Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
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- All Subjects: Climate Change
- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
Description
Understanding more about the similarities and differences in cultural perceptions of climate change-related disease causation can better inform culturally specific public health measures. Using interviews conducted with 685 adults in eight diverse global locations ranging from Fiji and China to England and Phoenix, Arizona, this study explores climate change-disease beliefs within and across diverse cultures and comparisons between cultural and scientific models. A cultural consensus analysis was employed to identify a "culturally correct" model for each study site. Next, a scientific model was generated based on current scientific consensus regarding climate change- disease connections. Using the Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP), we determined the amount of correlation shared between the scientific model and each cultural model. The analysis revealed a high level of intercorrelation between the models of English speaking, economically developed sites such as Phoenix, Arizona. Additionally, cultural models from the non-English speaking sites were highly intercorrelated with one another. Overall, the English speaking sites tended to have more complex models with a greater density of causal links. Cultural models from the English speaking sites also demonstrated high levels of correlation with the scientific model. In comparison, the cultural models from the non-English speaking sites exhibited little correlation with the scientific model. Based on these findings, we suggest that cultural beliefs related to climate change-related disease causation may be influenced by complex local factors. For example, differences in education and media influences along with localized differences in climate change impacts may, in part, contribute to divergences between the cultural models.
ContributorsMcAlister, Alyssa Brittney (Author) / Wutich, Amber (Thesis director) / Brewis Slade, Alexandra (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Amid the fast-growing market of plant-based alternatives to conventional meat, there still lies uncertainty about consumers’ preferences for these new products. Through an online survey using a Becker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism, I test the effect that environmental information provision has on consumers’ immediate and long-term willingness- to-pay for the Whopper and Impossible Whopper from Burger King. Respondents were randomly assigned to either a control group or a treatment group, and both received information on taste in an attempt to isolate the effect of environmental information. Results show that certain groups respond to the information differently. Specifically, consumers who care about climate change are affected greatly by environmental in- formation suggesting these “climate advocates” are not fully informed despite the efforts of Impossible Foods. Vegetarians and highly educated individuals have relatively stronger preferences for the plant-based burger, in line with previous studies. Results also show a lasting effect of information on WTP, suggesting little need for repeated interventions.
ContributorsStreff, Adam (Author) / Silverman, Daniel (Thesis director) / Kuminoff, Nicolai (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
The goal of this paper is to serve as a case-study of the youth climate movement at the local level, focusing on how young activists and organizers in Arizona perceive their pathways, motivators, and barriers in the climate movement. In order to answer my research question of ‘What are the different experiences of Arizona youth activists’ involvement in climate action?’, I conducted a case-study of 15 interviews with participants between the ages of 18-25 that varied in racial and gender identity, as well as the duration of their involvement. While this paper does not present a comprehensive view of all experiences of youth climate activists and organizers in Arizona, these interviews highlight the upbringing, background, and the degree of involvement of young climate organizers and activists, ultimately revealing their similar yet unique experiences in the climate movement. Even though further research, discussion, and opportunities are needed to better understand the youth climate movement as well as other emerging social movements, these participants represent the heart of the movement here in Arizona. This case-study sheds light on lived-experiences and urges readers to consider young climate activists and organizers’ varying perspectives on how to support, amplify, and implement their requests for a livable, intersectional, diverse, and inclusive future.
ContributorsNguyen, Minh-Tam (Author) / Fischer, Daniel (Thesis director) / Klinsky, Sonja (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor, Contributor, Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
Space-based solar power is a renewable energy that is an alternative to all other forms of energy production. It takes on a new approach that pushes energy production off-world. Energy is harnessed and beamed down to a ground receiver via microwaves which is then sent to the grid and distributed to people across the country, and even globe. While the technology is new and still in the research and development stages, the ability is there. An economic analysis of the various technology yields levelized costs of energy comparable to current prices—under $.10/kWh. The markets and profits for this type of technology are abundant, ranging from commercial to military uses, with profits in the millions to billions of dollars. The environmental impacts are low compared to current energy production methods. The potential is great, the technology is close, and the future is near.
