Sustainability Commons^™

Contribution Of A Higher Educational Institution Towards Advancing Sustainability In The West Texas Paso Del Norte Region, Anand Raj

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Sustainability comprises primarily three elements; environmental, social, and economic, which can be considered the keys to humanityâ??s survival and wellbeing. The pillars can alternately be given informal names: planet, people, and profit. Sustainability is achieved by effectively utilizing available resources through different sustainable development efforts. Generally, groups or entities come together to create sustainable impact in the three primary elements discussed here. City councils, businesses, and higher education institutions are just a few of the entities that engage in sustainability efforts. It is valuable to appraise the role played by a higher education institution in advancing sustainability in the context …

Electrochromic Windows: Return On Investment Analysis, Thomas Michael Caprio

Construction Management

In recent years, sustainability in construction has become a topic of undeniable interest. With sustainability certifications becoming more prominent and desirable, members of the construction industry have begun to seek alternatives for standard systems to keep up with market trends. One of the main issues that the construction industry faces is accessibility of technology. While there are new products and technologies being released frequently, members of the construction industry lack knowledge on the specific details and implications of working with newer systems. One piece of technology that was recently introduced is electrochromic glass, or smart glass. Electrochromic windows analyze sunlight …

Beyond The Covid-19 Pandemic, Havovi Joshi

Asian Management Insights

As COVID-19 infection rates stabilise throughout the world, countries have already begun to prepare for life beyond the pandemic. In this issue, leading academics and seasoned practitioners walk us through the challenges that lay before us, giving us insights into issues from public health and regulations revolving around Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, to challenges faced in implementing digital transformation and their implications for lives, livelihood, and society as we tread gingerly into the post-COVID-19 world.

Using A Geospatial Analysis Tool To Visualize Water Impairments And Engage Stakeholders In The San Bernardino National Forest, Jovany Estrada

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

High quality water is an important resource that is integral to supporting environmental and human health. It is essential for economic, social and environmental purposes. Impairments to water resources can be attributed to anthropogenic sources that are associated with terrestrial activities including urban development and agricultural activities. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is an approach that can be used to include community input to improve water management strategies. In the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) area in southern California, there are disadvantaged communities that can benefit from a CBPR study to increase water quality in the area. A geovisualization tool will …

Determining The Value Of Ecosystem Services Provided By Green Stormwater Infrastructure In Coastal South Carolina, Joan U. Ureta

All Dissertations

Rapid urbanization changes the natural hydrology of a landscape, making stormwater management a crucial aspect of land development. As the fastest growing ecosystem globally, an innovative way of managing stormwater is needed to address the increase in urban run-off. In coastal South Carolina, stormwater practices have been widely adopted at the neighborhood level, yet threat of flooding is becoming more evident as the urban population and development continue to rise.

To determine the importance of stormwater practices to coastal residents, we assessed perception on stormwater practices and programs at different decision levels— 1) household, 2) neighborhood, and 3) city/county. Results …

Apparent Temperature And Relative Humidity In Nebraska: A Comparative Analysis On Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (Wbgt) Tools, Rachel T. Hines

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Heat waves can lead to illness and death, particularly among older adults, the very young, and other vulnerable populations. More frequent severe heat waves are expected to impact Nebraska. Looking specifically into Lincoln, NE for future climate trends, over the next 100 years, “the number of hot days would increase by 13-22 days during a given summer (depending upon the scenario), and the number of warm nights would increase by 20-35 nights each summer” Bathke et al. (2014). These higher summer temperatures will “increase electricity use, causing higher summer peak loads” as well as “pose physical and mental health challenges…outdoor …

Land-Use And Potential Effects On The Western Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium), Emily Zappia

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Humans have altered 40% of land across the globefor cropland, rangeland, and pastureland, which, in turn, affects amphibious species like the western tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium; WTS)and their viable habitats.Since intensive agriculture increased throughout eastern Nebraska in the 1980’s, the distribution ofA. mavortiumhas declined and the species can no longer be found in the southeast corner of the state, while populations are thriving in the pastures of the Sandhills region. Here we explorethe potential factors contributing to the decline ofA. mavortiumthrough the analysis of climaticand soil characteristic data across the geographic distribution of WTS. Data indicated that precipitation rates, soil …

