Ecological Perspectives Of The Eastern Saline Wetlands Differ Between Visitors And Non-Visitors,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Ecological Perspectives Of The Eastern Saline Wetlands Differ Between Visitors And Non-Visitors, Peter Janda
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
The Eastern Saline Wetlands of Nebraska can be found in both Lancaster and Saunders counties in Eastern Nebraska. Due to the wetlands’ important services in the areas of recreation, wildlife habitat, and flood control, it is necessary to know the extent to which these services are valued and used by residents of Lincoln . Past research completed in 2015 by the Lower Platte South NRD observed public opinions toward wetland restoration and preservation, finding that 46% of the public strongly support it, 35% mildly support it and 16% do not support it (Saline Wetlands Conservation Partnership, 2006). This past study …
Fungal Mycelium: The Key To A Sustainable Future,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Fungal Mycelium: The Key To A Sustainable Future, Sawyer Krivanek
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This study focuses on fungal mycelium-based packaging as a biodegradable replacement of polystyrene packaging. In this thesis project, there will be a thorough study of the characteristics of fungal mycelium and how it can be combined with other products to create biodegradable packaging. Polystyrene packaging is unsustainable and poses threats to human health and our natural environments. It is pivotal that alternative packaging options for polystyrene are researched and tested to prove reliability as packaging systems develop. Research questions answered in this thesis include: Can fungal mycelium be a biodegradable replacement for plastic/polystyrene packaging at a large scale? What is …
Effect Of Urban Green Space On Urban Populations.,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Effect Of Urban Green Space On Urban Populations., Jack Mensinger
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
As the world's population continues to urbanize, population density increases and people endure the ever-increasing speed of the urban environment. The need to focus on mental and physical health becomes ever more critical as daily routines may not fulfill urban residents' basic needs. The bulk of work studying the relationship between green space, mental, and physical wellness, have had a narrow scope in their assessment of the benefits of green space. Previous studies focused either on the human interaction or the spaces utilities as a corridor and a habitat for flora and fauna. We utilized a systematic literature review to …
Diet Composition And Analysis Of Fish Species Consumed By The Eurasian Otter In A Marine/Costal Environment,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Diet Composition And Analysis Of Fish Species Consumed By The Eurasian Otter In A Marine/Costal Environment, Alexandrea Otto
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Understanding prey preference in Eurasian otters, Lutra lutra, is important to provide greater insight into aquatic predator-prey relationships which will inform conservation efforts. Identifying the composition of an organism’s diet is one of the primary steps in understanding an organism and developing effective conservation strategies. This study expands upon basic identification of consumed items to estimate size of fish eaten by Eurasian otters to provide information on the diet of these important aquatic predators. Many studies on the Eurasian otter have considered diet from river systems, yet less is known of their diet in marine systems. The goal of my …
The Effect Of Pictorial Signs On Recycling Rates,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Effect Of Pictorial Signs On Recycling Rates, Christopher A. Sukstorf
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Recycling is a core way that college students can act altruistically. Many studies have been conducted to study how to increase the participation of recycling on college campuses, office buildings, and the like. This study focuses on the University Lutheran Chapel, a Christian church adjacent to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. While the University of Nebraska – Lincoln has drastically improved recycling participation in recent years, the University Lutheran Chapel lags behind. Pictorial signs were used in an experiment to determine whether they improved recycling rates at The Chapel. Recycling rates at the University Lutheran Chapel were measured by …
The Effects Of Street Tree Site Planting Width On Canopy Width And Ability To Provide Ecosystem Services,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Effects Of Street Tree Site Planting Width On Canopy Width And Ability To Provide Ecosystem Services, Ryan Kendall
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
In a time where pests such as emerald ash borer are reducing urban forests, it is important to gain a return on investment for new trees planted. Since trees cost money, the value of the ecosystem services that they provide over the course of their lives should outweigh their costs. Due to the need for a return on investment, it is important to know whether newly planted street trees are being planted in a space that does not inhibit their growth or ability to provide benefits. This study, in Lincoln, NE looks to determine the relationship between a street tree’s …
What Are The Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On Sea Turtles And How Can We Prevent Them?,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
What Are The Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On Sea Turtles And How Can We Prevent Them?, Stacey Safarik
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This paper will address the impacts of plastic pollution on sea turtles and how humans can combat the issue. Sea turtles are often harmed due to human activities because the ocean is used as a dumping ground for trash, and humans need to take it upon themselves to change this. The purpose of this project was to learn how plastic can impact the lives of sea turtles, and to find out if there are prevention efforts in place. A thematic literature review was conducted in order to find all of the data. Once all of the data was compiled, it …
