Environmental Studies Commons^™

An Hsi Report: The Impact Of Animal Agriculture On Global Warming And Climate Change, Humane Society International

HSI REPORTS

The farm animal production sector is the single largest anthropogenic user of land, contributing to soil degradation, dwindling water supplies, and air pollution. The breadth of this sector‘s impacts has been largely underappreciated. Meat, egg, and milk production are not narrowly focused on the rearing and slaughtering of farm animals. The animal agriculture sector also encompasses feed grain production which requires substantial water, energy, and chemical inputs, as well as energy expenditures to transport feed, live animals, and animal products. All of this comes at a substantial cost to the environment.

One of animal agriculture‘s greatest environmental impacts is its …

Proxy-Based Reconstructions Of Hemispheric And Global Surface Temperature Variations Over The Past Two Millennia, Michael E. Mann, Scott Rutherford

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Following the suggestions of a recent National Research Council report [NRC (National Research Council) (2006) Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years (Natl Acad Press, Washington, DC).], we reconstruct surface temperature at hemispheric and global scale for much of the last 2,000 years using a greatly expanded set of proxy data for decadal-to-centennial climate changes, recently updated instrumental data, and complementary methods that have been thoroughly tested and validated with model simulation experiments. Our results extend previous conclusions that recent Northern Hemisphere surface temperature increases are likely anomalous in a long-term context. Recent warmth appears anomalous for at least …

Fema Trailers, Jae Rhim Lee

SWITCH

This article introduces an art and research project centered on a surplus FEMA travel trailer delivered to MIT which is used as a focal point of a course taught by Jae Rhim Lee. Lee uses the trailer to explore broader issues of environmental justice, government failure, and the health effects of disaster response. The project connects to another one of her projects, N=1=0=Infinity, a proposal for eco-friendly burial methods using mushrooms to return the body’s nutrients to the Earth.

On Green Technology, Julia Butterfly Hill

SWITCH

In this article, Hill shares a reflection on how humanity has lost its sense of connection with the Earth and each other, a disconnection she calls “Separation Syndrome.” Hill explores how technology can either harm or help depending on how we use it. She encourages artists and creators to approach technology and the environment with connected consciousness, using creativity for healing, sustainability, and transformation.

Moral Obligations Of The Artist In A Global Warming World, Marguerite Manteau-Rao

SWITCH

In this feature, Manteau-Rao reflects on her personal journey from traditional object-based art to a more environmentally conscious practice, questioning the moral responsibilities of artists in a time of climate crisis. She argues that while art has long been seen as essential to society, global warming demands a shift in priorities - toward survival and sustainability.

The Power Of One, Curtis Baffico

SWITCH

In this article, Baffico shares his personal story of leaving the corporate world to create One Buck for the Planet, a donation-based social network that helps support environmental organizations. Baffico encourages individuals to give just $1 and spread the word, creating a ripple effect of global giving.

Artists Working With The Earth In Mind, Ed Dean

SWITCH

This article explores the work of artist Dan Peterman, who uses recycled materials to create art that promotes sustainability and mutual care between people and the environment. Peterman’s work invites reflection and reuse and blends creativity, community engagement, and environmental consciousness. This article also describes his transformation of an old recycling site into the Experimental Station, a community-focused space for collaboration and renewal.

Interim Report: Maddington-Kenwick & Cockburn Sustainable Industry Project, Beth Walker, Janice Redmond, Ute Goeft

Research outputs pre 2011

The aim of this project is to investigate the current attitudes and practices of business ownermanagers in the light industrial areas of Maddington-Kenwick and Cockburn regarding environmental issues and waste management pre and post an intervention program. A specific aim of the project is to reduce waste and achieve implementation of better environmental management practices in this sector. The project commenced in February 2007 and is due to finish in December 2008.

