Sustainability Commons^™

What's The Value Of A State? Accounting For The Ecosystem Services And Natural Capital Of Oregon, Kathryn Liebrecht

University Honors Theses

Ecosystem services are vital to human welfare and society, but often are overlooked when it comes to planning and setting policy. By neglecting to incorporate the benefits received from natural resources, policy makers may unknowingly be making decisions that harm the long term sustainability and use of these services. To highlight the importance of Oregon's ecosystems, the present study aims to provide a full accounting of the ecosystem services and natural capital of the state. Using data from the Institute for Natural Resources' updated Oregon statewide habitat map, Oregon's ecosystems were matched to biome categories from the Ecosystem Services Valuation …

Enabling Sustainability Transitions For Great Salt Lake: Framing Of Public Opinion, Boundary Work, And Policy, Anna Mcentire

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation explores how people think about, talk about, and take action to save Great Salt Lake, which reached historic low levels in 2021. Using surveys, public records, and legislative documents primarily from 2022 to 2024, the research examines public opinions, collaborative efforts, and policy changes related to the lake. The first chapter looks at what people value about the lake and what actions they want to see taken. It finds that people are very concerned and want significant efforts to stop the lake's decline. The second chapter investigates how different groups work together publicly to negotiate new understandings, create …

Oyster Shell Recycling Efforts In Horry County, Corabella Dieguez

Goal 14: Life Below Water

No abstract provided.

Reducing Single-Use Plastic In Georgetown County, Alex Gaspar

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

No abstract provided.

Life Cycle Assessment Of The Cultivation Of Lettuce In A Hydroponic System Using The Nutrient Film Technique, Raquel Jordan

All Theses

Hydroponic systems are an emerging method of soilless crop cultivation typically done inside a greenhouse where nutrients are delivered dissolved in water rather than being supplied from the soil. Potential benefits of hydroponic systems include reduced irrigation requirements, higher crop yield per area, and the ability to grow crops year-round in nontraditional areas such as urban settings, cold climates, and sites with contaminated soil. However, hydroponic systems tend to have high energy requirements for lighting and climate control, which can yield significant environmental impacts. To explore the environmental impacts of cultivating lettuce in a nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system, …

Heat Storage Using High Temperature Borehole Heat Exchangers, Jack Horvath

All Theses

The use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power is growing, and with it comes an increased need to store excess energy when it is generated and release it on demand. Moderate temperature thermal energy storage in the subsurface is widely used to heat buildings, but high temperatures, greater than 120℃, are required to power generators that convert stored heat to electricity. High temperature heat can be generated from solar collectors or other means and then transferred to the subsurface using borehole heat exchangers (BHE). A BHE consists of a closed-loop pipe system used to circulate a …

Rhetorics Of Encounter: Toward A Biocentric Theory Of Discourse, Matthew D. Whitaker

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Encounters with more-than-human identities are transformative moments that stand to affect dispositional and bodily change in individuals. From close brushes with wild animals in National Parks to everyday interactions with local ecologies, encounters invite us to feel and think differently about the nature of our realities. In Rhetorics of Encounter: Toward a Biocentric Theory of Discourse, I draw from interdisciplinary perspectives to disrupt the idea of rhetoric as a representational medium, arguing that rhetoric occurs not just through textual exchanges of words and symbols, but through embodied moments of contact with other responsive beings. Invoking George Kennedy’s theory …

Development And Evaluation Of Supported Ionic Liquid Membrane And Porphyrin Frameworks For Carbon Capture Separation, Sarang Ismail

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The global urgency to mitigate anthropogenic CO₂ emissions has intensified the pursuit of energy-efficient separation technologies. Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes (SILMs) have emerged as promising candidates for CO₂ capture due to their tunable solubility-selectivity and low energy requirements. However, challenges such as mechanical instability, limited scalability, and trade-offs in transport performance have impeded their widespread adoption.

