Sustainability Commons^™

Assessing The Spatial Variability Of Soil Physical Properties Under A Corn Field In Kentucky, Usa, Sai Neela Kesumala

Scholars Week

Analyzing soil physical properties is crucial for advancing sustainable and precision agricultural practices in today's world. Sustainable agriculture emphasizes responsible resource utilization and preservation. Precision agriculture utilizes technology, data, and targeted decision-making to optimize resource usage and minimize environmental impacts. Assessing soil property variability aids in efficient input application, irrigation adjustment, nutrient runoff reduction, and fertilizer management. This approach prioritizes soil conservation, boosts sustainability, and supports long-term agricultural productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the spatial distribution of specific soil physical properties across the four border rows, central corn field area, and sod area. Seventy-two soil samples were collected from …

The Social And Economic Dimensions Of One Of The World’S Longest-Operating Shark Fisheries, Matias Braccini, Maddison Watt, Clinton Syers, Nick Blay, Matthew Navarro, Michael Burton

Fisheries Research Articles

Context

Social and economic information is limited for coastal commercial and recreational fisheries, particularly shark fisheries, which are perceived as unsustainable and as targeting sharks for fins.

Aims

To characterise the social and economic dimensions of one of the world’s few long-standing sustainable shark fisheries.

Methods

We reviewed historic data and surveyed stakeholders to understand the economic and social dimensions of the shark fishery currently operating in Western Australia.

Key results

Since the fishery’s historic peak, there has been a substantial reduction in the number of operating vessels and ports due to management intervention. For the vessels that have remained, …

Mourning The Planet And Signs Of Hope: The Role Of Grief And Resilience In How Students Understand Climate Change, Zachary C. Wooten, Jocelyn Brown

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Zachary Wooten (Honors College) and Jocelyn Brown '23 present "Mourning the Planet and Signs of Hope: The Role of Grief and Resilience in How Students Understand Climate Change"

Navigating Murky Waters: State-Level Strategies For Wetland Preservation And Tile Drainage Regulation After Sackett V. Epa, Caleb M. Swanson

Honors Thesis

Wetlands are some of the world’s most valuable ecosystems, serving as provisioners of species habitat, carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, water quality purification, and other ecosystem services. Human development has resulted in substantial wetland loss the world over. In the 1970s, the United States Congress passed the Clean Water Act, giving the EPA broad authority over wetland protection. However, in the summer of 2023, the United States Supreme Court decided Sackett v. EPA, limiting the EPA’s jurisdiction over wetlands to those indistinguishably connected to generally recognized “Waters of the United States” and removing federal protection for millions of acres of wetlands, …

Downstream Leakage Of Enhanced Rock Weathering, Shuang Zhang

Sustainability Seminar Series

ERW has garnered increasing interest as a promising technique for durable carbon dioxide removal, offering a range of potential co-benefits including increased soil pH and nutrient release. However, the impacts of ERW on river chemistry and the potential loss of initially captured CO2 during river transport remain poorly constrained. The current lack of tools for robustly predicting the effect of riverine degassing on the ERW life cycle undermines the use of this practice as a carbon mitigation strategy. I will present results from a dynamic river network model designed to quantify the downstream carbon leakage of ERW in the North …

Sustainable Living At Imsa, Vignesh Tiruvannamalai, Zuyu Liu

Goal 4: Intrapersonal Intelligence Narrative

Students will collect any recyclable materials they have discarded to create wing decorations in conjunction with everyone in the wing and learn about sustainability, including statistics and lifestyle guidance.

A Green New England? Regional Implementation Of Grant-Based Provisions Of The Inflation Reduction Act In The Northeastern U.S., Samuel Cooper

Sustainability and Social Justice

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has been described as “the most significant action Congress has taken on clean energy and climate change in the nation’s history,” totaling some $370 billion in tax credits and federal grants for everything from residential solar panels to urban forestry. As the first of its size in U.S. climate policy, the IRA has been a subject of study and debate since its introduction, but it is only in this past year that funding reporting data has become available. This thesis utilizes this federal data to produce a novel analysis of IRA implementation at the …

Bibliography For "Earth Day Display: Planet Vs Plastics: A Book Display Increasing The Awareness Of The Harms Of Plastic In Our Ecosystem", Arianna Tillman, Isabella Piechota, Kalea Brown

Library Displays and Bibliographies

A bibliography created to accompany a display about Earth Day, sustainability, and the harms of plastic during April 2024 at the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University.

