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Student Theses 2015-Present

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Not Just A Walk In The Park: Environmental Injustice In New York City’S Green Spaces, Greta Laine Mclaughlin May 2024

Not Just A Walk In The Park: Environmental Injustice In New York City’S Green Spaces, Greta Laine Mclaughlin

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines inequities in New York City’s green spaces, and it discusses the discrepancies in the quality and sizes of parks in lower- versus higher-income and white versus non-white areas. Although organizations herald the city’s parks as some of the best and most accessible in the country, marginalized residents face unsafe and insufficient surroundings. Chapter One considers the state of NYC’s green spaces. The chapter uses quantitative data collected by city agencies and non-profits to illustrate the disparities in the conditions of parks among various communities. By framing the issue using ecosystem services, the paper emphasizes the importance of …

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Climate Change And Environmental Crises In Coastal Cities: Charleston Vs New York City, Nolan Rodriguez May 2024

Climate Change And Environmental Crises In Coastal Cities: Charleston Vs New York City, Nolan Rodriguez

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the increasing vulnerability that coastal communities face regarding climate crises and rising sea levels. Specifically, this paper investigates the environmental crises facing Charleston, South Carolina, and New York City. The geographical location of these cities places a more severe threat upon their environment, as opposed to urban collectives removed from the immediate effect of rising sea levels. A cross-examination of politics and economics is discussed in order to determine the causal relationship of each city’s engagement with its surrounding environment. This paper examines how each city is affected by climate change, what measures are in place to …

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An Anthropogenic Mass Extinction: Speculation About The Future Of Humanity And Other Species, Grace M. Nelson May 2024

An Anthropogenic Mass Extinction: Speculation About The Future Of Humanity And Other Species, Grace M. Nelson

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis will address the possibility of a sixth mass extinction at the hands of humanity and the adaptations ecosystems may undertake in recovery. Today, the world is witnessing incredibly fast changes in climate conditions that are causing severe biodiversity loss. Haiti is a region that encompasses the impacts of both environmental degradation and humanity’s social influences on the environment. Haiti will be examined throughout this thesis to provide an understanding of how climate change impacts people and the natural world today. Non-anthropogenic rapid climate change is the root of most past mass extinctions. However, after these events, ecosystems have …

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Ancient Wisdom, Modern Prosperity: Harnessing Traditional Ecological Knowledge To Revitalize Australia's Economy, Environment, And Human Wellbeing, Annabelle L. Baulch May 2024

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Prosperity: Harnessing Traditional Ecological Knowledge To Revitalize Australia's Economy, Environment, And Human Wellbeing, Annabelle L. Baulch

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the traditional knowledge of Australia’s Indigenous people and how it can improve Australia's environment, health, and economic prosperity to shape a more sustainable future. Indigenous Australians managed the land for thousands of years; however, being forced off the land following European colonization resulted in terrible cultural, social, and environmental disruption for Aboriginal Australians and made conservation efforts difficult. Wildfires, imported species, mining, and agriculture is steadily destroying the Australian ecosystem, contributing to climate change, species extinction, and gaps in our cultural and ancestral knowledge. Chapter One overviews Australia's environmental issues; it uses quantitative data to explore the …

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From Pasture To Pavement: Urban Expansion And Its Environmental Consequences In Perth, Anastasia Charelishvili May 2024

From Pasture To Pavement: Urban Expansion And Its Environmental Consequences In Perth, Anastasia Charelishvili

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis addresses the pressing issue of ecological problems of urban sprawl and its intricate impacts on urban health, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities in Perth, Australia. Chapter 1 presents the city's historical background and emphasizes the depletion of ecosystem services, underscoring the need for environmental justice. It also introduces the causes and effects of the sprawl in Perth and draws upon a diverse range of environmental problems created by suburbia, such as air pollution, biodiversity loss, water pollution, and runoff. As these threats translate into urban health declines, such as respiratory problems and increased healthcare issues, Chapter …

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The Air We Breathe: Understanding Individual Exposure To Air Pollution, Claire Culliton May 2024

The Air We Breathe: Understanding Individual Exposure To Air Pollution, Claire Culliton

Student Theses 2015-Present

Every day, people are exposed to air pollution. But not all people experience the same levels of exposure. Human exposure to ambient air pollution is commonly represented by the concentration of pollutants in the air outside, but this is not accurate in revealing the complex and individual experience that is pollution exposure. This paper reevaluates how we represent exposure to ambient pollution and presents data from an ongoing study to broaden our understanding of the role of indoor air quality. Chapter one uses quantitative data to describe the relationship between humans and ambient air pollution and explain why the current …

