Matching Items (81)
Description
For waste management in Asunción, Paraguay to improve, so too must the rate of public recycling participation. However, due to minimal public waste management infrastructure, it is up to individual citizens and the private sector to develop recycling solutions in the city. One social enterprise called Soluciones Ecológicas (SE) has deployed a system of drop-off recycling stations called ecopuntos, which allow residents to deposit their paper and cardboard, plastic, and aluminum. For SE to maximize the use of its ecopuntos, it must understand the perceived barriers to, and benefits of, their use. To identify these barriers and benefits, a doer on-doer survey based on the behavioral determinants outlined in the Designing for Behavior Change Framework was distributed among Asunción residents. Results showed that perceived self-efficacy, perceived social norms, and perceived positive consequences – as well as age – were influential in shaping ecopunto use. Other determinants such as perceived negative consequences, access, and universal motivators were significant predictors of gender and age. SE and other institutions looking to improve recycling can use these results to design effective behavior change interventions.
ContributorsLoPrete, Eric (Author) / Klinsky, Sonja (Contributor) / Fischer, Daniel (Contributor) / Wiek, Arnim (Contributor)
Created2020-04-24
Description
Multi-scalar, integrated and transformational solutions are necessary to address the complex problems of climate change and sustainable development. Cities are using urban living labs to develop and test such solutions; however, the pace of transformation does not yet match the urgency of the problems at hand. In business, accelerators are used to advance new and potentially transformational enterprises, giving fresh ideas an advantage over more established competition, thereby accelerating the pace of change. This article examines the accelerator model and considers its adaptation to urban living labs. From the literature, a multi-scalar business accelerator model is proposed that addresses both individual and system interventions to advance sustainability transformations. Also proposed is a formative-evaluation framework to guide effective implementation of the accelerator model. This article concludes with recommendations for scholars and practitioners working on urban living labs to utilize business accelerators to advance sustainability transformations.
ContributorsMack, Ashley (Author) / Whithycombe Keeler, Lauren (Contributor, Contributor) / Wiek, Arnim (Contributor) / von Wehrden, Henrik (Contributor)
Created2019-04-24
Description
The next generation will be better prepared to cope with the daunting sustainability challenges if education for sustainable development is being taught and learned across educational sectors. K-12 school education will play a pivotal role in this process, most prominently, the teachers serving at these schools. While pre-service teachers’ education will contribute to this transition, success will depend on effective professional development in sustainability education to teachers currently in service. Arizona State University has pioneered the development and delivery of such a programme. We present the design principles, the programme, and insights from its initial applications that involved 246 K-12 in-service teachers from across the USA. The evaluation results indicate that due to participation in the programme, sustainability knowledge, perception of self-efficacy, inclusion of sustainability in the classroom, modelling of sustainable behaviours, and linking action to content all increased. We conclude with recommendations for the widespread adopting of the programme.
ContributorsRedman, Erin (Author) / Redman, Aaron (Author) / Wiek, Arnim (Author)
Created2018-07-13
Description
This project aims to provide a contextualized history of the Sky Harbor Neighborhood Association‟s community collective action efforts. The Sky Harbor Neighborhood (SHN) of East Phoenix is bounded on the West by 24th St., on the East by 32nd St., on the North by Roosevelt St., and the South by Washington Street. SHN is a majority Latino, low-income, working class community (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010) that faces a variety of challenges including low walkability due to inadequate pedestrian infrastructure, low tree coverage, and crime. East Van Buren St., which has a reputation for being one of Phoenix‟s red-light districts, splits the neighborhood in two. In addition, the SHN lacks some key amenities such as grocery stores and is partly considered a food desert by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA Economic Research Service, 2012).
ContributorsPearson, Kimberly (Author) / Golub, Aaron (Thesis director) / Wiek, Arnim (Committee member) / York, Abigail (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Through Zero Waste at ASU, the Villas & Vista del Sol Community Compost Program (VVDS CCP) has been in operation for three years. Programs such as this one have been identified as a priority by the university due to the significance of food waste in the waste stream ASU produces and the opportunity to reduce climate impact by diverting this waste from landfill. However, the CCP has struggled to reach its participation targets throughout its time in operation and therefore ASU requires better understanding of marketing strategies that will lead to program success before investing in additional residential compost programs. This thesis addresses the fundamental question: What marketing and operational strategies are most effective within a residential composting program at Arizona State University? Using a combination of literature review, qualitative primary research, and experimentation, this thesis provides an explanation of how the university can effectively implement and grow residential composting programs.
ContributorsMiserlian, Rachel (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis director) / Jung, Kendon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Comm (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The once thriving American textile industry has been offshored almost entirely. The few domestic mills that remain tend to be specialized; there is no dominant player. As the global environment becomes increasingly unpredictable, the benefits of offshoring are lessening. Raising concerns over sustainability, employee welfare and intellectual property have the potential to shift the current pattern of offshoring. Impulsive tariffs and rising international wages add to the uncertainty. To eliminate many of these concerns, new textile mills should be developed in the United States. Many businesses have expressed desire and need for a new American mill to help them meet their goals. Due to strict regulations, domestic production is inherently more environmentally and socially proactive. In order for this mill to succeed, it must be based on automation and sustainable practices.
