Sustainability Commons^™

Interview With Ethan Beck, Ethan Beck Homes, 2011 (Audio), Ethan Beck

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Ethan Beck by Sara Scott at Portland State University on June 2nd, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Leadership In Sustainable Chemicals Policy: Opportunities For Oregon, Jennifer H. Allen, Alexis Dinno

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Oregon is uniquely positioned to lead in the development of safer alternatives to toxic chemicals. Existing chemicals policy in the United States does not comprehensively protect human health or the environment from the potential impacts of chemical exposure. Very few of the 84,000 chemical substances produced, processed or imported for commercial purposes in the United States have been studied for health and environmental impacts. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has access to only limited information about potential health or environmental hazards. Manufacturers have the right to withhold what they consider to be confidential business information. Because of this lack of …

Mapping Conservation Opportunity Areas For The Intertwine's Regional Conservation Strategy, Theresa Burcsu, James S. Kagan

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

As part of efforts to develop the Regional Conservation Strategy (RCS) for the greater Portland-Vancouver region, Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources (INR) was asked to use spatial modeling to identify conservation opportunity areas (COAs). To complete the project, INR analysts proposed a strategy that would map high value areas using a landscape approach that is focused on relatively high spatial resolution data sets available for the whole metropolitan region. The approach creates 2 main metrics: one focused on terrestrial organisms and the other focused on aquatic and riparian organisms. These are combined to create a map of highly …

Interview With Franklin Jones, B-Line, 2011 (Audio), Franklin Jones

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Interview of Franklin Jones by Grant Russ at Portland, Oregon on May 31st, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Michelle Markesteyn-Ratcliffe, Oda, 2011, Michelle Markesteyn-Ratcliffe

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Interview of Michelle Markesteyn-Ratcliffe by Megan Rice in Portland, Oregon on May 10th, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Can Nuclear Power Be Part Of The Solution?, Robert Costanza, Cutler Cleveland, Bruce Cooperstein, Ida Kubiszewski

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

The author discusses the importance of incorporating the full costs of operating a nuclear power plant in the U.S., such as climate impact, risk of accidents, and safe disposal of radioactive waste. He argues on the need for changes in the country's evaluation of nuclear power which include the elimination of subsidies, and the requirement to buy full-coverage insurance for accidents. The author further highlights the cost of greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power plants.

How Defining Planetary Boundaries Can Transform Our Approach To Growth, W. L. Steffen, Johan Rockström, Robert Costanza

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

The article focuses on the importance to identify safe boundaries based on the fundamental characteristics of our planet to address the growing threats of climate change. It highlights the rapid transition of the planet from the stable Holocene state to an unknown future state of significantly different conditions. In addition, climate change, biodiversity loss and phosphorus production were already transgressed by humanity and require innovative frameworks and effective solutions.

Systems Views Of The Economics Of Sustainable Development, Joshua Hughes

Systems Science Friday Noon Seminar Series

The mainstream economics of the 20th century (and now 21st century) has often failed to predict what will happen--or explain what has happened--in the real world, even with (or because of?) an ever-increasing reliance on quantitative and computational methods. Since the mid-20th century a number of people part of, or closely associated with, the systems community--economists among them--have provided insights about what is wrong with "traditional" economics. Systems science offers a number of alternative methods for understanding economic systems that take heed of these criticisms, especially in the context of sustainable development. Yet, while promising, few of these alternatives …

Research On Coupled Human And Natural Systems (Chans): Approach, Challenges, And Strategies, Marina Alberti, Heidi Asbjornsen, Lawrence A. Baker, Nicholas Brozović, Laurie E. Drinkwater, Scott A. Drzyzga, Claire A. Jantz, José Fragoso, Daniel S. Holland, Timothy A. Kohler, Jianguo Liu, William J. Mcconnell, Herbert D. G. Maschner, James D. A. Millington, Michael Monticino, Guillermo Podestá, Robert Gilmore Pontius Jr., Charles L. Redman, Nicholas J. Reo, David J. Sailor, Gerald Urquhart

