Sustainability Commons^™

Wku Greeks Go Green: Mobilizing Community For A Cause, Claire Kaelin

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Sustainability, or meeting the needs of current generations without sacrificing the needs of future generations, has become an increasingly pressing issue as more and more people realize that humanity is living far beyond its means. Greeks Go Green was a new competition on campus seeking to address this issue, by harnessing the power of the Greek competitive spirit and pitting organizations against each other to have the most sustainable chapter. Its goal was to not only have a tangible impact as a community, but to also show members of the Greek community how easy it is to make a difference …

2020 Sponsorship Opportunities. Lincoln, Neb., Usa, Oct. 7-9, 2020

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Administrative Materials

The Water for Food Global Conference convenes leading international experts and organizations to focus on achieving global water and food security. “Cultivating Innovation: The Next Decade,” will include keynote speakers, sessions, interactive learning and networking opportunities. The conference also celebrates the 10 year anniversary of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, headlining a week of water and food security-related activities.

Topics include: • Research and Technology Innovation • Policy/Management Tools and Best Practices • Capacity Development/Youth and Students • Water Quality and Public Health • Climate Change and Ecosystems • Women for Water and Food • Nutrition and Health …

Remediation Strategies To Reduce Heavy Metal Uptake In Lettuce Grown In Contaminated Urban Soil, Ryley Thomas

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Urban soils are increasingly used to produce food for local consumption, which requires at the same time management strategies that prevent the plant uptake of potentially present contaminants. This study was conducted to test different soil amendments for their ability to retain lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) within the soil matrix. The analyzed soil was taken from a potential community garden lot near a railroad in Lincoln, NE where elevated concentrations in Pb and As had been detected. Ponderosa pine biochar and spent coffee grounds were used as soil additives because of their documented chemical reactivity towards soil cations or …

Abatement Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances With Electrochemical Oxidation, Elise Webb

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Throughout the United States, there is a growing concern for contamination of groundwater with harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These forever chemicals have no natural degradation pathways and the science community has not had any significant breakthroughs to remediate contaminated sites. Electrochemical oxidation using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode shows excellent potential for becoming an effective therapy for such PFAS contaminated sites. The objective of this research is to provide proof-of-concept that electrochemical oxidation can degrade PFAS, ensure analysis is accurate, and controls of experimental design are optimal. Electrochemical oxidation degraded 10 mg/L perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) under a series …

The Role Of University Of Nebraska–Lincoln’S Biodigester On Sustainable Food Waste Reduction Within Selleck Dining Center, Jennifer Gilbert

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln took a major step toward sustainability this past fall when Dining Services installed their first ever biodigester on November 8, 2019 within Selleck Dining Center. The impact this biodigester has had, thus far, is observable in the form of quantitative data collected in the amount of food waste digested by this technology. This study focuses on analyzing collected data from the LFC Cloud database, while also searching for trends and patterns that could further suggest substantial impact and efficiency of the biodigester on food waste reduction and sustainability initiatives within UNL Dining Services. Data Tables and …

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 …

Diatom Morphology In Light Of A Changing Climate: A Focus On Aulacoseira Crenulate, Brighid Welchans

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Fossilized diatoms are arguably the most vital proxy record utilized in paleolimnology. Diatoms are unicellular microalgae that are the basis of countless food webs, are invaluable bioindicators, and generate nearly a quarter of global net primary productivity. Diatoms are affected by a variety of environmental factors but there is relatively little research on how environmental conditions impact diatom valve morphology, and in particular whether there is a correlation between incoming light and diatom pore morphology. This report focuses on the Amazon lowland lake Garzacocha, and analyzes the relationship between light levels and the corresponding size of Aulacoseira crenulata pores. We …

Adventuring In The Winds: An Exploration Of Water Accessibility, Keystone Species, Environmental Justice, And Forest Fires In The Wind River Range, Rhianna Giron

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This thesis is a braided narrative that incorporates personal experience, ecological research, and poetry to explain some of the impacts of human interaction in wild spaces and of climate change. The specific areas of study in this essay are the Wind River Range, Wyoming and Nebraska. The purpose of this paper is to discuss topics related to water availability and quality, forest fires, keystone species, and social injustices related to people and environments in the Wind River Range. It is important to learn about other places than the ones we are already familiar with as it helps to instill a …

The Way Forward For The Integration Of Sustainability Standards, Tobi Petrocelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large-scale environmental failures within public companies in the United States have led to a globally growing trend in stakeholder insistence that company leaders maintain formal integrated sustainability accounting in their financial reports. Companies that rate high on communications of their sustainability efforts and integrating corporate social responsibility develop investment efficiency and ultimately increase their financial performance. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies 5 chief sustainability officers within publicly held companies in New York can integrate into their annual reporting in order to generate maximum value for stakeholders. Data were collected …

Climate Change Impact Upon The Working Class And Poor, Nancy Elghamri

HHE 169: Urban Sustainability through Science, Literature, and the Arts, 2020

No abstract provided.

Behind The Pretty Sight: The Grimy Forces Of Gentrification In Brooklyn, Mariam Mohamed

HHE 169: Urban Sustainability through Science, Literature, and the Arts, 2020

No abstract provided.

