Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ecocriticism, Paul Siewers

Faculty Contributions to Books

An overview for a dictionary of critical theory on ecocriticism or environmental literary criticism.

Gaining Ground: Wetlands, Hurricanes, And The Economy: The Value Of Restoring The Mississippi River Delta, David Batker, Isabel De Torre, Robert Costanza, Paula Swedeen, John W. Day, Roelof Boumans, Kenneth Bagstad

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

This report shows conclusively that physical sustainability and delta expansion secures vast economic benefits locally and nationally. Within the context of the current financial crisis, investment in restoration secures short-term benefits of employment, income generation, greater ecosystem services and other economic benefits, and the long term goals of increased storm protection, greater oil and gas supply reliability and other economic benefits. A sustainable restoration of the Mississippi River Delta is a good investment with a high rate of return. Gaining ground is the most successful economic strategy for securing hurricane defenses and economic development.

What Drives Academic Bioscientists: Money Or Values?, David E. Ervin, Sharmistha Nag, Hui Yang, Steven T. Buccola

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article determines the factors that drive academic bioscience to better understand the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in the sustainability of U.S. agriculture. Some challenges brought about by GE crops in the U.S. farm sustainability include tracking and controlling water pollution, protecting against herbicide resistance and nitrogen fixation. Professional norms are also considered as a great factor driving the academic bioscience.

Genetically Engineering Crops For A Sustainable Agriculture, David E. Ervin, Rick Welsh

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article examines the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in fostering a more sustainable agriculture. An overview of the National Academy of Sciences metal study of the impacts of GE crops on farm sustainability in the U.S. is given. The two types of GE crops are discussed, one which produces its own insecticide called insect resistant (IR) crops and the other is engineered to resist particular herbicides. An explanation for sustainable agriculture is also presented.

The Evolution Of Natural Resources Law And Policy, Lawrence J. Macdonnell, Sarah F. Bates

Books, Reports, and Studies

This digital resource contains only an abstract, cover image and table of contents information from the published book.

Print copy of book is available in the University of Colorado’s Wise Law Library: http://lawpac.colorado.edu/record=b444104~S0

Contents: Introduction / Bruce Babbitt -- PART I : REFLECTIONS ON NATURAL RESOURCES LAW AND POLICY: Historical evolution and future of natural resources law and policy / Sally Fairfax, Helen M. Ingram, Leigh Raymond -- Ethical perspectives on resources law and policy : global warming and our common future / Sarah Krakoff -- Why care about the polar bear? : economic analysis of natural resources law and …

The Impacts Of Land Use And Development Patterns On Water Quality Of The Belgrade Lakes, Ian M. Mccullough

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the impacts of patterns of land use and development on water quality in the Belgrade Lakes on a regional scale. Regional research and cooperation could identify key areas in the watershed where development or changing land use could have the greatest negative influences on lake water quality. Past work has centered on water chemistry, nutrient dynamics, development and economic factors but there has been no comprehensive analysis of land use and development history for the entire Belgrade Lakes Region. The Belgrade Lakes are a chain of 7 lakes in central Maine connected …

Recovering Brande : Freewriting And Sustainable (Procedural) Expression, Richard Bower

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Dorothea Brande is rarely known in rhetoric and composition yet continues to hold popular influence over writers attracted to Cartesian beliefs. The aim of this project is to recover Brande's contributions in order to rethink composition's trajectories. Chiefly, Dorothea Brande's legacy has been in creative writing through Becoming a Writer. In this bestseller, she establishes a program for putting the Cartesian divide to work. "Writing with the unconscious mind in the ascent," as Brande explains about what Ken Macrorie and Peter Elbow later call freewriting, harnesses the bifurcated consciousness of writers and begins a journey of unification.

Clean, Green, And Not So Mean: Can Business Save The World?, Andy Spackman, Celia Ross, Christy Donaldson, Louise Feldman, Patrick Griffis, Elizabeth Stephan, Laurie Bridges, Baseema Krkoska, Tony Lin, Mark Siciliano

Library Faculty Publications

No matter how you define it, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a hot topic. From community investing to business ethics to environmental sustainability and beyond, proponents of CSR view the business landscape through a lens that focuses less on profitability and more on the greater good.

