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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.

Identification Of Stormwater Pollution Hotspots In Charleston Peninsula, Ashleigh Kirker, Vijay M. Vulava

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

Flooding is of great concern in fast-growing coastal communities, especially in the southeastern US, due to multiplying threats such as extreme precipitation, coastal storms, and rising sea levels. Contamination associated with stormwater runoff is often given less attention during stormwater planning and management decisions. The US EPA has long recognized that stormwater runoff is the biggest contributor to the impairment of water bodies in the US. In this study, we studied stormwater runoff contamination in a densely developed section of downtown Charleston, South Carolina, to better understand the extent of the problem and identify potential hotspots that could aid in …

“I Won’T Use The Term Dumbing It Down, But You Have To Take The Scientific Jargon Out”: A Qualitative Study Of Environmental Health Partners’ Communication Practices And Needs, Katya Altman, Brooks Yelton, Hildehardo F. Viado, Margaret A. Carson, Louisa Schandera, R. Heath Kelsey, Dwayne E. Porter, Daniela B. Friedman

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

Effective research translation and science communication are necessary for successful implementation of water resources management initiatives. This entails active involvement of stakeholders through collaborative partnerships and knowledge-sharing practices. To follow up a recent study with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)–funded Center for Oceans and Human Health and Climate Change Interactions (OHHC2I) project investigators, the center’s Community Engagement Core (CEC) documented center partners’ science communication practices and needs to inform a collaborative training and improve investigator-partner bidirectional communication. Thirteen (13) individuals participated in 10 semi-structured qualitative interviews focused on their research translation needs, science communication and dissemination tactics, …

Designing Neighborhood-Scale Green Infrastructure (Gi) To Improve The Health And Well-Being Of Industry-Adjacent Communities Through Air Pollution Mitigation In Joppa, Texas, Lauren Wardwell

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses - Archive

Ambient outdoor air pollution kills roughly 4.2 million people every year worldwide and is linked as a contributing factor to diseases such as asthma, cancer, infertility, and neurological disorders. In the United States, minority communities are more likely to live near sources of air pollution, such as highways and industrial sites, and therefore face higher risks of developing the associated health difficulties. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), people of color (POC) are exposed to disproportionately higher levels of ambient fine particulate matter (PM) air pollution, regardless of income levels or region. While the EPA monitors and enforces outdoor …

Marine Debris In The Bering Sea: Combining Historical Records, Toxicology, And Local Knowledge To Assess Impacts And Identify Solutions, Veronica M. Padula

Fisheries

Marine debris, particularly plastic marine debris, has numerous impacts on the environment, wildlife, and human communities. This research examines dimensions of marine debris in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Alaska, including impacts of marine debris pollution on wildlife and the environment; the history of marine debris research, monitoring, and cleanup activities; and community perspectives on local to global solutions. The first chapter of this dissertation is an integrative literature review to better understand the current status of marine debris knowledge in the Bering Sea region and identify critical knowledge gaps. We synthesized the depth and breadth of research, monitoring, …

The Legacy Of Redlining: A Geospatial Analysis Of Environmental Burdens In Portland, Oregon, Warren Louis Gunn, Meenakshi Rao

University Honors Theses

Historically-redlined neighborhoods across the metropolitan United States -- most often socioeconomically disadvantaged communities of color -- have been shown in multiple studies to be disproportionately affected by environmental burdens, having greater exposure to air, water, and ground pollution as well as being subject to the "urban heat island" effect, among other disparities. Studies into the continuing environmental inequity present in these communities in Portland, Oregon specifically have addressed this phenomenon, finding that these neighborhoods are 8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer on average than their wealthier and (mostly) whiter counterparts, in large part due to a lack of green spaces and tree …

What Do Prophets Have To Say About Poisoned Water? A Latina Reflection On Racial Ecojustice In The Flint Water Crisis, Ahida Calderón Pilarski

Journal of Hispanic / Latino Theology

No abstract provided.

