Dispersal: A Multidisciplinary Investigation Of Plant Life,
2015
Virginia Commonwealth University
Dispersal: A Multidisciplinary Investigation Of Plant Life, Alexandra E. Arzt
Theses and Dissertations
Using plants as a basis for exploring the interstices between the human and nonhuman, this thesis investigates ideas of awareness, intelligence, deep time, animism, and the fluctuating human perception of the agency of Nature. It outlines environmental art practices since the 1950s involving vegetal life. In addition, the paper provides a critical analysis of plant perception of Jakob von Uexküll’s work and theories of vital materialism and “critical plant studies” while noting recent studies in plant neurobiology. In my work, plants become active participants via their movement, seeding, and smell. This study takes the form of imitation, purposeful symbiosis, anthropomorphism, …
Understanding Vulnerability In Alaska Fishing Communities: A Validation Methodology For Rapid Assessment Of Well-Being Indices,
2015
Central Washington University
Understanding Vulnerability In Alaska Fishing Communities: A Validation Methodology For Rapid Assessment Of Well-Being Indices, Conor M. Maguire
All Master's Theses
Social well-being indices measure how fishing communities are likely to be affected by social-ecological perturbations, and are a significant tool to identify the primary issues influencing communities’ sustained participation in fishing activities. In an attempt to further our understanding of how communities are affected by such perturbations, we have developed a rapid assessment methodology to test the external validity of a set of well-being indices that measure community vulnerability. This methodology informs how well such indices reflect the communities they represent by measuring elements of well-being through field observations, and comparing them to corresponding index components created from secondary data …
Gleaning In The Cedar Valley: A Post-Evaluation Study,
2015
University of Northern Iowa
Gleaning In The Cedar Valley: A Post-Evaluation Study, Dylan Thomas Hillyer
Honors Program Theses
Gleaning is a term describing the act of either picking, cleaning or sorting produce that would otherwise be wasted. It is a practice long known to Europe, and in the past thirty years has gained immense popularity among non-profit organizations throughout the United States. The Cedar Valley Gleaning Program (CVGP) had its pilot-year in the fall of 2014. This thesis seeks to improve the efficacy of the CVGP through examining both the pilot year, and a qualitative study of gleaning operations worldwide, to answer the question: How can gleaning become an effective tool for communities in the Cedar Valley.
Yet More Studies In Rio Grande Valley History,
2015
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Yet More Studies In Rio Grande Valley History, Milo Kearney, Anthony K. Knopp, Antonio Zavaleta, Thomas Daniel Knight
Studies in Rio Grande Valley Regional History Series
Frontera, a poem / Elvira Ardalani -- Strasbourg, Alsace, and Brownsville, Texas : ideal sister cities / Milo Kearney -- La concepción de la identidad fronteriza en Jovita Gonzalez y Adela Sloss de Vento / Laura Garza -- Cuando se fundo Matamoros? / Andres F. Cuellar -- The formation and early development of the Llano Grande / Maria Vallejo -- Doño Rosa Maria Hinojosa de Balli and her family : a lower Rio Grande Valley family in an Atlantic perspective / Thomas Daniel Knight -- Clarksville : a forgotten community on the Rio Grande / Jim Mills -- The last …
Intra- And Inter-Seasonal Variability Of Supra-Glacial 1 Streams And Lakes Over The West Greenland Ice Sheet 2 From High-Resolution Satellite Optical Data,
2015
CUNY City College
Intra- And Inter-Seasonal Variability Of Supra-Glacial 1 Streams And Lakes Over The West Greenland Ice Sheet 2 From High-Resolution Satellite Optical Data, Michael Gregory Brown
Dissertations and Theses
The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) is one of the largest glacial ice masses on Earth, second only to the Antarctic ice sheet. The surface hydrology of the GrIS plays a crucial role on the surface energy and mass balance budgets of the ice sheet as a whole. Surface water, known as supra-glacial water, is seasonally found in the ablation zone and feeds the en-glacial and sub-glacial hydrological environments of the ice sheet. The spatial distribution of surface streams is poorly understood and their temporal variability is (to our knowledge) unknown. One of the reasons for the lack of knowledge on …
Expanding Eco-Visualization: Sculpting Corn Production,
2015
Virginia Commonwealth University
Expanding Eco-Visualization: Sculpting Corn Production, Jennifer E. Figg
