Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Geography And Law: Toward A Synthesis, Michaela Anang-Hadjicostandi, Sophia Borgias, Karrigan Börk, Ann M. Eisenberg, Guadalupe M. Franco, Cinnamon Carlarne Hirokawa, Keith H. Hirokawa, Jonathan London, Melinda Morgan, Jessica Owley, Shannon Roesler, Sonya Ziaja

Articles

This Article introduces the new interdisciplinary field of Environmental Geography and Law, which has deep roots in ecology, social science, and law. Environmental and natural resources laws are situated in specific times and places where the climate, ecosystems, history and political economy influence both the land and the law. These places drive and constrain the way law develops. In turn, the law shapes places, from the dispossession and forced migration of indigenous groups, to land development via railroad land grants, to patterns of resource extraction and infrastructure development. Past efforts to integrate law and geography have focused more on critical …

Decarbonising Digital Infrastructure And Urban Sustainability In The Case Of Data Centres, Felicia H. M. Liu, Karen P. Y. Lai, Bertrand Seah, Winston T. L. Chow

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This paper critically assesses the complex interplay between urban transitions of digitisation and sustainability. Building on a mixed-method research design, we unpack the challenges of decarbonising digital infrastructure while attending to urban sustainability goals in a land- and water-scarce country facing significant physical climate risks. We identify transferrable lessons on the economic, technological, and environmental synergies and trade-offs behind data centre development and argue that stewarding the global data centre sector towards sustainability requires an ecosystem-wide approach. We identify implementation gaps across five key dimensions: technological innovation, policy and regulation, finance, infrastructure, and people. We find that the progress and …

Bridging Climatology And Energy: Understanding Michigan’S Wind Speeds For A Sustainable Future, Carson Evans

Masters Theses

This study investigates Michigan wind speeds by combining climatology with wind energy, identifying wind drivers and applying them to wind farm infrastructure. Using eXtreme Gradient BOOSTing (XGBoost), this thesis develops a highly accurate predictive model for wind speeds. Coupled with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis, it is found that proximity to the nearest Great Lake is the ultimate influencer of wind speeds, followed by local environmental variables and finally remote climate phenomena. Other analyses find wind speeds are greatest near the Great Lakes and during fall and winter, while inland summer wind speeds were lowest. Wind energy infrastructure is assessed …

The Utah Statesman, March 31, 2025, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Geo-Ai For Wetland Classification And Evolutionary Analysis, Lirong Yin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Wetlands, as a crucial component of the Earth's ecosystem, play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and preserving biodiversity. However, wetlands are currently facing severe challenges, as both natural and human-induced factors are contributing to their global degradation. Gaining a deep understanding of the species composition and biodiversity within wetland-covered areas and accurately analyzing their changing trends not only helps assess the current and future state of wetlands but also provides strong support for the formulation of scientifically sound wetland conservation strategies. In recent years, the rapid development of geospatial intelligence and remote sensing technologies has brought new opportunities …

Enforcement Activities And Profiling Techniques Of Wildlife Rangers In Nigeria's Lowland Forest Reserves: A Mixed-Methods Study On Wildlife Law Transgressions, Norris I. Erhabor, Gloria Aimien Erhabor

Journal of Bioresource Management

This mixed-methods study investigates the enforcement activities and profiling techniques employed by wildlife rangers in Nigeria's lowland forest reserves to address wildlife law transgressions. The research integrates enforcement strategies, socio-economic factors, community involvement, and governance structures to evaluate the effectiveness of ranger activities. Data collection was conducted in the Omo Biosphere Reserve, Gele Gele Forest Reserve, and Okomu National Park, utilizing both primary and secondary sources, including interviews with 24 wildlife rangers. Key findings reveal that unauthorized entry, possession of specific tools, and suspicious behaviors are primary indicators used by rangers to identify potential law violators. Poaching activities predominantly occur …

Volume 21 Complete Issue, Robert M. Ward

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 21 Complete Issue

The St. Clair River Delta A Unique Lake Delta*, C. Nicholas Raphael, Eugene Jaworski

The Geographical Bulletin

Because of long-term and shortterm lake level changes, the geomorphology and vegetation patterns of the St. Clair River delta are unique. Marine delta studies and Late Quaternary chronology in the Great Lakes have progressed significantly in the past decade and the delta is investigated from the viewpoint of these developments. Although this delta has a shape similar to the Mississippi River delta, several forms and processes are different.