Towards Conserving Crop Wild Relatives Along The Texas–Mexico Border: The Case Of Manihot Walkerae, Gisel Garza, Crystian Sadel Venegas Barrera, Jon Dale, José Guadalupe Martínez-Ávalos, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Walker’s Manihot, Manihot walkerae, is an endangered species endemic to south Texas and northeastern Mexico and is a Crop Wild Relative (CWR) of the international and economically important crop cassava (M. esculenta). Manihot walkerae is globally endangered (IUCN’s Redlist, Texas list, USA); however, it is not recognized on the Mexican list of endangered species (NOM-059-SEMARNAT). We assessed the status of M. walkerae in Mexico and re-evaluated its global status. According to our analysis, M. walkerae should be considered an endangered species based on the IUCN’s assessment method and a threatened species in Mexico based on the Mexican criteria. Our findings …

Sustainability In Web Development Through Energy Efficiency, Hannah Bebinger

Honors Projects

As global internet usage expands, websites are growing in both size and complexity. Contrary to the common belief that the internet is immaterial and “environmentally friendly”, web pages have significant negative environmental impacts (Frick, 2015). Websites contribute to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and electricity consumption. Considering the current climate crisis, it is crucial that web developers be aware of the impact that their work has on the environment and actively work to improve site energy efficiency. With a lack of regulation and awareness, the environmental impact of websites has remained unchecked despite growing concerns for sustainability. Further research and …

Promoting Sustainability At Providence College, Victoria Hanlon, Ava Biafore

Health Sciences Student Scholarship

Victoria Hanlon ’23, Major: Health Policy and Management

Ava Biafore ’23, Majors: Management and Health Policy and Management

Faculty Mentors: Dr. Tuba Agartan, Health Policy and Management and Jill Parrett, Environmental Health and Safety

We are both Health Policy and Management majors conducting an independent study with Dr. Agartan with the goal of improving sustainability practices at Providence College. We are working cross functionally with Jill Parret of the Environmental Safety Department and the Student Congress Sustainability Committee to encourage the student body to increase sustainability awareness. These measures include creating a sustainability dashboard on the Providence College website, Canva …

Powering A Sustainable Electric Vehicle Future, Harmony Ruth, Jordan Brickman

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Electric vehicle sales account for roughly 20% of total sales world wide and are projected to be 80% by 2050. China's electric vehicle market holds a 13.3% market share. China exported 550,000 electric vehicles in 2021. China represents a 54% share of the world's coal consumption as of 2020. Why study China on this issue? China is a major player in the World Economy.

Sustainability In Industrial Architecture, Katerina Shuble

Honors Projects

The goal of this project is to complete an in-depth study and analysis of sustainable industrial architecture. Currently, sustainable industrial architecture is an emerging topic amongst architects and industry leaders. Topics involve battling with ideologies and company policies to better the sustainability of industrial architecture. This project will help fill the gap between industrial design and sustainability by creating research and project-based examples of how sustainable industrial design can be completed. The project will be a result of a thorough research study of current sustainable industrial design, and a proposal for new efforts that can be implemented. The goal of …

The Ecology And Evolution Of Phenotypic Plasticity: Insights From Amphibians, Rick Relyea

Sustainability Seminar Series

Nearly every species on the planet exhibits traits that are the product of the genes they possess and the environments in which they live. Dr. Relyea will examine the ecological and evolutionary insights from more than two decades of studying amphibians as a model system, including the many different predator, competitor, and contaminant environments that induce changes in behavior, morphology, and life history. He will also explore the phylogenetic patterns in how plastic traits have evolved, including how traits and trait plasticities can exhibit dramatically different evolutionary patterns.

