Digital Commons Network^™

One Step At A Time: Duquesne University's Ninth Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Gabriella Zuccolotto, Brianna Marks

Duquesne University Greenhouse Gas Inventories

The ninth greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory was conducted for fiscal year 2021 (FY21), which began on July 1, 2020 and ended on June 30, 2021. Assembled by graduate assistants Gabriella Zuccolotto and Brianna Marks at the Center for Environmental Research and Education (CERE), these findings were compared with those derived from the previous inventories to assess trends in Duquesne University’s GHG emissions. Furthermore, this inventory discusses options for reducing Duquesne’s carbon footprint in future years.

Duquesne University’s total GHG emissions were 41,562.40 MT eCO2 for FY21. After calculating the full-time student equivalent and the full-time faculty/staff equivalents, SIMAP was …

The 'Healthy Parks-Healthy People' Movement In Canada: Progress, Challenges, And An Emerging Knowledge And Action Agenda, Christopher J. Lemieux, Mark W. Groulx, Rachel T. Buxton, Catherine E. Reining, Clara-Jane (C.J.) Blye, Nadha Hassen, Sara-Lynn (Penina) Harding, Elizabeth A. Halpenny, Melissa Lem, Sonya L. Jakubec, Pamela Wright, Tonay Makletzoff, Mara Kerry, Karen Keenleyside, Pascale Salah Van Der Leest, Jill Bueddenfeld, Raynald (Harvey) Lemelin, Don Carruthers Den Hoed, Brad Steinberg, Rike Moon, Jacqueline Scott, Zahrah Khan, Dawn Carr, Lisa Mclaughlin, Richard Krehbiel

Geography and Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

In this article, we outline progress and challenges in establishing effective health promotion tied to visitor experiences provided by protected and conserved areas in Canada. Despite an expanding global evidence base, case studies focused on aspects of health and well-being within Canada’s protected and conserved areas remain limited. Data pertaining to motivations, barriers and experiences of visitors are often not collected by governing agencies and, if collected, are not made generally available or reported on. There is an obvious, large gap in research and action focused on the needs and rights of groups facing systemic barriers related to a variety …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Restorative Justice Rehabilitative Services Available In Northeast Tennessee For Mothers Diagnosed With Substance Use Disorder, Claire Roberson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) has plagued families of rural Appalachia for many years, perpetuating involvement in the criminal justice system as well as generational trauma for people diagnosed with SUD and their children. This points to the necessity of a trauma-informed, restorative-justice based framework for rehabilitative services to most effectively heal families, address trauma, and re-integrate people diagnosed with SUD into society. A restorative justice-based program would provide health care services for addiction and any comorbid mental health disorders as well as teach parents how to properly provide for themselves and their families, manage finances, obtain employment, and further education. …

Care, Job Guarantee, And Revisiting “Socialization Of Investment”: Insights From Institutional Economics, Zdravka Todorova

Economics Faculty Publications

The paper discusses commitment to full employment in light of institutional theory and offers a renewed examination of Keynes’s "socialization of investment" concept. The discussion builds on Veblen's theory of human development, predation, and capitalism. It highlights contemporary institutional inquiry in a discussion of ongoing issues of care and social disparities. Based on this, the article formulates problems for a broader inquiry about socialization of investment. The article provides insights about Job Guarantee based on original institutional economics concepts.

Proposal For Uta-Downtown Arlington Bike Network, Anna Laura Harmjanz

2022 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Bicycling offers great benefits for cities including sustainable, efficient, and affordable transportation, improved health and wellness, and creating vibrant communities. Universities offer a good starting point for young adults to form sustainable transportation habits. This study explores how the University of Texas at Arlington’s community perceives existing bike infrastructure, services, and amenities on campus and off-campus to create a well-connected and safe bike network. An online survey was used to collect feedback from students and employees on commuting patterns, cycling experience and barriers, perceived safety on various bike facilities, and suggestions. Based on survey responses, a bike network analysis was …

A Story Of The Social Life Of Yulupa Cohousing, Kayla Ho

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This capstone is a study of the lived social experience of one cohousing community. Cohousing communities are designed with the intention of fostering a community with a mixture of privately-owned units and publicly shared spaces and responsibilities. The study is conducted at a significant point in American history: these communities are a fast-growing phenomenon in the United States yet they remain unknown and/or unattainable to many Americans.