Saving Salt City: Fighting Inequality Through Policy And Activism In Syracuse, Ny, 1955-1975, Scarlett Nicole Rebman

Dissertations - ALL

"Saving Salt City: Fighting Inequality through Policy and Activism in Syracuse, NY, 1955-1975" offers an in-depth exploration of civil rights and antipoverty struggles in the Salt City between 1955 and 1975. It centers the agency of activists who built interracial and cross-class organizations through which they contested the marginalization and segregation of Black Syracusans. By examining the struggles around major issues including education, housing, police brutality, employment, and a broader vision of economic justice, "Saving Salt City" documents the alternative visions and unrealized agendas for change generated by citizens in Northern urban spaces. This project recovers Syracuse's legacy as a …

The Relationship Between Urban Heat Islands And Redline Districts, Emily Cornwell

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

As climate change worsens and the world attempts to find solutions to global changes, it is important to identify how climate change will affect individual communities. Climate resilience tactics aim to protect vulnerable populations against environmental harms, such as excess heat. Historically, communities of color face forms of environmental racism. One example of structural racism includes the loans given out by the Home Owners Loan Corporation during the 1940s which “redlined” certain communities of color by refusing to give these neighborhoods loans and rated these areas undesirable for loaners. Urban heat islands occur in residential, densely populated areas with lots …

Injustice Against Women In A Social Forestry Program: Case Studies From Two Indonesian Villages, Dadang Anugrah, Andi Vika Faradiba Muin, Irlan Irlan, Muhammad Agung Tomasina, Nurul Azila, Nurhady Sirimorok, Novaty Eny Dungga, Syamsu Alam

Forest and Society

Social forestry programs, aimed to reduce poverty in forest communities while maintaining the forest function, are increasingly incorporating gender issues and responsiveness. By design, social forestry program is supposed to promote justice and equality for forest users, but on the ground discriminatory practices against women are occurring. Drawing case study from two Indonesian villages, this study examined the extent of discrimination against women in the implementation of the state social forestry programs. In-depth interviews, observations, and focused group discussions were conducted to collect the data from the villages to analyze the extent of discriminatory practices by using a social justice …

Nongovernmental Organizations As Interest Groups And Their Roles In Policy Processes: Insights From Indonesian Forest And Environmental Governance, Dwi Laraswati, Max Krott, Emma Soraya, Sari Rahayu, Micah R. Fisher, Lukas Giessen, Ahmad Maryudi

Forest and Society

The traditional conceptions and claims of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have profiled NGOs as civil society representatives and as benevolent philanthropic actors of development in the Global South. However, recent phenomena indicate NGOs often acting in opposition to their benevolent claims. This study attempts to move away from the normative concepts of NGOs and develop an analytical framework fitted with the current empirics in environmental governance. Using theories of organized interest groups in a democratic political system, we analyze the extent of NGOs fulfilling their roles as organized interest groups (OIGs), where they should take roles representing the interests of particular …

Climate Change And Community Health: Heat Waves, Yhari Martinez

Climate Change and Public Health Preparedness

No abstract provided.

Frameworks Used To Measure The Societal Influences & Effectiveness Of Impact Investing, Mya E. Baptiste

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The purpose of this thesis is to learn how capital generates positive returns for society through impact investing. I address the different forms of impact investments along the spectrum and examples of companies that are grouped into each category. Afterward, I highlight the various pre-existing frameworks being used by the industry to properly measure their social returns and then provide insight into my personal experience working with Citigroup, Inc. Impact Fund. This paper includes an empirical study to address my hypothesis that companies who invest in producing social returns receive a positive impact on their financials. It was concluded that …

Recovery From Minor Tropical Cyclones: The Response Of Faith-Based Organizations And Government Agencies To Minor Tropical Cyclones In Biloxi, Mississippi, Camilla Witherspoon

Master's Theses

The impacts of major hurricanes are extensively researched in Disaster Resilience literature and the field of Human Geography; in contrast, the aftermath of minor tropical cyclones is understudied. Along the Gulf Coast in 2020 and 2021, more minor tropical cyclones made landfall then major hurricanes (NOAA, 2021). Despite the frequency of minor tropical cyclones, few studies have considered the resources and actors involved in recovery from minor tropical cyclones.

This thesis uses qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews and document collection, to examine how Faith-based Organization (FBO) and government agency leaders in Biloxi, Mississippi provide resources to residents, interact with each …

Just Water Transitions At The End Of Sugar In Maui, Hawai'i, Chris Knudson, Alida Cantor, Kelly Kay

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

In December 2016, Hawai‘i saw its last sugar harvest on a 36,000-acre plantation in Maui. In the preceding decades, Native Hawaiians had struggled to regain their water rights from a failing sugar industry that had dewatered the island's streams for centuries. Now, with the end of sugar, Native Hawaiian and environmental groups are working to restore traditional practices and diversified agriculture—goals which hinge upon changing water management practices and rewatering Maui's streams. In this paper we combine frameworks from the water justice literature with a just transitions framework typically applied to energy landscapes in order to examine ‘just water transitions’ …

