Digital Commons Network^™

A Field Assessment Of Residential Laundry To Landscape Greywater Quality In The San Francisco Bay Area, Sara Khosrowshahi Asl, Katherine Cushing, Rachel O'Malley, Alexandra Dahl, Afshin Rouhani, Sherry Bryan, Justin Burks

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Potable water scarcity is a global issue. Recent and ongoing droughts in the Western United States make residential water conservation crucial. Several water agencies have invested in conservation programs that educate residents on non-traditional water sources, such as laundry-to-landscape (L2L) greywater systems, which reuse washing machine water for outdoor irrigation. This study analyzed landscape vegetation and 21 greywater characteristics of 30 households with L2L systems in Santa Clara County, California. Greywater from most residential systems, even ones decades-old and unmaintained, had acceptable reuse values for major water quality parameters tested. Overall, 89% of fecal coliform counts fell within the acceptable …

Price Volatility, Human Rights, And Decarbonization Challenges In Global Solar Supply Chains, Dustin Mulvaney, Morgan Bazilian

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Abstract From 2020 through 2022 the solar industry experienced supply chain disruptions that caused price increases and trade restrictions, causing project delays and cancelations. News reports resurfaced allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, China, where a significant share of the industry supply chain is concentrated, which raised new policy and ethical dilemmas about materials sourcing for governments and buyers, and revealed a vulnerable supply chain. Fixing the weak links in solar supply chain will require multiple interventions that diversify the geography of manufacturing and lead some countries to re-shore production. Increased attention to sustainability and low carbon manufacturing initiatives …

To What Extent Do 3- To -6-Year-Olds Demonstrate Connection To Nature At A Montessori School In The Upper Midwest, Natasha Yates

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Yates, N. (2023). To What Extent Do 3- to -6-Year-Olds Demonstrate Connection to Nature at a Montessori School in the Upper Midwest.

Young children are born into a world today with a drastically changing environmental climate. When young people develop an emotional attachment and sense of identity with nature, they may be more likely to behave in less destructive ways towards the planet and possibly live with a sense of responsibility and respect for nature. This mixed method study aimed to measure to what extent 3- to 6-year-olds demonstrated environmental sensitivity, awareness, and preferences at a nature-based Montessori school in …

Tying Community Science And Social Justice Together In An Urban Biology Class To Foster Environmental Responsibility, Sarah Graham

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research shows that students who are involved in projects within their communities feel more sense of belonging and connection to their space. This is also true when discussing environmental justice. Students who have been historically marginalized can feel more comfort within navigating science. The unit plan designed for this project addressed the research question: How can community science and social justice be tied together in an urban biology classroom to foster environmental responsibility? The unit plan combined the knowledge of community science which focuses on sense of place with social justice within science or critical pedagogy in order to support …

My Work Is Wild — Promoting Career Literacy Of Conservation And Stem Vocations In Secondary School Students, Lauren Salick

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As the climate crisis heightens and we tread ever further into the Anthropocene epoch, it becomes imperative environmental educators help recruit young adults to the conservation career force. However, studies show that career literacy education is a complex subject that is often misrepresented in traditional K-12 education. The goal of this project was to create an inclusive and influential curriculum for informal after-school programming for secondary students to supplement the career literacy of conservation professions garnered in the traditional school day. The lesson plans focus on relating conservation professions to our communities and students’ daily lives, as well as the …

“Using Culturally Responsive Educational Practices To Help Campus Communities Reach Their Zero-Waste Goals”, Ellen Gurrola

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Culturally responsive teaching is a term that has increased in popularity amongst educators over the past decade. However, it is not always addressed within zero-waste education on college campuses across the United States. This paper uses a critical lens to connect research from the book Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain with zero-waste practices and education on college campuses. The presentation created for this project is targeted towards college students to educate them about zero-waste and culturally responsive teaching. The content in the presentation challenges students to create a path towards zero-waste by: building collectivism across the campus community, addressing …

Creating An Engaging And Ecocritical Project Based Curriculum For High School Environmental Science, Hannah Stewart

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question that inspired this curriculum project was: How can educators create an engaging and ecocritical project based curriculum for high school environmental science? This curriculum utilizes a project based learning framework, based on A Framework for High Quality Project Based Learning, in order to create an engaging curriculum for students in a high school environmental science class. Additionally, this curriculum incorporates themes of critical ecology. Critical ecology is a way of studying the environment that asks us to consider how our perceptions and attitudes toward the environment can perpetuate the environmental and social injustices we are facing in …