“Doing well by doing good” is the business world’s new mantra. Concepts of CSR, green business, social entrepreneurship, and peace through commerce have become a focus of research and are inspiring the next generation of businesspeople. The 2010 BRASS Program gave attendees an expert’s view of certain niches within the broader realm of ethical …

Building America Research Benchmark Definition: Updated December 2009, R. Hendron, C. Engebrecht

Publications (SD)

To track progress toward aggressive multi-year, whole-house energy savings goals of 40%–70% and on-site power production of up to 30%, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Residential Buildings Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed the Building America (BA) Research Benchmark in consultation with the Building America industry teams. The Benchmark is generally consistent with mid-1990s standard practice, as reflected in the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Technical Guidelines (RESNET 2002), with additional definitions that allow the analyst to evaluate all residential end uses, an extension of the traditional HERS rating approach that focuses on space conditioning and …

Hatched: The Capacity For Sustainable Development, Bob Frame, Richard Gordon, Claire Mortimer

Publications (SD)

Hatched: The capacity for sustainable development is edited by Landcare Research scientists Bob Frame, Richard Gordon and Claire Mortimer and is a collection of research findings, stories and tools exploring five key areas of capacity required for New Zealand’s long-term success. It covers innovative research undertaken with businesses, across policy sectors, communities and individuals and was funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

The Role Of Energy Storage With Renewable Electricity Generation, Paul Denholm, Erik Ela, Brendan Kirby, Michael Milligan

Publications (E)

Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, have vast potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions in the electric sector. Climate change concerns, state initiatives including renewable portfolio standards, and consumer efforts are resulting in increased deployments of both technologies. Both solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy have variable and uncertain (sometimes referred to as “intermittent”) output, which are unlike the dispatchable sources used for the majority of electricity generation in the United States. The variability of these sources has led to concerns regarding the reliability of an electric grid that derives a large fraction …

Wind Power In Nevada, Hamedah Dhalai

Brookings Mountain West Publications

This bibliography compiles scholarly information and new reports on the topic of wind power in Nevada. As a senior at UNLV majoring in both Economics and French, I began this project in June 2010 in consultation with William E. Brown, Jr., director of planning and communications at Brookings Mountain West. This research topic interests me greatly, and I believe that expanded research and commercial development of alternative energy, including wind power, is essential to the growth and development of Nevada. My service as a Student Ambassador in the College of Business, a position that allows me to represent UNLV to …

Review In Studies In Medieval And Renaissance Teaching Of "Ents, Elves And Eriador: The Environmental Vision Of J.R.R. Tolkien", Paul Siewers

Other Faculty Research and Publications

A review of a book-length ecocritical study of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy writing.

Toward A Policy Framework For The Design Of Economic Information Packages, Andrew Whitmore

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The emergence of product certifications such as "organic," "fair trade" and "shade grown" has gone far to introduce non-price related product information back into the consumer decision making process thereby reducing information asymmetries and improving market outcomes. Recently, these certifications have been supplemented by the emergence of several web-based consumer decision support systems that are designed to disseminate non-price product information to consumers. Like printed product labels, these new web-based systems present the same informational cues to each consumer regardless of his or her preference for the information and they rate products with fixed weights that are not customized to …

Climate And More Sustainable Cities: Climate Information For Improved Planning And Management Of Cities (Producers/Capabilities Perspective), C.S.B. Grimmond, Matthias Roth, Tim R. Oke, Y. C. Au, M. Best, R. Betts, Gregory R. Carmichael, Helen Cleugh, Walter F. Dabberdt, Rohinton Emmanuel, E. Freitas, K. Fortuniak, Steven Hanna, Petra M. Klein, Laurence S. Kalkstein, C. H. Liu, Alex Nickson, David Pearlmutter, David J. Sailor, James Voogt

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the last two decades substantial advances have been made in the understanding of the scientific basis of urban climates. These are reviewed here with attention to sustainability of cities, applications that use climate information, and scientific understanding in relation to measurements and modelling. Consideration is given from street (micro) scale to neighbourhood (local) to city and region (meso) scale. Those areas where improvements are needed in the next decade to ensure more sustainable cities are identified. High-priority recommendations are made in the following six strategic areas: observations, data, understanding, modelling, tools and education. These include the need for more …

