Environmental Studies Commons^™

Greening The Grounds: Mitigating Compost Contamination And Expanding Onsite Composting Practices In A Small Liberal Arts College Setting, Loren Mello

Scripps Senior Theses

In response to the growing need for sustainable waste management practices, the Farm Manager at Pomona College proposed redirecting food waste from offsite industrial composting to onsite composting at the Pomona Farm, expanding beyond kitchen waste to include student plate scrapings. This research aimed to address the anticipated challenges associated with this transition, including increased compost contamination, Farm staff labor, and operational work hours. To gain insights, a pilot program was conducted at Frank Dining Hall for one week, focusing on compost contaminants, food waste weight, collection and composting time, and additional qualitative measures. Findings from the pilot indicated that …

Can Intentional Community-Engagement Bridge The Town And Gown Divide? Creating Collaborative Partnerships Between Colleges And Local Organizations Engaged In Social Activism, Anna Wilk

Scripps Senior Theses

In higher education spaces, there tends to be a divide between on-campus and off-campus communities creating dissonance between the activism conducted by the students and faculty and that taken on by the surrounding communities; this is known as the “town and gown divide”. For the sake of each of these individual groups it is pivotal to attempt to rectify this division so that the institutions and the communities that they find themselves within can work together to strive for justice and innovation. A crucial aspect of diminishing the town and gown divide involves addressing students' preconceived notions of the community …

The Climate Crisis And The Class System: An Ethical Analysis, Alia Baig

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Climate change is a concerning subject that more and more people are beginning to care about. The climate crisis is continuing to affect populations across the globe and shows no signs of slowing. While everyone has been affected by climate change in some capacity, the climate crisis disproportionately affects low-income communities around the world and, specifically, within the United States. I plan to research the ethics of the relationship between climate change and the class system and the goal o f this project is to prove the claim that the class system is the reason for climate change's disproportionate effect …

Climate Change And Critical Agrarian Studies, Ian Scoones, Saturnino M. Borras Jr., Amita Baviskar, Marc Edelman, Nancy Peluso, Wendy Wolford

Publications and Research

Climate change is perhaps the greatest threat to humanity today and plays out as a cruel engine of myriad forms of injustice, violence and destruction. The effects of climate change from human-made emissions of greenhouse gases are devastating and accelerating; yet are uncertain and uneven both in terms of geography and socio-economic impacts. Emerging from the dynamics of capitalism since the industrial revolution — as well as industrialisation under state-led socialism — the consequences of climate change are especially profound for the countryside and its inhabitants. The book interrogates the narratives and strategies that frame climate change and examines the …

Spatial Distribution And Significance Of Burdens To Environmental Justice In Parramore, Florida: An Urban Resilience Perspective, Lex Tracton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In response to climate change, economic instability, and rapid urbanization, the notion of urban resilience has gained prominence in city planning and governance. Urban resilience is the ability of a system to adapt to new baseline conditions developing as a result of disturbances. This study is focused on one of urban resilience’s sub-tenets, ecological resilience. Ecological resilience is the ability of a system to sustain ecosystem services following a disturbance (i.e. droughts, flooding, heat waves). The health of the environment prior to a disturbance informs post-disturbance ecological resilience. An already stressed and unbalanced system, or an ecosystem with degraded health, …

The Impact Of Artificial Beach Lighting And Beach Renourishment On Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta) And Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Nesting Success, Amanda M. Casaburi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sea turtles face numerous threats on their nesting beaches, including habitat degradation, artificial lighting, and human interventions like beach nourishment projects. These factors can disrupt nesting behavior and reduce overall reproductive success. This study examined the impact of anthropogenic disturbances, specifically artificial lighting and beach nourishment projects, on the nesting success (quantified as portion of adult female emergences resulting in a nest) of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in southern Brevard County, Florida. Utilizing a long-term dataset (1989-2023) from the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group, the research focused on the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR), a …

Diverse Minds, Shared Planet: Designing, Assessing, And Adapting Curricula To Engage Diverse Learners With Their Environment And Inspire Positive Change, Mallory Rose Lampe

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The pieces that compose this portfolio together explore how environmental education can connect diverse learners to their environment through the integration of accessible curricula to inspire stewardship and action to take care of the planet we share.

A Legal Whirlwind: An Exploration And Evaluation Of Legal Claims Relating To The South Fork Wind Farm And Revolution Wind Project, Sarah Mikolay, Ava Cafasso, Aryanna Clasby, Elizabeth Erwin, Maigen Leach

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

With the Biden Administration’s national goal of net-zero emission by 2050 and Rhode Island’s state goal of carbon-neutrality by 2035, progressive steps towards renewable energy goal are critical. As the state adopt more renewable energy practices, public and private organizations voice concern over offshore wind farm projects and their adherence to local, state, and national laws. Through extensive research it has been determined that many of these claims are misguided. However, this skepticism emphasizes key issues regarding the transparency of the permitting process. Steps towards streaming and uniting the legal processes of wind farm construction, such as the COLLABORATE Act, …

The Importance Of Coastal Wetland Restoration In Old Lyme, Ct: The White Sands Beach Salt Marsh Restoration Project, Hanna Lloyd

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

In New England, coastal wetlands are rapidly drying up from widespread droughts, eroding from sea level rise, or being overrun by invasive species. Old Lyme, Connecticut relies heavily on the environmental and economic benefits of wetlands. In the last decade however, many coastal homes in Old Lyme, like the summer cottages of White Sands Beach, have been threatened by a lack of resilient wetlands surrounding them, and the coastal biodiversity of the town has decreased. The White Sands Beach Salt Marsh Restoration Project restored over an acre of coastal wetland at White Sands Beach through integrated marsh management strategies.