Qualitative information from the community’s current residents is gathered by using research tools of interviewing and photography. Interviews were completed virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photographs were created during a three-day visit …

Developing Practices Within The Lord’S Supper That Develop Central Identity At Queen City Church Of Christ, Ryan Russell

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project was designed to meet a need at the Queen City Church of Christ (QCC) for developing intentional practices around the Lord’s Supper for forming a central identity in a diverse community. The scope of this project focuses on the project group’s ability to develop practices based on the theology of the Lord’s Supper, biblical teaching, engaging in practices of spiritual formation as a group, and their observations of Lord’s Supper practices in other Christian traditions. Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth provides the textual context for the discussion of the role the Lord’s Supper plays within …

Librarians’ Attitudes Toward Providing Environmental Education Services In Georgia, Xiaoai Ren

Georgia Library Quarterly

This article reports on the findings from a survey of the Georgia Library Association (GLA) members on their attitudes toward providing environmental education services in libraries, and their perceptions of the role libraries should play in developing environmentally sustainable community. Information on the environmentally sustainable practices within libraries was also collected, along with the libraries' environmental education services. Most respondents agreed that it is vital to integrate environmentally sustainable practices into library operations and provide environmental education services. However, the study also identified a gap between librarians’ attitudes and the actual environmentally sustainable practices and environmental education services in their …

Spring 2022, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

The Albany Answers Plant Incinerator : Environmental Justice And Slow Violence At The New York State Capital, Matthew D. Saddlemire

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The ANSWERS plant and its impact on the residents of Sheridan Hollow has recently been accepted by many as a case of environmental injustice. Simply looking at the benefits and burdens of environmental processes shows clearly that the primarily black community faced most of the health burdens that came from waste in the capital region, while white residential areas who sent their trash to ANSWERS faced minimal risk. The state benefitted from energy production, which was used to heat and cool the Empire State Plaza, the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, the state Education Building and New York State …

The Accessibility And Sustainability Of Local Foods: A Snapshot From The Food Hubs Of Lincoln, Nebraska, Tess Foxall

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The current state of agriculture in the United States utilizes industrial practices that pose a myriad of risks to both human and environmental health. By focusing on smaller farms and local food systems that utilize more sustainable agriculture practices, communities can benefit in terms of economic, environmental, and social health. Food hubs can play a key role in local food systems to connect local producers with consumers and increase access to local food. The goal of the research was to analyze the accessibility and sustainability of local food from food hubs in Lincoln, Nebraska to find the key barriers to …

An Argument And Model For Garden Corps, Sydney Ellis

Honors Theses

The benefits of community gardening have been thoroughly documented. Despite the value of community gardens, however, these gardens face many barriers that threaten their sustainability. This research investigated the benefits, barriers, and solutions to barriers of community gardening. The author performed literature review and conducted interviews with four community garden coordinators from the Chattanooga area to explore these topics. The author used the insights gained from the interviews to develop a business model for Garden Corps, a nonprofit dedicated to building capacity for community gardens.

Prescribed Burning And Land Functions In The Mixed-Land Use Management Of The Berea College Forest., Hinzee Smith

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The Berea College Forest is the oldest privately managed forest in Kentucky. Spanning over 9,000 acres, the forest provides opportunities for hiking, timber production, carbon sequestration, education, and much more. The Berea College Forest is uniquely situated as it is mere miles from the town center of Berea and Berea College. This proximity to a concentrated population causes the management of the forest to be observed and experienced by the community members, where accessibility to trails, hosted events, and educational experiences extend the land functions of the managed forest to community members in more direct ways than other publicly managed …

Application Of Lanthanides In Wastewater Treatment And Water Reuse, George William Kajjumba

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Much of the world’s population feed on grains (wheat, rice, and corn). Corn is as sensitive as it is productive. This thirsty, fast-growing plant goes into thermal shock in drought. In 2014, California lost over $2.2 billion in crop production due to drought. The Horn of Africa (in 2011) and Sahel (in 2012) faced humanitarian disasters due to food and water scarcity. The higher frequency of climate change and the erratic nature of rain, combined with underlying economic and social vulnerabilities, has meant that food and water scarcity is here to stay. To improve food and water scarcity, water reclamation …

Evaluation Of The Chinese Sponge City Program: The Resilient Transition Of Urban Stormwater Management, Wuhan, Chongqing, Zhenjiang, China, Case Studies, Jueminsi Wu

All Dissertations

The Sponge City Program (SCP) is a Chinese national-level policy initiative with the primary goal to ameliorate urban flooding created by rapid urbanization and climate change, and it incorporates both green and blue infrastructure strategies. China’s Sponge City construction guidelines (MOHURD, 2014) established the Volume Capture Ratio of Annual Rainfall (VCRa) as the SCP’s key performance index and a general target VCRa goal of 70% annual rainfall was set for all pilot Sponge Cities (General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, 2015). Yet few studies have been conducted to assess the SCP’s obtainability of the …

Moderating From Nowhere, Gilad Abiri

BYU Law Review

We are living in the midst of a battle over online hate speech regulation, and the stakes could not be higher. Hate speech not only harms its intended victims, be they individuals or groups, but it also polarizes and divides society in ways that undermine the health of democratic regimes. While there is widespread agreement that the current situation of online discourse is untenable, scholars and policymakers are deeply divided on the best way to improve it.