Peter Maurin As The New St. Benedict: A Review Essay, William J. Collinge

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Toward Integral Security: How Environmental Protection Was Incorporated Into The United Nations System And Why It Matters Today And Tomorrow, Patricia M. Mische

The Journal of Social Encounters

How did the United Nations - an international organization built on 19^th century worldviews and state-centric structures, integrate 21^st century challenges of environmental protection into its mission and programs? The UN Charter includes no mandate for environmental protection. Ecological integrity was not included in the scope of peace and security held by member states when they ratified the UN Charter. Yet, despite this and other historical, philosophical and structural limitations, the UN became the leading body for the development of global environmental policy.

University Expands Environmental Studies Program With New Major, Jordan Karnbach

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss - The University of Mississippi is set to launch a new degree program in environmental studies this fall, offering a comprehensive understanding of environmental issues from multiple perspectives.

Integrating Islamic Education With Environmental Programs: Strategies For Sustainable Character Development At Sman 2 And 7 Malang Indonesia, Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, Ali Murfi, Ahmad Fauzi, Basri Basri

The Qualitative Report

This study aims to investigate the integration of Islamic education into environmental programs at State High Schools 2 and 7 Malang (SMAN 2 and 7). Addressing the environmental crisis in Indonesia, it focuses on how religious education can foster environmental consciousness and character development in students, contributing to sustainable education practices. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of the integration of Islamic education and environmental programs at SMAN 2 and 7. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, including principals, vice principals, teachers, staff, and students. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, observations of school activities, …

Volume 27 Complete Issue, Robert M. Ward

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 27 Complete Issue

The Nowruz Oil Spill In The Arabian Gulf: Case Study Of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah S. Ai-Amirah

The Geographical Bulletin

The Arabian Gulf has suffered from hundreds of oil spills, some of them reported but most unreported. In many cases the amounts of the spills and their causes are usually undetermined. During 1978-1979, tanker captains reported to the Japan Oceanographic Data Center about 412 oil slicks in the Gulf and its approaches.' Table 1 shows major oil spills exceeding 3,000 barrels which occurred between August, 1980, and August, 1982. Although these are relatively current, it should be noted that other significant oil spills have occurred since oil was discovered in the region by Iran in 1908.

The Regulatory Triad: Reimagining Environmental Law In The Post-Chevron Era, Shai Stern, Itay Biton

Villanova Environmental Law Journal (1991 - )

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, March 27, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 28

Inferences Of Source Lithologies For Chicxulub Microtektites Using A Bayesian Approach, Jack Carter, Paolo Sanchez, Anthony J. Fuentes, Paul R. Renne, Dale H. Burns, Hermann D. Bermúdez

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Chicxulub impact on the Yucatán Peninsula at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (KPB) was a likely contributor to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. Glassy objects produced by quenched melt from the impact were distributed over a large region centered on the Caribbean basin and have long been known to preserve compositional information that could allow for more robust constraints on the pre-impact target lithologies. The Chicxulub-derived glasses are generally altered in most localities, but a recently discovered deposit at Gorgonilla Island, Colombia, yields a large percentage of unaltered glassy microtektites up to ∼2 mm (There is inconsistent usage of these terms in …

Fs Transcript 2025-03-26, Northern Illinois University

Faculty Senate Archives

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Extreme Rainfall Days On The Welfare Of Households In The Formal And Informal Sectors, Majah-Leah V. Ravago, Gerald Gracius Y. Pascua, Loubill Dayne Aceron, Emilio Gozo, Faye Cruz, Gemma T. Narisma

Economics Department Faculty Publications

We differentiate the impact of extreme weather shocks on the welfare of the formal and informal sectors by utilizing nationally representative household survey data from the Philippines. We deviated from the typical measure of extreme tails of normalized rainfall values using normal distribution and instead used a novel measure of extreme rainfall from satellite-derived data. We estimate the vulnerability of households using an endogenous switching regression model to account for the heterogeneity in the decision to be in either sector. We find evidence that households’ welfare is adversely affected by extreme rainfall days, but the negative impact is bigger on …

Chimes: March 24, 2025, Calvin University

Chimes

Knollcrest closes indefinitely, Commons offers new "all-day dining" experience by Addy Offutt

Budgets, diversity, and the future of scholarships and financial aid at Calvin by Ethan Meyers & Sarah Sparling

Service-learning trips return to Calvin by Steven Stachowiak

New statement on sustainability reinforces faith-based commitment to sustainability by Rueben Kok

"I had something else to say": Beth Allison Barr on her new book, Becoming the Pastor's Wife by Natasha Jayaputra

From unknows to icons: The stories that define March Madness by Zach Kerns

Fossil Leaf Cuticle: Best Practices For Preparation And Paleo-Co2 Analysis, Xiaoqing Zhang, Dana L. Royer, Carina E. Colombi, Juan Martin Drovandi, Jennifer C. Mcelwain, Gaëtan Guignard, Qin Leng, Barry H. Lomax, Nathan D. Sheldon, Rebekah A. Stein, Garland R. Upchurch, Yongdong Wang, Hong Yang, Richard S. Barclay, Ying Cui, Wolfram Kürschner, Joseph N. Milligan, Isabel Montañez, Jon D. Richey, Tammo Reichgelt, Gongle Shi, Selena Y. Smith, Margret Steinthorsdottir

