Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Model-Based Imputation Of Below Detection Limit Missing Data And Group Selection In Bayesian Group Index Regression, Matthew Carli

Theses and Dissertations

Investigations into the association between chemical exposure and health outcomes are increasingly focused on the role of chemical mixtures, as opposed to individual chemicals. The analysis of chemical mixture data required the development of novel statistical methods, one of these being Bayesian group index regression. A statistical challenge common to all chemical mixture analyses is the ubiquitous presence of below detection limit (BDL) data. We propose an extension of Bayesian group index regression that treats both regression effects and missing BDL observations as parameters in a model estimated through a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm that we refer to as …

Pakistan's Contribution To The Global Rise In Conventional Pollution, Emily Warner

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the impact of conventional pollutants on the environment, communities, and individuals in Pakistan. It begins by investigating the causes of conventional pollutants and exploring Pakistan’s agricultural industry, domestic practices, non-renewable energy sources, and industrial practices (the brick industry, leather tanning industry, and textile industry). It then analyzes factors that continue to contribute to conventional pollution in Pakistan such as economic incentives, politics, and traditional practices within industries. Exploring the measures that have been taken by Pakistan and other organizations to decrease conventional pollutants, it then suggests potential opportunities for improvement.

Effects Of Salix Psammophila On Groundwater Recharge In A Semiarid Area Of North China, Lizhu Hou, Jingdong Gao, Bill X. Hu, Xixi Wang

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Study region: The semiarid Mu Us Sandy Land (MUSL) was selected for this study. It is in the farming-pastoral ecotone of north China and functions as an eco-environmental barrier.

Study focus: Afforestation can mitigate desertification and soil erosion by improving hydrologic condition, which is particularly true for semiarid and arid regions. However, little is known about the quantitative response of hydrologic improvement to afforestation level that can be measured by leaf area index (LAI). The objective was to setup and use a physically-based model to quantitatively assess the dynamics of water fluxes from Salix psammophila afforestation in the MUSL.

New …

Rapidly Changing Range Limits In A Warming World: Critical Data Limitations And Knowledge Gaps For Advancing Understanding Of Mangrove Range Dynamics In The Southeastern Usa, Rémi Bardou, Michael J. Osland, Steven Scyphers, Christine Shepard, Karen E. Aerni, Jahson B. Alemu I, Robert Crimian, Richard H. Day, Nicholas M. Enwright, Laura C. Feher, Sarah L. Gibbs, Kiera O'Donnell, Savannah H. Swinea, Kalaina Thorne, Sarit Truskey, Anna R. Armitage, Ronald Baker, Josh L. Breithaupt, Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Erik S. Yando, A. Randall Hughes, Et Al.

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Climate change is altering species’ range limits and transforming ecosystems. For example, warming temperatures are leading to the range expansion of tropical, cold-sensitive species at the expense of their cold-tolerant counterparts. In some temperate and subtropical coastal wetlands, warming winters are enabling mangrove forest encroachment into salt marsh, which is a major regime shift that has significant ecological and societal ramifications. Here, we synthesized existing data and expert knowledge to assess the distribution of mangroves near rapidly changing range limits in the southeastern USA. We used expert elicitation to identify data limitations and highlight knowledge gaps for advancing understanding of …

Recommendations For Sustainable Tourism In Patagonia: An Exploratory Analysis Of Sustainable Tourism In Costa Rica, The Nordic Region, And Thailand’S Communities, Julia K. Lowery

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores different levels of governance and its role towards actualizing sustainable tourism in Patagonia. With the growing threat of climate change, international destinations such as Patagonia are looking to continue building their tourism industries in a sustainable way. Through analyzing case studies of national governance in Costa Rica, multi-national governance in the Nordic region, and community-based tourism in Thailand, we can better understand how each form of governance has the potential to create a sustainable tourism industry. With this understanding of successful governance in my case studies, as well as understanding the historical and political forces that have …

Eat Your Invasives: A Practical And Historical Analysis Of Foraging For Invasive Foods, Grace Hartman

Honors Projects

This paper discusses both the historical and modern role of foraging and why people may decide to forage, as well as barriers new foragers may face and how they can be overcome. Furthermore, the paper discusses how foraging for invasive species can be used as a method of conservation and how simple foraging can be encouraged for this reason.