Planning Urban Forests In A Changing Climate,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Planning Urban Forests In A Changing Climate, Ethan Dudden
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
As the effects of negative effects of climate change are realized, urban forests a means to reduce the potential damage and adverse conditions in urban areas (Wolf, et al., 2020) (Livesley, McPherson, & Calfapietra, 2016) (Xiao & McPherson, 2002). Preserving these resources is becoming more difficult however, as the trees that make up urban landscapes become less adapted to current conditions with every passing year (Aitken, Yeaman, Holliday, Wang, & Sierra, 2008). Changes in climate and world systems also point to invasive pests becoming greater threats to urban forest resources with time (Tubby & Webber, 2010) (Amberger et al., 2017). …
Future Implications Of Extreme Heat On Public Health For Those Living In Lincoln, Nebraska,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Future Implications Of Extreme Heat On Public Health For Those Living In Lincoln, Nebraska, Mandy Koehler
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Increasing temperatures are expected as the climate crisis progresses. This crisis is fueled by the increasing amount of greenhouse gas emissions being released into the atmosphere, which trap heat in the environment. With rising temperatures, more extreme heat events threaten multiple sectors of society including public health. To gain insight into future climate issues related to warming temperatures and public health for people living in Lincoln, Nebraska, this research will evaluate the predicted extent of extreme heat for this area and consider what other relevant regions do to deal with these problems. This study identifies the scope of future extreme …
Lincoln, Ne Composting In Restaurants,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, Ne Composting In Restaurants, Brodie Baum
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This study aimed to investigate restaurants across the city of Lincoln, Nebraska that compost as a way to reduce food waste. Food waste is a growing environmental concern because it leads to climate change, eutrophication and acidification of bodies of water, pollutes the air and more. This study utilized a software program to distribute a survey that restaurants owners/personnel would take. The survey asked a variety of questions that provided information about the restaurants and who runs it. This information allowed us to draw important conclusions. Based on the results of the survey we can begin to speculate about possible …
The River And The Ranger:
The Crafting And Background Of An Interpretive Program,
2020
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
The River And The Ranger: The Crafting And Background Of An Interpretive Program, Amy J. Heusinkvelt
Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)
The central part of this creative project was the development and presentation of an interpretive program delivered in conjunction with employment at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. To supplement this place-specific program, a second program was developed retaining similar themes to the first, but designed to be presented in Lincoln. A brief history of the National Park Service as well as the fundamentals of interpretation were researched and elaborated upon to provide both a base and background for presentation of the interpretive programs. The project includes both self-assessment of the programs and research, as well as remarks, suggestions, and …
Food Waste Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behavioral Intentions Among University Students,
2020
Portland State University
Food Waste Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behavioral Intentions Among University Students, Manar Arica Alattar, James Delaney, Jennifer L. Morse, Max Nielsen-Pincus
Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations
After policy change, educational programming has been cited as one of the most powerful tools for improving food systems and decreasing food waste. University students represent a population in which emerging habits, skills, and identity may be targeted easily and changed through on-campus educational programming. To understand how to best implement programming on impacts of food, food waste, and related issues, the factors that underlie students’ behaviors related to food waste must be understood. We analyzed factors that influence food waste–related behaviors within a university student population to understand the potential for improving targeted, school-based food waste diversion programming. Four …
Characterizing Minneopa State Park Visitor’S Prairie Attitudes, Views Of Conservation And Knowledge Through The Development And Implementation Of The Prairie Attitude And Knowledge Survey (Paks),
2020
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Characterizing Minneopa State Park Visitor’S Prairie Attitudes, Views Of Conservation And Knowledge Through The Development And Implementation Of The Prairie Attitude And Knowledge Survey (Paks), Addeline R. Theis
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
For successful conservation and the continuation of restoration projects, public understanding, acceptance and support are essential. While research into public views related to restoration exist but large gaps remain. Studies examining attitudes related to conservation are limited and even fewer studies investigate these constructs in relation to demographic, societal or cultural factors; even fewer of these studies focus on prairies. Tall-grass prairies were once a dominate biome in Minnesota but now are an endangered ecosystem. While conservation is occurring throughout Minnesota to restore and create new prairies, there is lack of information examining the relationship of prairie restoration and the …
Implementing Eco-Friendly Housing Techniques In Western Montana: Green Home Montana: Eco-Friendly Housing And Living Practices - Final Capstone Portfolio,
2020
University of Montana, Missoula
Implementing Eco-Friendly Housing Techniques In Western Montana: Green Home Montana: Eco-Friendly Housing And Living Practices - Final Capstone Portfolio, Nicolas Ray Ream, Karlyn Roberts, Savannah Willison, Dylan Trent