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding the complexity of human–nature interactions is central to the quest for both human well-being and global sustainability. To build an understanding of these interactions, scientists, planners, resource managers, policy makers, and communities increasingly are collaborating across wide-ranging disciplines and knowledge domains. Scientists and others are generating new integrated knowledge on top of their requisite specialized knowledge to understand complex systems in order to solve pressing environmental and social problems (e.g., Carpenter et al. 2009). One approach to this sort of integration, bringing together detailed knowledge of various disciplines (e.g., social, economic, biological, and geophysical), has become known as the …

Interview With Jim Labbe, Portland Audubon Society, 2011, Jim Labbe

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Interview of Jim Labbe by Tony Smith on March 11th, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Jane Pellicciotto, Allegro Design, 2011 (Audio), Jane Pellicciotto

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Interview of Jane Pellicciotto by Nigel Peltier on March 7th, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Corinna Kimball-Brown, Portland Collective Housing, 2011 (Audio), Corinna Kimball-Brown

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Interview of Corinna Kimball-Brown by Chris White at Portland State University, Oregon on March 3rd, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Exploring Technology Acceptance For Mobile Services, Kenny Phan, Tugrul Unsal Daim

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Purpose: Mobile phone industries are no longer relying on voice services. It is predicted that data services are expected to be a remediation for the declining of average revenue per user (ARPU) in telecommunication market. The purpose of this paper is to find the factors that influence the acceptance/adoption of mobile services.

Design/methodology/approach: This paper utilizes quantitative method. Questionnaire were distributed to collect the data. The questionnaires are designed specifically to address the factors related to mobile services. Later on, this paper uses Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) and Cluster analysis to identify the factors that influence the adoption of mobile …

Interview With Jim Middaugh, Metro, 2011 (Audio), Jim Middaugh

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Interview of Jim Middaugh by Teddy Messan on February 25th, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Chris Cone, Portland Fashion Week, 2011 (Audio), Chris Cone

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Interview of Chris Cone by Daniel Grey on February 22nd, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Robert Costanza, Institute For Sustainable Solutions, 2011 (Audio), Robert Costanza

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Interview of Dr. Robert Costanza by Noah Sharpsteen at Portland State University on February 22nd, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Steven Ribeiro, Aldeia Development, 2011 (Audio), Steven Ribeiro

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Interview of Steven Ribeiro by John Stephenson in Salem, Oregon on February 18th, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Making Ecodistricts: City-Scale Climate Action One Neighborhood At A Time, Ethan Seltzer, Ellen M. Bassett, Joseph Cortright, Vivek Shandas, Timothy W. Smith

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

As part of its approach to meeting Climate Action Plan goals, the City of Portland has joined with the Portland Sustainability Institute to create "EcoDistricts" in Portland neighborhoods to seek neighborhood engagement on behalf of city climate action goals. EcoDistricts, like neighborhoods, offer a scale at which individuals can be affective and empowered to make climate-positive choices, but in a manner that can scale up to make citywide climate action real.

Toward An Integrated History To Guide The Future, Sander Van Der Leeuw, Robert Costanza, Steve Aulenbach, Simon Brewer, Michael Burek, Sarah Cornell, Carole L. Crumley, J. A. Dearing, Catherine Downy, Lisa J. Graumlich, Scott Heckbert, Michelle Hegmon, Kathy A. Hibbard, Stephen T. Jackson, Ida Kubiszewski, Paul Sinclair, Sverker Sörlin, W. L. Steffen

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Many contemporary societal challenges manifest themselves in the domain of human?environment interactions. There is a growing recognition that responses to these challenges formulated within current disciplinary boundaries, in isolation from their wider contexts, cannot adequately address them. Here, we outline the need for an integrated, transdisciplinary synthesis that allows for a holistic approach, and, above all, a much longer time perspective. We outline both the need for and the fundamental characteristics of what we call ?integrated history.? This approach promises to yield new understandings of the relationship between the past, present, and possible futures of our integrated human?environment system. We …

Urban Water Demand Modeling: Review Of Concepts, Methods, And Organizing Principles, Heejun Chang, Lily House-Peters

