Sustainability Commons^™

Climate Change And Globalization In The Americas: Case Studies Of Mitigation And Adaptation, Mary Finley-Brook, Melissa Haeffner, Charmaine Heslop-Thomas, Elma Montaña, Leah Sprain

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Robin Leichenko and Karen O‘Brien have proposed ―double exposure‖ as a conceptual framework to demonstrate how processes of globalization and global environmental change (GEC) redefine risk and encourage new, interrelated responses to social and ecological transitions (O‘Brien and Leichenko, 2000; Leichenko and O'Brien, 2008). In particular, the concept encourages researchers and policy makers to consider interplay between global climate change and globalization and how this is expressed unevenly across space. After reviewing the ways double exposure has been used in the literature, we consider four case studies to investigate the utility of the framework for analyzing and understanding climate change …

Wind Flow Modeling For Wind Energy Analysis Of The Nellis Dunes Area In Nevada, Upendra Rangegowda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A wind energy analysis of the Nellis Dunes area in Nevada was conducted. A DEM file which contains the elevation data was used to generate the surface model and to create a 3-D mesh of the region. Local meteorological tower data collected for a period of one year was used to generate the diagnostic initial wind fields. Upper level wind fields were created using a surface boundary layer technique along with linear interpolation of the tower level wind fields. The vertical components of the velocities were adjusted using the equation of continuity. Mass consistent 3-D wind fields were then calculated …

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering April 5, 2010 – July 4, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• With Board approval, the next phase of the Don’t Trash Nevada marketing campaign began.
• The Hector’s Helpers program with the Clark County School District began curriculum development.
• The team participated in the strategic planning process for Keep Las Vegas Beautiful.
• The team met with the Education Director of Keep America Beautiful to begin the process of developing a statewide program.
• The team continued to develop the GIS database.
• A total of 15 clean-up events were conducted this quarter.

The Suzuki Diaries: Sustainability In Action, Thomas A. Ipri

Library Faculty Research

Given the number of gloom and doom environmental films flooding the market, the more optimistic approach of The Suzuki Diaries: Sustainability in Action is refreshing. David Suzuki, geneticist, environmentalist, author and broadcaster, takes his daughter, Sarika, around Europe to investigate some of the more proactive approaches various countries have take that lessen their impact on the environment. Suzuki is quick to note that many of these projects were not done to help the environment, per se, but done for practical, economic and quality of life reasons.

Baselines Newsletter, No. 6, Summer/Fall 2010, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Baselines: The Natural Resources Law Center Newsletter (2007-2011)

No abstract provided.

Integrated Fisheries Management Report. West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource., Department Of Fisheries Western Australia.

Fisheries Management Papers

This report on the West Coast Demersal Scalefish fishery is the third in a series of Integrated Fisheries Management (IFM) resource reports required under the Government policy on IFM. Under this policy, the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Fisheries is required to approve a sustainability report for each fishery, which includes a clear statement on the recommended harvest level.

A Bycatch Action Plan For The Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery., Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

The effect of commercial fishing on bycatch species and the marine ecosystem generally, has emerged as a significant national and international issue. Environmental issues associated with bycatch – including impacts on the ecology of non-target species of fish and wildlife – are important issues to address in reducing the impacts, or potential impacts, of commercial fisheries.

In 1998, the National Standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture developed a national policy on fisheries bycatch. In 1999, the (then) State Minister for Fisheries adopted the national policy as his position on bycatch for Western Australia. The main objective of the policy is …

Droughtscape, Summer 2010, Kelly Smith

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

Upcoming Workshops

Mild Drought Season Likely to Persist

Drought Impacts Intensify in Upper Midwest

Visiting Scientists

North Carolina Takes Drought Monitor Seriously

International Work- Murcia, Spain, June

A Life Cycle Cost Analysis Of Large-Scale Thermal Energy Storage Technologies For Buildings Using Combined Heat And Power, Kenneth Gaine, Aidan Duffy

Conference Papers

Buildings account for approximately 40% of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developed economies, of which approximately 55% of building energy is used for heating and cooling. The reduction of building-related GHG emissions is a high international policy priority. For this reason and because there are many technical solutions for this, these polices should involve significant improvements in the uptake of small-scale energy efficient (EE) systems. However the widespread deployment of many technologies, must overcome a number of barriers, one of which is a temporal (diurnal or seasonal) mismatch between supply and demand. Costeffective thermal storage solutions have …

Perception Of Ecological Risk To Water Environments And How It Affects Water Consumption And Water Resource Management In Southern Nevada, Tanju Kiriscioglu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Climate is harsh in southern Nevada where there is (and has been) a drought alert in effect for over a decade now (Kerr, 2007; Southern Nevada Water Authority, 2009). Las Vegas Valley is a major center of population in the region (1.9 million people), receiving only 4.5 inches of average annual precipitation yet in need of securing more water resources in the near future (SNWA, 2009). Water resource management in southern Nevada is a challenge, especially when 90% of the area’s water needs are met by a single source, the Colorado River, the flow rates of which have been in …

Hrc Enews — 2010 Summer, Megan K. Svarz

Publications (HRC)

This issue contains staff accomplishments and announcements, event listings, and a "new faces" listing for new staff, affiliates, and researchers.