Until recently, American free speech norms have dominated the content moderation policies of digital media platforms. First Amendment norms are extremely resistant to …

Homestays In Nepal In The Era Of Covid-19, Anup K C

All Dissertations

Homestays are accommodation facilities provided by hosts in their own residence. Usually, guests are provided food and lodging by the host family members. These tourism facilities are a source of alternative income in rural areas of countries like Nepal. But now, COVID-19 has adversely affected homestays along with other tourism sectors, so it is necessary to assess homestays in Nepal in the COVID-19 era. For this dissertation, online interviews were conducted with homestay stakeholders (54 homestay operators, 12 homestay leaders, 11 homestay experts, and 8 biodiversity experts). These online interviews were recorded in the Nepali language and were translated and …

A Systematic Review Of Studies Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Horticultural Therapy For Increasing Well-Being And Decreasing Anxiety And Depression, Claudia Andrea Lasater

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is a systematic review of published research on the effectiveness of horticultural therapy and related interventions in reducing stress. Since the beginning of time, the great outdoors has been humanity’s source of thriving on earth. However, as industrialization, urbanization, technological, and digital advances continue to expand, human life has changed, resulting in many negative outcomes, such as mental health concerns related to stress and lack of outside engagement. The mental health and related health concerns in previous studies show to be depression, rumination, anxiety, mood and salivary cortisol, anger, general health, existential issues, and many more all show …

Homeless Youth Research Project: Expanding And Improving Services And Resources, Steve Lobo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Coalition of Homeless Service Providers is a 501(c)(3) organization working to eliminate homelessness by promoting partnership and interagency cooperation. They serve the homeless community of Monterey and San Benito counties. The U.S. struggles with solving the homeless problem including homeless youth. There are many homeless youths in Monterey and San Benito counties. This project supports the Youth Homeless Demonstration Project’s efforts to expand services and improve policies that directly affect homeless youth. This project involved researching best practices in other jurisdiction’s Coordinated Community Plans. The expected outcome is to increase the agency’s knowledge of these best practices. The primary …

Proposing Iso 50001 Energy Management System At Hitachi Astemo Americas, Inc., Elizabeth Anderson, Anthony Apanian, Walid Khalid, Jennifer Tran

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Kennesaw State University’s Industrial Assessment Center (referred to as IAC) has assisted Hitachi Astemo with the creation of a plan to implement ISO 50001 at their plant in Monroe, GA. ISO 50001 provides a way for organizations to improve their energy use through the development of an energy management system (EnMS).

The Texas Community-Engagement Research Alliance Against Covid-19 In Disproportionately Affected Communities (Tx Ceal) Consortium, Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, Chris Amos, Bettina M. Beech, Robert L. Ferrer, Lorna Mcneill, Jasmine J. Opusunju, Emily Spence, Erika L. Thompson, Luis R. Torres-Hostos, Jamboor K. Vishwanatha

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires urgent implementation of effective community-engaged strategies to enhance education, awareness, and inclusion of underserved communities in prevention, mitigation, and treatment efforts. The Texas Community-Engagement Alliance Consortium was established with support from the United States’ National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct community-engaged projects in selected geographic locations with a high proportion of medically underserved minority groups with a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 disease and hospitalizations. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of the Consortium. The Consortium organized seven projects with focused activities to address COVID-19 clinical and vaccine trials …

Developing Ethical Training Curriculum For University Short-Term Missions, Elizabeth P. Sutphin

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This thesis addresses common problems associated with short-term mission (STM) trips and the gaps in existing training materials for these trips. The research throughout this project is designed to inspire community-specific training materials for college students participating in domestic STM trips through their universities. The final chapter of this thesis includes the framework for a sample curriculum to promote sustainable STM work — providing cross-cultural communication techniques and relationship-building tools to avoid harming the communities students seek to serve.

