Digital Commons Network^™

Organizational Code: A Complexity Theory Perspective On Technology And Intellectual Property Regulation, Andrea M. Matwyshyn

Journal of Technology Law & Policy

No abstract provided.

Vol.49 N.44 May 26th 2022, Voice Media Ventures

Black Voice News

No abstract provided.

Animal-Rights Primitivism: A Vital Needs Argument Against Modern Technology, James Robert Schultz

Between the Species

In this essay, I argue that those who embrace animal rights should also embrace primitivism—the view that humans should abandon modern technology and take up something like hunter-gatherer technology instead. I call my view “animal-rights primitivism” to distinguish it from human-centered arguments for primitivism. In particular, I employ a vital-needs framework to make my argument. I argue that hunter-gatherer technology is the least harmful kind of technology, it is sufficient to meet human vital needs, and it is possible for humans to make the transition to hunter-gatherer technology while still meeting their vital needs. Alternatively, I argue that even if …

Quantifying The Problem And Risks Of Poorly Abandoned Oil And Gas Wells In Ventura County, California, Haley Ehlers

Capstone Projects – Politics and Government

Innovators around the world are frantically searching for new green technologies to make our lives more sustainable and combat the climate crisis we are experiencing. But as we move away from fossil fuels, we must address the threats present in this industry’s legacy. The persistent extraction of oil and gas in Ventura County’s history has left over 4,000 plugged and abandoned wells and over 2,000 idle wells. “Plugged and abandoned” is a term used the describe wells that have been safely and successfully closed – meaning that they should no longer pose any danger to the land, air, and water. …

Down And Dirty: Remedies And Reparations For Intersected Environmental And Reproductive Justice, Mickaela J. Fouad

Brooklyn Law Review

Pollution is a rampant issue in the United States, ranging from smog-filled air to infertile soil to contaminated water. Yet despite the pervasive nature of pollution, its harms are not equally distributed amongst society. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities disproportionately bear the burden of pollution and consequently suffer more harms because of it. Many of the health consequences from pollution are reproductive in nature: proximity to pollution can compromise fertility, cause difficulty in carrying a pregnancy to term and result in birth defects, disabilities, and reproductive cancers. This note focuses on the reproductive consequences of pollution and relies …

Food Justice: An Empirical Analysis Of Food Landscapes And Population Health In A Large U.S. City, Ernest Baskin, Stephen J. Porth

Journal of Management for Global Sustainability

This study examines the challenge of “food justice” by investigating the relationships between food landscapes and the health and wellbeing of local communities in a large urban setting. We identify and discuss the implications of these relationships for advancing the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals of ending hunger, improving health and wellness for all, and promoting sustainable agriculture. Empirical results show that controlling for several health-related variables, rates of obesity in a community coincide with the incidence of food outlets with no or low produce available. That is, urban neighborhoods with higher numbers of stores selling mostly unhealthy food options and …

[2022 Winner] Decolonization In Higher Environmental Education, Olivia Equinoa

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This paper introduces the practice of decolonization and discusses the importance of implementing it in higher environmental education. Using scholarly critiques and research, this paper explores ways decolonization can be enacted in universities, cautions in doing so, the consequences of not decolonizing these areas, and why it is crucial that it be practiced in the field of environmental education.

Front Matter - 2021, Josh Ruppel

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

Full paper includes:

• Table of Contents
• The Editorial Board
• Grant Writing: Recent Big Winners!
• Student Spotlights

Which Police Departments Make Black Lives Matter, Which Don’T, And Why Don’T Most Social Scientists Care?, Robert Anthony Maranto, Wilfred Reilly, Patrick Wolf, Mattie Harris

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

In part via skillful use of social media, Black Lives Matter (BLM) has become among the most influential social movements of the past half century, with support across racial lines, and considerable financial backing (Fisher, 2019). Will this translate into public policy reforms which save Black lives? After all, higher education is a key institutional backer of BLM, and a considerable literature dating back decades (e.g., Lindblom & Cohen, 1979) casts doubt on the effectiveness of social science in solving social problems, for numerous reasons. Often, the best social science is simple counting. This paper makes two unique contributions. First, …

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

No abstract provided.