Socio-Ecological Challenges Of Hydroelectric Dams Among Ethnic Minorities In Northern Laos, Saleh Ahmed, Paige Liquin

Global Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Globally, hydroelectric dams are increasingly considered to be a sustainable source of renewable energy. Many countries have invested in hydroelectric projects to boost the local and national economies. The findings of recent hydroelectric projects are mixed. Even though the construction of these dams has provided immediate benefits to surrounding communities, long-term negative implications of hydroelectric development have called into question the true sustainability of hydroelectric projects. These negative impacts of hydroelectric dams include the resettlement of marginalized communities, in addition to significant alterations to the local environment and economy. Taking both the positive and negative impacts of hydroelectric development into …

Rural And Urban Difference In The Acceptance Of Alternative Water Management Strategies: Case Study Of Idaho Residents, Monica L. Hubbard, Rebecca L. Som Castellano

Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Idaho is one of the fastest-growing states in the US. The stressors of population growth and climate change are increasing the strain on its water resources, emphasizing the need for water management strategies. Public support, however, can vary by a range of factors, including geography. This study aims to assess the rural and urban distinctions of support for water resource management. In 2014, 401 people from Idaho’s general public responded to an online survey, with 375 of the respondents georeferenced into three groups: urban areas; urban clusters (small towns); and rural. The responses showed similarities in support among the groups; …

Energy And Climate Change Issues Around Csudh, Alex E. Perez, Tara B. Jones, Raju Bista, Parveen K. Chhetri

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

Climate change is posing significant challenges to California’s energy sector. Extreme weather events (heat and cold) may pressure existing infrastructure. Many studies have indicated that extreme climate events would impact the energy system by affecting peak electricity demand. However, very few studies have been conducted to understand how disadvantaged communities (DACs) will be impacted. Because of unequal access to energy infrastructure (electricity generation and battery storage), DACs are more vulnerable to power outages due to the rising number of significant weather events caused by climate change. To address the issue of how DACs are disproportionately affected by climate change-related energy …

Understanding Consumers’ Motivations And Product Preferences For Deconsumption, Anubha Mishra Dr., Norm Borin, Joan Lindsey-Mullikin, Ram Krishnan

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

The modern era features dramatic changes in consumer attitudes and behaviors related to consumption; this article investigates the motivations and product preferences of consumers who alter their consumption habits to obtain products that cause less damage or use fewer resources. The authors offer an empirical definition of such deconsumption and compare it with other terms used in prior literature to refer to resource-restricted purchases; they also propose consumer-oriented measures of deconsumption motivations and product preferences. The results reveal ten motivation factors that help explain why people choose to deconsume. Regression analysis further shows that product choice varies across these motives. …

Development Of Carbon Emission Assessment Tool Towards Promoting Sustainability In Cal State La, Arezoo Khodayari, Soumya Puvvada, Jamaie M. Scott, Chandra Mouli Rotta, Geeth Sekhar Chadalawada, Jivar Afshar, Carlos D. Linares, Brad Haydel

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

The great demand for the burning of fossil fuels has greatly increased greenhouse gases (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere. An increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases produces a positive climate forcing or warming effect [EPA, Climate Change Indicators]. Therefore, mitigation of GHG concentrations is important to prevent long-term impacts on the environment. On April 4, 2016, California State University, Los Angeles signed the most comprehensive of Second Nature’s three Climate Leadership Commitments, the Climate Commitment. Following this commitment, California State University, Los Angeles, set the ambitious goal of operational carbon neutrality by the year 2040. To assist California …

Full Issue

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change, 2022, Volume 2.

The Potential Of Digestate As A Fertilizer, Helena Karlstrom

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

This project will review the use of digestate byproducts from anaerobic digestion as fertilizer for agricultural use.

New Pollinator Garden On Athens Campus, Lily Schaefer

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

The implementation of a new pollinator-oriented garden with native plant species will help foster pollinator species in the area

Confetti That Cares: Removing Harmful Pollution From Ohio's Athens Campus, Era Bakia

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

I campaigned to remove polluting confetti from campus. I created a biodegradable alternative and conducted event outreach.