ContributorsFerrin, Zane (Author) / Parker, Nathan (Thesis director) / Tetreault, Colin (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The fight for climate justice has been ongoing for decades. However, in a recent effort to address climate change, U.S. congressional leaders Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts proposed a resolution known as the Green New Deal (GND). Though congress defeated the proposal, the policy changes envisioned within it have gained political momentum from states and municipalities. So much so, municipalities in the United States have decided to implement their own versions of the GND proposal. Throughout this paper, I analyze the components of three nationally recognized climate proposals that offer a unique approach to actualize the federal GND objectives: New York City's Climate Mobilization Act, Los Angeles's Green New Deal – Sustainable City pLAn, and Seattle's Green New Deal. From these proposals, I draw comparisons to Tempe's Climate Action plan to evaluate their efforts. Though this paper is primarily focused on analyzing the components of municipal GNDs across the nation, this paper also contends that municipalities' are a necessary complement to national efforts in mitigating climate change.
ContributorsMazariegos, Ashley (Author) / Fong, Benjamin Y. (Thesis director) / Calhoun, Craig (Committee member) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
Environmental activism has played a major role in American politics since the late 1800s, with major victories including the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916 that established the National Park Service to help protect parks and monuments, the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts of the 1960s and 1970s, and the phase-out of ozone depleting chemicals in the 1990s. Yet mainstream activism has stagnated in recent years, facing a variety of problems such as continuing to perpetuate a corporate system in which frontline and minority communities are left behind and only focusing on traditional methods like lobbying and indirect activism that fail to generate mass public support. In contrast, the Sunrise Movement is a new youth-oriented environmental and social organization that has become prevalent in the last five years for their aim to combat both climate change and socioeconomic inequalities through the Green New Deal. With the growing need for climate action that is fair and equitable, this project intended to contextualize the Sunrise Movement within past and current environmental movements as well as the current environmental and political climate in order to then investigate how Sunrise operates and their level of effectiveness in promoting the Green New Deal. I performed a literature review of both past and present news articles as well as journal articles in addition to interviewing experts in the theory and practice of activism to characterize the three waves of environmentalism and lessons learned, the current political sphere and what mainstream activism is working toward, and Sunrise itself. While mainstream and localized radical activism had victories and a certain degree of effectiveness, their lack of inclusivity has failed to encourage the mass mobilization needed for long-term climate legislation. The Sunrise Movement distinguishes itself through disruptive activism and direct engagement: disruptive by challenging the status quo of profit over people, the two party system where both groups are moving toward the right, and the whiteness and liberal locations of the mainstream environmental movement; direct by working with partners across the environmental, social, and labor sphere and working with actionable, hands-on items that encourage participation. Though they have major limitations like ensuring that they are as inclusive as they recognize an environmental movement must be and the risk of being seen as a partisan organization, Sunrise shows that the attitude of the public is moving in favor of the climate and social equity.
ContributorsAlzamora, Madeline Kate (Author) / Fong, Benjamin (Thesis director) / Brian, Jennifer (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
Climate change is a global phenomenon that is disproportionately impacting people in developing countries. One coping mechanism that has been observed in response to climate change is migration. This paper attempts to understand the role of climate change as a driver of migration in Papua New Guinea, a complex and under-researched country in Oceania. Past research suggests a complicated story, and that migration in response to climate change is not a simple concept. In order add to the existing literature, a variety of individual, household, and community-level variables are analyzed from a survey of households in rural Papua New Guinea. These variables are analyzed in conjunction with self-reported environmental shocks to determine the impact on migration across time. The results suggest that environmental shocks increase the probability of an individual migrating, with various socioeconomic factors acting as push and pull factors.
