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

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Leveraging Knowledge for Zero Waste @ ASU

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Arizona State University had established a set of institutional sustainability goals of which Circular Resources or zero waste was one. The university currently has an established department and subsequent programs and initiatives to drive success towards university wide zero waste, however there was still opportunity for growth to help the…

Arizona State University had established a set of institutional sustainability goals of which Circular Resources or zero waste was one. The university currently has an established department and subsequent programs and initiatives to drive success towards university wide zero waste, however there was still opportunity for growth to help the university achieve the goal. This paper examines the process taken to assess organizational conditions used to justify the implementation of a new engagement strategy to advance the Circular Resources/Zero Waste goal. Readers should walk away with an understanding of how to translate this same process into other organizational structures.
ContributorsSchumacher, Katie (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-13

The Backyard Biodiversity Project: What is in Your Backyard?

Description
As urbanization continues, critical wildlife may be lost. Residential landscapes, that are friendly to wildlife, can help protect biodiversity and advance sustainability. Urbanites who landscapes their yards to attract wildlife, can also gain greater knowledge and appreciation of nature. This project proposed an educational approach to encourage four households in…

As urbanization continues, critical wildlife may be lost. Residential landscapes, that are friendly to wildlife, can help protect biodiversity and advance sustainability. Urbanites who landscapes their yards to attract wildlife, can also gain greater knowledge and appreciation of nature. This project proposed an educational approach to encourage four households in the Victory Acres neighborhood in Tempe, Arizona to landscape their gardens with more than just aesthetics and food production as their goals. I developed a booklet on backyard biodiversity to provide the residents with information about the kinds of plants they could incorporate in their yards to attract pollinating species such as butterflies, bees, and birds. It was found that the process of using the guideline to change the landscaping of their yards, changed how the residents thought about gardening and biodiversity. All residents acquired a basic understanding of how important biodiversity is and the mutual dependence between humans and their ecosystem. The booklet also included information that enabled residents to use companion planting to increase yields, attract beneficial insects, control pests, and provide access to healthy, affordable, fresh, and chemical-free produce. These efforts contributed to the project’s goals of maximizing nature conservation efforts and reducing the disconnect between people and nature.
ContributorsAmpuero, Kenia (Author) / Cloutier, Scott (Contributor)
Created2018-04-27
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The Kosovo Sustainable Settlement Redevelopment Program

Description
South Africa, like many countries of the Global South, has witnessed explosive growth in urban population in recent decades. In a post-apartheid time, the majority of urban growth has accumulated in densely populated informal settlements. These areas delivered poorly planed and constructed single unit housing lacking adequate and necessary services,…

South Africa, like many countries of the Global South, has witnessed explosive growth in urban population in recent decades. In a post-apartheid time, the majority of urban growth has accumulated in densely populated informal settlements. These areas delivered poorly planed and constructed single unit housing lacking adequate and necessary services, leading to increased economic and social exclusion in urban sprawl, with a need for full scale settlement redevelopment. The Kosovo Informal Settlement is one of the oldest and densest in Cape Town, South Africa, with a population of more that 26,000 in an area of 28 hectares. Kosovo is facing many challenges with poverty, hunger, poor health and sanitation, violence, environmental degradation, and fire and flood risks amplifying the necessity to hold priority in the redevelopment process. How can you provide urban upgrading and redevelopment and meet the needs of the community sustainably? The design of the Kosovo informal settlement redevelopment used multiple planning principles, which include space and movement systems, appropriate building sizing, sustainable infrastructure design and planning, building efficiency, and effective land use. Health, safety and security, community education and opportunities, and sustainable resource use must also be considered. Settlement land use can be developed for mixed-use opportunities such as community gardening, education, and training advancements to optimize access for employment options. The Kosovo Informal Settlement is a community with multiple opportunities for advancement in sustainable planning if the proper leadership, community participation and redevelopment stages are introduced and carried out effectively.
ContributorsAnsara, Nicolas (Author) / Mpahlwa, Luyanda (Contributor) / Cook, Edward (Contributor)
Created2017-03-16