Agricultural Groundcover Update February 2024, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

• About 92% of the grainbelt had adequate (more than 50%) vegetative groundcover to prevent wind erosion in February 2024.

• Nearly 8% of the grainbelt (1,193,400 ha) had less than 50% groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion.

• The northern grainbelt had the highest risk of wind erosion and 16.5% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover.

• Less than 0.7% of the grainbelt had a high to very high risk of wind erosion because groundcover was less than 30%.

Creating A Sustainabili-Tour, Lily Dubray, Caden Fisher, Allison Gross, Morgan Hrivnak, Emily Kilstrom, Sushant Mukhia, Hannah Nelin, Sam Parrish, Waverly Patterson, Bowen Rand, Caleb Swanson, Wyatt Wiebelhaus

Sustainability & Environment Projects

Executive Summary

The University of South Dakota has taken significant steps to become more sustainable in the last few years. Students, faculty, and administrators have worked together to raise awareness and advance sustainability on campus. Because of these efforts, the University of South Dakota was recently recognized by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education as a STARS Bronze Institution based on our accomplishments in campus sustainability.

Every year, Dr. Meghann Jarchow teaches the Sustainability Capstone course, leading a class of seniors on a semester-long project aimed at furthering community sustainability by synthesizing student expertise. Throughout …

Lisbon’S Electric Vehicle (Ev) Fleet: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of A Mass Adoption Of Evs In Lisbon By 2050, Maya Estrera

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the impacts of climate change increase, the EU and its member countries are attempting to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The adoption of electric vehicles is proving to be a promising solution to achieve this goal, and specifically, reductions in the transport sector emissions. This study analyzes the potential costs and benefits resulting from a mass adoption of electric vehicles in Lisbon by 2050. Through a cost-benefit analysis, this study aims to quantify the major costs and benefits associated with electric vehicles. The results display the potential monetary benefits of a city-wide shift to electric vehicles in addition to …

Empowering Environmental Education In Portuguese Primary Schools: Energy Focused Curriculum Recommendations And Behavioral Change Framework Guided By Principles Of Developmental Psychology, Ellie Hanson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores the integration of principles of developmental psychology within the context of environmental education in Portugal to promote pro-environmental behavior, and specifically energy literacy energy conservation behaviors in primary school students. A review of current literature on the state of environmental education approaches in Portugal exhibits a significant lack of structure and direction for educators to teach students relevant topics in sustainability. Using a meta-theory of behavioral change, the present work connects the elements of the COM-B model of behavioral change to relevant aspects of middle childhood cognitive development using principles of two major theories of developmental psychology. …

What Soil Is Worth: A Cost-Benefit Framework Analysis Of Syntropic Farming, Aubrey Kettley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Syntropic farming, a type of regenerative agriculture, models its farming system after a forest. This type of farming prioritizes soil health while also providing a varied yield of crops. Because it is a fairly new system globally, little research has been done on the economic impacts of syntropic farming, and therefore the feasibility of scaling up regenerative systems like this. This study aims to analyze the economic feasibility of this system through a literature review and a cost-benefit analysis framework. The results highlight the applicability, environmental advantage and economic feasibility of the system. Based on the presented framework, the short …

Sovereign Seeds: Analyzing The Sustainability Of Peasant Seeds In The Context Of Climate Change And Rural Exodus In Tunisia, Alice Carlson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

How sustainable are peasant seeds? I answer this question on the basis of three elements: environment, economy, and social justice. Using interviews with farmers from various regions of Tunisia, an interview with an expert on climate change and migration, and an interview with a civil society organization working to promote sustainable agriculture, I found that peasant seeds are a sustainable solution for a suffering agricultural sector. Depleted water sources and drought are bringing to light the problems with water-intensive hybrid seeds, and farmers are losing money. As young men increasingly leave the agricultural sector, women are left behind, finding themselves …