Invasive Species And Public Investment In The Green Economy, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Invasive Species and Public Investment in the Green Economy, approved by ISAC on June 24, 2010

ISSUE

Invasive species are intricately linked to the economy. Trade, travel, and transport facilitate their spread. Invasive species management requires extensive human and financial resources. The impacts of invasive species can substantially undermine economic growth and sustainable development. United States Executive Order (EO) 13112 defines invasive species as “alien [non-native] species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health” and states that Federal agencies should …“not authorize, fund, or carry out actions that are likely …

Marine Bioinvasions And Climate Change, James T. Carlton, Sandra C. Lindstrom, Celia M. Smith, Jennifer E. Smith

National Invasive Species Council

BACKGROUND

Invasive species are second only to habitat destruction as the greatest cause of species endangerment and global biodiversity loss. Invasive species can cause severe and permanent damage to the ecosystems they invade. Consequences of invasion include competition with or predation upon native species, hybridization, carrying or supporting harmful pathogens and parasites that may affect wildlife and human health, disturbing ecosystem function through alteration of food webs and nutrient recycling rates, acting as ecosystem engineers and altering habitat structure, and degradation of the aesthetic quality of our natural resources. In many cases we may not fully know the native animals …

Using Gis To Determine Wind Harvesting Potential To Help Offset Boulder County's Yearly Energy Usage To Become A More Sustainable County, Pete Coventry

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This project focuses on Boulder County, Colorado as a case study to demonstrate how a Geographic Information System (GIS) can identify potential wind harvesting areas. A step by step demonstration will illustrate the steps needed to determine such harvesting areas and their wind potential. Once potential wind harvesting areas have been identified, concluding analysis will determine the amount of energy generated in efforts to offset current energy use. Harvesting wind has dated back to the 7^th century and is looked at as a mature technology (Edwards 2003). Over the past few decades, public attitudes towards wind harvesting is becoming …

Interview With Brad Bateman, Costco, 2010 (Audio), Brad Bateman

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Brad Bateman by Nemah Dalai at Costco Clackamas, Oregon on June 10th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Hotel Guests’ Perceptions Of Sustainable Hotel Practices In A Mexican Destination, Orie Berezan, Michelle Millar, Carola Raab

Caesars Hospitality Research Summit

Hotel selection and attributes that are important to travelers has been extensively researched using a variety of methods (Dolnicar, 2002). Dolnicar & Otter (2003) confirmed, after reviewing 21studies related to hotel attributes, cleanliness as the top priority, followed by hotel location. In total, 173 attributes were identified that were related to image, price/value, the hotel itself, and service (Lockyer, 2005). None of those attributes, however, were related to environmental attributes of a hotel. For more than a decade, the hospitality industry has been under pressure by government legislation and regulations to implement environmental strategies and thereby reduce their carbon footprint …

Effects Of Restaurant Green Practices: Which Practices Are Important And Effective?, Eunha Jeong, Soocheong Jang

Caesars Hospitality Research Summit

As customers’ ecological concern is steadily increasing, demand for products and services designed to be less harmful to the environment has augmented. By executing green practices, many business owners believe the image of their companies can be improved. Furthermore, the improved image may eventually motivate the customers to use products or services offered by the green company. The restaurant industry is witnessing the green movement as well. Restaurant owners adopt green practices to their properties with the purpose of creating a distinctive image that can differentiate them from their competitors. Therefore, restaurateurs strive to get this competitive advantage by introducing …

Sustainable Agriculture: A Time For Education, Kortnie Millhouse

Agricultural Education and Communication

This study used a fifteen-question survey to identify the articulation between education of water quality practices and the willingness to implement sustainable water quality techniques on farmland according to twenty-five agricultural operations residing on the Central Coast. Questions one through eight asked respondents to indicate their agreement or disagreement with various water quality assessment tools. Questions nine through twelve asked respondents to personally rate their operation’s level of water quality management on a scale from one to ten. Questions thirteen through fifteen were open-ended questions to generate responses about demographics. Consensus was reached that the higher the level of education …

Greening The Green Revolution: Moving Beyond Chemicals To Sustainable Agricultural Practices, Elizabeth G. Crawley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Agriculture has dominated the economy of many developing countries for centuries, which has led to development policies that center on agricultural development. An obvious approach to improved production is to decrease agricultural losses in the fields and increase efficiency to markets. This study focuses on the developmental role of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on non-traditional agricultural export farming and the adoption of IPM techniques. With farmers in the Comayagua Valley of Honduras, an Asian vegetable production center for the country, as the study population, the costs and benefits of planting oriental vegetables was examined. Statistical analysis was used to examine …

The Applications And Limitations Of Printable Batteries, Matthew Delmanowski

Graphic Communication

This study focuses on the potential applications for printed batteries and how they could affect the printing industry. It also analyzes the main problems associated with manufacturing this technology and what needs to be done to overcome these issues. To find the answers to these questions, two methods of research were used. The first was through the elite and specialized interviewing of Dr. Scott Williams of Rochester Institute of Technology and Professor Nancy Cullins from Cal Poly. The second form of research was a common, yet useful, method called secondary research. This entailed looking at recent written research papers about …