Sustainability Commons^™

Closing The Loop On Textile Waste: Policy, Technology, And Consumer Behavior In Sustainable Fashion, Anthony Amotoe-Bondzie

Collected Student Papers

Textile waste has become one of the most visible consequences of the fashion industry’s linear production and consumption model, where materials are rapidly extracted, transformed, consumed, and discarded. This paper critically examines how sustainable fashion can move beyond isolated recycling efforts toward a more integrated circular economy framework. Rather than treating textile waste as only an end-of-life problem, the study analyzes it as a systems issue shaped by overproduction, weak product design, limited recovery infrastructure, fragmented regulation, and consumer habits that normalize short garment lifespans. The paper argues that closing the loop on textile waste requires coordinated interventions across policy, …

Assessing The Role Of Ocean Literacy In Liberia's Blue Economy : Pathway To Sustainable Blue Ocean Development In Liberia, Precious Tete Nah

Ocean Sustainability, Governance & Management Dissertations

Ocean literacy involves understanding the fundamental concepts of the ocean's functioning, leading to informed and responsible decisions about the ocean. This understanding is vital for developing responsible ocean citizenship and implementing measures to sustain the ocean, as it highlights the ocean's influence on humans and the impact of human activities on it. Using a qualitative research method with a purposive sampling approach, the research asks focus group representatives from New Kru Town and Westpoint, both closed- and open-ended questions, on the importance of ocean literacy, challenges, prospects, and recommendations to promote sustainable blue ocean development.

The results of the research …

A Better Great Plains: Bridging The Implementation Gap For A Better Future, David W. Sandahl

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Northern Great Plains is experiencing extensive native grassland loss and landscape degradation, jeopardizing both ecological integrity and the socio-economic systems that rely upon these ecosystems. In an early effort to lessen degradation, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) introduced the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) which generated ecosystem services benefits such as reduced soil erosion, improved water quality, and increased species diversity through the retirement of cropland and rangeland for 10- or 15-year contracts. However, CRP has not fully modernized alongside today’s agriculturalists and adoption remains shaped by an historically fraught socio-political context characterized by deep-seated mistrust between ranchers, …

“Toward A World Where Many Worlds Fit”: Thinking-Feeling Our Way In The Pluriverse, Michael Burns

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Michael Burns, English, shares "Toward a 'World Where Many Worlds Fit': Thinking-Feeling Our Way into the Pluriverse" Recording shares the lecture portion. Following the lecture participants shared their thoughts with one another.

Detection And Prevention Of Water Inrush From Seam Floor During Coal Mining Above Confined Aquifer, Weidong Pan, Yupei Deng, Houlin Du, Shiqi Liu, Mingtao Xu, Xingjie Liu

Journal of Sustainable Mining

With the increasing intensity of coal resource exploitation in China, the geological conditions of the working face are becoming more and more complex, and the bottom plate breakage (bottom bulge) and water inrush disasters caused by pressurized water mining are becoming more prominent. This article is based on the 21605 working face of Xin’an Coal Mine in Zaozhuang Mining Group. Through theoretical analysis and numerical calculations, the characteristics and scope of coal seam floor failure in the working face are obtained. Especially, the electrode cable direct current detection system designed through self-optimization was used for actual testing. Research shows that …

The Suitability Of Advanced Geospatial Technologies In Monitoring Mine Surface Displacement, Long Quoc Nguyen, Tuyet Minh Dang, Lipecki Tomasz

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This study conducts a thorough review of the current scientific literature on the application of geospatial methods in the assessment of mining-induced displacement. The scope of research included technologies for determining deformation, subsidence, and landslide in mining areas. Global Navigation Satellite Systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Terrestrial Laser Scanners, Remote Sensing, and fusion methods are approaches used to solve the research objectives. Additionally, the paper also mentions some advantages, disadvantages, and scope of application of these methods. The investigation revealed that the displacement detection method most commonly used at the moment is satellite radar interferometry.

Towards Sustainable Mining: Ghg Considerate Open Pit Long-Term Planning Using Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search Algorithm, Bahar Amirmoeini, Martin Grenon, Ali Moradi Afrapoli

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Mine planning involves the systematic design and coordination of mineral extraction from the earth’s crust, integrating exploration, production, and various engineering considerations. With increasing emphasis on environmental responsibility, the mining industry is under pressure to incorporate environmental considerations into mine planning. This paper addresses the precedence-constrained production scheduling problem (PCPSP) within the context of green long-term mining planning, aiming to optimize extraction processes while restricting carbon emission. Given the NP-hard nature of the PCPSP, this study introduces an adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) algorithm tailored specifically for long-term mine planning. A range of computational experiments have been carried out, including …

Economic Viability And Environmental Sustainability: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Green Technologies In Mineral Extraction, Tshinkobo Bukasa Orphea, Agyingi Babaca Agyingib, Xiangrui Meng