This thesis explores a systematic approach to designing and optimizing SILMs for enhanced CO₂ separation by tailoring polymer–ionic liquid interactions, processing conditions, and material architectures. A comprehensive set of studies were conducted using poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with varying molecular weights, different grades of PEBAX®, …

Multi-Crop Systems And Crop-Switching Strategies To Enhance Water Use Efficiency And Climate Resilience In Arid Agricultural Regions, Shahryar Fazli, Wenzhao Li, Surendra Maharjan, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Agriculture in the Lower Colorado River (LCR) region faces mounting challenges from climate change, arid conditions, and water scarcity. This study evaluates water use efficiency (WUEc) and crop-switching strategies under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios for 2025–2049, 2050–2074, and 2075–2099. Using historical data, climatic drivers such as temperature and precipitation were analyzed for their influence on key crops, including durum wheat, winter wheat, and corn. Results show SSP2-4.5 supports water use reductions up to 16%, stable profits (80–90%), and modest calorie increases (up to 15%), while SSP5-8.5 poses severe challenges, with water use reductions of 2–5%, profits dropping to around 20%, …

Tackling Data Quality Challenges In Remote Sensing: Solutions For Reliable Urban Heat Island Analysis, Wei Xia, Aqil Tariq, Hesham El-Askary, Rana Waqar Aslam, Elgar Barboza, Dmitry E. Kucher, Youssef M. Youssef, Habib Kraiem

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Urban heat islands (UHIs) pose critical challenges to public health, energy demand, and environmental sustainability, particularly in rapidly expanding urban regions. This study examines the complex relationship between building configurations and integrated green spaces, as well as their combined impact on thermal regulation. It focuses on addressing data quality issues commonly encountered in remote sensing applications. Using high-resolution multispectral and thermal imagery, we developed an integrated modeling approach that captures the collective influence of built form and green infrastructure on urban microclimates. A key finding is the significant linear inverse relationship between green space coverage and land surface temperature, underscoring …

Reviving The Lost Art: Historical Foundations And Future Pathways For Bespoke Service In Luxury Retail, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The mid-20th century witnessed a zenith of deeply personalized, bespoke service within iconic luxury specialty retailers. This paper critically analyzes the foundational principles of this historical bespoke service model, extending Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic and retail evolution theory, to propose a robust framework for its modern revival. Employing a rigorous qualitative, multiple-case study approach, grounded in extensive historical and media analysis of four archetypal American and British luxury boutiques, and uniquely informed by an insider-ethnographic perspective on the central case exemplar ("Martha's"), the study distills six core principles: Profound Client Knowledge, Visionary Curation & Styling, Anticipatory & Proactive Service, The Exclusive …

Key Technologies And Approaches For Water Resource Conservation And Utilization In Arid To Semi-Arid Open-Pit Coal Mining Areas In The Northern Sand Prevention Belt Of China, Fang Jie, Xu Zhimin, Cheng Wei, Lu Zihan, Zhao Yongqiang, Zhu Yuhao, Chen Tianci

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The northern sand prevention belt (NSPB) of China is primarily distributed in arid and semi-arid regions such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Gansu. This belt exhibits scarce rainfall and intense evaporation, which lead to a shortage of water resources and vulnerable ecosystems. In recent years, the large-scale development of open-pit coal mines has caused increasingly violent mining disturbance in this belt, as well as increasingly prominent issues such as a decline in regional groundwater levels and ecological contradictions. To address technical challenges in balancing coal exploitation and water resource conservation in this belt, there is an urgent need …

Mechanisms Behind Grouting Pressure Jumping In Low-Permeability Limestones And Techniques For Grouting Pressure Control, Fan Zhenli, Cao Lutong, Cui Yong, Zhang Zhiwei, Zhang Fengda

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The exploitation of the Carboniferous-Permian coalfields in China is gradually transitioning toward coal seams in lower formations. In this context, issues including the confined water hazards in the floor and karst water preservation become increasingly pronounced. During the advanced surface treatment of karst water hazards in coal seam floors, the unclear patterns of matching between grout selection and grouting pressure control lead to empirical parameter selection, thereby yielding poor performance of grouting reinforcement. Methods This study aims to deal with the phenomena of rapid pressure rise with a limited grout volume in the low-permeability argillaceous limestones within the top …

Suitability Evaluation For Deep Geological Storage Of Mine Water In The Ordos Basin, Gulbostan Tursun, Sui Wanghua, Aibibai Mamat, Yang Weifeng, Chen Ge, Gao Liang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Given the issues of large mine water drainage in coal mines in China, as well as the corresponding high treatment cost and low utilization rate, thoroughly investigating efficient, environmentally friendly, economically feasible mine water treatment technologies is the key to the green transformation and the implementation of the sustainable development strategy in the coal industry. Deep geological storage of mine water represents an emerging technology for mine water treatment, enjoying the advantages of low cost and zero emissions. A key step in the application of this technology is to select suitable target reservoirs. Although relevant studies have proposed some …