Employment And Industry Implications Of The Offshore Wind Projects In Rhode Island, Sarah M. Benoit, Anna Dwyer, Andrew Senecal, Aidan Tucker, Michael Keating

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

Offshore wind farms will have beneficial long-term effects on Rhode Island's industry and employment. While locals have expressed mixed opinions about the wind farm projects, fishermen have been the most concerned. Many of their fears are not founded in the reality of offshore wind farms. Impacts on the fishing industry could be slightly negative during construction with disruption from the pipeline (Becker 2024). After implementation, they should increase biodiversity with the artificial reef effect (Gill et al. 2020; Perry and Heyman 2020; Van Hoey et al. 2021). In the long-term, the fossil fuel industry has and will be more harmful …

Energy Claims For The Wind Farm Off Newport’S South Coast, Karen J. Figueroa, Megan Trafford, Emma Wilson, Ava Brunnock, Casey Maeve Bermingham

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

Revolution Wind will be constructing a Wind Farm off of Newport's South Coast. The community is extremely mixed on their reaction to the project, but there is a lot of misinformation concerning the project and wind turbines in general. The main focus is to address community concerns while informing the public of wind farms and wind turbines, with a specific focus on the energy aspect.

Assessing The Opportunities And Risks Of Extraction In The Lithium Triangle, Jennifer Cuahutencos

CMC Senior Theses

Climate change mitigation efforts have grown in recent years, giving rise to energy transition technologies, including electric vehicles and grid storage, which rely heavily on lithium. The resulting acceleration of lithium demand poses an opportunity for Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile – collectively referred to as the Lithium Triangle, where more than half of the world’s lithium resources are found – to produce lithium as a way of generating revenue that can be redistributed to increase social well-being. Despite the enticing opportunity, lithium extraction has several socioecological and economic risks that may make lithium extraction a futile endeavor. This thesis aims …

Revolutionizing Lithium Extraction: Analysis Of Factors Affecting Commercialization Timelines With Insights From The Shale Gas Boom, Bilge Tayyar

CMC Senior Theses

This study draws parallels between Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) and hydraulic fracturing to highlight the transformative potential of DLE technology in the lithium industry. The comparative analysis supports the hypothesis that DLE might expedite commercialization timelines, similar to the effect hydraulic fracturing has had on traditional shale gas extraction. The study includes a regression analysis to determine the factors affecting the commercialization of conventional lithium brine extraction methods, thereby better understanding the potential changes DLE will create. The regression model, based on data from 11 projects, examines the impact of variables such as temperature range, tax rates, royalty rates, regulatory …

Is Green The New Gold? Esg’S Influence On The Financial Performance Of The Energy And Mining Industries, Alexa De Vegvar

CMC Senior Theses

The demand for Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting has increased in recent years. As the concern for climate change has moved to the forefront of the investment process, companies have needed to prioritize ESG in their operations. Previous literature addresses how ESG has benefited companies’ financial performance and increased shareholder value. The pandemic has proven to have positively impacted ESG reporting as social priorities shifted. However, studies have also shown that ESG reporting is too ambiguous to concretely display any relationship with financial performance. This thesis will analyze the impact of ESG and environmental data reporting on the Return …

Determinants And Effects Of Offset Usage Within The California Cap-And-Trade System – A Firm-Level Analysis, Adarsh Srinivasan

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the determinants of the usage of carbon offsets within the California cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions. It also investigates the relationship between a firm’s investment in offsets and its financials for publicly traded companies. Entity-level data from 2013 to 2020 was used, which was sourced from the California Air Resources Board. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate factors that correlated with offset usage and whether offset usage correlated with EBITDA. Dummy variables indicating geographic location and economic sector of each entity were used as controls. The analysis found that total covered emissions and privately owned …

The Korean Hanok As A Model For Sustainable Architecture In South Korea, Jordan Oh

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes the traditional Korean hanok within the Western framework for sustainability across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. It then cross-references the findings of this analysis with existing theory on the cultural role of architecture to elucidate how the traditional Korean hanok can serve as a model for sustainable architecture in South Korea. Through a comprehensive analysis this thesis highlights the importance of architectural vernacular to define a sustainable building, and critiques contemporary Western ideas of sustainable architecture. Furthermore, this thesis synthesizes two current approaches to sustainable development in South Korea, the u-eco-city and the Green Standard for Energy …

Colorful Lizards And The Conflict Of Collection, Colin M. Goodman, Natalie M. Claunch, Zachary T. Steele, Diane J. E. Sturgeon, Christina M. Romagosa

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Invasive species threaten biodiversity, and their management is economically burdensome. Research on the indirect effects of introduced species are often focused on indirect ecological effects, with little focus on the more difficult to capture but critically important societal impacts. Often understated are the social costs of invasive species such as conflicts between invasive species managers and public stakeholders. Chameleons (Chamaeleonidae) are popular in the pet trade and have been introduced throughout Florida, USA, and their presence often attracts private collectors. After locating a population of panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) within a suburban neighborhood in central Florida, we administered …

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Cultivating Access: The Benefits And Challenges Of Using Community Land Trusts To Preserve Farmland And Support Farmers., Meghan Daly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Agricultural land protected by community land trusts (CLTs) is more likely to remain in active production due to the CLT’s ability to enforce land use practices and select tenants committed to farming. While land tenure approaches vary among CLTs, protected agricultural lands typically utilize long-term leases with affordable rents (Ela and Rosenberg, 2020). Such leasing arrangements enable farmers to access land at prices unaffected by escalating land values (Schwartz et al., 2013). The CLT model not only safeguards farmland but also promotes active agricultural production, thereby ensuring local food supply and providing economic opportunities for farmers.

Despite the promising potential …