The two survey areas are geographically located South East and South of Perth within two separate local government boundaries. The light industrial area of Maddington-Kenwick is part of …

Diminished Access, Diverted Exclusion: Women And Land Tenure In Sub-Saharan Africa, Michael Kevane, Leslie C. Gray

Economics

Increasing commercialization, population growth and concurrent increases in land value have affected women's land rights in Africa. Most of the literature concentrates on how these changes have led to an erosion of women's rights. This paper examines some of the processes by which women's rights to land are diminishing. First, we examine cases where rights previously utilized have become less important; that is, the incidence of exercising rights has decreased. Second, we investigate how women's rights to land decrease as the public meanings underlying the social interpretation and enforcement of rights are manipulated. Third, we examine women's diminishing access to …

Connectedness To Nature And Electricity Consumption: An Interdisciplinary Study Of Behavior And Emotional Response To Nature In The Union Street Housing Complex, Jenna Trostle

Honors Papers

Much research has been done surrounding conservation behaviors in the household and electricity consumption. Most research has tended to focus on attitudes about the environment and how those attitudes influence pro-environmental behavior, but the research has not usually found a strong link between the two. The Connectedness to Nature Scale was used in this study to measure emotional responses to nature, and to determine whether people who felt more connected to nature used less electricity in the household. The residents of the Union Street Housing complex at Oberlin College were chosen as the group monitored for this project, as the …

Learning To Eat Appreciatively And Thoughtfully (Eat): Connecting With Food Through School Gardens, Lina A. Yamashita

Honors Papers

Many young people today do not learn to cook, or eat nutritious, regular meals together with their families, or go shopping for produce. Because of this, they do not have the opportunity to develop any real appreciation for food. To make matters worse, many public schools fail to teach students anything at all about the complex environmental and cultural history of food – how it is produced, preserved, prepared, and distributed. At the same time, schools serve lunches that often lack nutritional value. In this thesis, I argue the importance of giving students the opportunity to connect to food through …

An Environmental Justice Analysis: Superfund Sites And Surrounding Communities In Illinois, Angela Maranville, Tih-Fen Ting, Yang Zhang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Is there an association between Superfund sites and the socioeconomic makeup of the surrounding communities? This research analyzes the current economic and racial demographics of Illinois counties that contain Superfund sites. Specifically, variables that are indicators of environmental injustice are analyzed; e.g. race, median household income, and home ownership. Since the inception of the environmental justice movement in the late 1980s, studies have been conducted nationally and at state levels in Michigan, California, Ohio, Florida, Texas, and South Carolina (i.e. Cutter 2006; Mohai & Saha 2006; Pastor et al. 2004; Anderton et al. 1997; Bevc et al. 2007; Bowen et …

Land Tenure And Rental In Western Sudan, Michael Kevane, Leslie C. Gray

Economics

This paper reports on aspects of land tenure in western Sudan, especially the nature of tenure insecurity and the functioning of the land rental market. The active land rental market accounted for about one-third of cultivated land. Patterns of land rental transactions, and tests of the importance of insecurity in renting land, where the owner may not be able to reclaim land rented out, do not support the presumption that rental markets perform poorly. The role of the sheikh as administrator of village land, and the claims of large landowners to vast tracts, are, however, important political problems that must …

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Dean, Lalit R. Verma

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Additional Studies In Rio Grande Valley History, Milo Kearney, Anthony K. Knopp, Antonio Zavaleta

Studies in Rio Grande Valley Regional History Series

Border birding, a poem / Chip Dameron -- The curse, a folktale / Peter Gawenda -- River boundaries of Texas : the Louisiana-Texas borderland and Lower Rio Grande Valley in comparative perspective 1700-1850 / Francis X. Galan -- Testamentos de Reynosa 1770-1820 / Pedro Antonio Campos Rodriguez -- La Guerra de 1847 y la inevitibilidad ‘retorica’ de la derrota / Arturo Zarate Ruiz -- The dead man’s bride, a folktale / Peter Gawenda -- Emmanuel Domenech in the Rio Grande Valley, 1851-1853 / Santiago Escobedo -- Don Juan Jose de Solis, Albert Champion, the border cattle raids, and the birth …

Eco-Poetry, Julia Butterfly Hill

SWITCH

This piece shares three poems by Julia Butterfly Hill. Her poems explore connections between people, nature, spirit, and justice.

Carbon Neutral? Exploring Electronic Waste., Jessica Issler

SWITCH

This interview with Ted Smith, founder of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, explores the environmental and human health issues caused by electronic waste and toxic materials in the tech industry. Smith discusses his advocacy work, experiences meeting global leaders, and the efforts needed to make the electronics industry more sustainable. He shares insights on policy change, personal eco-practices, and the need for public access to environmental data.

Green Graphics, Teck Liew, Vivian Mak

SWITCH

In this interview, graphic designer Brian Dougherty discusses the meaning and impact of green design. As cofounder of Celery Design Collaborative, Dougherty shares how his team integrates environmental responsibility into the design process. He explains how designers can lead by example, creating value beyond cost savings.