The Gibbs House: Visual Storytelling Through Brand Identity And Placemaking, Elizabeth Tran

Honors Theses

Managed by Western Michigan University’s (WMU) Office for Sustainability, the Gibbs House has a rich history of existing as the functioning university urban farm since the late 60s. Throughout the years, the location has transformed into a learning laboratory as well as a permaculture research and demonstration site for WMU students and the Kalamazoo community. As individuals scramble to come up with solutions to combat climate change, the two-acre plot becomes a vital resource where students are able to participate in sustainable practices that are both hands-on and outdoors. It pushes forward transformative ideas like composting, food forestry, and permaculture …

'We're All Struggling Together': Understanding The Student Perspective Of Ert And Rht At Fort Hays State University, Kylie Jank

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of moving courses online during the Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) spring 2020 semester and the Remote Hybrid Teaching (RHT) semesters [F2020 and S2021] at Fort Hays State University. Using focus group data and magnitude coding, this study concentrated on understanding the on-campus student perspective of instructional deliveries, coursework expectations, juggling priorities, skills gained, and teaching strategies. Findings indicated higher magnitudes for the negative codes involving instructional deliveries, coursework expectations, and juggling priorities. Resulting in a high magnitude of positive codes, students were able to identify some skills gained during ERT …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern Armstrong Campus to Host US Congress Democratic Primary Candidate Forum on April 20
• Georgia Southern Staff and Faculty Celebrated in University Awards of Excellence, Years of Service Recognition Ceremony

Corporate Social Responsibility Within The American Craft Beer Industry: Environmental Sustainability And Community Engagement, Bradley Demild

Honors Projects in Management

Craft brewing and craft beer is emerging as an established business in the United States, with many states housing established regional breweries. As the United States looks to implement environmentally friendly practices in business operations, the goal of this report is to analyze the respective steps taken by the craft beer industry to achieve sustainability. Looking into environmental sustainability and community efforts holistically, the corporate social responsibly (CSR) practices of certified independent, craft brewers who are members of the Brewers Association of various sizes, lends insights into the current state of the industry. A combination of educational materials provided by …

Training The Next Generation Of Translational Scientists: The Case Western Reserve University Translational Fellows Program, Cheryl L. Thompson, Tessianna A. Misko, Mark R. Chance

Faculty Scholarship

Background: An important part of biomedical research is the translation of discoveries into clinical or community applications that impact patient health. For a vast majority of clinical applications and sustainable community interventions, a time-tested way to get innovations to patients is through licensing of the technology and commercial development, often through startups. While biomedical scientists and trainees are schooled in discovery research, the processes of commercialization are foreign or intimidating. Further, many trainees will not aspire to a faculty position, and other avenues of advancement are desirable. Methods: At Case Western Reserve University, we developed and launched a Translational Fellows …

Creating Social Responses To A Changing Environment, Susan Kemp, Lawrence A. Palinkas, Lisa Reyes Mason, Shanondora Billiot, Felicia M. Mitchell, Amy Krings

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Enhancing social work’s socioenvironmental impact is central to creating social responses to a changing environment, the Grand Challenge for Social Work detailed in this chapter. Worldwide, communities face unprecedented environmental change and degradation. Although climate change, extreme weather events, disasters, and other environmental challenges threaten the health, well-being, and survival of all people, their impacts fall most heavily on marginalized populations. Social work has a critical role to play in crafting social responses to these escalating threats. This chapter summarizes the activities of the Grand Challenge to Create Social Responses to a Changing Environment in five main areas: disaster preparedness …

Building A Culture Of Collaboration And Shared Responsibility For Educational Equity Work Through An Inclusive Teaching Community Of Practice, Francesca Marineo, Chelsea Heinbach, Rosan Mitola

Collaborative Librarianship

For libraries to be equitable spaces as educational institutions and places of employment, it is necessary that educational equity be a shared, collaborative goal. Unfortunately, equity and inclusion work in libraries has historically been an individual pursuit that falls disproportionately on the shoulders of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) library workers. Communities of practice employ social learning principles to facilitate praxis and offer opportunities to develop shared goals, language, and responsibility. This article explores how we developed and implemented an inclusive teaching community of practice with members of our instruction department in order to foster a culture of …

Gardner-Webb Creation Care Group Sponsors Events To Celebrate Earth Day, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University celebrates Creation Care/Earth Week, April 19-22, with a series of programs to highlight recycling and sustainability practices to preserve the integrity, beauty and health of God’s creation. Guest speakers include GWU faculty and top environmentalists from the region and the nation. The activities are sponsored by the Creation Care Advisory Group and are open to the public.