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation expands upon the definition of eco-visualization artwork. EV was originally defined in 2006 by Tiffany Holmes as a way to display the real time consumption statistics of key environmental resources for the goal of promoting ecological literacy. I assert that the final forms of EV artworks are not necessarily dependent on technology, and can differ in terms of media used, in that they can be sculptural, video-based, or static two-dimensional forms that communicate interpreted environmental information. There are two main categories of EV: one that is predominantly screen-based and another that employs a variety of modes of representation …
Evaluating The Oil Sands Reclamation Process: Assessing Policy Capacity And Stakeholder Access For Government And Non-Governmental Organizations Operating In Alberta’S Oil Sands,
2015
Michigan Technological University
Evaluating The Oil Sands Reclamation Process: Assessing Policy Capacity And Stakeholder Access For Government And Non-Governmental Organizations Operating In Alberta’S Oil Sands, Tyler Patterson
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open
By employing interpretive policy analysis this thesis aims to assess, measure, and explain policy capacity for government and non-government organizations involved in reclaiming Alberta's oil sands. Using this type of analysis to assess policy capacity is a novel approach for understanding reclamation policy; and therefore, this research will provide a unique contribution to the literature surrounding reclamation policy. The oil sands region in northeast Alberta, Canada is an area of interest for a few reasons; primarily because of the vast reserves of bitumen and the environmental cost associated with developing this resource. An increase in global oil demand has established …
The Hydrosocial Costs Of High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing: A Tale Of Two Counties In Michigan,
2015
Michigan Technological University
The Hydrosocial Costs Of High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing: A Tale Of Two Counties In Michigan, Amanda Kreuze
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open
Although natural gas has been praised as a clean and abundant energy source, the varying impacts and uncertainties surrounding the process of extracting natural gas from unconventional sources, known as horizontal high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) or “fracking,” have raised important concerns. The practice of HVHF is expanding so quickly that the full impacts are not yet known. This thesis project, using a grounded theory methodological approach, explores the risks and benefits associated with HVHF as recognized by the residents of two Michigan counties, one that currently produces natural gas by HVHF (Crawford County) and one that does not (Barry County). …
The Role Of Hybridization And The United States Fish And Wildlife Service Biologists’ Discretion In The Implementation Of The Endangered Species Act,
2015
Michigan Technological University
The Role Of Hybridization And The United States Fish And Wildlife Service Biologists’ Discretion In The Implementation Of The Endangered Species Act, Jennifer F. Lind-Riehl
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that the “best available scientific and commercial data” be used to enable the protection of critically imperiled species from extinction and preserve biodiversity. However, the ESA does not provide specific guidance on how to apply this mandate. In addition, the interpretation of scientific data can be uncertain and controversial, particularly regarding species delineation and hybridization issues. US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) field biologists must decide what the best science is and how to interpret and apply it in their recommendations. As a result, FWS field biologists often have considerable discretion when it comes …
An Analysis Of China’S Biofuels Policy And Chinese Discourse On Land Acquisition For Biofuels In Africa,
2015
Michigan Technological University
An Analysis Of China’S Biofuels Policy And Chinese Discourse On Land Acquisition For Biofuels In Africa, Xuna Yang
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open
China has recently undertaken a very ambitious biofuel production program. However due to a lack of arable land domestically, this program has necessitated the leasing of arable land elsewhere (e.g., in Africa). This thesis first conducts a policy analysis of China’s biofuel policy using a historical institutionalism ends-and-means framework. The analysis reveals the ways in which China achieves its biofuel production goals through adopting various levels of policy means. China’s success in biofuel development is partly due to its unique policy-making and policy-assessment system, which ensures that biofuel production goals can be met. The second chapter analyzes China’s discourse on …
Critique And Transformation: On The Hypothetical Nature Of Ecosystem Service Value And Its Neo-Marxist, Liberal And Pragmatist Criticisms,
2015
Oregon State University
Critique And Transformation: On The Hypothetical Nature Of Ecosystem Service Value And Its Neo-Marxist, Liberal And Pragmatist Criticisms, Andony P. Melathopoulos, Alex Stoner