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

In this paper, we use a theoretical framework of coupled human and natural systems to review the methodological advances in urban water demand modeling over the past 3 decades. The goal of this review is to quantify the capacity of increasingly complex modeling techniques to account for complex human and natural processes, uncertainty, and resilience across spatial and temporal scales. This review begins with coupled human and natural systems theory and situates urban water demand within this framework. The second section reviews urban water demand literature and summarizes methodological advances in relation to four central themes: (1) interactions within and …

(Editorial) A Long Term View Of Rare Plant Reintroduction. A Response To Godefroid Et Al. 2011: How Successful Are Plant Reintroductions?, Matthew A. Albrecht, Edward O. Guerrant Jr., Joyce Maschinski, Kathryn Kennedy

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This is an editorial response to Godefroidet al. (2011). How successful are plant species reintroductions? Biological Conservation 144, 672-682.

Urban And Rural-Residential Land Uses: Their Role In Watershed Health And The Rehabilitation Of Oregon’S Wild Salmonids, Michael Harte, Victor W. Kaczynski, Clinton C. Shock, J. Alan Yeakley, Robert M. Hughes, Nancy Molina, Carl B. Schreck

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This technical report by the Independent Multidisciplinary Science Team (IMST) is a comprehensive review of how human activities in urban and rural-residential areas can alter aquatic ecosystems and resulting implications for salmonid recovery, with a geographic focus on the state of Oregon. The following topics are considered in the form of science questions, and comprise the major components of this report:

1. The effects of urban and rural-residential development on Oregon’s watersheds and native wild salmonids.
2. Actions that can be used to avoid or mitigate undesirable changes to aquatic ecosystems near developing urban and rural-residential areas.
3. The benefits and pitfalls of …

Interview With Brendan Phillips, Sisters Of The Road, 2010 (Audio), Brendan Phillips

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Interview of Brendan Phillips by Brandon Green in Portland, Oregon on December 8th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Dan Mcfarling, Aorta, 2010 (Audio), Dan Mcfarling

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Interview of Dan McFarling by Andrew Scanlan at Union Station, Portland, Oregon on December 1st, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Michael O'Brien, Osd, 2010 (Audio), Michael O'Brien

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Interview of Michael O'Brien by Ian Caputo in North Portland, Oregon on November 22nd, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Brighton West, Friends Of Trees, 2010 (Audio), Brighton West

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Interview of Brighton West by Brigitta Bazso at Portland State University on November 18th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Renee Loveland, Gerding Edlen, 2010 (Audio), Renee Loveland

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Interview of Renee Loveland by Jena Orr at Gerding Edlen, Portland, Oregon on November 17th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Understanding, Modeling And Valuing Ecosystem Services, Robert Costanza

Systems Science Friday Noon Seminar Series

Ecosystem services (ES) are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems (in combination with other inputs) to human well-being. An ES-based approach can assess the trade-offs inherent in managing humans embedded in ecological systems. Evaluating trade-offs requires both an understanding of the biophysical magnitudes of ES changes that result from human actions, as well as an understanding of their impact on human well-being, broadly conceived. This talk discusses the state of the art of ES assessment, valuation, and modeling, including the potential of integrated ecological economic modeling. Valuation is about assessing trade-offs – not necessarily about trades (exchanges) in markets …

Tabor To The River: An Evaluation Of Outreach Efforts And Opportunities For Engaging Residents In Stormwater Management, Vivek Shandas, Anne Nelson, Carine Arendes, Cathy Cibor

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

This report summarizes the key findings from a neighborhood survey that focused on household perceptions of sustainable stormwater systems. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the City of Portland?s Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) and Portland State University?s Center for Urban Studies.

The Perfect Spill: Solutions For Averting The Next Deepwater Horizon, Robert Costanza, David Batker, John W. Day, Rusty A. Feagin, M. Luisa Martinez, Joe Roman

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

In this article the authors comment on the oil spill incident from the Deepwater Horizon, particularly on its economic and ecological damages. The authors highlighted the disaster as an event wherein much is needed to be learned so that future oil spills can be avoided. One lesson refers to the valuability of natural capital assets and other public entities that are at risks due to private interests and that better regulations and incentives are needed to protect these assets against risks.