Environmental Health and Protection Commons^™

La Contaminación Intradomiciliaria Por Combustibles En Las Casas De La Ix Región De Chile, Hannah Bewsey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Fresh air: a natural and necessary commodity, and yet one that is missing from many of the world’s households. In rural communities and in the developing world, indoor air pollution is a very real health burden, constituting a factor in 2.5 million deaths every year. The homes of the IX Region of Chile are particularly disposed to indoor pollution, due to the use of biomass fuels for cooking and heating during the cold winter months. This investigation aims to supplement the relatively scarce amount of literature investigating the use of biomass fuels that contribute to indoor pollution in this region. …

Hydro Power, People Power: Hydroelectricity’S Potential For Community Development, With A Focus On The Khimti 1 Project, Amelia Prior

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Hydropower, a source of renewable energy that transforms water into electricity, has great potential in Nepal. It can be used to electrify homes, increase efficiency of agriculture, and improve businesses to spur economic growth. This research will examine the current status of hydropower in Nepal and the main obstacles to its expansion. More importantly, however, is the importance on developing hydropower responsibly and ethically. Harnessing the energy and generating electricity is not enough; hydropower projects should involve their surrounding communities, affecting genders, ethnic groups, and socio-economic classes equally. This research will examine how communities are affected by hydroelectricity projects and …

The Management Of Residential Solid Waste In Mombasa, Kenya, Yen Joe Tan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Residential solid waste management refers to the managing of unwanted materials discarded by households so that these materials are either properly disposed of or reprocessed to reenter the production material stream. This issue is usually the responsibility of the municipal council; however in Kenya just like many other developing countries, this critical issue is often mismanaged, causing environmental pollution and exposing residents to health risks. Through one month of full-time archival research and field work, this study presents the current state of residential solid waste management in Mombasa, examines the roles played by various stakeholders involved in this area through …

The Attitudes And Perceptions Of The Local People Towards The Durgun Hydropower Plant, Francis H. Clougherty

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Humans have been using the kinetic energy generated by waters movement in the hydrologic cycle for thousands of years. Since the late 19^th century people have harnessed this energy source and utilized it as a means of generating electricity. The use of hydropower in many different ways can be found in countries all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Spain, Turkey, India, China and, of course Mongolia. However, in some developed countries including the United States and Sweden there is a growing movement of hydropower stations and dam …

A Comparison Of Qualitative And Quantitative Ecological Assessment Methods Of Mangroves In Southwestern Madagascar, Sondra Winders

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mangroves are unique, tropical, intertidal forests that, among many other important functions, serve as large carbon sinks for the sequestration of atmospheric CO2. This project qualitatively assessed the mangrove forest of Honko Mangrove Conservation and Education (Tulear, Madagascar) in conjunction with Blue Ventures for a proposed Plan Vivo carbon stock project. The qualitative results were then compared with quantitative measurements in order to determine the most effective method of ecological assessment. Sixty-three stands of mangrove forest covering 9.72km2 were identified and mapped. Level of harvest, species composition, density, canopy cover, dominant height, dominant DBH, forest condition and composition were compared …

A Comparison Study Of A Bird Population In Lake Alaotra: The Effects Of A Protected Area, Sonya R. Kaufman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Lake Alaotra, the largest lake in Madagascar, is well known for its diverse plant and animal communities. It is home to three critically endangered endemic species, the Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapelemur griseus alaotrensis), Alaotra Little Grebe (Tachybaptus rufolavatus), and Madagascar pochard (Aythya innotata). Widespread habitat destruction by fire and clear-cutting is destroying the marshland vegetation of the lake, and siltation from erosion runoff and rice field creation is resulting in the ever-decreasing size of the lake. This study looked at the effectiveness of the protected area, Park Bandro, in preserving species diversity, relative abundances, …

The Vacb Model In Hòa An Village And Xeo Trâm Hamlet: Comparison And Analysis Through A Gendered Lens, Alyssa Bosold