Journal Articles
Ecosystem service valuation (ESV) attempts to transform the opposition of human economic necessity and ecological conservation by valuing the latter in terms of the services rendered by the former. However, despite a number of ESV-inspired sustainability initiatives since the 1990s, global ecological degradation continues to accelerate. This suggests that ESV has fallen far short of its goals of sustainable social transformation—a failure which has generated considerable criticism. This paper reviews three prominent lines of ESV criticism: 1) the neo-Marxist criticism, which emphasizes the “fictitious” character of ecosystem commodities; 2) the liberal criticism through Friedrich Hayek's concept “scientistic objectivism”; and 3) …
Ramapough/Ford The Impact And Survival Of An Indigenous Community In The Shadow Of Ford Motor Company’S Toxic Legacy,
2015
Antioch University - New England
Ramapough/Ford The Impact And Survival Of An Indigenous Community In The Shadow Of Ford Motor Company’S Toxic Legacy, Chuck Stead
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
The purpose of this study was to examine the history of the Ford Motor Company’s impact upon the Ramapo Watershed of New York and New Jersey, as well as upon the Ramapough Munsi Nation, an indigenous population living there. In a 25 year span the automaker produced a record number of vehicles and dumped a massive amount of lead paint, leaving behind a toxic legacy that continues to plaque the area and its residents. The Ramapough people are not unlike many native nations living in the United States who have experienced industrial excess. This study examines the mindset that allows …
Smart Partnerships: How Higher Education Institutions Can Enhance The Capacity Of The Un To Govern The Global Commons,
2015
Antioch University - New England
Smart Partnerships: How Higher Education Institutions Can Enhance The Capacity Of The Un To Govern The Global Commons, Melissa Goodall
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This dissertation explores how partnerships between UN agencies and higher education institutions (HEIs) can enhance governance of the global commons. Unique attributes that HEIs have to offer in this regard include collaboration on development and dissemination of knowledge, the ability to design and test new technologies and systems, and the capacity to develop analytically rigorous research and evaluation. Many HEIs also explore issues across scales, sectors, and disciplines, and can act as neutral fora to promote dialogue. And all are educating future citizens and leaders. With the aim of highlighting the mutual value of partnerships between the UN and HEIs …
Weed Women, All Night Vigils, And The Secret Life Of Plants: Negotiated Epistemologies Of Ethnogynecological Plant Knowledge In American History,
2015
Antioch University - New England
Weed Women, All Night Vigils, And The Secret Life Of Plants: Negotiated Epistemologies Of Ethnogynecological Plant Knowledge In American History, Claudia Jeanne Ford
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This dissertation critiques the discourse of traditional ecological knowledge described as embedded in indigenous peoples' longevity in location, for the purpose of understanding the embodiment of ecological knowledge in culture. The aim of this research is to examine the historical and epistemic complexity of traditional ecological knowledge that may be both established from the length of time people reside in a specific ecosystem and constitutive of negotiations between and among different cultures. I choose the specific case of the negotiation of plant knowledge for women's reproductive health among Native, African, and European groups as those negotiations unfolded on the American …
Nurturing The Aesthetic: Learning To Care For The Environment In A Waldorf School,
2015
Antioch University, New England
Nurturing The Aesthetic: Learning To Care For The Environment In A Waldorf School, Melissa A. Grella
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
The purpose of the study was to explore the aesthetic foundation of the Waldorf pedagogy in order to understand how art and aesthetic experiences may develop care toward the environment. A form of humanistic education developed by Rudolf Steiner in the early twentieth century, Waldorf education is a learning model envisioned as a framework for moral education. Waldorf education is known for its intentional use of art and aesthetic experience as well as its focus on developmentally appropriate curriculum and teaching methods. As in other forms of holistic education, Waldorf educators focus on the head, heart and hand of every …
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit Road Test: Bridging The Data-Practice Divide A Summary Report By Antioch University New England Center For Climate Resilience And Community Preparedness April 2015,
2015
Antioch University, New England