Environment And Sustainability: December 2022, Environment And Sustainability, Office Of The President

Environment and Sustainability Archives

• Recently installed solar panels in Nairobi;

• Upcoming “Meatless Mangal” campaign;

• Engagement of leaders and employees in sustainability workshops;

• Closing of President’s Challenge for Climate Solutions;

• Plastic bag phase-out at BASIC shop;

• And much more…

Nexus Between Animal Welfare, Environment, And Sustainable Development: Resource Document, Wellbeing International

Nexus – UNEP – Animal Welfare, Environment, Sustainable Development

This Resource Document has been developed to explore the Nexus (links) between Animal Welfare, the Environment, and Sustainable Development. The document includes relevant citations and reports addressing the topics encompassed by the Nexus. It will be maintained as a “living document” (subject to revision) in the WellBeing International Studies Repository. The original document and subsequent revisions will be kept in the Repository to provide a record of the changes.

Environment And Sustainability: October 2022, Environment And Sustainability, Office Of The President

Environment and Sustainability Archives

• Launch of the ‘Sustainability Leaders’ series

• University’s first decarbonization plan developed and approved

• AKUH wins environmental excellence award

• Our climate work gets featured on radio

• And much more..

Sustainability, A Priority, Havovi Joshi

Asian Management Insights

The word ‘sustainability’ is thrown around liberally these days. But what does it really mean? At its core, sustainability is a business approach to creating long-term value by considering how an organisation operates not only in the economic but also social and ecological environments. Today, consumers across all generations, from baby boomers to Gen Z, are demanding more sustainable purchasing options and environment, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives from the retailers they patronise, putting pressure on businesses to up their sustainability game if they want to stay competitive.

A Study Of Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) Ecology In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico And The Effect Of Variable River Outflow Using Stable Isotope Analysis Of The Food Web And Eye Lenses, Caitlin C. Slife

Dissertations

In the Mississippi Bight and surrounding waters, river outflow impacts the basal resources of the Red Snapper food web, altering carbon sources and impacting prey and predator isotopes. In this study, the impact of riverine outflow on nutrients, particulate organic matter (POM), and physical water parameters on Red Snapper and their food web was analyzed using stable isotope and stomach content analysis over 5 years. The Mississippi, Pearl, Pascagoula, and Mobile rivers were included in the analysis of river impact. The Mississippi and Mobile rivers were found to significantly impact nutrients and POM in the region. River outflow was also …

Renewable Energy Legislation In Nevada: 2017 - 2021, Peter Grema, Zachary Walusek, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

The purpose of this fact sheet is to summarize legislative actions from the biennial 79th, 80th, and 81st Nevada Legislative Sessions (2017, 2019, and 2021) regarding solar energy production and state efforts to reach 50 percent energy production from renewable sources by 2030. By 2050, Nevada has a statutorily mandated obligation to be a net-zero carbon producer in fulfilling energy production needs from large scale utility services.

Environment And Sustainability: July 2022, Environment And Sustainability, Office Of The President

Environment and Sustainability Archives

• UC Nairobi getting EDGE Advanced certified

• The President’s blog contemplates on our sustainability responsibility

• Donated electric bikes reduce emissions and local air pollution

• Impact of Earth Day and World Environment Day activities

• Related events from across the university.

Review Of A Framework For Sustainable Thinking: Is Ql For Citizenship Even Possible?, Nathan D. Grawe

Numeracy

Van Antwerp and Heun's A Framework for Sustainability Thinking offers an extensive collection of data related to sustainability with an emphasis on energy. Intended for a primary audience of undergraduate students, the authors set the data in the context of the IPARX identity which notes that impacts (I) are the product of population (P), affluence (A), resource intensity of economic activity (R), and impact of the resources (X). In addition to being a useful text for seminars focused on sustainability and energy use, the book provides a context for contemplating the roles of expertise vs. general quantitative literacy when addressing …

Investigating The Mechanisms Driving Mercury Reduction And Emissions In Soil, Hamil Patel

