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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

Supporting U.S. States in Integrating Agriculture into Climate Efforts

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…

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

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

Strategic Pest Management Booklets for Farmers in Kaffrine, Senegal

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…

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.
ContributorsKantola, Braedon (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-13

Gumantar Coffee Project

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…

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

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