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This research offers a novel approach to comparing green technologies’ economic profitability and environmental sustainability of their mineral extraction based upon econometric and life cycle assessment methodologies. Quantitative results show attractive results with an NPV of $2,014,001 and an IRR of 17%. In the third year, the project nets at $300,000, or 63%, at a 7% discount rate. However, soil protection remains challenging, but pollution coefficients are improved, as evidenced by environmental impact assessments (EIAs). The findings in the study further underscore how regulatory frameworks and market drivers dictate the use of green technology. The economic, environmental and regulatory costs …

A Case Study Comparing The Results Of A Copper Open-Pit Mine Scheduling Considering Two Different Approaches For Spatial Interpolation Of Comminution Geometallurgical Variables, Sílvia Martins, Pedro Campos, Douglas Mazzinghy

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The use of geometallurgical variables to improve the accuracy obtained in mine planning is an increasingly present reality in mining. However, the way these variables are interpolated to construct the block model is still a major challenge since they are non-additive variables. In this case study, a database from a copper mine located in Brazil was used to compare mining planning by Direct Block Scheduling using two spatial interpolation approaches. In the first approach, the geometallurgy block model was produced interpolating the comminution indexes Axb and BWI from the drill holes, and the specific energy was calculated at each block. …

Impact Of Multiple Mining Subsidence On Large Diameter Steel Pipelines: The Upper Silesian Coal Basin Case Study, Piotr Kalisz, Magdalena Zięba, Marcin Grygierek

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The article concerns the impact of multiple mining subsidence on pipeline expansion capacity based on the analysis of the field research results. The article presents a case study related to a water mains system that supplies drinking water to approximately 3.5 million consumers. These pipelines are made of steel with diameters of 1600 mm and 1400 mm. The water mains partly run through mining and post-mining areas in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland. These pipelines are equipped with expansion joints to protect them against the impact of ground deformations. The field research concerned the assessment of the position …

Recovery Of Magnesium Sulfate And Calcium Sulfate From Zinc Flotation Tailing, Raquel Húngaro Costa, Jonathan Tenório Vinhal, Tatiana Scarazzato, Denise Crocce Romano Espinosa

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Resource recovery is a process that has been used to obtain products from industrial waste. Mining tailings can be used as an alternative through ore beneficiation to create by-products for this type of waste. The work herein investigated the recovery of two products from a real tailing generated in the Zn beneficiation route in the flotation step. A non-magnetic fraction was submitted to a hydrometallurgical route to produce MgSO₄ and CaSO_4. Thermodynamic simulations using FactSage software were performed to evaluate the optimal leaching conditions varying the S:L ratio, the sulfuric acid concentration, and temperature. The best modeled conditions …

Cwu's Electronic Waste Management: A Success Story In Sustainable Practice, Srijita Gurung

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Susan Rivera, PhD; Kevin Lomax

Purpose: This research examines how Central Washington University (CWU) manages electronic waste (e-waste) to promote economic, environmental, and equitable sustainability practices. In February 2024, Computer Support Services (CSS) started a computer reconciliation project, which is vital due to the Windows 10 operating system going end of life after October 14, 2025, and no longer receiving software support. This project tracks and documents the life of electronic assets, with a focus on the role of Surplus and IT Asset Disposal (ITAD) companies. Method: The primary research methods involve interviews, and online research of active …

Innovation Within Sustainable Technologies: The Future Of Energy Conserving Hardware In Data Centers, Brooke Cruz

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Susan Rivera, PhD

The US is confronting a growing energy demand crisis, with analysts projecting a 2.4% rise in data center energy consumption by 2030. Data centers are major energy consumers, with primary usage concentrated in IT equipment and extensive cooling systems. While Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) remains the leading metric for assessing energy efficiency, it is limited to assessing total facility energy and IT energy use without accounting for environmental and social impacts. Supplementary metrics of data center energy consumption include Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) and Carbon Usage Effectiveness (CUE), which measure water use and carbon emissions, …

The Saltpond Oilfield’S Second Life: Ghana’S Bioenergy With Carbon Capture And Storage (Beccs) Opportunity, Justice Appiah Nuamah

COP30

As the achievement of net-zero emissions requires the unavoidable deployment of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies, this paper presents a technical and policy case for Ghana to implement Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) through the repurposing of the decommissioned Saltpond offshore oilfield for permanent CO2 sequestration. The proposal addresses two of Ghana’s developmental challenges in a single intervention: the conversion of millions of tonnes of agricultural and forestry residues into a sustainable feedstock solves a national waste management issue, while the resultant bioenergy generation supports rural electrification. This approach offers a more cost-effective CDR pathway than direct air …

