— the Bagmati Action Plan—in terms of such an elite politics, and explore the ways in which this river restoration program was taken up by …

Ecological Restoration, Elizabeth P. Mccann, Tania Schusler

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Ecological restoration involves revitalizing neglected, degraded, damaged, or destroyed habitats.

• Restoration-based education involves learners in ecological restoration with an intentional educational purpose.

• Urban restoration-based education can enhance personal and community well-being while improving ecosystem services in degraded environments.

• Restoration-based education can benefit from consciously forming partner ships, integrating local values alongside socioeconomic and ecological considerations, and being sensitive to issues of power and diverse cultures.

Labor Leading On Climate: A Policy Platform To Address Rising Inequality And Rising Sea Levels In New York State, J. Mijin Cha

Pace Environmental Law Review

With the renewed need for state action, this paper presents a case study of a labor-led initiative in New York State that seeks to address both economic inequality and the climate crisis. It discusses how organized labor, which has historically represented fossil fuel workers and has not been seen as a traditional climate ally, put forth a comprehensive climate jobs plan that could meaningfully reduce carbon emissions while also creating good, family-sustaining jobs to reduce income inequality. As the need for a broader coalition to advocate for sensible climate policy increases, this case study provides a road map for states …

China's Motorization Wave And The Place Of Emerging Technologies, Christopher Cherry

PSU Transportation Seminars

E-bikes, E-Cars, Carshare, Bikeshare, and Micro-EVs in China have shaken up the traditional motorization pathways that have occurred in developing countries in the past. The combination of emerging vehicle technologies, urban and environmental constraints, and heavy-handed policy make China's motorization processes unique in the world—but how China motorizes has far-reaching impacts based on sheer volume of vehicles and population.

This seminar discusses the results of a six-year NSF CAREER project to explore China's motorization processes, combining behavioral and environmental modeling approaches to assess the impacts of emerging vehicle technologies on motorization and ultimately environmental sustainability. The focus is mostly on …

The Social Pillar Of Sustainable Development A Literature Review And Framework For Policy Analysis, Kevin Murphy

The ITB Journal

There is a need to develop a clearer understanding of what the social pillar of sustainable development means and how it relates to the environmental pillar. This article contributes to this process by presenting a conceptual framework that identifies four overarching social concepts and links them to environmental imperatives. These concepts are: public awareness, equity, participation, and social cohesion. The framework builds on concepts and policy objectives outlined in research on international sustainable development indicators and the social sustainability literature. The social pillar can be expanded to include environmental, international, and intergenerational dimensions. This framework can then be used to …

The Baysider : June 2017, Bayside Neighborhood Association

The Baysider

The Baysider (1999 - 2018) a community newspaper, published by the Bayside Neighborhood Association. Bayside is an inner-city Portland neighborhood flanked by Parkside, Back Cove, Downtown (a.k.a. Intown), and the East End. Feature articles focused on Bayside, though also included many city themes.

Building A Better Process: Improving Washington State's "Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council" Review Procedures To Better Encourage Public Participation, Gregory L. Porter

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

Washington State's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) is responsible for siting the state's energy facilities. The current process can frustrate robust public participation. One reason is that applicants must submit a single, comprehensive, application and these submissions have grown to enormous size and complexity. Local groups struggle with responding to these complex applications in time. Additionally, the council uses quasi-judicial adjudication where the applicant is represented by professional counsel, but local groups may lack the financial support to retain comparable counsel. Washington should learn from how New York overhauled its energy facility siting process in 2011. New York's Board …

Assessing Vulnerability To Extreme Heat In San Luis Obispo County, Julia Isabella Cannata

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

An Inclusive Energy Transition: Expanding Low-Income Access To Clean Energy Programs, Melissa Powers

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

Grid Modernization And Energy Poverty, Shelley Welton

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

From Food To Food Justice: Pathways And Narratives Of Young Food Activists In New York City, Amy Kwan

Dissertations and Theses

With a rise in obesity and other non-communicable, diet-related health problems and the persistence of food insecurity among many vulnerable populations, the involvement of young people in the current, burgeoning food-justice movement has the potential to bring forth transformative changes to our food system and thus improve population health. While much is known about the outcomes of providing opportunities for young people to be actively and civically engaged in their communities, there is a lack of research on the pathways, narratives, and experiences that bring young people into food justice activism.