Addressing Water Scarcity In Rural Areas Of The Souss-Massa Region Of Morocco: Comparative Analysis Of Desalination, Fog Harvesting, And Wastewater Treatment Methods With Considerations Of Technical Viability And Human Rights, Lina Migliore

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges worldwide, most notably in arid and semi-arid regions like Morocco. This study conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis of three sustainable water management strategies currently being developed in the Souss Massa region of southern Morocco: fog harvesting, desalination, and wastewater treatment. Drawing upon empirical data, interviews, and existing scientific literature, the research explores the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of each approach. Fog harvesting is a locally driven solution that takes advantage of natural phenomena to collect water, albeit with limitations in reliability. Desalination is promising in addressing long-term water scarcity …

Impacts Of Gas Flaring On Soil Quality In The Ecuadorian Amazon: Measuring Gas Flare Effects On Soils At Comparative Distances In Loma Del Tigre, Orellana, Francesca Lopresti

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Gas flaring, the process of burning off the natural gas excreted during petroleum extraction, has recently been the source of public outcry, citing degraded public and environmental health caused by constant flaring near populated centers. While extensive research has been done on the environmental and health impacts of gas flaring, regionally specific research to the Ecuadorian Amazon is lacking. It is crucial that updated research in this region is produced to inform regulations that have the potential to minimize the physical, environmental, and economic impact of the petroleum industry on nearby, under-resourced, and marginalized communities. While air quality surrounding gas …

10 Meters To Disaster: The Challenges Of Premature Application Of Circular Economy Strategies In Jakarta’S Waste Management Structure, Almira Bowo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Jakarta's complex issue of waste management encompasses a multitude of challenges that include inefficiencies in infrastructure, a lack of public awareness of the consequences of an inadequate waste system, socioeconomic disparities, and a deficiency in intersectoral collaboration. The urgency for holistic and sustainable solutions that prioritize proactive waste collection is underscored by the complexities of these dynamics. This field study paper argues that the attention that is being drawn towards trending waste management innovations, which are reactive strategies, could bring the waste crisis in Jakarta to an even more critical state. The sections will critically examine current waste management efforts …

Avian Diversity And Abundance Among Agricultural Land, Forested Land, And Their Ecotone In Guadalupe, Cerro Punta, Chiriquí Province, Republic Of Panamá., Stella Rae Kinard

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the human population increases, finding the balance between modifying land use for resources and protecting areas to preserve species that are threatened by anthropogenic disturbance is an ever growing problem. Guadalupe is a town in the Western Highlands of Panamá that struggles in this balance as its primary income source is agriculture, but it is located on the border of two protected areas, Parque Nacional La Amistad and Parque Nacional Volcán Barú. By understanding the unique ways in which avifauna utilize distinct vegetative landscapes, recommendations can be made for management styles of farms in Guadalupe to implement practices that …

Community Opinions On Environmental Action On Isla Porvenir And Whichub Walla In The Guna Yala Comarca, Sofia Houts

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Guna Yala Comarca is the autonomous, self-governed territory of the Guna people, one of seven Indigenous groups in Panama. The Comarca is located on Panama’s eastern Caribbean coast and includes 365 coral islands. Forty nine Guna communities and roughly 32,000 individuals live in the territory. The Guna General Congress is the highest authority, and each community has a local congress. As a low-lying coastal region, Guna Yala is especially vulnerable to climate change and is already impacted by sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and changing precipitation patterns. Sub-national, national, and international forms of governance and environmental action are crucial …

Guna Community Perspectives On Attributes, Changes, And Revitalization Of Nainu Agroecological Practices In Isla Tigre, Guna Yala Comarca, Panama, Neshima Vitale-Penniman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Indigenous agroecological systems are gaining international recognition for their capacity to conserve biodiversity while promoting food security and sovereignty. Nainu is the ancestral agriculture of the Guna people of eastern Panama, and it is characterized by a successional growing system that imitates the regeneration of the tropical forest in which it is practiced. This research aimed to (a) characterize how nainu is practiced by farmers in Isla Tigre, a community in Guna Yala, (b) characterize how nainu practices have changed over time, and (c) describe how farmers and community members in Isla Tigre are envisioning and actualizing the revitalization of …