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The Abyss Of Abundance: Consumer Overconsumption And The Road To Environmental Collapse, Emma Vega Apr 2024

The Abyss Of Abundance: Consumer Overconsumption And The Road To Environmental Collapse, Emma Vega

Student Theses 2015-Present

The pattern of consumer overconsumption, fueled by relentless economic growth and the internal desire for material goods, has emerged as a prominent driver of environmental degradation, pushing our planet to collapse. This paper examines the cause-and-effect relationships between consumer behavior and its catastrophic environmental implications. By unraveling the root causes of overconsumption and its detrimental effects, this study attempts to underscore the urgency of immediate action to prevent irreversible environmental collapse. Chapter 1 will discuss the problem of consumer overconsumption, including an analysis of the detrimental environmental effects of our current consumption levels to highlight why the issue of consumer …

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Renovating America's Electrical Grid: Renewable Sources And Resilient Delivery, Justin O'Hare Giffee May 2023

Renovating America's Electrical Grid: Renewable Sources And Resilient Delivery, Justin O'Hare Giffee

Student Theses 2015-Present

Since the late 1800s, America’s electrical grid systems have relied primarily upon fossil fuels for sources of electricity. Due to the outdated structural foundations and glaring holes in distribution networks, the existing electrical grids struggle with electricity escaping, and modern issues such as cybersecurity, resilience, and weather-related events associated with climate change. This essay discusses ongoing problems with current electric grid systems and aims at explaining the importance of incorporating renewables as a solution for these problems into a new grid system. In the first chapter, a detailed explanation is provided regarding the current issues present in America's grid systems. …

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A Path To Achieve European Energy Security, Nicholas Wolf May 2023

A Path To Achieve European Energy Security, Nicholas Wolf

Student Theses 2015-Present

The apparatus of Europe’s energy security has collapsed. The Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, hydrocarbon market turmoil, and the ever-growing threat of climate change has thrust the continent into crisis. As the risks of severe recession, acute energy shortages, and climatic disasters have begun to materialize, the member states of the European Union (EU) have been left scrambling to secure novel energy supplies. In the short-term, these developments pose severe risks to the EU and its member states. Yet, opportunity often presents itself in the midst of hardship, and the European Energy Crisis of 2022 is no different. This essay …

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Heatwaves In The Arctic: Their Effects On Northern Alaska, Tayler M. Rogers May 2023

Heatwaves In The Arctic: Their Effects On Northern Alaska, Tayler M. Rogers

Student Theses 2015-Present

Images of polar ice caps melting and news of global sea levels rising have dominated the media’s coverage of climate change during the past three to four decades. Focusing on these broad-scale impacts without further context does not adequately explain the complexities of what is currently happening in the Arctic and SubArctic Regions. This paper examines why changes to natural cycles like sea ice melt and permafrost thaw are posing significant threats to both human and non-human life. Shifts from the natural pattern of warming and melting in the Arctic, caused by external, human-induced pressures, have thrown these cycles into …

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Dust Unto Dust: An Exploration Of How Deathcare Became Unnatural, Carli Neustadt May 2023

Dust Unto Dust: An Exploration Of How Deathcare Became Unnatural, Carli Neustadt

Student Theses 2015-Present

The environmental movement encompasses issues ranging from land use to plastic pollution. While it is of the utmost importance to address climate change as it is currently present in our daily lives, few consider the environmental costs of what we leave behind after life. This thesis analyzes present-day funeral industry practices with concern for their ecological footprint. Chapter 1 lays out quantitative data on the environmental consequences of the funeral industry. In the following section, Chapter 2 explores the history of funeral rites, providing a contextual background on how the American funeral industry developed. Chapter 3 establishes the significant advances …

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Water Scarcity In Lebanon: The Edge Of Collapse, Gregory B. Yared May 2023

Water Scarcity In Lebanon: The Edge Of Collapse, Gregory B. Yared

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper discusses the history and future of water in the Republic Of Lebanon, giving general attention to the future of water and agriculture in the Middle East. Chapter One will use several sources to examine a broad section of quantitative data covering water scarcity. Additionally, this chapter will use annual United Nations agriculture reports highlighting the growing risk posed by inadequate agricultural development mixed with water scarcity. These sources will be used to examine both the historical issues surrounding agriculture and the current problems faced. Chapter Two focuses on the history of agriculture and water use in the region …