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit Road Test: Bridging The Data-Practice Divide A Summary Report By Antioch University New England Center For Climate Resilience And Community Preparedness April 2015, Abigail Abrash Walton Phd, Michael Simpson Ms, Marilyn Castriotta Ms
Faculty Articles
Antioch University’s Center for Climate Preparedness and Community Resilience developed an online Facilitated Community of Practice model (FCoP) to convene 29 end-user decision-makers, working with 25 Eastern United States coastal communities, to “road test” the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. FCoP participants (e.g., planners, emergency preparedness and municipal administration personnel, natural resource specialists) represented communities from Norfolk, VA, to Rockland, ME. The project was designed to provide constructive feedback to federal agencies to inform the usability of the toolkit for local decision makers and planners. The project also was intended to contribute to two broader outcomes: 1. building resilience in Eastern …
Approximation Of Fire-Return Intervals With Point Samples In The Southern Range Of The Coast Redwood Forest, California, Usa,
2015
National Park Service
Approximation Of Fire-Return Intervals With Point Samples In The Southern Range Of The Coast Redwood Forest, California, Usa, Gregory Jones, Will Russell
Faculty Publications, Environmental Studies
A legacy of past fires is evident in the form of blackened basal hollows found throughout the southern range of the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens [D. Don] Endl.) forest. A deeper look reveals cambial scars dating back centuries, telling a story of low- to moderate-intensity fires that burned periodically across California’s Central Coast bioregion. While attempts have been made to reconstruct the fire history of this forest type, estimates of the fire-return interval vary widely, and the relationship of the fire-return interval to varying cultural influences is not fully understood. We analyzed 373 fire scars from 70 cross-sections removed from …
Performance And Resilience: Performance, Storytelling, And Resilience Building In Post-Katrina New Orleans,
2015
Oberlin College
Performance And Resilience: Performance, Storytelling, And Resilience Building In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Sophia Colette Becker
Honors Papers
"Performance and Resilience: Performance, Storytelling, and Resilience Building in Post-Katrina New Orleans" uses a mixed method approach to investigate the role of digital storytelling and contemporary performing arts in building community and environmental resilience. Through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and scholarship from the fields of performance studies and environmental studies, this piece focuses on post-disaster landscapes, particularly post-Katrina New Orleans, to investigate the impact of storytelling platforms and performance spaces in retaining social and cultural memory.
Neo-Homesteading In The Adirondack North Country: Crafting A Durable Landscape,
2015
Antioch University, New England
Neo-Homesteading In The Adirondack North Country: Crafting A Durable Landscape, Brett R. Mcleod
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This study uses action research as a tool to present an alternative model for reconstructing and promoting a resilient and durable rural landscape in the Adirondack-North Country of northern New York State. Standing in sharp contrast to traditional rural sustainability strategies that repeatedly focus on economic development or capital infusion as the sole means of revitalization, this research suggests a nested, bottom-up approach that capitalizes on the region’s diverse and burgeoning population of neo-homesteaders. This dissertation argues that, collectively, neo-homesteaders serve as an important catalyst in the construction of durable communities, and the promotion of working landscapes at the bioregional …
A New Approach To Climate Change: A Consideration Of Ancillary Benefits In Linking Regional Permit Trading Systems,
2015
University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
A New Approach To Climate Change: A Consideration Of Ancillary Benefits In Linking Regional Permit Trading Systems, William H. Meyer
Honors Theses and Capstones
In this paper, I investigate the economic efficiency of two major approaches to greenhouse gas reduction, and evaluate their respective benefits. First, I trace the path of action and thinking on addressing climate change from a global to a regional level. Second, I consider the major economic benefits of having a globally-integrated greenhouse gas abatement system. Third, I consider the economic benefits of regional approaches to climate change, with a focus on the ancillary benefits from greenhouse gas abatement. I conclude by reviewing the challenges to linking regional abatement systems into a cohesive network, and suggest a potential future approach …