The Impact Of Conservation On The Status Of The World's Vertebrates, Michael Hoffmann, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Ariadne Angulo, Monika Böhm, Thomas M. Brooks, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Kent E. Carpenter, Janice Chanson, Beth A. Polidoro, Jonnell C. Sanciangco

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Using data for 25,780 species categorized on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, we present an assessment of the status of the world's vertebrates. One-fifth of species are classified as Threatened, and we show that this figure is increasing: On average, 52 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians move one category closer to extinction each year. However, this overall pattern conceals the impact of conservation successes, and we show that the rate of deterioration would have been at least one-fifth again as much in the absence of these. Nonetheless, current conservation efforts remain insufficient to offset the …

Redland Rambles: Chronicles Of Local Food, Farms, And Culinary Traditions In South Florida, Robert Barnum

Possum Trot

This collection of articles from the Redland Rambles blog, authored by Marian Wertalka, provides a detailed look at the agricultural, culinary, and community-driven events in South Florida, with a focus on local farms, organic food, and the growers of the Redland area. The articles highlight events such as local ice cream socials, tropical fruit pie competitions, and cooking demonstrations, featuring key players like Robert Barnum and Bee Heaven Farm. From exploring unique ingredients like the hoja santa leaf to sharing vibrant local recipes, the collection documents the connection between land, food, and the people who cultivate it.

Applying Geographic Information Systems To Support Strategic Environmental Assessment: Opportunities And Limitations In The Context Of Irish Land-Use Plans, Ainhoa Gonzalez, Alan Gilmer, Ronan Foley, John Sweeney, John Fry

Articles

The strengthening of spatial database infrastructures, further promoted by the INSPIRE Directive adopted in 2007, has led to an increased use of spatial data in planning and decision-making. Given that land-use plans are intrinsically spatial, such evidence and approaches can significantly benefit plan-making. A spatial framework could especially support the specific Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) aspects of the plan-making process. Spatial tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are particularly well-placed to support the environmental integration sought in SEA by providing evidence through the spatial assessment of multiple environmental datasets. Moreover, GIS bring the opportunity to augment conventional assessment techniques …

Renewable Energy Integration: An Approach For Micro-Grid Optimization., Nicolas Lopez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the Renewable Energy Integration Problem beginning with a literature review on the different sources of electrical energy classified as Non-Renewable and Renewable, stating that the integration of renewable sources within the pre-existing Power-Grids is a current worldwide problem that is being addressed with different approaches.

The impossibility to exactly model the different equations relating the electric output of the renewable energy sources as they relate with meteorological factors, makes the renewable sector a stochastic component of the overall mathematical model, where it can be concluded that most of the problem is in the area of the forecast. …

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Western Australian Part Of The Nullarbor Region, P A. Waddell, A K. Gardner, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 2005 and 2007, describes and maps the natural resources of the region. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area's natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The Nullarbor region has …

A Study Of Satisfaction Level Of Hong Kong Tourists With Hot Springs Hotels And Resorts In Guangdong, China, Rob Law, Ruby Yip

Hospitality Review

The research reported here aimed at examining Hong Kong tourists’ level of satisfaction with hot springs hotels and resorts in Guangdong, China. Primary data were collected and service quality and tourist satisfaction levels were measured using the SERVQUAL model. The empirical findings indicate that most tourists are satisfied with the service quality of these hotels and resorts. Among the different dimensions of service quality, empathy receives the highest score. Overall satisfaction receives a score only slightly better than average. The results also reveal significant relationships among customer satisfaction level, loyalty, and recommendation.

Sustainability Initiatives In East Bayside Neighborhood Portland, Maine, Garvan Donegan, Henry Heyburn, Caitlyn Horose, Matt Klebes, Jennifer Riley, Damon Yakovleff, New England Environmental Finance Center

Planning

This is a bundle containing research on sustainability initiatives that could be implemented in the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland, ME. These six essays were prepared by the Spring, 2010 Sustainable Communities Class known as CPD 602 at the University of Southern Maine. The class is part of the core curriculum of the Community Planning and Development program of the Muskie School of Public Service at the university. The instructor for the class was Samuel Merrill, Ph. D. who is also director of the New England Environmental Finance Center at the University. These papers were prepared in conjunction with Alan …

