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Student capstone and applied projects from ASU's School of Sustainability.

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Enhancing Environmental Education Opportunities in the Borderlands : A Consulting Project for Borderlands Restoration Network by JKLM Sustainability Consulting (MSUS)

Description
Borderlands Restoration Network (BRN) is a nonprofit organization based out of Patagonia, Arizona, that partners with borderland communities to grow a restorative economy by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for wildlife, and reconnecting border communities to the land through shared learning. Borderland communities encompass the southern United States and northern…

Borderlands Restoration Network (BRN) is a nonprofit organization based out of Patagonia, Arizona, that partners with borderland communities to grow a restorative economy by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for wildlife, and reconnecting border communities to the land through shared learning. Borderland communities encompass the southern United States and northern Mexico border, and BRN is centered within the Madrean Archipelago, one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world. A core program that BRN offers is the Borderlands Earth Care Youth (BECY). This paid internship-style program focuses on educating and training youth between fifteen and twenty to address the growing environmental and sustainability challenges associated with climate change, habitat fragmentation, aridification, and socio-economic injustices. Through the BECY program, BRN provides a critical opportunity for the Arizona communities of Douglas, Patagonia, Nogales, and Rio Rico. The purpose of this program is critical for borderland communities, given the historical marginalization of these communities. This can be seen with the demographics of these communities as the communities of Douglas, Nogales, and Rio Rico are all over 80% Hispanic/Latino identifying, according to the U.S. Census Bureau information from 2020-2022. With the majority of these communities being Hispanic/Latino, the implementation of an environmental education program that accounts for and supports cultural backgrounds and resources is one that is critical. The advancement of quality education and networking opportunities in these communities helps to create a diverse conservation sector that will further support the restoration economy in borderland communities. In 2018, BRN completed a survey research project and found that ninety-two percent of overall respondents claimed they were inspired by the BECY program to make sustainable changes in their lives. Respondents reported that the program helped them “To look at the environment differently, [and] the impact humans can have (positive and negative) on other species’ habitats,” and to recognize the benefits of “...the social aspect of community building, as well as the fundamentals of ecosystem and watershed restoration” on their environment (Anonymous Participants, 2018, BRN Program Evaluation). These statements showcase the importance of BECY in shaping participants’ views of the environment and the role that they each play as stewards. Over the course of nine months, the JKLM Sustainability Consulting team completed a project for BRN by using sustainability analysis tools and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) guidelines to provide foundational information and guidance regarding environmental education curriculum development, program evaluation, and program expansion to assist BRN in achieving its youth education program expansion goals. The deliverable of the consultation project was an updated and enhanced BECY curriculum and related activities guide to be used in Summer 2023.
ContributorsSene, Jordan (Author) / Napper, Kayla (Author) / Meeker, Laney (Author) / Fabara, Marshall Morgan (Author)
Created2023-04-26

Serving Up Sustainability with Tarbell's: Becoming a Leader

Description
Recent trends show that consumers are starting to prioritize sustainability when they go out to eat now more than ever. Tarbell's, a family-owned restaurant based in Phoenix, Arizona, aims to become a leader in sustainable food service but requires additional expertise in prioritizing and showcasing their sustainability efforts. Founded by…

Recent trends show that consumers are starting to prioritize sustainability when they go out to eat now more than ever. Tarbell's, a family-owned restaurant based in Phoenix, Arizona, aims to become a leader in sustainable food service but requires additional expertise in prioritizing and showcasing their sustainability efforts. Founded by Mark Tarbell in 1994, Tarbell’s portfolio includes the main restaurant- Tarbell’s, The Wine Store and Tavern, their catering business, and The Tavern at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport., Tarbell’s has partnered with the Tarbellas, a group of Master of Sustainability Solutions (MSUS) students at Arizona State University (ASU), to pursue larger impact goals, including conducting a materiality assessment and drafting a sustainability plan of action. To begin the project process, the Tarbellas completed a landscape analysis. We researched the following categories: restaurant vendor practices; small, international restaurants; small, national restaurants; corporate food retailers; and restaurant-related sustainability certifications. This analysis informed our other research methods, including a best practices assessment and TOWS analysis, ultimately leading us to develop four initial priorities that informed our next steps: 1) hire a staff member to manage all sustainability initiatives and reporting, 2) focus on sustainable procurement across the restaurant, 3) complete the Food Made Good online audit, and 4) work towards and obtain Green Restaurant Association Certification. With support from Tarbell’s, we developed a job description for a Sustainability Program Manager and a Sustainable Purchasing Policy. We created both by researching existing job postings and purchasing policies, and then adapted them to fit Tarbell’s needs and goals. Tarbell’s also completed the Food Made Good online audit. Finally, the Tarbellas completed a materiality assessment. In order to do this, we developed an internal stakeholder survey and collected data on Tarbell’s annual spend from 2022. We plotted the results on a materiality matrix and used the results to inform how to prioritize the next steps. This prioritization will help Tarbell’s inform their sustainability strategy in the future. Going forward, we recommend the following to Tarbell’s: 1) Hire a Sustainability Program Manager, 2) Utilize the Sustainable Purchasing Policy (SPP) we developed, 3) Obtain Green Restaurant Association Certification, and 4) routinely revisit their material impacts. Our report takes the format of a sustainability plan of action, enabling Tarbell’s to continue pursuing sustainability while being a leading example and guide for other small, independent restaurants on their paths to pursuing sustainability.
ContributorsAntidormi, Rachel (Author) / Martin, Azita (Author) / Ouellette, Kelsey (Author) / Queen, Sarah (Author)
Created2023-04-26
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Serving Up Sustainability with Tarbell's: Becoming a Leader: Final Report