Near Real-Time Monitoring Reveals Extensive Recent Forest Disturbance In Ghana’S Protected Areas, Luofan Dong, Xiaojing Tang, Foster Mensah, Bashara Ahmed Abubakari, Kelsee H. Bratley, Pontus Olofsson, Curtis E. Woodcock

Faculty Scholarship

The Protected Areas (PAs) in Ghana play a critical role in preserving the abundant biodiversity of the West Africa Green Belt. But recent changes in policies and regulations have facilitated logging and mining activities, which have accelerated forest disturbances. While there is a consensus that PAs are undergoing destructive change, the extent, rate, and locations of forest disturbances are undocumented. In this study, we applied the fusion near real-time (FNRT) algorithm that utilizes Landsat, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2 data and sampling to monitor forests in the PAs of Ghana. The results reveal that 704.74 (±177.24) km2 of forest in the PAs …

Unraveling Crop Nitrogen-Water Dynamics With Hyperspectral-Thermal Sensing In Northern Central Valley, California, Shahryar Fazli, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Joshua B. Fisher, Rejoice Thomas, Fernando Romero Galvan, Gabriela Shirkey, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Ensuring global food security in the face of climate change requires optimizing crop water use and nutrient management. This study investigates the relationship between canopy nitrogen (N) and evapotranspiration (ET) across sunflower, rice, walnut, alfalfa, and plum crops using advanced remote sensing technologies. High-resolution hyperspectral data from NASAs Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) and thermal multispectral data from the Landsat-based OpenET system were analyzed over 1,135 km² in California. Regression analysis revealed strong spatial association between canopy N and ET for sunflower (R² = 0.82), rice (R² = 0.71), and walnut (R² = 0.68), …

Enrichment Factors And Play Fairway Mapping Of Helium In Typical Zones Of The Ordos Basin, Gao Jianrong, Tao Shizhen, Liu Xiangbai, Yang Wei, Zhao Zhenyu, Chen Xiuyan, Xu Wanglin, Zhang Chunlin, Song Wei, Chen Yue, Huang Junping, Ma Zhanrong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The Ordos Basin enjoys abundant natural gas resources, which generally bear helium, making this basin hold great helium resource potential. In this case, detailed exploration is essential for the future transition from natural gas-helium joint exploration to special helium exploration in the basin.Objective and Method To systematically investigate the distribution and potential of helium resources in the Ordos Basin, natural gas samples were taken from different areas of the basin for analysis and tests. To examine the primary factors controlling helium accumulation and enrichment, this study conducted a systematic analysis of the basement, sedimentary rock layers, fault systems, …

Process And Mechanism Of Defluorination Using Magnesium Chloride-Modified Coal Gangue, Zhao Li, Zhou Wangxu, Zhang Qing, Xing Mingfei, Xu Feng, Kong Weifang, Liu Yifei, Qin Guangyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The rapid development of industry has resulted in a yearly increase in wastewater discharge, which induces a gradually rising fluorine concentration in water. In this context, removing fluoride using natural materials and industrial waste has emerged as a popular research topic. Coal gangue, one of the largest contributors to industrial waste in China, contains substantial clay minerals, and its pore structure can be effectively improved through modification. This helps significantly enhance its adsorption performance and thus achieve efficient fluoride removal from water. Methods This study investigated coal gangue from a typical mining area of the Henan Energy and Chemical …

A Modular Casing While Drilling Rig For Large-Diameter Horizontal Boreholes For Underground Rescue, Fan Dong, Ni Xiaoyang, Mu Shuyuan, Zou Zujie, Wen Guojun, Li Yingping, Lu Feifei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Operations in a narrow space pose a challenge to rescue in the case of the collapse of mine roadways or tunnels. To address this challenge, this study developed a modular rescue casing while drilling (CwD) rig system for horizontal boreholes. With the capacity for quick responses, this CwD rig was designed to enhance the rescue efficiency and safety under complex geological conditions. Methods Following the modular design concept and compact layout principle, this study optimized core components such as the power heads, feed devices, and power system. The auxiliary operation vehicle was checked against overturning through multibody dynamics (MBD) …

Structural Optimization For Transfer Chutes Based On Energy Dissipation Mechanisms Of Coal Particles, Shi Yaocheng, Zou Zujie, Wen Guojun, Cheng Siyi, Wu Laijie, Wang Yudan, Liu Pu, Chen Mengxi

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Bulk material transport in emergency rescue scenarios and coal transportation poses stringent demands for the structural performance of transfer chutes. Given this, from the perspective of the energy dissipation mechanisms of particles, this study proposed structural optimization methods for transfer chutes based on the regulation of particle energy dissipation. Methods An experiment–simulation integrated analysis framework was established. Using this framework, this study systematically simulated the impact process of particles between two-stage walls I and Ⅱ using the discrete element method (DEM), highlighting the coupling mechanisms among velocity fluctuations, stress distribution, and energy transformation pathways. Based on the results, this …