ContributorsKirkeeng, Dylan Albert (Author) / Mueller, Valerie (Thesis director) / Fried, Stephie (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to imagine and predict the ways in which humans will utilize technology to feed the world population in the 21st century, in spite of significant challenges we have not faced before. This project will first thoroughly identify and explain the most pressing challenges the future will bring in climate change and population growth; both projected to worsen as time goes on. To guide the prediction of how technology will impact the 21st century, a theoretical framework will be established, based upon the green revolution of the 20th century. The theoretical framework will summarize this important historical event, and analyze current thought concerning the socio-economic impacts of the agricultural technologies introduced during this time. Special attention will be paid to the unequal disbursement of benefits of this green revolution, and particularly how it affected small rural farmers. Analysis of the technologies introduced during the green revolution will be used to predict how 21st century technologies will further shape the agricultural sector. Then, the world’s current food crisis will be compared to the crisis that preceded the green revolution. A “second green revolution” is predicted, and the agricultural/economic impact of these advances is theorized based upon analysis of farming advances in the 20th century.
ContributorsWilson, Joshua J (Author) / Strumsky, Deborah (Thesis director) / Benjamin, Victor (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Journalism is one of the most far-reaching mediums to inform the public about environmental and sustainability issues. Mass communication has brought this discussion to an unprecedented level of exposure that continues to escalate, and the quality of storytelling must continue to spark discussion about sustainability and environmental problems. The quality of environmental journalism, the “researching, verifying, writing, producing and broadcasting of news about the environment” to and for the public sphere, has been a subject of much debate (Pezzullo & Cox, 2012). This beat, relatively new, is an emerging one that serves the public by explaining the importance of protecting and preserving the environment. However, sometimes journalists’ work falls on deaf ears. In order for environmental journalists to be effective storytellers with robust, reliable work that resonates with audiences, they must continue to improve the effectiveness and captivating qualities of their work.
This project will explore how the American public perceives environmental reporting, constraints on its production, an assessment of the industry’s success and growth, and advice from current journalists. I will conclude with a list of the best practices for captivating and effective storytelling. Finally, I will close with a reflection based upon my creative project, a multimedia piece on how citrus crops in Arizona are affected by honey bees. I aim to provide student journalists with an informal guide to the key skills that will help them excel not only in reporting on a certain sustainability topic, but also on the environment as a whole.
This project will explore how the American public perceives environmental reporting, constraints on its production, an assessment of the industry’s success and growth, and advice from current journalists. I will conclude with a list of the best practices for captivating and effective storytelling. Finally, I will close with a reflection based upon my creative project, a multimedia piece on how citrus crops in Arizona are affected by honey bees. I aim to provide student journalists with an informal guide to the key skills that will help them excel not only in reporting on a certain sustainability topic, but also on the environment as a whole.
ContributorsHenne, Sarabeth Baxter (Author) / French, Lynn (Thesis director) / West, Maureen (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Our thesis project, blanknationalpark.com, asked one question : how is climate change impacting National Parks in America? We decided to travel to three different areas: Joshua Tree, Glacier and Everglades National Park. It didn’t take long to discover that there was never a definitive answer. The effects of climate change looked different in every park we visited. Joshua Tree was struggling with changes in temperature, climate regime and an increase in fires. The U.S Geological Survey predicted that all of the glaciers in Glacier National Park could be gone by 2030. Everglades National Park was facing the constant threat of sea-level rise, invasive species and stronger hurricanes. However, in every park, one thing was certain - they all would not have their iconic features in the future due to climate change. For our thesis, we created blanknationalpark.com to emphasize the fact that Joshua Tree National Park won’t have Joshua Trees in the coming centuries, glaciers would cease to exist in Glacier National Park and the entire Everglades ecosystem itself will be underwater in the next century and a half. Thus, our project name, “Blank National Park”, pays tribute to the uncertainty of what these famous landscapes could look like in the future. Our main goal was to provide the public with a visual experience that is not only informative but engaging so that we could provide an educational experience about a critical situation without appearing too dismal. We chose to include our last page, ‘Solutions’, to establish hope for the future, and encourage people to take action to help preserve National Parks and the world we live in.
ContributorsCutler, Alison Jane (Co-author) / Nagaishi, Ayano (Co-author) / White, Dave (Thesis director) / Muench, Sarah (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05