ContributorsAntidormi, Rachel (Author) / Martin, Azita (Author) / Ouellette, Kelsey (Author) / Queen, Sarah (Author)
Created2023-04-26
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Serving Up Sustainability with Tarbell's: Becoming a Leader: Sustainable Purchasing Policy

ContributorsAntidormi, Rachel (Author) / Martin, Azita (Author) / Ouellette, Kelsey (Author) / Queen, Sarah (Author)
Created2023-04-26
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Serving Up Sustainability with Tarbell's: Becoming a Leader: Job Description

ContributorsAntidormi, Rachel (Author) / Martin, Azita (Author) / Ouellette, Kelsey (Author) / Queen, Sarah (Author)
Created2023-04-26

Oui Nous Pouvons: Subverting the Single Story of Sustainable Development

Description

Effective sustainability communication is essential to the successful creation, implementation and maintenance of effective sustainability solutions. As journalists are often the intermediary between sustainability scientists or practitioners and the general public, they have a responsibility to learn how to tell these stories in a way that motivates audiences to design…

Effective sustainability communication is essential to the successful creation, implementation and maintenance of effective sustainability solutions. As journalists are often the intermediary between sustainability scientists or practitioners and the general public, they have a responsibility to learn how to tell these stories in a way that motivates audiences to design and support more substantive solutions. My project is an experiment in this kind of sustainability storytelling.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo I saw firsthand the harm that ineffective storytelling can do. There the dominant narrative of sustainable development – as something Northern citizens do in the South – has had a dampening effect on grassroots development efforts. In an effort to combat this narrative, I created a short-form documentary that follows the stories of one exemplary Togolese changemaker who successfully developed his own solutions to sustainability challenges in his community. The film was published online in both English and French; shared with staff, Volunteers and local counterparts of Peace Corps Togo; and modified into a shorter video profile for distribution via WhatsApp, the primary social media platform in Togo.

Focus groups organized to evaluate audience responses to the film indicated that it effectively elicits feelings of hope and inspiration in viewers, as well as an increased motivation to address problems in viewers’ local communities. Participants also noted that its emphasis on local-led solutions counteracted Western development myths. This early feedback supports a growing body of evidence that solutions journalism more effectively spurs behavior change than its problem-centric counterpart. It also suggests that shifting the focus of development narratives from foreign to local leaders can also shift audience’s perceived agency.
ContributorsJohnson, Abigail (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-15

The Environmental, Social, and Economic Impacts of Remote Work

Description

COVID-19 brought so much uncertainty into the world and has molded this project into what it is today. The first project journey that was chosen was meant to show the impact of how much plastic waste was being produced at Starbucks. Then due to COVID-19 yet again, it changed into…

COVID-19 brought so much uncertainty into the world and has molded this project into what it is today. The first project journey that was chosen was meant to show the impact of how much plastic waste was being produced at Starbucks. Then due to COVID-19 yet again, it changed into how much paper waste there was within the State of Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) Business and Professions Division (BPD). DOL BPD is a state agency division that licenses over forty plus professional and business licenses to the residents of Washington state. Due to the pandemic, the project transformed into how the three pillars of sustainability impacts remote work within BPD. BPD is in this new and unique paradigm where the deliverable that was brought forth as this project completed are, “The 9 Benefits of Sustainability through Remote Work” (Appendix D) where this specifically showed DOL why remote work is sustainable and how it should be implemented even further throughout the agency. This list was put together with the benefits that best fit DOL BPD.
ContributorsReynolds, Jordan (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2021-02-11