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Burning fuel-wood, a method of traditional cooking practiced by half of all homes in Vietnam (Global Alliance for Clean Cook-stoves 2012) and the majority of homes in Hòa An Village and Xeo Trâm Hamlet, has significant negative consequences in terms of environmental and personal health. In Hòa An Village and Xeo Trâm Hamlet, as is true in much of Vietnam, gender roles dictate that women should be primarily responsible for household chores like cooking (World Bank 2001, Nguyen 2012, Nguyen 2012, Vo 2012). This means that women must often deal directly with the environmental dangers and safety hazards of woodstoves. …

Las Carreteras Ya No Cantan: Una Investigación Sobre La Riqueza Y Diversidad De Especies De Anfibios En Sitios Sensibles A Lado Del Eje Vial N°4 En La Reserva Biológica Tapichalaca, Harrison Goldspiel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tapichalaca Biological Reserve (RBT), located in Zamora Chinchipe Province in southern Ecuador, is a zone with high biodiversity and endemism. Although famous for the Jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi), the reserve is very rich in anphibians, especially frogs of the genus Pristimantis. RBT hosts at least 29 species of amphibians, including the new and endemic Hyloscirtust tapichalaca and 25 Pristimantis species (Meza-R. et al. 2008). RBT faces various threats, such as climate change, farms, and the exploitation of palm trees. One pertinent threat is Eje Vial N°4, a main road that passes through the reserve. This study investigated …

Inteñas En Acción: El Eco-Feminismo Y El Desarrollo Alternativo En Íntag, Ellicott Dandy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El bosque nublado es una zona de vida subtropical y montañosa del Ecuador caracterizada por sus grandes cuencas hídricas, y su riqueza de aves y plantas epifitas.[1] Dentro del bosque nublado, está la Zona de Íntag con una extensión de 1.374,4 kilómetros cuadrados.[2] Junto a esta diversidad de especies, conviven unas doce mil personas[3] en parroquias y docenas de comunidades pertenecientes al sector, conectadas por carreteras que serpentean entre las lomas verdes de la Cordillera Toisán. Un 98% de la población de Íntag se identifica como mestiza, y del restante 2%, 1% como indígena y 1% como …

Coarse Woody Debris In A Tropical Rainforest In North Queensland, Australia: Relationships With Stand Structure And Disturbance, Nadine Rea

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Coarse woody debris (CWD) refers to the woody material on the forest floor, including fallen stems, large branches, coarse roots, wood pieces, and standing dead trees (snags) (Harmon et al. 1986). CWD is an essential but often overlooked aspect of ecosystems. It plays many key ecosystem roles and is instrumental in overall ecosystem functionality. While a piece of CWD decomposes, it provides key habitat for many different species, minimizes soil erosion, affects soil development, stores nutrients and water, and influences the global carbon cycle (Harmon and Hua 1991). In some forests, CWD can exist on the forest floor for hundreds …

Water And Sanitation: A Study Of Deserted Idp Camps In Lapul Sub-County, Patrick Dunlap

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper sets out to discover how access to water and sanitation has changed overtime for the residents of deserted satellite IDP camps in Lapul sub-county, Northern Uganda. Throughout the period of conflict in the region until today, residents of this region have struggled to gain adequate access to water and sanitation.

Qualitative field research was carried out over a period of eleven days, with six interviews and three focus groups held to gain information on how access to water and sanitation has changed overtime for the displaced. Methods of Rapid Rural Appraisal and Direct Observation were applied to make …

El Manejo De Recursos Marinos En El Área De Yandub-Narganá, Kuna Yala: Estrategias, Objetivos Y Dificultades, Hannah Marie Colton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Kuna people are dependent on marine resources for sustenance, income, and protection. Coral reefs, mangrove stands, and sea grass beds provide food and shelter for marine animals which fuel the bodies and economy of Kuna communities. However, practices such as traditional coral mining and overfishing threaten the future of these resources. Recent scientific surveys have recommended the establishment of several larger Marine Protected Areas in Kuna Yala, in order to conserve habitats and allow the gradual repopulation of marine animals (Guzmán et al, 2003). The Kuna General Congress, the autonomous government of the Comarca of Kuna Yala, has the …