Exploring Perspectives On Nature-Based Early Childhood Education: A Comparative Analysis Of Educators And Families, Rachel Schaller

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Schaller, R. (2023). Exploring Perspectives on Nature-Based Early Childhood Education: A Comparative Analysis of Educators and Families. Nature-based early childhood education programs have become an innovative approach to comprehensive child development. This research investigates the development of curricula and policy in nature-based programs, focusing on aligning educators' and families' needs and preferences. The primary objective is to explore the attitudes and opinions of families enrolling their children in environmental education early childhood programs, comparing these perspectives with those of the educators and administrators responsible for program design. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing survey research with a combination of …

To What Extent Do Existing Nature-Based Lesson Plans For Outdoor Learning Experiences In The Great Lakes Area Align To A Nature-Based Sense Of Place Framework?, Courtney Deavours

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This paper explores the question To what extent do existing nature-based lesson plans for outdoor learning experiences in the Great Lakes region align to a nature-based sense of place framework? Sense of place includes place meaning and place attachment that must be developed through experience. Chapter two explores nature-based experiences with examples from environmental education to help illustrate a sense of place development in action. The literature review further investigates current understandings of sense of place and current best practices for developing outdoor, nature-based, environmental experiences. The Sense of Place framework developed by Mathews et al. (2020) was used to …

Nature’S Classroom: Designing A Practical Environmental Education Curriculum, Kendra Karwacki

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The world is currently facing a plethora of environmental catastrophes, and environmental education is a crucial tool for addressing this crisis. Environmental education (EE) programs, when included in formal primary schools, have been shown to create positive environmental changes and improve students’ academic performance, social-emotional learning, and physical health. However, teachers often face various barriers that impede their ability to implement EE programs in schools. This capstone combines three models for EE - place-based education, nature journaling, and community partnerships to address these barriers. The research question driving this project is: What factors do informal educators need to consider when …

Whale Watching In Early Childhood, Victoria Anderson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Whale watching (WW) is a growing business in the ecotourism industry. Two main goals of this industry is to support local conservation efforts and increase pro-environmental behaviors by altering participant environmental attitudes and beliefs. This capstone answers the research question: How can whale watching experiences contribute to the conservation efforts of ecotourism, educate youth on the importance of whales, and enhance the human-nature connection during early childhood? Research concludes that education plays a vital role in affecting participant environmental attitudes and beliefs. In addition to providing unique experiences to observe whales in their natural habitat, whale watching companies also have …

Using Citizen Science To Create Meaningful Learning Experiences And Enhance The Learning Of Science For Second Grade Students, Rebecca Barton

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Citizen science is a new and growing field of research that brings about new knowledge and understanding through the collaboration of citizens in scientific research. As citizen science continues to grow, it is essential to consider its potential to encourage education and learning opportunities. The capstone focuses on answering the question: How can citizen science create meaningful learning experiences and enhance the learning of science for second grade students? Participation in citizen science projects can assist in developing science literacy, enhance learning, increase interest in science, increase understanding of the scientific process, and connect students with the world around them. …

Utilizing A School Garden To Promote Ecoliteracy In Elementary Aged Children, Kelsie Murphy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Environmental education is a key component to building ecoliteracy in childhood. Due to the current climate crisis, developing a sense of ecoliteracy in the next generation is essential to slowing the effects of climate change. When students are given the opportunity to interact with nature on a regular basis, the connection between humans and their environment becomes that much stronger. Unfortunately, in the current public education system, little to no importance is placed on teaching science, let alone environmental science. A school garden offers an opportunity to provide students with more outdoor learning opportunities. This capstone uses a combination of …

Correlations Between Outdoor Recreation And Environmental Awareness In Participants With Various Ages, Cultures, And Abilities, Jackie Murphy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In this project, the focus is on the correlations between outdoor recreation and environmental awareness in participants of various ages, cultures, and abilities. Presenting an opportunity to create a forum through a podcast that shares best practices from experts for people who engage in outdoor recreation as a leisure activity and newcomers to the outdoors. The literature review outlines the Leave No Trace environmental principles as it relates to the question of How can outdoor organizations boost their environmental education outreach using Leave No Trace principles accessible to all ages, cultures, and abilities? This project aims to create accessible information …

The Use Of Universal Design For Better Inclusion Of People Who Are Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Or Have Other Invisible Disabilities In Environmental Education, Magill Schumm