Our Past Creates Our Present: A Brief Overview Of Racism And Colonialism In Western Paleontology, Pedro M. Monarrez, Joshua B. Zimmt, Annaka M. Clement, William Gearty, John J. Jacisin, Kelsey M. Jenkins, Kristopher M. Kusnerik, Ashley W. Poust, Selina V. Robson, Judith A. Sclafani, Kelsey T. Stilson, Shamindri D. Tennakoon, Carmi Milagros Thompson

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

As practitioners of a historical science, paleontologists and geoscientists are well versed in the idea that the ability to understand and to anticipate the future relies upon our collective knowledge of the past. Despite this understanding, the fundamental role that the history of paleontology and the geosciences plays in shaping the structure and culture of our disciplines is seldom recognized and therefore not acted upon sufficiently. Here, we present a brief review of the history of paleontology and geology in Western countries, with a particular focus on North America since the 1800s. Western paleontology and geology are intertwined with systematic …

Carsey School Of Public Policy Students, Faculty, And Alums Receive Top 2022 Unh Sustainability Awards, Unh Communications And Public Affairs

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

The Modern-Day Effect Of Holc Redlining On Neighborhood Development, Liubov Ivashov

Master's Theses

Racial segregation, which happened more than one hundred years ago in the U.S., is a fundamental cause of economic inequality for people living in historically segregated neighborhoods today. Redlining was one form of federal policy that forced to separate communities by race even more after the Great Depression. The Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps are widely used in economic research papers as one of the most comprehensive sources of data available to measure the effect of residential segregation. In this paper, using the Historical Redline Score (HRS) method, the author measured the association between modern-day population distribution, rent prices, …

Reconciling Relationships With The Land Through Land Acknowledgements, Deborah Mcgregor, Emma Nelson

Articles & Book Chapters

One of the limitations of conventional Canadian conceptions of reconciliation is the underlying assumption that reconciliation applies, virtually exclusively, to relationships among peoples. There are, however, other dimensions to reconciliation that are equally important from an Indigenous point of view. As Mi’kmaq Elder Augustine suggests, “other dimensions of human experience—our relationships with the earth and all living beings—are also relevant in working towards reconciliation” (TRC 2015a, 122). Indigenous conceptions of reconciliation extend beyond people to the natural world and are informed by direct relationships to the Land. In this chapter. an Anishinaabe scholar, living in her own Lands, and a …

Affordable Housing On Community Land Held In Trust: An Essential Component Of Sustainable Development, Kevin S. Tellez Ramos

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project summarizes an assessment of affordable housing development in Sonoma County - centered in an analysis of sustainability. The language of sustainability requires a new vocabulary for conversation on a broad topic. The sustainable development goals can be directed for the benefit of organizations that contribute to solutions that lack insight towards greater longevity for the at-risk members of the community (i.e., greenwashing, net-zero emissions, etc.). More recent sustainable development literature from the United Nations reveals new priorities: social, economic, and environmental sustainability. (This applies to developing nations of which the researcher believes Sonoma County, California and the United …

The Use Of Drama Therapeutic Play And Unconditional Positive Regard In Fostering Self-Actualization In Unhoused Individuals, Amanda Ludeking

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Childhood instability and the associated trauma are risk factors for homelessness, a circumstance which is perilous and traumatizing in itself. In order to survive such dangerous situations, unhoused individuals can develop protective behaviors to keep others away, which makes building and maintaining interpersonal relationships difficult. Beyond this, aspects of childhood instability can negatively affect socialization and interpersonal skills; for example, attachment theory suggests that attachment-based trauma (resulting from an insecure relationship with a caregiver) can negatively impact self-regulation and social skills into adulthood. This literature review seeks to better understand how two specific approaches to treatment, person-centered therapy and drama …

Assessing The Efficacy Of California’S Wildfire And Forest Resilience Action Plan, Chloe Nelson

Master's Projects and Capstones

California’s wildfire threat eclipses current forestry management and wildfire mitigation strategies in place to protect people, infrastructure, and the natural environment. Climate change escalates wildfire risks with declining water supply coupled with hotter, drier conditions. California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan attempts to integrate and build upon previously successful wildfire resilience plans to amplify the scale and pace of the state’s land management and community protections. This research assesses the plan’s efficacy to respond to the growing wildfire threat. This study investigates if there is equitable planning for the needs of high-wildfire risk groups living in the WUI and …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness, Efficiency, And Equity Of California’S Cap-And-Trade Program, Raphael Yolson Louis

Master's Projects and Capstones

California’s Cap-and-Trade program establishes an aggregate limit on GHG emissions while empowering the regulated firms with flexibility in complying with the emissions reduction mandates. This research conducted three analyses to determine if California's carbon Cap-and-Trade program is effective at meeting its GHG goals, economically efficient, and promotes environmental equity throughout communities within California. First, the SWOT analysis investigated the Cap-and-Trade program features to determine the importance of each of the features within the program. It showed that California’s Cap-and-Trade program’s main threats are leakages, lack of partnerships, and long-term political will. Nevertheless, the program’s features strive to promote environmental effectiveness, …

Transformative Community Resiliency: The Impact Of Organizing Against Oil In Richmond And Wilmington, California, Isabelle Sophia Marin

Master's Projects and Capstones

Despite the increase in power of the oil industry in various low-income communities of color throughout the state of California, many residents are still seen to be inactive in the fight to challenge this power. To combat this, local community organizations are working to empower residents of impacted communities in order to influence political spaces. To understand the impact communities organizations are having while doing this, I look to Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) and their work in Richmond and Wilmington, California. I ask the following research question to serve as a point of analysis: How do local organizations …

Scaffolding A Collaborative Humanities Classroom Online: Pedagogical Tools And Techniques, Jennifer Browdy

Early College Folio

With basic digital tools and adaptations of time-tested assignments to the digital landscape, faculty in the humanities can successfully create lively, discussion-based humanities classes online. The author, who has been teaching early college humanities classes for nearly 30 years, shares specific tools, assignments, and pedagogical approaches tested with Bard/OSUN online courses that enhance student engagement and productive collaborative learning.

