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

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A Business Accelerator Model for Advancing Sustainability Transformations

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…

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

USA Triathlon: A Race Toward Sustainability

Description
The staging of sport events occurs over a fixed duration of time, requiring an influx of resources and human involvement. This situation can result in environmental issues such as excess greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation. Furthermore, economic outcomes are not always equally shared amongst local host communities, and unequal…

The staging of sport events occurs over a fixed duration of time, requiring an influx of resources and human involvement. This situation can result in environmental issues such as excess greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation. Furthermore, economic outcomes are not always equally shared amongst local host communities, and unequal access to participation can manifest in unforeseen ways from the event organizer's perspective. Sports organizations are recognizing the potential for operation related negative impacts, yet most efforts to mitigate these adverse outcomes lack theoretical grounding and holistic approaches aligned with principles of sustainability. 

USA Triathlon (USAT) is not exempt from the challenges faced in sustainable event management. With 400,000 plus members, USAT has the largest membership of any sport's governing body in the country. Through managing five owned events and sanctioning over 4,300 on an annual basis, the combined potential for a negative footprint is significant. To temper the potential impacts of USAT events, this project focused on an overarching sustainable event strategy to equip management, operations, and race directors with a suite of resources to manage and mitigate the overall sustainability footprint of events toward desired outcomes that adhere to principles of sustainability.
ContributorsBoyle, Brian (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-13
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Perceived Barriers and Benefits to Using Recycling Drop-Off Points in Asunción, Paraguay

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…

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