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

There are specific auditory and programmatic challenges outdoor and environmental education face due to the realities of non-formal outdoor teaching. While there are often adapted programs for specific disability groups, these challenges can prevent people with invisible disabilities from being fully included in both adapted and non-adapted programs. This capstone sought to answer the question: How can Universal Design be used to create more inclusive environmental education for people who are deaf/hard of hearing and students with other invisible disabilities? The tenets of Universal Design for Learning are offering multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means …

Increasing High School Students’ Environmental And Scientific Literacies Through Outdoor Investigations, Mack Mowen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Getting out of the classroom can be some of the most memorable and rewarding experiences for students. As an AP Environmental Science teacher, I began thinking of ways students can perform outdoor investigations while increasing their environmental literacy. The research question I posed for this project is: how can high school science teachers improve students’ environmental and scientific literacy and help them understand their environmental impact through outdoor investigations? After researching different techniques and ideas, I decided on creating three different outdoor investigations that focus on three different systems of Earth. The first investigation focuses on water; students will be …

Permaculture Curriculum For Public School Children In The United States, Nichole Ross

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Humans have created an environmental crisis on this planet that our children will have to deal with as its future caretakers. Unfortunately, we are not preparing them for this role. Research shows that children are spending too much time indoors, resulting in a disconnection from nature known as nature deficit disorder. In addition, we are not providing children with the sustainable design skills they will need to survive in uncertain times. Permaculture is a sustainable design science that can be used to teach children about sustainability and help connect them to nature. The public school system can reach the most …

An Educator's Guide To Expanding Accessibility To Nature Connections In Traditional Early Childhood Education, Olivia Romanello

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Over the last few decades, nature-based education has increased greatly in popularity across the United States. With its many developmental benefits, nature-based preschools have been an important hub to this movement. Children attending these schools are afforded many critical experiences that aid in their growth and development; gross-motor & social emotional skills, greater attentional capacity, and expanded creativity and critical thinking. This popular pedagogy has, however, not been equally accessible to all. With its many barriers, including but not limited to financial, this capstone uses an educator's guide to help answer the question: How can traditional Early Childhood Education programs …

Consumo Verde ¿Para Quién?: Las Tierras, Cosmovisiones, Y Personas Escondidas Detrás De La Fiebre Del Oro Blanco / Green Consumption, For Who?: The Lands, World Views, And People Hidden Behind The White Gold Rush., Gabriel Gómez

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La “Transición energética” a consumo verde ha sido reconocida globalmente como el camino necesario para evitar lo peor de la crisis climática, pero es una solución que depende en un aumento del litio. La manera más usada para extraer el litio genera impactos destructivos en los ambientes que contienen el recurso, y en Sudamérica, donde los habitantes son mayormente indígena. Usando las comunidades de Salinas Grandes y Laguna de Guayatayoc en Jujuy, Argentina como un caso práctico, este proyecto propone analizar cómo el discurso hegemónico del consumo verde invisibiliza a gente indígena, y cómo estas comunidades resisten entendimientos occidentales y …

Application Of The Hvsr Technique To Map The Depth And Elevation Of The Bedrock Underlying Wright State University Campus, Dayton, Ohio, Devika L. Ghuge

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Estimating sediment thickness and bedrock surface geometry is critical for many hydrogeologic studies. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR), a passive seismic method is a unique, non-invasive technique for speedily estimating bedrock depth. To record ambient seismic noise, the H/V method employs a single broadband three-component seismometer. A field assessment was conducted on the Wright State University Campus in Dayton, Ohio, to determine the depth (z) and elevation of the bedrock. Data were collected at 60 different locations. A known value for the depth of bedrock on campus was determined using the log from a local water well available from the …

Effects Of Phosphorus-Binding Agents On Nutrient Dynamics And A Planktothrix Bloom In A Shallow, Semi-Enclosed Lake Area, Joseph Lee Davidson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Grand Lake St. Marys is the largest (52 km2) inland lake in Ohio, USA, and receives high nutrient loadings (90th percentile for total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in the USA) from a watershed dominated by agricultural row-crops and livestock production. Eutrophication has led to cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, dominated by non-N2 fixing Planktothrix, that persist year-round, including in winter months. In summer 2020 and 2021, multiple treatments using P-binding agents within a 3.5 ha swimming enclosure were conducted to remove excess dissolved P from the water column. The objective of this study was to examine pre-and-post treatment biogeochemical …