Student Theses

The water-induced emission of mercury from soil has been studied, but a complete understanding of the mechanisms driving mercury reduction and emission in soil has not been reached. The current understanding is an immediate expulsion of soil gaseous mercury upon water treatment and an upward transport of dissolved soil ionic mercury as the water evaporates. We analyzed emissions from several types of samples using various methods to further our understanding on the mechanisms involved. Light-induced emissions from aqueous samples of humic acid (HA) spiked with mercury (II) chloride (HgCl₂) showed that at higher concentrations of HA, less mercury …

Factors Influencing Conservation Knowledge: A Survey Of Residents In The United States, Samantha Helgeson, Amanda Fasching, Ashley Kneemueller, Anna Sher

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Basic principles have been established for visitors of national and state parks, but some visitors may be more aware of conservation practices than others. To understand visitor awareness, this study investigated three factors that influence the general public’s understanding of the Leave No Trace (LNT) conservation ethic: natural areas visitation, state of residence, and media consumption. Each of the factors showed statistically significant impacts on awareness of LNT, supporting our hypotheses that this knowledge will increase with a higher frequency of park visits and media consumption, and that region of residence will also impact LNT knowledge.

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Microplastics Management In Oregon, Maya A. Hurst-Mayr

Student Research Symposium

There is currently no federal policy in the United States that specifically addresses microplastics (MPs) pollution. However, states are beginning to act on this issue; California’s SB 1422 initiates measurement of MPs in drinking water resources and Senate Bill 1263 requires the state to adopt a strategy to reduce the ecological impact of MPs in marine ecosystems. Other West Coast states like Oregon and Washington are expected to follow California’s example. It is important to know what the actors who are a part of shaping MPs policy in Oregon would see as barriers and opportunities to doing so. We conducted …

Stumbling Into Virtual Worlds. How Resolution Affects Users’ Immersion In Virtual Reality And Implications For Virtual Reality In Therapeutic Applications, Brianna Martinson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Studies of how users experience Virtual Reality (VR) have thus far failed to address the extent to which rendering resolution and rendering frame rate affect users’ sense of immersion in VR, including applications of VR involving simulators, treatments for psychological and mental disorders, explorations of new and nonexistent structures, and ways to better understand the human body in medical applications.

This study investigated if rendering resolution affected users’ sense of immersion in VR. This was conducted by comparing the responses of two groups, relative to two measures of participant immersion: (a) participant’s sense of presence and (b) participant’s sense of …

Environment And Sustainability: April 2022, Environment And Sustainability, Office Of The President

Environment and Sustainability Archives

• Steps taken on AKU campuses to reduce plastic waste

• Solar panels installed to power AKU’s operations in Karachi

• AKDN’s tool to calculate carbon emissions made public

• Release of ‘AKDN Environment and Climate Commitment Statement’

• Sustainability celebrated at AKU’s recent convocation

• International Women’s Day commemorated with a climate and gender webinar

Calgreen: California Green Building Standards Code: Blog 3, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Gabriella Medina, Darbi Berry

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

CALGreen encourages local governments to go beyond statewide Energy Code regulations to achieve greater building energy efficiency and cost savings, all while providing the necessary resources to do so. The currently enforced version of CALGreen is the 2019 CALGreen code. Mandates and voluntary provisions in the 2022 CALGreen update will go into effect January 1, 2023.¹ If both the 2022 Energy Code and 2022 CALGreen mandatory and voluntary standards were to be adopted statewide, the carbon reductions would be equivalent to removing 8,000 fuel-powered cars off the road for the first year and 24,000 fuel-powered cars by the third year.² …

Polymer Coated Urea Microplastics: Urban Landscape, C. J. Seely, B. T. Geary, B. G. Hopkins

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2022

• Polymer Coated Urea (PCU) is an effective fertilizer.
• Microplastics, from a wide range of waste materials, pollute water bodies.
• One potential source of microplastics are from PCU fertilizers if the coatings are transported overland into water bodies.
• Various urban landscape systems vary in the potential for surface runoff.

An Equity-First Approach To Climate Adaptation, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, San Diego Association Of Governments

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The Equity-First Approach to Climate Adaptation guidance document (Equity Guidance; document) serves as a general framework for local agency planners and transportation planning professionals. The Equity Guidance’s overall goal is to provide best practices for designing, planning, and implementing a climate adaptation process that supports equitable outcomes. This document identifies trends, assumptions, emerging practices, indicators, metrics, and implementation opportunities, that support and operationalize an equitable climate adaptation planning process.