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Sick Of Zoning In Metropolitan Chicago: Healing Environmental Racism And Investing In A Segregated City, Caroline M. Sandoval May 2023

Sick Of Zoning In Metropolitan Chicago: Healing Environmental Racism And Investing In A Segregated City, Caroline M. Sandoval

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the issue of the historical and present-day built environment in the Chicago metropolitan area, its roots in environmental racism, and impacts on community health. Chapter 1 utilizes mapping of Chicago to analyze U.S. Census and public health data, drawing conclusions based on community area residential patterns and demographics. Chapter 2 explores the origins of zoning practices in the United States and environmental history of Chicago, tracing the immediate impacts of the built environment and today’s community impacts. Chapter 3 dives into the political background of the built environment and city zoning in Chicago, with particular attention to …

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The Green Core Of The Big Apple: The Significance Of Urban Green Spaces In New York City & Beyond, Grace Dailey May 2023

The Green Core Of The Big Apple: The Significance Of Urban Green Spaces In New York City & Beyond, Grace Dailey

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the politics of urban green spaces which includes the issue of their inequitable distribution as well as related issues that can arise when communities do not have access to such spaces. There are a variety of types of urban green spaces, however, this paper will be focused on public parks. Together, such outdoor spaces can create cultural, recreational, and community building opportunities that are able to improve environmental and human health. Chapter 1 presents data about the existence and usage of urban green spaces around the world and in New York City in particular. Chapter 2 uses …

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Designing A Comprehensive Waste Management Plan For K-12 Public School Systems: Ridgefield High School Zero-Waste Initiative Case Study, Caitlin Saoirse Boyle May 2023

Designing A Comprehensive Waste Management Plan For K-12 Public School Systems: Ridgefield High School Zero-Waste Initiative Case Study, Caitlin Saoirse Boyle

Student Theses 2015-Present

Waste management is fundamental to reducing the anthropogenic impact on the environment. It allows humans to recycle plastic, cardboard, aluminum, etc waste that would otherwise pile in a landfill, and compost food and napkin scraps. Ridgefield High School, a local Connecticut public school, initially diverted all of its cafeteria waste to landfills, with recycling bins only in teachers’ offices and select classrooms. Through the first waste audit conducted on their cafeteria trash, out of 258 lbs of waste collected, there is an 82.5% opportunity for diversion out of the waste stream including liquid, mixed recyclables, food, paper, 5-cent recyclables, and …

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Adapting To Environmental Crises: Humans’ Resilience To Humanity, Isabella Volonte May 2022

Adapting To Environmental Crises: Humans’ Resilience To Humanity, Isabella Volonte

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis addresses the modern adaptations of human societies in response to environmental crises during the times of Covid-19 and climate change. As humans continue to inflict destruction on the planet and each other, we must understand human adaptation as a response to human action and treat this action as one equal to the forces of nature. Chapter 1 discusses the concept that human action has evolved to be as powerful as nature in terms of destruction and catastrophic consequences on human society. This chapter addresses relevant data on the magnitude of human consequences, in the context of Covid-19 and …

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Adapting To Environmental Crises: Humans’ Resilience To Humanity, Isabella Volonte May 2022

Adapting To Environmental Crises: Humans’ Resilience To Humanity, Isabella Volonte

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis addresses the modern adaptations of human societies in response to environmental crises during the times of Covid-19 and climate change. As humans continue to inflict destruction on the planet and each other, we must understand human adaptation as a response to human action and treat this action as one equal to the forces of nature. Chapter 1 discusses the concept that human action has evolved to be as powerful as nature in terms of destruction and catastrophic consequences on human society. This chapter addresses relevant data on the magnitude of human consequences, in the context of Covid-19 and …

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Beauty And The Beast: Plastic Pollution In The Personal Care And Cosmetics Industry, Olivia Frantzeskos May 2022

Beauty And The Beast: Plastic Pollution In The Personal Care And Cosmetics Industry, Olivia Frantzeskos

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the history of plastic in the beauty and cosmetics industry, and how this toxic material is irreparably harming our ecosystems resulting from nonrecyclable packaging and a lack of microplastic management. Properly managing harmful plastics found in personal care and cosmetics products (PCCPs) is essential for minimizing toxic wastewater in raw sewage, landfills, and the ocean, as discussed in reports such as “Plastics in Cosmetics” by the UNEP. Furthermore, this paper presents an argument for why the personal care and cosmetics industry should be included in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which gives the EPA authority to …