Stars Annual Report, 2020, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) compiles information from departments across campus annually to complete the STARS Report. The score is based on the number of points received across five categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration, and Innovation & Leadership. PSU has maintained a Gold rating since the institution began reporting in 2011 and is within the top 40 of over 400 reporting institutions. This summary includes improvement opportunities to assist our efforts to eventually become a STARS Platinum institution. For more information on improvement opportunities please contact Amanda Wolf at [email protected]

Utility Summary Fiscal Year 2020, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Energy usage listed by building.

The Prairie Post Quarterly Newsletter Of The High Plains Regional Climate Center- January 2020, Natalie Umphlett, Rezaul Mamood, Paul Flanagan, Logan Winters, Kierstin Blomberg, Emilee Lachenmeier, Crystal J. Stiles

Prairie Post: Quarterly Newsletter of the High Plains Regional Climate Center

Inside this issue:

Message from the director........................................1

Staff spotlight...........................1

Year in review............................2

Updates on engagement and tools.....................................3

Observer awards......................3

Overview of regional climate conditions..................................4

AMS annual meeting.............5

Recent and upcoming travel and activities.............................6

Smith New Neilson Library: Healthier Materials, Dano Weisbord, Matthew Gifford, Amanda Garvey

The New Neilson Library

With so much change happening in the manufacturing industry with the onset of new product transparency and disclosure standards, it can be difficult to know how to get involved in market transformation efforts. Our goal for this session is to share an example of how Smith College tackled this challenge. It will include an overview of the Material Health & Transparency Initiative implemented on the Neilson Library project, and the project's team efforts to use this iconic building as a way to advocate for positive change in the marketplace.

Additional materials include draft presentation in parts and whole.

Sediment Dynamics In The Magdalena River Basin, Colombia: Implications For Understanding Tropical River Processes And Hydropower Development, Luke H. Fisher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Magdalena River Basin of Colombia has a globally relevant sediment flux, however, studies of the sediment regime in the basin are limited in scope. This knowledge gap limits application of understanding of sediment dynamics to hydropower decision making. To close this gap, we implemented a sediment budget framework to quantify the impacts of hydropower development in a 118,000 km² portion of the Magdalena River basin. We informed this framework with analysis of background erosion rates derived from ¹⁰Be cosmogenic nuclides and modern sediment fluxes derived from monitoring and optical remote sensing. We standardized these data to spatially …

The Antimicrobial Activity Of Silicon Copper Nanoparticles, Angela Mangano

Sustainability Research & Creative Activities Grants Reports

Excessive overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of mutations within bacteria that result in drug resistance. In an effort to combat the expanding issue of drug resistance, nanoparticles' bactericidal capabilities are being researched as an alternative to antibiotics (Beyth, 2015). In this paper, research to explore a novel silicon copper nanoparticle's antimicrobial capabilities will be discussed. The novel nanoparticle was developed by West Chester University professor, Dr. Kolasinski. The specific research goals were to determine the time and dose dependency of the nanoparticles and investigate the antimicrobial spectrum of activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and viruses. Gram-positive …

Assessing Inequitable Urban Heat Islands And Air Pollution Disparities With Low-Cost Sensors In Richmond, Virginia, Andre M. Eanes, Todd R. Lookingbill, Jeremy S. Hoffman, Kelly C. Saverino, Stephen S. Fong

Geography and the Environment Faculty Publications

Air pollution and the urban heat island effect are consistently linked to numerous respiratory and heat-related illnesses. Additionally, these stressors disproportionately impact low-income and historically marginalized communities due to their proximity to emissions sources, lack of access to green space, and exposure to other adverse environmental conditions. Here, we use relatively low-cost stationary sensors to analyze PM_2.5 and temperature data throughout the city of Richmond, Virginia, on the ten hottest days of 2019. For both hourly means within the ten hottest days of 2019 and daily means for the entire record for the year, the temperature was found to …

Effective Strategies Processing Companies Use To Sustain Business Operations Beyond 5 Years, Travis C. Souders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small food processing businesses in the United States lack strategies to remain financially viable beyond 5 years of operation. Owners and managers of small food processing businesses could benefit from an improved understanding of the importance of effective strategies to improve small business sustainability. Grounded in systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies small food processing companies use to sustain operations beyond 5 years. The participants were 1 small-business owner and 8 managers in Lexington, Kentucky, who used effective strategies to sustain business operations beyond 5 years. Data collected came from semi-structured …

Applied Injected Air Into Subsurface Drip Irrigation: Plant Uptake Of Pharmaceuticals And Soil Microbial Communities, Matteo D'Alessio, Lisa M. Durso, Clinton Williams, Christopher A. Olson, Chittaranjan Ray, Ellen Paparozzi

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

The growing global food security crisis is complicated by the need for increased crop production with less arable land and limited water resources. Reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation is becoming more common, often paired with other conservation measures such as subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). Passively injecting air into SDI systems increases crop yields and overcomes root zone wetting issues. However, when used with treated irrigation water, contaminants in the water might be taken up by the crops. This paper investigates the impact of air-injected water containing caffeine, carbamazepine, and gemfibrozil on plant uptake and soil microbial communities in …