Through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 25 young food activists …

Casting A Wide Net: Why It Is Incumbent Upon The Environmental Protection Agency To Expand The Scope Of Its Cost- Benefit Analysis To Include Native American Populations And Cultural Fishing Practices In The Aftermath Of Michigan V. Epa, Gretel Lee

Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality

No abstract provided.

Let's Get Real: Problematizing The Use Of The Real Food Calculator In Large-Scale Food Systems And Exploring Alternatives, Stacey Kathleen Olson

Social Sciences

Food is an essential part of the human existence, because of both nutritional necessity and cultural relevance. Recently, food systems have shifted from their historically local scale to an industrial, global market. In light of shifting consumer consciousness and subsequent demands, there has been an ongoing effort on the part of universities across the United States to make campus food systems more sustainable and just. In 2014, the California State University enacted a system-wide goal of spending 20 percent of campus food procurement budgets on sustainable food by 2020 as per the guiding principles of the Real Food Challenge. This …

Changing Littering Behavior Among University Students In Egypt: Integration Of Community Readiness And Community-Based Social Marketing, Nevin Torky

Theses and Dissertations

Litter is simultaneously the most ignored and most visible form of environment degradation and is harmful to the health of humans and wildlife. The littering problem in Egypt is a major issue that can be seen in most of Egyptian neighborhoods. Many countries are working on litter reduction strategies, studies and programs to be litter free countries. In Egypt, there is almost no literature or national initiatives that address littering. There is an obvious need to study littering behavior and develop intervention programs to reduce litter in Egyptian communities. This study aims to help to change adult littering behavior as …

A Geospatial Assessment Of Social Vulnerability To Sea-Level Rise In Coastal San Luis Obispo, Jesse A. Carpentier

Master's Theses

This project is an assessment of social vulnerability to sea-level rise in the unincorporated coastal area of the County of San Luis Obispo (County) using geospatial and statistical analysis. The intention of this assessment is to inform local climate adaptation efforts now required by state legislation. A social vulnerability index was generated at the Census block group level using 32 variables positively correlated with social vulnerability. The social vulnerability score for each block group is the sum of scores generated for the following principle components: (1) race/ethnicity and disability status, (2) social isolation and age, (3) income, and (4) housing …

Regulating The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Interdependencies, Transaction Costs And Procedural Justice, Shaun Larcom, Terry Van Gevelt

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

There have been calls for an overhaul of regulatory and governance frameworks to incorporate the implications of the water-energy-food nexus. We map one small component of the regulatory space of the nexus and highlight its immense complexity. We draw on insights from the economics and socio-legal literatures to show that a decentralised approach to regulation based upon procedural justice can enable the trade-offs of the nexus to be considered and addressed. We use a nexus case study of micro hydro-electricity generation in Dartmoor National Park in England to show that when we take into account interactions between state and non-state …

Focusing On Equity In Regional Plans, Kristine M. Williams

TREC Project Briefs

Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) have long been required to consider the equity implications of their regional transportation plans and processes.

The North American Campaign For Southern African Liberation Revisited: Lessons From Struggle, Prexy Nesbitt

Rozell 'Prexy' Nesbitt Writings and Speeches

Prexy Nesbitt, a Chicago-based anti-apartheid activist and educator, delivered this speech to the Canadian Association for Work and Labour Studies, The John Saul Panel, at the Ryerson School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 12 pages.

Everybody Wants To Belong: Comparing The Relative Impact Of Social Capital On Happiness At An International Level, Elana Lambert

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Subjective well-being has become increasingly more important as a guide for policy and welfare. This paper uses data from the World Bank Indicators and the World Values Survey to look at the intricate relationship between subjective well-being data, social capital, and the relative nature of human happiness. Subjective well-being data has recently become widely accepted in economics research and analyzed using econometric methods. In this study, I look at specific aspects of social capital across countries to easily compare individuals within countries with a standardized scale. I look at economic determinants and social capital determinants and their impact on happiness. …