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Sense of Place, Place Attachment, and Student Perceptions of Sustainability in the Salt River Valley
Description
The purpose of this study was to investigate undergraduate sustainability students' engagement with sustainability in relation to their sense of place in the broader Salt River Valley community. The study was guided by two research questions 1) How do undergraduate Sustainability students explain their sense of place in the Valley with relation to their perceptions of sustainability? 2) Does residency in a different city, town, or state prior to entering the Sustainability program influence students' sense of place in the Valley? The study consisted of two distinct parts. In the first part, twenty students were interviewed using a narrative inquiry process to understand their perceptions of sustainability, their sense of place in the Valley, and how those two components influenced their engagement with sustainability in their communities. In the second part, these narratives were analyzed, synthesized, and samples of the stories were placed into a creative nonfiction collection to express an overall picture of sustainability in the Valley. Results showed that students generally relied on academic, professional, and social factors to identify places in which they could practice or engage with sustainability. Regardless of previous residencies, students expressed similar frustrations or limitations in expressing their sense of place, as related to sustainability, in the Valley.
ContributorsAllen, Emily Elizabeth (Author) / Broglio, Ron (Thesis director) / Goggin, Peter (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
The majority of the 52 photovoltaic installations at ASU are governed by power purchase agreements (PPA) that set a fixed per kilowatt-hour rate at which ASU buys power from the system owner over the period of 15-20 years. PPAs require accurate predictions of the system output to determine the financial viability of the system installations as well as the purchase price. The research was conducted using PPAs and historical solar power production data from the ASU's Energy Information System (EIS). The results indicate that most PPAs slightly underestimate the annual energy yield. However, the modeled power output from PVsyst indicates that higher energy outputs are possible with better system monitoring.
ContributorsVulic, Natasa (Author) / Bowden, Stuart (Thesis director) / Bryan, Harvey (Committee member) / Sharma, Vivek (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Pima was not the original name for the tribe of the Native Americans that lived along the Gila River, but their name is only one of many changes this tribe has faced due to the influence of outside sources. Pima was a name given to this tribe by the Spaniards during the 1600s. Throughout history the Pima have fought not only for their rights as a nation, but also for the rights of their beloved river, the Gila River. The relationship between the Pima tribe and Gila River is a very strong and deep connection. In fact, the Pima call themselves A-a'tam, which means "the people," and they identify with the Papago, a historical name for the Indians in the Sonoran Desert. A'kimult, which means "river" was added to their name as well. Being known as the River People may fit perfectly with this tribe due to their close knit and respectful relationship with the river over the decades (Russell, "The Pima Indians, 1975). Today the Pima call the Gila River Indian Community their main Tribal headquarters, which is located south of Phoenix. The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) is part of both the Pinal and Maricopa counties and has a land area of 583.749 square miles ("Brownfields", 2010). Water deprivation and a bleak agricultural economy are challenges facing the Pima, which historically were strong in both areas. The Gila River has gone from a naturally flowing river to a restricted and nearly dried up waterbed. This research paper will examine the changes that both the Pima and the Gila River have undergone since settlers began to claim land in the late 1800's. It is my goal to look into the natural history and ecology of the Gila River and explain how this change has affected the Pima and their sustainability as a tribe. The ultimate goal is to have information easily accessible for reference for future research projects and to ] provide background information to help implement new programs and projects that will benefit the GRIC. Understanding the relationship between the Gila Valley and Pima will present areas where sustainable projects can improve the economy and society as a whole. The Native Americans who will be specifically addressed during this research are the tribes on the GRIC, which comprise the Akimel O-odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa). These communities have a resident population of 15,084 and are located in the Maricopa and Pinal counties of central Arizona, to the south and east of metropolitan Phoenix ("Brownfields", 2010). Today the community is 372,000 acres and varies with an elevation of 935 feet to 1,450 feet ("Gila River", 2012). Literature will be the primary area of research along with informal discussions with employees of the GRIC. The Pimas' beliefs, interests, and practices will be addressed and researched; and review of the literature that deals with each problem they have faced as a result of the changing economy and society. By researching the relationship and proposing new ideas to help maintain the GRIC it will assure that the interests of the Pima are the priority. The potential that this research project can offer must encompass cultural sustainability, which is "developing, renewing and maintaining human cultures that create positive, enduring relationships with other peoples and the natural world" (Hawkes, 2001).