The Cleaned Approach For Flagging And Addressing Environmental Issues, A. Notenbaert, B. Paul, R. Van Der Hoek, J. Mukiri

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

While livestock presents an important livelihood strategy for many smallholders, it is also held responsible for important environmental impacts. In this paper, we used an online survey to identify the perceptions of global livestock experts on environmental impacts of livestock and how these might be tackled. We then explored how the CLEANED environmental ex-ante assessment tool (Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessment for improved Nutrition, a secured Environment and sustainable Development = CLEANED) responds to this and how it can be used to influence decision making towards more environmentally-friendly livestock production.

According to the survey, there was general agreement between researchers, development …

Justice For Islands That Suffer Most: Stacy-Ann Robinson, Gerry Boyle

Colby Magazine

Robinson grew up in Jamaica and has seen the destruction levied on the island by extreme storms. A human geographer and assistant professor of environmental studies at Colby, Robinson has also seen firsthand the challenges faced by Jamaica and places like it as they try to obtain resources needed to cope with the brunt of climate change.

Environmentalism In J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings, Sophie Butler

4610 English: Individual Authors: J.R.R. Tolkien

The theme of environmentalism within Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, while sometimes underlying, is an ever-present background to the characters and actions of Middle-Earth.The hero’s movements through nature contrasted with the criminal destruction of nature by the villains presents two clear perspectives about the treatment of nature, but Tolkien also inserts his perspective through the inclusion of Tree characters, like Ents. Trees and tree characters are an essential part of Tolkien's legendarium that help to illuminate the author's claims about environmentalism and the impacts of progress on the world. How characters interact with nature inform their ethics and point …

Understanding California's 2022 Energy Code: Blog 1, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Gabriella Medina, Darbi Berry

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

When thinking about the built environment, it is easy to overlook the influence structures have on our communities' quality of life. Buildings are relics of the past or symbols of modernity. They are tangible evidence of our society's investment in people's health, the environment and a resilient economy. Buildings play a crucial role over energy usage, urban heat impacts, and overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Quick Guide To The 2022 Energy Code: Blog 2, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Gabriella Medina, Darbi Berry

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

There are a wide range of updates to the 2022 Energy Code; however, there are four categories of top priority for industry professionals and end-use stakeholders as California strengthens compliance standards: electric heat pump technology, electric-ready requirements, solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage standards, and strong ventilation standards.

Kentuckians' Perception Of The Environment And Use Of Outdoor Public Spaces, Grace Herrmann

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Understanding how people perceive the environment and built public outdoor spaces is valuable in determining the direction of future development in the state. Further, understanding the emotions relating to the environment, both the natural and built public environments is instrumental in guiding future planning. This project aimed to understand Kentuckians’ perception of the environment and their use of public outdoor spaces such as parks, farmer markets, bike lanes, and walking paths through the use of a digital survey. Respondents to this survey are Kentuckians over the age of 18. The digital survey was split into four sections. The first section …

Beyond The Green Iron Cage: Exploring The Macro And Micro-Level Influences On Executive Decisions About Sustainability Investments In Small And Medium Size Firms, Igor Estraykh

Theses and Dissertations

Although research on corporate environmental sustainability has shed light on different aspects of organizational and individual level factors that influence corporate decisions, it does not fully account for how individual executives within firms react to these forces and make decisions, specifically within small to medium size enterprises (SMEs). This study used a grounded theory approach to interview 19 SME executives from 13 different industries to explore how organizational and individual level factors influence their ability to evaluate and make decisions related to sustainability initiatives. The study found that SME executives faced isomorphic pressures for sustainability, individual agency pressures, significant resource …

Deforestation For Pasture Development – Has It Been Worth It?, W. H. Burrows

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Differing scenarios leading to deforestation for pasture development in savanna (woodland) and closed forest communities in the tropics – sub-tropics are compared and contrasted. Australian and Brazilian examples are highlighted. No simple answer is given to the question of whether deforestation for pasture development has been worth it, since both commercial and non-commercial values have equal validity and need to be taken into account. These issues are addressed in the context of land assigned by governments for agricultural purposes. It is concluded that technology and ecological understanding are now available to maintain sustainable production from converted forest systems. However emphasis …