School of Sustainability Graduate Culminating Experiences
Student capstone and applied projects from ASU's School of Sustainability.
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- All Subjects: Agriculture
- All Subjects: Urban heat island
Description
The City of Peoria, AZ approached Project Cities and the 2021 MSUS cohort for research on the feasibility, and challenges, of adopting a Community Forestry Program (CFP). The team was asked to evaluate Peoria’s potential for canopy growth and plan adoption by researching forestry or shade programs in cities with similar climates, as well as by conducting citizen outreach to determine the community mandate for a CFP. This process includes identifying the specific barriers and opportunities regarding implementation. Research is being conducted through peer reviewed articles and interviews with shade or forestry program officials; citizen outreach is being conducted through surveys and focus groups. These results will be compiled and presented to the City of Peoria to provide recommendations moving forward. Peoria will likely benefit from a comprehensive CFP, and this program will help reduce inequalities within the city, enhance urban form, promote walkability, and increase biodiversity within the urban area. This will also highlight that Peoria is dedicated to becoming a forerunner in the arena of urban planning, the intersection of social and environmental sustainability, and human health. Through their efforts in this sphere, Peoria can emerge as an example, and provide motivation, for other cities that are interested in pursuing a similar program. If implemented, the CFP will influence the development of Peoria for years to come.
Created2021-04-28
Description
Members of the United States Climate Alliance, all of which have committed to the goals of the Paris Agreement, are actively pursuing ways to mitigate climate change. This project is intended to support the integration of agriculture into U.S. state and territory efforts by aiding in the creation of an agricultural policy toolkit for Alliance members in partnership with the American Farmland Trust and the Coalition on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases. My contribution was phase one of the toolkit, for which I created fourteen state profiles of existing efforts related to agriculture and climate change and used these for a comparative analysis. I also developed an outline of the toolkit based on conversations and a list of partner ideas I maintained and drafted an internal protocol to assist in development and implementation. Further, I analyzed the outline using a sustainability framework to identify additional efforts that could strengthen the toolkit’s sustainability. In April 2019 I presented my phase 1 efforts and the toolkit plans alongside my partners at a C-AGG conference. Overall, through this project, I generated forward momentum for integrating and supporting agriculture in climate change efforts
ContributorsHarmon, Anna (Author)
Created2019-05-15
Description
When Kaffrine, Senegal, is faced with the threat of a locust plague, farmers tend to struggle with determining what actions and when they should take place to prevent a plague from occurring. The inability of farmers to readily identify the early threats of a locust plague is a primary issue that has been affecting communities in Kaffrine for millennia. Locust plagues affect the functionality of Senegal’s ecosystems, the welfare of its social systems, and the peoples’ economic opportunities.
The project focuses on the creation of 300 pest identification booklets that provide five villages in Kaffrine the proper education to prevent locust plagues from forming. I have partnered with the Global Locust Initiative (GLI) to help make these booklets come to fruition as the booklets target the lack of early detection awareness that is at the root of locust plagues. By providing the villages with these booklets, the farmers and community members, will be more educated on how to identify and act on the early threats of a plague. Additional outcomes of creating these booklets are as follows: improved well-being of the farming community, increased millet yields, and enhanced global food system sustainability. As locusts are a migratory pest, it is recommended that more stakeholders are provided the proper educational material to help them identify the early threats of a locust plague to prevent negative externalities from being imposed on the surrounding ecology, individuals, and agriculture.
The project focuses on the creation of 300 pest identification booklets that provide five villages in Kaffrine the proper education to prevent locust plagues from forming. I have partnered with the Global Locust Initiative (GLI) to help make these booklets come to fruition as the booklets target the lack of early detection awareness that is at the root of locust plagues. By providing the villages with these booklets, the farmers and community members, will be more educated on how to identify and act on the early threats of a plague. Additional outcomes of creating these booklets are as follows: improved well-being of the farming community, increased millet yields, and enhanced global food system sustainability. As locusts are a migratory pest, it is recommended that more stakeholders are provided the proper educational material to help them identify the early threats of a locust plague to prevent negative externalities from being imposed on the surrounding ecology, individuals, and agriculture.
ContributorsKantola, Braedon (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-13
Description
The community of Gumantar in Lombok, Indonesia, one of the poorest regions of the island, is home to a large number of coffee farmers. Due primarily to production quality, these farmers struggle to earn a sufficient wage. While trying to provide for their families, the local environment often suffers. The persistent poverty has resulted in lower education levels, health care barriers, and decreased well-being. In an effort to empower the farmers and promote sustainable development, I have created a best practice guide that looks at five coffee production factors. The local farmers have specifically requested case supported, science-based information regarding these factors. The factors include farming techniques, drying practices, coffee specific small business skills, financial literacy, and coffee certification requirements. Access to information regarding these topics is intended to help reduce poverty, increase accessibility to quality education, and support local economic development, environmental health, and community health and well-being.
ContributorsPrice, Paige (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-13