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
While the green building movement is common practice in the commercial realm, it is not yet widely popular with residential buildings. We considered the question “How can residents of western Montana adopt eco-friendly housing practices that are locally appropriate and relevant?” There is an opportunity to increase green living practices among renters and homeowners in western Montana through retrofitting, gardening, composting, and similar behaviors. By considering climatic factors relevant to the region, suggestions for relevant eco-friendly practices can be made available to homeowners and renters alike. We will research green living practices used in other countries with similar climatic factors …
University Of North Florida Environmental Center Annual Report 2020,
2020
University of North Florida
University Of North Florida Environmental Center Annual Report 2020, James W. Taylor, Erin Largo-Wight, Kelly Rhoden
Annual Reports
2020 Annual Report of the Environmental Center at the University of North Florida
Gulf Coast Marine Laboratories Past, Present And Future,
2020
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Gulf Coast Marine Laboratories Past, Present And Future, Donald F. Boesch
Gulf and Caribbean Research
I spent my nearly 50—year career in marine science working at marine laboratories, most of that as a chief executive officer. So, it is appropriate that my reflections are about marine laboratories, rather than my own science. After relating my career course, I turn my attention to the history and development of marine laboratories along the U.S. coast of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Surprisingly, the region’s first laboratory was actually constructed in 1903 at Cameron, LA, but operated less than a decade before closing. It was not until after World War II that the university—affiliated marine laboratories of today …
Arising: Hurricane (Superstorm) Sandy’S Impact On Design/Planning Professionals,
2020
Antioch University - PhD Program in Leadership and Change
Arising: Hurricane (Superstorm) Sandy’S Impact On Design/Planning Professionals, Maxinne R. Leighton
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Standing by my bedroom window, looking out at the ocean, a huge wave comes and swallows up my building. Everything around me is gone, including me. I wake up. I am 13 years old and living in the Coney Island Houses on Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. With ongoing anthropogenic changes to the natural environment such as sea level rise and intensifying storms, coastal communities, especially ones segregated by class and culture, are particularly vulnerable in this context that challenges a way of life, and in some instances, threatens that life's survival. This dissertation focuses specifically on what one massive …
A Pedagogy Of Hope: Levers Of Change In Transformative Place-Based Learning Systems,
2020
Antioch University of New England
A Pedagogy Of Hope: Levers Of Change In Transformative Place-Based Learning Systems, Michelle G. Heaton
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
In response to mounting wicked environmental problems and an outdated U.S. educational system, this dissertation investigates transformative place-based education as an adaptive boundary system that connects individual learning to positive social-ecological change. The research approaches learning through a systems lens through a novel framework of Social-ecological Systems, Place-based Education, and Transformative Learning Theories. A three-part mixed methods approach, including content analysis of the literature, phenomenological interviews with experts in place-based education, and fuzzy-logic cognitive mapping with educators at three schools practicing the principles of place-based education, is used to examine transformative place-based education from the perspectives of current U.S. place-based …
Emotional Response To Climate Change Learning: An Existential Inquiry,
2020
Antioch University Seattle
Emotional Response To Climate Change Learning: An Existential Inquiry, Jennifer Hutchinson
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This qualitative study aims to explore and explain the existential underpinnings of learning about climate change and potential emotional responses to climate change learning. Undergraduate students in environmental sciences and studies classes at the University of Washingrounded theory on in Seattle, WA participated in semi-structured interviews. Participants were asked about their experiences learning about climate change and how they responded emotionally to the learning. This dissertation examines the responses from those interviews and builds a theory out of the data analyzed. Constructivist Grounded theory as outlined by Kathy Charmaz (2014) was used to analyze the interviews. Codes were created and …
Risk Communication Approaches For Preventing Private Groundwater Contamination In The Republic Of Ireland: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Multidisciplinary Expert Opinion,
2020
Technological University Dublin
Risk Communication Approaches For Preventing Private Groundwater Contamination In The Republic Of Ireland: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Multidisciplinary Expert Opinion, S. Mooney, J. O'Dwyer, Paul Hynds
Articles
The mechanisms of private-well groundwater contamination are uniquely complex, necessitating a multisector communicative approach to risk management, premised on behaviour promotion. In countries such as the Republic of Ireland (ROI), characterised by oftentimes high groundwater contamination risk and concurrently limited user awareness, incorporation of multidisciplinary, ‘expert-based’ knowledge may facilitate design of evidence-based, practical interventions. Expert interviews represent an efficient form of expert consultation, enabling ease of access to niche information and comparison of procedure, but remain under-utilised within the groundwater management literature. In response, the current study elicited opinion from 50 experts across four broad categories (communications, engineering/science, policy, and …