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Controlling The Contamination: Preventing Environmental Impacts Of Combined Sewage Overflows In Nyc, Samiur R. Turjja May 2022

Controlling The Contamination: Preventing Environmental Impacts Of Combined Sewage Overflows In Nyc, Samiur R. Turjja

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the role and effectiveness of Water Pollution Control Plants (WPCPs) in remediating the negative environmental impacts caused by the release of raw sewage in NYC waterways. As global climate patterns shift and storms become more prevalent in coastal cities, the probability of flooding and consequently combined sewage overflows (CSOs) increases. This paper investigates the long-term environmental impacts of untreated wastewater caused by CSOs on two NYC water bodies with similar ecological and historical functions. Chapter 1 utilizes ecological and quantitative data from various sources such as the findings of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) …

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A Woman’S Place Is In The Resistance: An Ecofeminist Response To Climate Change, Olivia Johnson May 2022

A Woman’S Place Is In The Resistance: An Ecofeminist Response To Climate Change, Olivia Johnson

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the unique impacts of climate change on women and gender diverse people throughout the world, and seeks to move beyond identifying them solely as victims by instead focusing on their dynamic role in environmental activism while addressing the need for a gendered approach to climate policy. The inclusion of gender is often absent in much of environmental literature, which leaves women’s experience of climate change unseen and unaddressed. Beginning with a case study of the Indigenous women of Standing Rock and their battle against the Dakota Access Pipeline, this paper seeks to understand the critical involvement of …

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Locked Inside: The Importance Of New York City’S Parks In The Wake Of Covid-19, Ellena Dickerson Apr 2022

Locked Inside: The Importance Of New York City’S Parks In The Wake Of Covid-19, Ellena Dickerson

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper investigates the role of green space in combating the negative impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on New Yorkers. Access to the outdoors is vital for ensuring the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of individuals at all times, but especially in times of communal crisis. Chapter 1 investigates park usage during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, from changes in the numbers of people patronizing their local parks, to the implications the pandemic had on park maintenance. Chapter 2 discusses Nature Deficit Disorder and the benefits of time spent outdoors to understand the vital role parks have in individuals’ …

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Water Remunicipalization: Insights And Policy Implications From Atlanta, Georgia Case Study, David L. Fretz Apr 2022

Water Remunicipalization: Insights And Policy Implications From Atlanta, Georgia Case Study, David L. Fretz

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper investigates the ways in which water remunicipalization and the natural right to clean drinking water has affected the livelihood of the population of Atlanta, Georgia. Looking at the failures of water privatization efforts across the globe within the context of the ecosystem resources that water provides, I show in chapter 1 that the privatization of water is antithetical to the core goals of water supply, and an increasingly pressing issue as climate change produces increasing water scarcity. In chapter 2, I analyze the efforts of utility privatization in general through the lens of political science, both in motivations, …

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Towers Of Trash: Dissecting India’S Solid Waste Management Crisis, Maya L. Reddy Dec 2021

Towers Of Trash: Dissecting India’S Solid Waste Management Crisis, Maya L. Reddy

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the complex issue of poor solid waste management in the nation of India. The infamous Ghazipur landfill in New Delhi serves as a focal point of this paper as it provides drastic examples of the consequences of solid waste management systems that do not operate effectively. Drawing on information from various scholarly sources, Chapter 1 discusses the issue of solid waste mismanagement in India and its surrounding quantitative and qualitative data. Chapter 2 highlights the socioeconomic, cultural, and religious aspects of consumption, growth, and waste, specifically in relation to prevailing sociological attitudes on material wealth and luxury. …

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A Living City: Food Accessibility And Urban Growth In New York City, Kat Coleman May 2021

A Living City: Food Accessibility And Urban Growth In New York City, Kat Coleman

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the way in which food equity and localization initiatives, specifically in New York City, are a vital response to urban growth and sustainable food demand. Improvements to the current food system in the form of changing the way food is produced, procured, stored, transported, and distributed improves nutrition and contributes to urban sustainability. Chapter 1 provides data on urban environmental justice issues related to food equity, drawing on research from the United Nations and food justice organizations in New York City. Chapter 2 explores the ethical issues surrounding food access and food justice in an increasingly urban …