Permeability Evolutionary Patterns Of Fractured Rock Masses In Fault Zones Under Seepage-Stress Coupling, Zhao Dekang, Han Bing, Zeng Yifan, Feng Guorui, Xi Yonghong, Chang Bofeng, Li Zhenghao, Wang Pengwei, Wang Lisan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background In coal mines, fault structures serve as critical pathways for water inrushes from coal seam floors, posing serious threats to the production safety of mines. Delving into the permeability evolutionary patterns of fractured rock masses in fault zones under seepage-stress coupling holds great significance for the prevention and control of water inrushes along faults from coal seam floors.Methods Against the engineering background of the Gaohe Coal Mine under the Shanxi Lu’an Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. in Shanxi Province, this study analyzed the microscopic physical properties and the pore and fracture structures of a fractured rock mass in a …

Theory And Engineering Practice Of Coal-Water Coordinated Mining Based On Constraints Of Formation Bearing Capacity, Pang Zhenzhong, Zeng Yifan, Han Keyao, Wu Qiang, Liu Shouqiang, Hua Zhaolai, Zhao Gangyi, Zhang Shuai, Yang Huxiong, Wang Xuejun, Li Feifan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The high-intensity mining of coal resources in the Yushen mining area has caused negative environmental effects and water disasters on coal seam roofs, seriously restricting the sustainable development of the area.Methods and Results Based on a summary of previous research results on the mitigation of the impacts of coal mining on groundwater resources and surface ecosystem, this study analyzed the contradiction between coal mining and the protection of the fragile ecosystem in the Yushen mining area in Shaanxi Province through theoretical analysis, field investigation, and data statistics. Then, it systematically illustrated the concept of the formation bearing capacity …

Impacts Of Boundary Conditions And Parameter Heterogeneity On The Simulation And Prediction Of Water Inflow In Coal Mines, Ji Qiang, Wu Zhenjiang, Yao Yingying

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Accurate prediction of water inflow in coal mines is essential for ensuring safe mining operations. Three-dimensional (3D) groundwater numerical models can be used to characterize hydrogeological conditions in mining areas and simulate the dynamic processes of water inflow, providing a theoretical basis for scientifically predicting mining-induced water inflow. However, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the impacts of the boundary conditions with surface water-groundwater interactions and the heterogeneity of aquifer permeability coefficients (K) on the simulation and prediction of water inflow during coal mining. Methods This study developed a 3D transient groundwater numerical model …

An Experimental Study On The Seepage Characteristics Of Sandstones With Different Numbers Of Fractures Before And After Grouting, Chen Juntao, Zhou Haoyu, Yu Junjian, Li Guo, Fan Mingjin, Li Lu, Wang Yunhao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Grouting in surrounding rocks serves as a conventional approach to controlling disasters in coal mine roadways. The developmental degree of fractures significantly influences the reinforcement and sealing effects of grouting. Methods To determine the changes in the impermeability of fractured surrounding rocks before and after grouting, this study investigated sandstones—the most common sedimentary rocks in coal mines. Using laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, this study explored the permeability variations of sandstone specimens with varying fracture numbers under different confining pressures and assessed the impact of grouting on their seepage performance. Through triaxial compression-seepage experiments using a Rock Top multi-field …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Trace Element Migration In Groundwater In Sandstone Aquifers In The Jurassic Coalfields: A Case Study Of The Guojiahe Coal Mine, Shi Longqing, Qu Xingyue, Cheng Hao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The Ordos Basin, a vital energy hub in China, contains considerable coal reserves. However, the environmental issues arising from coal mining warrant attention, especially given the fragile ecosystems of the Jurassic coalfields. Methods This study investigated the Guojiahe Coal Mine in Shaanxi Province. Based on measured concentrations of 31 trace elements dissolved in sandstone aquifers across varying geological ages, this study conducted a comparative analysis of the evolutionary characteristics of these trace elements between unmined reducing and post-mining oxidizing conditions using numerical simulations. Accordingly, it revealed the impacts of coal seam mining on trace element migration in groundwater in …