Portraits Of The Land: Environmentalism And Contemporary Art In Mongolia, Sarah Morgan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Environmental concerns are globally relevant, but in Mongolia they hold special importance. Not only does Mongolia contain an unusual amount of pristine wilderness, but Mongolian history and culture are also deeply rooted in a close bond with the land. Now, increased development and globalization are placing new pressures on environmental systems. In response to these pressures, Mongolians artists are joining a national (and global) conversation about the interactions between art, environment, cultural heritage, and activism.

This study explores the sources of inspiration and motivation for these artists. Through this research, I hope to bring to light the role of the …

El Agua O El Oro: La Lucha Por Quimsacocha, Laura Moulton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El 2 de octubre, del 2011, en la comunidad de Victoria del Portete, los usuarios del Sistema Comunitario de Agua de Tarqui y Victoria del Portete participaron en una consulta popular para decidir si están de acuerdo o no con el proyecto minero de oro de Quimsacocha. A través de esta consulta, se dio a conocer la voluntad de la gente. De los 1.047 votos, 958 se pronunciaron “No” a la minería a gran escala, siendo el 92,38% del total. “Con la consulta, dijimos no al oro, si al agua,”[1] dijo Fanny Paute, habitante de Tarqui. Para la gente …

Social, Political, Economic And Health Effects Of The Disi Aquifer On Jordanian Society, Ryan Greenwood

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As one of the driest countries in the world, it is a challenge for Jordan to find adequate domestic and regional water resources to draw from that will provide long term, healthy solutions that are in the country’s political and economic interest. The use of the Disi Aquifer as a domestic water resource has been a contested subject for several decades. With the completion of the project nearly in sight, it is important to ensure that the government provides sustainable goals for the country in order to keep up with population growth and the increasing demand for water. This paper …

Redefinir “Desarrollo Sustentable”: El Caso De Un Grande Proyecto Hidroeléctrico, Keely Mccaskie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En la región de los Manduriacos en el noroccidente del Ecuador, el río Guayllabamba pasa entre las provincias de Pichincha e Imbabura. El área es campo rural—una colección de bosques subtropicales primarios y secundarios, fincas, y pueblos pequeños que nacieron en las últimas cuatro décadas. Estas tierras forman parte de la subcuenca media del río Guayllabamba, donde la lluvia se captura y fluye hacia el río. Cerca de los pueblos de Cielo Verde (Imbabura), Santa Rosa (Pichincha) y Guayabillas (Pichincha), el gobierno del Ecuador ha propuesto el proyecto hidroeléctrico Manduriacu. Esta grande represa sería parte de una cascada de represas …

In The Realm Of Supay: The Stories Of The Miners, Graham Sutherland

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Ah, El Cerro Rico. She’s beautiful, no? Looming over Potosí with her red-tinted earth. But her real beauty is hidden within. Her body filled with veins of silver, the very silver that shimmered in the eyes of the Spanish empire and made Potosí one of the largest cities in the world. Oh, and the tin, the tin that helped Simon Patiño own mansions on 3 continents, living in villas in the United States and France while the ones here in Bolivia only collected dust. Mineral wealth you wouldn’t believe. They say that the Cerro Rico has twelve polleras of riches, …

Mapping Agroforestry Design In Project Tipitamba: The Influence Of Spacing On Tree Growth, Joseph Lee