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Storm On The Horizon: Climate Change, Hurricanes, And The Future Of The Eastern Caribbean, Joseph P. Odegaard Dec 2019

Storm On The Horizon: Climate Change, Hurricanes, And The Future Of The Eastern Caribbean, Joseph P. Odegaard

Student Theses 2015-Present

Hurricanes are a fact of life in the Caribbean. This meteorological reality has shaped the islands’ development throughout its history. However, in recent years, the Atlantic’s most fearsome storms have been unprecedented, both in strength and number. This paper explores the relationship between climate change and hurricanes and the effect this relationship has on the Eastern Caribbean. Chapter 1 uses quantitative data from a variety of sources, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment of the United Nations, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the National Climate Assessment of the United …

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There Must Be Something In The Water: Understanding Pfas Contamination Of Groundwater As A National Security Issue, Kylie N. Ford Dec 2019

There Must Be Something In The Water: Understanding Pfas Contamination Of Groundwater As A National Security Issue, Kylie N. Ford

Student Theses 2015-Present

This report addresses the widespread pollution of domestic groundwater resources with Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) caused by firefighting activities performed at military installations across the United States. Two former military bases in Southeastern Pennsylvania are used as a single case study: the Naval Air Development Center (NADC) in Warminster and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NASJRB) in Horsham. Chapter 1 gives a history of domestic military bases from the perspective of the infrastructure buildup and downsizing that occurred over the 20th Century, along with the environmental degradation revealed during brownfield redevelopment. The chapter then gives specifics about …

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Raising An Indoor Generation: Outdoor Environmental Education Impact On Adolescent Development, Daisy Elizabeth Bewley Dec 2019

Raising An Indoor Generation: Outdoor Environmental Education Impact On Adolescent Development, Daisy Elizabeth Bewley

Student Theses 2015-Present

In an increasingly digital world, children are growing up with less involvement and interaction with the environment. Hands-on and experiential learning is less popular in schools and a more test-oriented and numerical evaluation is increasingly popular. This thesis explores the decrease in outdoor environmental education and the impact that has on adolescent development and developmental milestones in children. This impact extends past just mental development and impacts the physical health development of children. Obesity, attention deficit disorders, and other behavioral issues are just a few of the signs of the problems that have arisen due to a decrease in environmental …

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Breaking Ground On New Agricultural Models: Industrial Agriculture And The Local Food Movement, Elizabeth Nealon Dec 2019

Breaking Ground On New Agricultural Models: Industrial Agriculture And The Local Food Movement, Elizabeth Nealon

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper discusses and examines the longstanding issues surrounding industrial food production as it currently exists and the various ways that purpose-driven enterprises and environmentally-conscious consumers in the United States have been able to steer food production in a more sustainable direction. Over the course of the technological revolution, people living in metropolitan areas have become so distanced from farms and the processes of food production that many are ignorant of the realities of the food industry. Chapter 1 addresses these issues by presenting quantitative data that lays out a timeline of the evolution of the food and agriculture industry …

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Food Choice Reform: Shifting American Culture Toward Sustainable Diets, Colleen Mccarthy Dec 2019

Food Choice Reform: Shifting American Culture Toward Sustainable Diets, Colleen Mccarthy

Student Theses 2015-Present

Excessive meat consumption is associated with a wide range of environmental problems. Reducing meat consumption has been recognized as one of the most efficient ways to decrease one’s ecological footprint, yet meat consumption is still on the rise and many are not willing to make changes to their diets to include less meat. This paper discusses the problem of America’s continued and rising overconsumption of meat, with the end goal of developing and concluding which strategies are most effective at shifting American culture toward sustainable diets. Chapter 1 gives an overview of why a reduction in meat consumption is necessary …

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The Path To Building Resilience In Sri Lankan Rice Farms, Tarea Karunaratne Dec 2019

The Path To Building Resilience In Sri Lankan Rice Farms, Tarea Karunaratne

Student Theses 2015-Present

Rice cultivation in Sri Lanka roots back to its very first Kingdom in 161 B.C, and is still an incredibly populous industry to this day with an estimated 708,000 hectares of land being used for paddy cultivation. However, due to a changing global climate and an increase in natural disasters worldwide, Sri Lanka’s rice industry and the millions of people dependent on it have been greatly affected. This paper seeks to explore resilience building in a Sri Lankan context, taking into account the cultural and socio-economic factors that may influence how rice is farmed and who farms it, and to …

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