School of Sustainability Graduate Culminating Experiences
Student capstone and applied projects from ASU's School of Sustainability.
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- Creators: Collins, Kathleen
Description
The trend couldn’t be clearer. The White House is doing everything it can to reverse the economic, social, and environmental progress bringing the age of fossil fuels to an end. From subsidies for the dying coal industry to gutting regulations on air pollution, recent actions by the president and his cabinet show every intention of turning the dial on our energy policy back a full 30 years (Barba, 2017). Now, the fossil fuel industry is turning to a new strategy: building ethane cracker plants. These facilities turn fracked gas into plastics and – just as important – create more infrastructures for fossil fuels. All in places like the Ohio River Valley where communities are fighting hard to leave natural gas and the impacts of dirty energy behind.
The good news is that more and more communities see these plants for what they are: a wrong turn back to the dark days of dirty energy degrading community health, driving climate change and polluting the air, water, and soil we all share. With our planet’s future and the health of their families all on the line, everyday activists in communities throughout the Ohio River Basin are now banding together to fight back. You can too.
The good news is that more and more communities see these plants for what they are: a wrong turn back to the dark days of dirty energy degrading community health, driving climate change and polluting the air, water, and soil we all share. With our planet’s future and the health of their families all on the line, everyday activists in communities throughout the Ohio River Basin are now banding together to fight back. You can too.
ContributorsCollins, Kathleen (Author)
Created2019-05-15
Description
The City of Phoenix is interested in bringing a plastic processing facility to the Phoenix metro area. A facility could potentially to increase the diversion rates of recyclables, allow for more efficient use of locally reclaimed material and bring new jobs to the Phoenix metropolitan economy. Contrary to the classic “put it in the bin, we’ll take care of it” attitude presented by large recyclers such as Waste Management and Republic Services, recycling economics are complex; often both a beacon of technological advancement and a lagger with regard to spot-market capabilities. Based on interviews with elite stakeholders and industry research, this mixed method paper will examine the current PET plastic recycling market and the potential for Phoenix to increase its circular manufacturing of plastic. The final analysis will culminate in a proposed set of recommendations that could help Phoenix achieve its long-term waste diversion goals.
ContributorsPunnett, Garr (Author)
Created2018