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Present Situation And Prospects Of Tourism Resource Evaluation In Abandoned Mining Areas, Wang Qiuju, Wang Yue, Ma Yuying, Zhang Bo

Coal Geology & Exploration

The identification and evaluation of tourism resources are important basis for tourism planning and development in abandoned mining areas. This paper adopts literature review method and inductive analysis method to comprehensively sort out the domestic and foreign research results on the value evaluation of tourism resources in abandoned mining areas, and systematically analyze the identification, evaluation system construction and evaluation methods of tourism resources in abandoned mining areas. It is found that the current understanding of tourism resources in abandoned mining areas is only at the level of mining relics and mining heritage, lacking emphasis on the natural resources such …

Research On Redevelopment Model Of Abandoned Mining Land From The Perspective Of Property Right Policy, Deng Yuanyuan, Chang Jiang, Feng Shanshan, Zhou Xue

Coal Geology & Exploration

The reuse of abandoned mines has become the main path for resource-based cities to realize functional transformation. The redevelopment of mining land belongs to the renewal of urban stock industrial land, which is a spatial transformation process accompanied by property right transfer. The research on the evolution of the relationship between relevant property rights policies and abandoned mine redevelopment model is helpful to understand the impact of the policy and put forward suggestions for future policies. This paper combs the national and local property rights policies since 1990, takes the redevelopment practice in different times of this period as an …

Refined 3d Modeling Of Rock And Mine Specimens In Xishan Coalfield And Its Virtual Simulation Platform Construction, Zhang Qiongyue, Chen Liming, Zhao Jingui, Wang Jianmin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Rock and mineral specimens are unique and non-renewable. The traditional collection display is not convenient for professional academic exchanges, which limits the efficient development of the popularization of geosciences. 350 representative rock and mineral specimens of Xishan Coalfield in Taiyuan City are collected to explore the fine 3D modeling of small-scale rock and mineral specimens and to construct a virtual simulation platform. First, the multi-view image 3D reconstruction technology to design a matching three-dimensional ring object photography device is used to collect image data. Then modeling accuracy is optimized from two aspects of original image quality and modeling software. Finally, …

Geochemical Characteristics Of Rare Earth Elements In Surface Sediments From Huainan Coal Mining Subsidence Area, Anhui Province, China, Qian Yinghua, Zheng Liugen, Chen Yuanping, Jiang Chunlu, Chen Xing, Chen Yongchun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Rare earth elements(REEs) are widely used in environmental geochemical analysis process research due to their unique chemical characteristics. This study investigated the geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements in surface sediment from the Huainan coal mining subsidence area, Anhui Province, China. Twelve surface sediment samples were collected from Panyi, Guqiao and Xieqiao subsidence areas in the study area. The content of rare earth elements in the samples was tested and analyzed by ICP-MS, and the distribution characteristics and controlling factors of REEs and its material sources were discussed. The results show that the rare earth element content in the surface …

Progress In Investigation Technology For Coal Mine Goafs Under Buildings And Structures In China, Liu Xiaoping

Coal Geology & Exploration

The investigation of goafs in the coal mine is a major technical problem that restricts the normal engineering construction and safe operation of the upper site. Looking back at the establishment of coal mine goaf prospecting technical specifications in China, the results obtained in the past three decades are reviewed in the goaf prospecting methods, the deformation prediction, stability evaluation, etc. Some representative problems are pointed out in the current actual investigation work, such as the poor guidance of the investigation outline, the inadequate integration of drilling technical requirements with the investigation work, the inability of engineering geophysical exploration to …

Principle Of A Self-Protective Sealing Device For Mwd And Its Influencing Factors, Wang Yaoming, Ye Genfei, Zhao Yongzhe, Gao Ke, Liu Weiwei, Duan Huijun

Coal Geology & Exploration

For deeper drilling depth and longer service life of MWD, a self-protection sealing device for the MWD instrument is designed given the defects of the combined static sealing structure. The relationship between rubber airbag expansion displacement and air pressure was studied through static expansion numerical simulation. On this basis, the reasons for different results due to different model sizes were analyzed, and the factors causing the different simulation results of the self-protection sealing device were discussed. The four independent variables of airbag diameter, width, wall thickness and inner cavity width were determined and simulated to explore their relationship with the …