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department Faculty Journal Articles

Leaf cuticle is the waxy envelope that protects leaves from desiccation, UV damage, and abrasion. The cuticle encodes information about a plant's chemistry and leaf epidermal and stomatal cell morphology. Fossil leaf cuticle has been used to determine taxonomic affinities for almost two centuries and recognized in recent decades for its value in reconstructing paleoenvironments and paleoclimates, especially atmospheric CO2. Fossil leaf cuticle preparation techniques are typically reported as single workflows tied to individual studies, starting with finding fossils in the field through the steps of preparing cuticle for chemical and morphological analysis, including decisions about type of microscopy and …

Soft Law, Activism, And Climate Displacement: Rethinking International Protections For The Environmentally Displaced, Guljannat Huseynli, Andrea G. Brown

Graduate Research Conference (GSIS)

Climate change is displacing millions of people globally, yet those forced to migrate due to environmental factors remain unprotected under existing international refugee law. This paper argues that legal recognition for climate refugees can emerge not through immediate treaty reform but through the evolution of soft law and norm creation. Drawing on constructivist theory, it examines how activism, international organizations, and legal precedents contribute to shifting global norms. Through case studies such as Ioane Teitiota v. New Zealand and the Fridays for Future movement, the paper shows how strategic litigation and advocacy can build momentum for future legal protections. It …

Peter Schickel Way Design And Construction Lessons Learned, Wing Lau

Purdue Road School

This presentation will unpack the planning, design, and construction challenges experienced during the conclusion of the Peter Schickel Way in Harrison County, Indiana. Attendees will learn about the history of the project, the significance of regional connection and economic development, design challenges, environmental and geotechnical impacts, maintenance of the traffic scheme, and other major challenges that were overcome to make this a successful project.

Magis Volume 3 Entire Volume, Editors Of Magis

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

No abstract provided.

Special Delivery Of Proteinaceous Matter To Deep-Sea Microbes, Yuan Shen, Ronald Benner, Taylor A.B. Broek, Brett D. Walker, Matthew D. Mccarthy

Faculty Publications

Earth’s deep ocean holds a vast reservoir of dissolved organic carbon, traditionally considered old and resistant to microbial degradation. Radiocarbon analyses indicate the hidden occurrence of younger dissolved organic carbon components, assumed to be accessible to deep-sea microorganisms but not yet demonstrated. Using compound-class radiocarbon analysis, molecular characterization, and bioassay experiments, we provide direct evidence for rapid microbial utilization of young, labile, high–molecular weight proteinaceous material in bathypelagic waters. The abundance of labile proteinaceous material diminishes from epipelagic to mesopelagic waters but notably increases in bathypelagic waters, where it exhibits a short turnover time (days) and resembles surface plankton in …

Firm Selection And Growth In Carbon Offset Markets: Evidence From The Clean Development Mechanism, Qiaoyi Chen, Nicholas Ryan, Daniel Yi Xu

Discussion Papers

We study carbon offsets sold by firms in China under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). We find that offset-selling firms, meant to cut carbon emissions, instead increase them by 49% after starting an offset project. In a model of firm investment decisions and offset review, we estimate that CDM firms increase emissions due to both the selection of higher-growth firms into projects (35 pp) and because offset projects themselves boost firm growth and therefore emissions (14 pp). The CDM reduces global surplus by causing damages from increased emissions four times greater than private gains from trade in the offset market.

The Daily Gamecock: March 2025, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

2025

No abstract provided.

After A Late Winter Rain, Todd Davis

Appalachia

No abstract provided.

Designing Field Courses To Teach Few Concepts Effectively, Eunice L. Blavascunas

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

How do students learn complex systems FEW concepts in field courses? An overview of field-course practices in the Yakima Valley of Washington State.

An Integrated Framework For Food-Energy-Water-Nexus Education And Educational Research, Hannah Scherer, Doug Lombardi

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

Our study centers the perspective of practitioners to define and describe FEW-Nexus-based education, identify and describe challenges with FEW-Nexus-based education, and ideate how education research can generate new knowledge to address these challenges. Using artifacts from FEW-Nexus education workshops and existing literature, we developed an integrated framework that can inform both educational practice and educational research. The framework includes ontological (thoughts about the socio-ecological systems aspects of the FEW-Nexus) and epistemological (thoughts about education and educational research of the FEW-Nexus) dimensions. We will next use this framework to probe more deeply into participants’ responses using thematic content analysis.