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Agriculturalists in Brasil’s Zona Bragantina are balancing short term social and economic goals with the long term productivity of their agroecosystems. While these goals often times are seen as conflicting, the implementation of agroforestry systems through EMBRAPA’s Projeto Tipitamba has provided an opportunity for farmers in the region to intercrop quick growing, marketable, non-timber forest products with highly valued lumber species all on the same area of land. As Projeto Tipitamba also provides the associated farmers with access to a bush-chopper, it also allows for farmers to stop swidden, slash-and-burn, agriculture and convert to chop-and-mulch land preparation. As a result, …

Feeling, Experiencing, Learning: Environmental Education At Escola Vila, Isabelle Aida Heilman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Teaching children about the importance of the protecting environment is a key step in preparing future generations to solve environmental issues. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze how Escola Vila in Fortaleza, Brazil integrates environmental education into its curriculum to promote positive environmental actions later in the children’s lives. Classroom observations revealed how environmental education is incorporated into the curriculum in an interdisciplinary way. Students at Escola Vila learn about the environment through creative projects, experiential learning, sustainable practices on the campus and human rights education. Interviews with alumni showed that these four ways that Escola …

The Role Of Information In Enabling Community Response To Mining Threats In Palmares Ii, Christine Gerbode

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The case of Palmares II is examined to understand the role that knowledge (or misinformation/lack thereof) of specific geologic interests and rights of surface communities plays in enabling those communities to respond to the possibility of mining on their land. Palmares II is an MST settlement located near the Carajás mining complex in southern Pará. Currently, a number of companies are authorized or requesting permission to conduct research for mineral ores such as gold, copper, manganese, diamond, and nickel within the borders of the settlement; it is therefore potentially possible that this community will face mining interest on their land …

Seawalls In Samoa: A Look At Their Environmental, Social And Economic Implications, Sawyer Lawson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study concerns the environmental, economic and social implications of seawalls in Samoa. Information for this study was gathered using a combination of secondary sources and primary sources including interviews, surveys and participant observation. Given the cultural and economic importance of Samoa’s coastline and the fact that seawalls, which already occupy much of Samoa’s coast, are becoming more abundant, it is important to understand the implications of building them. The researcher found that partially due to climate change and sand mining, Samoa’s coastline has become increasingly threatened by erosion and coastal retreat. Seawalls are in many cases the fastest and …

The Aders’S Duikers (Cephalophus Adersi) Of Mnemba Island, Zanzibar: A Study Of The Behavior And Diet Of A Critically Endangered Species, Aviva Fiske

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cephalophus adersi, commonly known as Aders's duiker, is an extremely rare, near endemic species to Unguja Island in the Zanzibar archipelago. It is a member of the suborder Ruminantia and is considered part of the red duiker family. C. adersi is critically endangered, and although it is protected by Zanzibari law, its population numbers have plummeted over the last thirty years due to hunting as well as habitat destruction and fragmentation. This study examines the behavior and ecology of a small population of Aders's duikers living on Mnemba, an island off the coast of the northeastern tip of Unguja. Four …

The Solid Waste Management System Of Jaipur: An Overview And Analysis, Laura Olivier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Jaipur’s rapid development has resulted in its infrastructure lagging behind population and industrial growth, which is especially evident in the unsightly and unsanitary piles of solid waste (garbage) on the roads. This project took a broad system approach to understand Jaipur’s solid waste management system. It investigated how the system is carried out, some obstacles to its success, and the role of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). The findings indicate that there is a multiple-tiered hierarchical system. The system involves a formal sector comprised of female and male sweepers, permanent and impermanent workers, and an informal sector of ragpickers and door-todoor …

Biogas Technology On Uzi Island, Zanzibar: A Feasibility Study, Peter J. Mcinerney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With realization of the finite quantity of fossil fuels and improved study on the effects of global climate change there has been an increasing demand for energy production from renewable, sustainable sources in developed and developing nations alike. The population of Tanzania relies overwhelmingly on biomass as a source of primary energy, with such impacts as deforestation and negative health effects. Biogas generation is a renewable energy technology that utilizes organic waste sources to produce a methane-rich gas suitable for cooking and lighting with the potential to replace current unsustainable energy sources and provide several environmental and socioeconomic benefits. A …