Environmental Toxins Disproportionately Affect Low Income And Minority Communities Along The Providence River, Jalynn Booker

Biology Student Scholarship

The effects of environmental toxins emitted from the various industrial businesses along the Providence River and Allen’s Ave have been reported by residents to cause an incline in respiratory diseases and other illnesses in children and adults in nearby neighborhoods. Operations along Allen’s Ave consist of heavy toxin emitting practices such as hot asphalt mixing, fuels emissions, toxic runoff, gas leaks and piles of scrap metal. Many local news articles and blog posts have reported on the fact that this industrial waterfront has adversely impacted neighboring communities. However, there is little research explicitly comparing the socioeconomic differences between the east …

A Social-Ecological-Technological Systems Framework For Urban Ecosystem Services, Timon Mcphearson, Elizabeth M. Cook, Marta Berbés-Blázquez, Chingwen Cheng, Nancy B. Grimm, Erik Andersson, Olga Barbosa, David G. Chandler, Heejun Chang, Multiple Additional Authors

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

As rates of urbanization and climatic change soar, decision-makers are increasingly challenged to provide innovative solutions that simultaneously address climate change impacts and risks and inclusively ensure quality of life for urban residents. Cities have turned to nature-based solutions to help address these challenges. Nature-based solutions, through the provision of ecosystem services, can yield numerous benefits for people and address multiple challenges simultaneously. Yet, efforts to mainstream nature-based solutions are impaired by the complexity of the interacting social, ecological, and technological dimensions of urban systems. This complexity must be understood and managed to ensure ecosystem-service provisioning is effective, equitable, and …

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

University of Miami Business Law Review

No abstract provided.

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

No abstract provided.

Let’S Bring Intersectional Environmentalism To The Classroom: A Qualitative Study Upon Voices Of Intergenerational Asian American Activists, Michelle P. Sun

Master's Theses

Climate change and environmental pollution have been threatening people’s lives in recent years. Many educators and environmentalists have called for environmental justice education. However, most of the dominant mainstream forms of environmental education perpetuate environmental injustice, continue systemic oppression of marginalized communities, and do not lead to the needed transformation. Neoliberalism makes environmental education individualistic, and education for environmental justice requires cultural recognition. Additionally, the environmental contribution from Asian American communities is always marginalized. My paper conducted semi-structured interviews with three Asian American environmental activists. Based on the qualitative interviews, we are able to see Asian American activists’ experience in …

A Multi-Criteria Approach To Building Resilient Neighborhoods Through Green Space Investments In Sacramento, Luis E. Montes

Master's Projects and Capstones

The consequences of climate change and urbanization have increased heat, air pollution, and flood risks in urban areas. Green spaces—parks, trees, trails, and gardens—are multifunctional solutions that help communities adapt to these various climate vulnerabilities, promoting urban resiliency through the socio-ecological service they provide. Yet, low-income communities and neighborhoods of color are often deprived of these services. As a result, this study utilizes a multi-criteria analysis to assess a variety of social, climate, and green space indicators in North and South Sacramento, two racially diverse and historically marginalized communities, to recommend more robust green space implementation strategies. Priority areas are …

Environmental Justice Initiatives, Risk Assessment, And Coal Ash Management: Example Assessments And Applications, Ari S. Lewis, Julie C. Lemay

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Finding Motivation And Connectedness For Learning With Special Education Students Qualifying Under Emotional Disturbance, Nikole Denton

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this research seeks to understand the conditions for motivation among disengaged high school students in special education who qualify under emotional disturbance (ED) and support them in rediscovering their desire for learning while also determining how educators can be supportive in cultivating academic engagement and agency. The theoretical framework looks toward co-created curriculum through an understanding of intrinsic motivation (Ryan et al., 2021), self-Determination theory (Niemiec & Ryan, 2009), and critical pedagogy (Shih, 2018). Currently, there is a lack of empirical research on the effectiveness of pedagogical approaches in determining what works in engaging special education students …

The Ccr Rule And Environmental Justice Impacts, Christine M. Harris

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Environmental Justice Initiatives, Risk Assessment, And Coal Ash Management: An Overview, Julie Lemay, Ari Lewis

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

No abstract provided.