Oregon Natural Areas Plan, Oregon Natural Heritage Advisory Council

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

The rich diversity of ecosystems and native plants and animals is one of Oregon's most distinctive and valued qualities. Our state contains rain forests, dry forests, oak woodlands, alpine meadows, prairies, deserts, marshes, estuaries, dunes, rocky headlands, lakes and streams. There are a number of reasons it is so diverse. First are the extremes of climate, with rainfall ranging from over 200 inches a year along Oregon’s north coast, to less than 7 inches a year in the Alvord Desert, and temperatures from the very mild banana belt along the coast near the California border to the extremes of the …

Building Capacity For Sustainability Through Curricular And Faculty Development: A Learning Outcomes Approach, Jennifer H. Allen, Jeffrey J. Gerwing, Leslie G. Mcbride

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Portland State University has made integration of sustainability across its academic programs an institutional priority. This article describes the strategies that have been used to engage faculty in developing sustainability curricula, including adopting sustainability as one of eight campus-wide learning outcomes, incorporating sustainability into the general education program, providing faculty development, and developing a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability. The article shares lessons learned and next steps planned to advance Portland State's sustainability curricula.

Sustaining Rural Economies With Wind Development, Eric J. Van Oss

CMC Senior Theses

This paper discusses the effects of wind development in rural areas. Areas of focus include: direct job creation, indirect job creation, tax revenue and government policies. The effects of state and federal renewable energy policies are discussed and well as the impacts to rural economies.

How Does The University Of Northern Iowa's Recycling Program Compare To The Recycling Programs Of Its Peer Institutions?, Anna J. Schrad

Honors Program Theses

In recent years, the concept of sustainability has become mainstream and has begun to be incorporated into the decisions that businesses, organizations, and institutions make. With over 12,000 students, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) has great potential to generate large quantities of recyclables (Kaplan & von Kolnitz, 2004). By expanding its recycling program, UNI can increase its appeal to prospective students while gaining economic benefits in addition to protecting the environment. Waste managers at 8 of UNI’s peer institutions (Appendix B) were interviewed to determine how UNI’s recycling and waste diversion efforts compared to similar schools for a variety …

Integrating Education, Evaluation & Partnerships Into Large-Scale Sustainable Stormwater Management Programs, Vivek Shandas, Anne Nelson, Carine Arendes

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Integrated stormwater management using green infrastructure shows promise in saving money and mitigating environmental impacts caused by urban development. Equally important are the potential community benefits, including better understanding of ecological systems, increased access to urban green spaces, safer and healthier neighborhoods, and informed residents that are equipped to take action to improve watershed health. As a partnership between the City of Portland Environmental Services, Portland State University, and residents of the Tabor to the River (T2R) neighborhood, we conducted a survey to understand the role of civic ecology in green infrastructure projects. The survey results indicate a high interest …

Gis Data: Fairfax County And The City Of Alexandria, Virginia Shoreline Inventory Report, Marcia Berman, Harry Berquist, Sharon Killeen, Carl Hershner, Karinna Nunez, Karen Reay, Tamia Rudnicky

Data

The data inventory developed for the Shoreline Inventory is based on a three‑tiered shoreline assessment approach. In most cases this assessment characterizes conditions that can be observed from a small boat navigating along the shoreline. The three tiered shoreline assessment approach divides the shorezone into three regions: 1) the immediate riparian zone, evaluated for land use; 2) the bank, evaluated for height, stability, cover and natural protection; and 3) the shoreline, describing the presence of shoreline structures for shore protection and recreational purposes. Hand-held GPS units are used to log features observed in the field.

Three GIS coverages are developed …

Landscape Assessment Of A Stable Aspen Community In Southern Utah, Usa, Paul C. Rogers, A. Joshua Leffler, R. Ryel

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Recent reports of rapid die-off of aspen (Populus tremuloides), coupled with vigorous debate over longterm reduction of aspen cover in western North America, has prompted considerable research given the importance of this forest type for economic and non-economic interests. Despite this interest, indicators of aspen conditions are poorly understood, and there is a lack of systematic monitoring of stable aspen landscapes. Stable aspen are defined here as being predominantly aspen overstorey (>80% basal area) with little or no conifer regeneration. We examined a putative stable aspen landscape in southern Utah and addressed (1) stand structure and (2) indicators of …

Africa Water Atlas, Stanley Mubako

Stanley Mubako

No abstract provided.