Beauty And The Beast: Plastic Pollution In The Personal Care And Cosmetics Industry, Olivia Frantzeskos

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the history of plastic in the beauty and cosmetics industry, and how this toxic material is irreparably harming our ecosystems resulting from nonrecyclable packaging and a lack of microplastic management. Properly managing harmful plastics found in personal care and cosmetics products (PCCPs) is essential for minimizing toxic wastewater in raw sewage, landfills, and the ocean, as discussed in reports such as “Plastics in Cosmetics” by the UNEP. Furthermore, this paper presents an argument for why the personal care and cosmetics industry should be included in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which gives the EPA authority to …

Controlling The Contamination: Preventing Environmental Impacts Of Combined Sewage Overflows In Nyc, Samiur R. Turjja

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the role and effectiveness of Water Pollution Control Plants (WPCPs) in remediating the negative environmental impacts caused by the release of raw sewage in NYC waterways. As global climate patterns shift and storms become more prevalent in coastal cities, the probability of flooding and consequently combined sewage overflows (CSOs) increases. This paper investigates the long-term environmental impacts of untreated wastewater caused by CSOs on two NYC water bodies with similar ecological and historical functions. Chapter 1 utilizes ecological and quantitative data from various sources such as the findings of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) …

A Woman’S Place Is In The Resistance: An Ecofeminist Response To Climate Change, Olivia Johnson

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the unique impacts of climate change on women and gender diverse people throughout the world, and seeks to move beyond identifying them solely as victims by instead focusing on their dynamic role in environmental activism while addressing the need for a gendered approach to climate policy. The inclusion of gender is often absent in much of environmental literature, which leaves women’s experience of climate change unseen and unaddressed. Beginning with a case study of the Indigenous women of Standing Rock and their battle against the Dakota Access Pipeline, this paper seeks to understand the critical involvement of …

The Colonial Legacy Of Public Lands: Exploring Extractivism In The Bears Ears Region, Josephine W. Cohen

Student Theses 2015-Present

As the colonial ideals that underscore the United States’ founding have bled into modern environmental policy, Indigenous communities have continued to be disenfranchised from and systematically oppressed through the creation, protection, and management of public lands. This, in turn, has manifested as vast human rights abuses through methods of cultural and physical genocide. This thesis examines the role extractivism and land grabs on public lands play in violating the basic human rights of many Indigenous populations, using the case study of extractivism on Bears Ears National Monument as a guiding framework. Chapter 1 provides an overview of public lands and …

Surviving Future Pandemics: The Economic, Social, And Political Battle Against Climate Change And Infectious Diseases, Dayana Gonzalez

Student Theses 2015-Present

COVID-19 has been a rude wake-up call as it showed us how unprepared we are to fight off infectious diseases. This paper analyzes our political, social, and economic decisions to develop a plan against the future development of infectious diseases. Before the analysis, it is essential to understand that it is natural for infectious diseases to develop and spread; however, climate change has and will continue to exacerbate the number of diseases developed and spread. Chapter 1 provides data on how climate change has destroyed habitats and displaced millions of animals, forcing them to live under cramped conditions that have …

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

No abstract provided.

Teaching & Learning Guide For Disability And Climate Justice, Molly M. King, Maria A. Gregg, Ana V. Martinez, Emily Y. Pachoud

Sociology

Disability is widespread: nearly one in four Americans has a disability (Taylor, 2018) and disability cuts across demographic categories. Among individuals aged 15 and over, 12.6% had some type of mobility disability; above age 65, it is nearly 40% (Brault, 2012). Mobility disabilities heighten vulnerability to climate change and climate-related disasters (UNHCHR, 2020). Reduced information resources and mobility, increased health risks, and a lack of visibility in climate change discourse put people with disabilities in a more vulnerable position in the climate crisis. However, this vulnerability can be mitigated through relevant and sufficient access to information, risk mitigation …

Foodways In Chile: A Bridge Back To Nature, Kayla Weiss

Capstone Collection

As the area of food studies continues to develop and evolve it has been recognized that, not only is food a necessity to life, but it is uniquely tied to understanding culture, history, and other aspects of a society. This study arose from recognizing this influence and importance and I took the opportunity to better understand how Birchwood College might be an optimal site for a short-term study abroad program based in food studies. I conducted a needs assessment through landscape research, surveying students, and interviewing food studies faculty and international educators at Birchwood College. The research findings offered insights …