Riesgo De Exposición A Los Plaguicidas En Familias Con Niños Menores De 6 Años De Azapa Y Lluta, Andrew Wilbur

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study aims to characterize the risk of pesticide exposure for children under the age of 6 who live in the rural, agricultural communities of the Azapa and Lluta valleys in Region Arica and Parinacota in northern Chile. To achieve this objective, it seeks to understand current perceptions held by parents or guardians with respect to risk of pesticide exposure within their families and identify practices and living circumstances that contribute to this risk. In environmental health, children are an especially vulnerable population as a result of their distinct characteristics. Their exploratory behavior and naivety contribute to their risk of …

Estamos Bien En El Refugio Los 33 Una Historia De Las Organizaciones Mineras Y Su Lucha Por La Seguridad En La Minería., Bram Sable-Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This investigation focuses on the history of security in the mining sector of Chile, and attempts to do so from the perspective of the miners’ and workers’ unions. The aim of the investigation was to explore specifically the changes coming regarding security in mining in the aftermath of the accident in the San José mine of August 5, 2010; changes in the government, changes in the country’s legislation, and what role the workers’ organizations are playing in these changes, and what changes it is that they are asking for.

At the end of the investigation it still remained to be …

As Rivers Run Dry: A Study Of Global Freshwater Scarcity And Its Implications For Socio-Economic Development, Sophia Wenzlau

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Water scarcity is a serious problem—without adequate supplies of clean freshwater, there cannot be life. The direct and indirect costs of water scarcity are huge, including poor public health, gender inequality, and acute restrictions for economic development. Currently, around 20 percent of the global population lacks access to safe drinking water and 2.4 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities (UNEP Brief, 1). About 1.8 million people—most of them children less than five years old—die every year due to water-borne diseases from fecal pollution—the equivalent of about 15 killer tsunamis each year or 12 Boeing 747 crashes …

“Mieux Vaut Prévenir Que Guérir”: The Effect Of Natural Disasters On Water- And Sanitation-Related Infectious Diseases And The Increasing Need For Disaster Preparedness, Naomi Malam

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The world is suffering from an extreme global water crisis. 1.1 billion people in the world lack access to adequate clean water, and 2.6 billion people lack access to water and sanitation. Approximately 10 million deaths per year can be attributed to this water crisis; water-borne infectious diseases play a significant role in this death toll. Diarrhoeal disease accounts for 2.6 million deaths per year and is one of the leading causes of death in many developing countries.

We are entering a period of undeniable climate change which is bringing about more natural disasters and extreme weather events than ever …

La Cara De La Explotación: Un Estudio De La Industria Minería En El Sur De La República De Ecuador, Jillian Howell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mi viaje continúo al sur oriente a la ciudad de Macas en la provincia de Morona Santiago, a dónde había una reunión del Programa de Pequeños Donaciones (PPD) de las Naciones Unidas - Proyecto de Desarrollo (UNDP) sobre los pequeños proyectos sostenibles en el sur de Ecuador. Unos de estos proyectos era sobre mitigando de los impactos ambientales de los mineros artesanales de La Pangui y Congüime en el Cordillera del Cóndor. Yo visité este proyecto una semana después, cuando fui a La Pangui y viví una noche con la familia del presidente de una asociación de los mineros artesanales. …

Renewable Energy In Rural Amazônia: A Case Study Of Its Advantages And Limitations In Santo Antônio, Amy Plovnick

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Isolated renewable energy projects are a promising alternative to diesel power for providing electricity in rural communities not connected to the conventional electricity transmission grid. However, there have been a limited number of such projects in rural Amazônia, and they often face obstacles that limit their sustainability. The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental, social and economic impact of isolated renewable energy projects through a case study of a small-scale biomass and solar energy electrification project in the community of Santo Antônio, Pará. It will also evaluate the limitations to implementing and sustaining isolated renewable energy projects …