ContributorsTalley, Journie Renee (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis director) / Vitikas, Stanley (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Political polarization, or the inclination to align with the identity, ideologies, and candidates of a party that results in subsequent partisan animosity that creates divisions between these groups, can prevent important policies from getting passed. Policies related to sustainability, defined as that which “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” have been found to be particularly vulnerable to polarization (Brundtland, 1987). This research analyzes literature and expert interviews to provide recommendations and strategies that can be employed by sustainability advocates to get important policies passed despite the divisive political arena. The research concluded that public salience of sustainability issues, presentation of the co-benefits of sustainability policies, relationships amongst elected officials, and use of politically neutral language are especially important to garnering bipartisan support for sustainability policies. Based on these conclusions, strategies were recommended for sustainability advocates to use to overcome political polarization including bolstering communication skills to demonstrate how people are affected by sustainability issues and can benefit from sustainability policies and giving careful and continuous consideration to the words, phrases, and labels used to describe sustainability policies. A final recommendation is to examine political polarization and sustainability at the municipal level since this research indicated that this is a relatively under-examined context.
ContributorsBarlett, Riley (Author) / Melnick, Rob (Thesis director) / Kay, Braden (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2023-12
Description
This thesis conducts research into the emissions from ocean going vessels and the ports that they dock at and current methods that are being pursued to help reduce the environmental impact of the ocean shipping industry. The main emissions from the industry analyzed are particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur and greenhouse gases. One method of reducing the environmental impact of the industry is through the improvement of the vessels. The vessels are currently being improved through the exploration of using liquefied natural gas (LNG) instead of bunker fuel. It has been found that LNG takes up less space, costs less, and has fewer emissions compared to bunker fuel, making it an ideal replacement as a fuel source. In addition to changing fuel sources, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has created emission control areas around the United States and its territories mandating the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel within a certain range of land. There are two emission control areas with one being for the United States, Canada, and the French Territories of North America and the other for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For the North American nations it is 200 nautical miles, while for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands it is 50 nautical miles. This is an external pressure encouraging current shipping companies to switch to LNG as a fuel source. A second method of reducing the environmental impact of the ocean shipping industry is to improve the ports. The ports are being improved by utilizing alternative maritime power, reducing the emissions of vehicles at the ports, and engaging all of the stakeholders of a port. Alternative maritime power (AMP) is the use of shore-side power sources to power the auxiliary engines of vessels while they are hotelling, at dock. AMP is also referred to as cold-ironing and is effective in reducing emissions from vessels because the auxiliary engines are powered by electricity as opposed to fuel. This is an expensive option to pursue because of the high investment costs, but the Carl Moyer Program provides analysis for the cost-effectiveness of projects to justify the high costs. The second facet of port improvements is decreasing the emissions from all vehicles at the ports. The Port of Los Angeles has gradually been phasing out trucks with old engines and even banning them from entering the port. Cargo handling equipment has seen similar restrictions to reduce emissions. Finally locomotives have seen requirements implemented causing them to improve their engines while implementing idling restriction technologies as well. These improvements have yielded tangible and effective results for the Port of Los Angeles. These initiatives have resulted in a decrease in emissions from the port since their inception in 2005 to 2011 (2011 being the last year that data is available). In that time frame diesel particulate matter has been reduced by 71% at 634 tons, NOx has been reduced by 51% at 8,392 tons and SOx has been reduced by 76% at a total of 4,038 tons. The final part of port improvements this paper looks into is the integration and engagement of all stakeholders. The Port of Los Angeles has all but approved the Southern California International Gateway Project (SCIG) by Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. This project included the cooperation of BNSF, local unions, and local politicians to create a new rail yard that contains the highest sustainability standards for any rail yard. SCIG will employ numerous local people, require trucks to take alternative routes, reduce the amount of trucks on the highway, and help get products to consumers more competitively and efficiently. This will result in reduced emissions, decreased noise pollution, and less traffic congestion on Los Angeles highways. In conclusion it was found that real, effective, and cost-effective projects are being undertaken to improve the environmental impacts of the ocean shipping industry.
ContributorsAlbright, Joe Todd (Author) / Maltz, Arnold (Thesis director) / Dooley, Kevin (Committee member) / Brown, Steven (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
ABSTRACT American households are throwing out billions of dollars of valuable food every year, which in turn ends up in landfills, harms the environment, and consumes precious tax dollars. The nation must reduce the waste that is causing a drain on resources. Furthermore, rather than turn excess food to waste, people can redistribute food to feed the millions of food insecure households nationwide. To address this issue, this paper utilizes a supply chain approach to research central links in the food chain and identify the causes for waste at each process. Additionally, an investigation of barriers to change is conducted, explaining the struggles stakeholders face in the food challenge. Taking these barriers into consideration, various solutions are recommended that can help alleviate the food challenge. Waste reduction is possible through proper management of the six supply chain drivers: information, inventory, sourcing, transportation, pricing, and facilities. Through better information sharing, more accurate forecasts can be produced, reducing the bullwhip effect thus minimizing waste. Sourcing, transportation, and pricing can help create secondary food markets. These local, online, or discount venues put imperfect and short shelf life foods back on shelves instead of landfills. Small improvements in facilities such as reengineering display units can reduce the chances of damaged produce as well. To a humanitarian end, gleaning efforts bring nutritious, unharvested crops from farms to food pantries. Centralized donation networks better educate businesses and allocate resources to those in need. Moreover, consumer-driven initiatives at a store or web-based level can move food surpluses to food insecure homes. Combined, these methods will provide a triple bottom line benefit to profits, people, and the planet.
ContributorsChen, Jennifer (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis director) / Rabinovich, Elliot (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2013-12
DescriptionAn examination of ways the pet retail industry can integrate sustainability into their internal operations by pursuing initiatives surrounding associate engagement, logistics/transportation, packaging/certifications, and water and energy conservation.
ContributorsSuch, Emily Marie (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis director) / Byers, Reynold (Committee member) / Mars, Carole (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)
Created2013-05