Architectural Sustainability, Mike Lowell

SWITCH

This article explores how architecture is evolving to be more sustainable, responsive, and integrated with the environment. Contemporary architects consider local communities, ecological impact, and energy efficiency. The author discusses examples like Morphosis, Herzog + Partner, and MVRDV, who design with environmental and social responsibility in mind.

Front Matter: Issue 25, Danielle Siembieda

SWITCH

Front matter for Volume 25 of SWITCH. This issue explores how artists are rethinking their relationship with the environment and technology. It challenges readers to go beyond buzzwords like “green” and examine sustainability in deeper, more meaningful ways. Contributors from many backgrounds discuss the impact of art-making on the planet, the influence of environmental issues on creative practice, and the role of technology in shaping a more sustainable future.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 9 2008, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Arctic Sea Routes : Marine Environmental Impacts On Effect Of The Climate Change And Opening Of The Passages For International Shipping Traffic, Mohamed A. Essallamy

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effective Implementation Of The International Convention For The Safe And Environmentally Sound Recycling Of Ships, Ji Hoon Suk

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Historical Assessment And Archeological Survey Of 4.9 Miles Of Fm 2092 From Menard To Fivemile Crossing, Menard County, Texas, Jennifer K. Mcwilliams, Douglas K. Boyd, Celine Finney

Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State

This preliminary report describes historical research and an intensive archeological survey conducted for a 4.9-mile-long stretch of FM 2092 in Menard County by Prewitt and Associates, Inc. The work was performed for the Texas Department of Transportation in conjunction with a road improvement project beginning at the eastern Menard city limit and extending eastward to just beyond Fivemile Crossing. Crossing over Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial terraces of the San Saba River, the project area is located in a high-probability area for buried prehistoric sites and has a dynamic history of intensive use since Spanish colonial times. Investigations included geoarcheological mapping, …

Distribution And Habitats Of Mosquito Larvae In The Kingdom Of Tonga, Jon S. Harding, Culum Brown, Felicity Jones, Russell Taylor

Ecology Collection

Mosquitoes are a significant pest and human health issue in the Kingdom of Tonga. The occurrence of species and habitats used by mosquito larvae were investigated to determine the potential for control through larval habitat management. Forty-two sites, including 22 villages and 20 farm plantations on the six islands of Tongatapu, Pangaimotu, Vava’u, Pangaimotu (Vava’u group), ‘Utungake and Nuku, were surveyed in April 2006. A total of eight mosquito species were collected: Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus), Ae. horrescens (Edwards), Ae. nocturnus (Theobold), Ae. tongae (Edwards), Culex albinervis (Edwards), Cx. annulirostris (Skuse), Cx. quinquefasciatus (Say) and Cx. sitiens (Wiedemann). Several species were …

The Valuation Of Nature: An Examination Of Benefits And Costs Associated With Duck Nesting Structures And The Marginal Duck Recruit, Tessa Haagenson

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Modeling Environmental Justice: A Comparative Analysis Of Multiple Environmental Metrics, Trevor K. Fuller

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental justice, the study of interactions between environmental disamenities and socioeconomic conditions, has been a focus of policy debates and research since the late 1970s. To date, environmental justice research has relied heavily on a few selected metrics, including, but not limited to, Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDF), and Super.fund site Jocations. In this study, I will examine the efficacy of these environmental quality datasets, as well as that oflocal blood-lead level data (in children), to predict observed socioeconomic conditions and compare these results to an emerging metric, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Based on …

Changes In Nitrogen Cycling During The Past Century In A Northern Hardwood Forest, Kendra K. Mclauchlan, Joseph M. Craine, W. Wyatt Oswald, Peter R. Leavitt, Gene E. Likens

Dartmouth Scholarship

Nitrogen (N) availability, defined here as the supply of N to terrestrial plants and soil microorganisms relative to their N demands, limits the productivity of many temperate zone forests and in part determines ecosystem carbon (C) content. Despite multidecadal monitoring of N in streams, the long-term record of N availability in forests of the northeastern United States is largely unknown. Therefore, although these forests have been receiving anthropogenic N deposition for the past few decades, it is still uncertain whether terrestrial N availability has changed during this time and, subsequently, whether forest ecosystems have responded to increased N deposition. Here, …