Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

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 Publications

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.

Droughtscape- Summer 2010, Kelly Smith

Droughtscape, Quarterly Newsletter of NDMC, 2007-

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

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

Specifying And Sourcing Materials For Best Practice Sustainable Education Facility, Rick Best

Rick Best

The new building that houses the Mirvac School of Sustainable Development at Bond University (Australia), opened in June 2008, is the first education building in Australia to receive a rating of six Green Stars under the Green Building Council of Australia's environmental rating scheme. It was awarded the RICS Sustainability prize for 2009. The building features a wide range of techniques and initiatives that combine to make the building a landmark for sustainable design and building in Australia and beyond. Central to the design is a range of technologies including extensive use of recycled materials, particularly Australian hardwood, onsite power …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

The Textural Discontinuity Hypothesis And Its Relation To Nomadism, Migration, Decline, And Competition, Aaron L. Alai

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The causes of nomadism, migration, and decline in vertebrates are debated issues in the ecological sciences. Literature suggests nomadism may arise in species that specialize in granivory, nectivory, or the utilization of rodent outbreaks. Migration is thought to arise as a result of the exploitation of certain scarce or variable food resources. Species decline is hypothesized to be the result of many different factors as well; large species, island species and specialists may be more prone to decline.

A fresh perspective regarding the causes for species nomadism, migration, and decline is being investigated utilizing the ideas within the Textural Discontinuity …

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 …

Climate Variability, Oceanography, Bowhead Whale Distribution, And Iñupiat Subsistence Whaling Near Barrow, Alaska, Carin J. Ashjian, Stephen R. Braund, Robert G. Campbell, J. C. George, Jack Kruse, Wieslaw Maslowski, Sue E. Moore, Craig R. Nicolson, Stephen R. Okkonen, Barry F. Sherr, Evelyn B. Sherr, Yvette H. Spitz

Craig Nicolson

The annual migration of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) past Barrow, Alaska, has provided subsistence hunting to Iñupiat for centuries. Bowheads recurrently feed on aggregations of zooplankton prey near Barrow in autumn. The mechanisms that form these aggregations, and the associations between whales and oceanography, were investigated using field sampling, retrospective analysis, and traditional knowledge interviews. Oceanographic and aerial surveys were conducted near Barrow during August and September in 2005 and 2006. Multiple water masses were observed, and close coupling between water mass type and biological characteristics was noted. Short-term variability in hydrography was associated with changes in wind speed and …

Food Delivery Footprint: Addressing Transportation, Packaging, And Waste In The Food Supply Chain, Madeleine E. Pullman, Robin Fenske, Wayne Wakeland

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transportation of food accounts for a significant fraction of the carbon dioxide emissions believed to be adversely impacting climate and the environment. And this impact is increasing as food supply chains become longer and more complex, and food packaging requirements lead to increased waste. Many organizations such as hospitals and upper level education are becoming increasingly concerned about sustainability. In this study, college, university, and hospital food purchasing behavior were assessed using interviews, surveys, and modeling to evaluate the environmental implications of decisions regarding food transportation and packaging. Current purchasing practices, corresponding transportation modes, packaging, recycling, and waste removal were …

Interview With Marisa Ferro, Portland State University, 2010 (Audio), Marisa Ferro

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Marisa Ferro by Hamza Sherwani at Portland State University on June 1st, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

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 …

Are Biotechnology And Sustainable Agriculture Compatible?, David E. Ervin, Leland L. Glenna, Raymond Adelard Jussaume

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Agricultural biotechnology has been largely opposed by advocates in the sustainable agriculture movement, despite claims by the technology’s proponents that it holds the promise to deliver both production (economic) and environmental benefits, two legs of the sustainability stool. We argue in this paper that participants in this polarized debate are talking past each other because assumptions about biotechnology and sustainability remain simplistic and poorly defined. Genetically engineered (GE) herbicide-resistant and insect-resistant crop varieties are the most visible current forms of agricultural biotechnology, and thus the form of biotechnology that many in the sustainability movement react to. However, these crops represent …

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 …

Interview With Steve Jones, Us Forest Service, 2010 (Audio), Steve Jones

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Steve Jones by Scott Swenson at Hood River, Oregon on May 25th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Stephanie Noll, Bicycle Transportation Alliance, 2010 (Audio), Stephanie Noll

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Stephanie Noll by Sean Cochran in NW Portland, Oregon on May 24th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Judy Combs, Kaiser Permanente, 2010 (Audio), Judy Combs

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Judy Combs by Nazer Frias at Clackamas, Oregon on May 17th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

2010 Spring Engr333 Project Final Report, Eric Ledy, Rachel Jelgerhuis, Jasper Gondhi, Michael Gondhi, Steve Brink, John Mantel, Kyle Harvey, Jim Vanleeuwen, Jacob Speelman, Mitch Brummel, Tyler Van Dongen, Nathan Van Heukelum, Lynette Hromada, Jen Meneely, Matthew Brouwer, Marc Eberlein, Steve Demaagd, Tim Opperwall, Andrew Dejong, Joel Love, Alex Boelkins, Amanda Hollinger, Betsy Huyser, Jason Dornbos, Jason Handlogten, Justin Karsten, Matt Milan

ENGR 333

Calvin is developing plans for a new data center to provide business continuity and quick recovery in the event of a disaster. The new data center will not replace the existing data center; rather, it will provide redundancy for the operations of the campus. Because of the energy demands of data centers, there is a worldwide push for energy efficiency. So-called “green data centers” provide the same functionality as a normal data center with reduced energy usage and reduced energy costs. Calvin, like most organizations, must weigh the long-term economic benefits of energy efficiency projects against higher initial cost. The …

Interview With Jeff Luebbers, Us Forest Service, 2010 (Audio), Jeff Luebbers

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Jeff Luebbers by Chelsea Saurman on May 13th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Michael Burri, Us Forest Service, 2010 (Audio), Michael Burri

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Michael Burri by Jeff Pullen-Sayles at Sandy, Oregon on May 9th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Policy Suggestions For Emissions Trading In The U.S.A., Nathaniel Wallshein

Honors Scholar Theses

This honors thesis will examine current and theoretical "cap and trade" emissions trading schemes in an attempt to make recommendations on how to improve this regulated commodity market. The various control mechanisms available to regulators will be discussed: including allocation methodology, benchmarking, banking, variation in design frameworks, etc. To aid and support the proposed policy recommendations, this paper will investigate the design framework of the SOx emission trading scheme in the US, the Kyoto Protocol, and the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The political, social, and economic context of these schemes will be taken into account when considering the …