ContributorsRagan, McKenzie (Author) / Martinez, David (Thesis director) / Larson, Kelli (Committee member) / Manetta, Carol (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / College of Public Programs (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
This project aims to provide a contextualized history of the Sky Harbor Neighborhood Association‟s community collective action efforts. The Sky Harbor Neighborhood (SHN) of East Phoenix is bounded on the West by 24th St., on the East by 32nd St., on the North by Roosevelt St., and the South by Washington Street. SHN is a majority Latino, low-income, working class community (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010) that faces a variety of challenges including low walkability due to inadequate pedestrian infrastructure, low tree coverage, and crime. East Van Buren St., which has a reputation for being one of Phoenix‟s red-light districts, splits the neighborhood in two. In addition, the SHN lacks some key amenities such as grocery stores and is partly considered a food desert by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA Economic Research Service, 2012).
ContributorsPearson, Kimberly (Author) / Golub, Aaron (Thesis director) / Wiek, Arnim (Committee member) / York, Abigail (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Shifting to renewable energy from fossil fuels is not occurring rapidly. Determining where to locate renewable power plants could help expedite development. The project discussed here uses a GIS ranking tool to determine potential locations for solar and wind power plants in Arizona. Criteria include renewable input (irradiance/wind class), topographic slope, and distance from transmission lines. These are ranked and summed to determine areas with the most potential. The resulting outputs show that there is much more potential land for solar development than wind development. Further analysis in this paper will focus solely on solar due to wind's lower potential. Land sensitivity and ownership are used to assess the feasibility of development. There are many groupings of highly ranked land across the state, but the largest stretch of land runs from outside of Marana (south-central Arizona) northwest to about 60 miles west of Wickenburg (central-west). This regions is mainly on BLM, state, and privately owned land. Some of this land is considered sensitive, but non-sensitive areas with high potential are frequent throughout. Renewable potential in other states could be determined using this tool as well. Variables could be weighted or added depending on each area's need.
ContributorsZeck, Kevin Michael (Author) / Fraser, Matthew (Thesis director) / Pasqualetti, Martin (Committee member) / Cowger, Lane (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
In light of the intensifying environmental, social, and economic challenges facing the world, sustainable development is more necessary than ever. Approaching sustainability problems through Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) programs involving music is unconventional, but holds potential for grand results. An examination of various existing community development projects, from the Playing for Change Foundation to the Arizona State University Barrett Choir, shows that music-related activities are highly effective at fostering community development. Once a foundation of community connectedness is created, other issues such as social injustices or natural disasters can be more effectively addressed and overcome. Music and other fine arts can contribute, in a variety of ways, to the health of communities. This should be recognized and utilized in the pursuit of sustainable community development to preserve the health of the planet and its inhabitants.
ContributorsPaonessa, Carlotta Colleen (Author) / Schildkret, David (Thesis director) / Manuel-Navarrete, David (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
City planners often use bicycle friendly rating schemes as tools to guide them in their efforts to establish a bicycle community. However, the criteria and methodologies used vary from program to program and often do not encapsulate all of the necessary elements that comprise true bicycle friendliness. This report documents the important elements, strategies, and best practices that well-established Dutch, Danish, and German bike friendly cities exhibit to create a baseline standard for bicycle friendliness. Not all rating programs' criteria and methodologies align perfectly within this understanding of bicycle friendliness. City planners should use these programs as tools while keeping their limitations in consideration. The City of Tempe currently uses the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Community program and BikeScore.com. By understanding the limitations associated with these programs, Tempe should move forward in their pursuit of bicycle friendliness by using multiple rating programs simultaneously and by looking at top-rated cities' strategies to enhance their infrastructure, network, urban form, and biking culture.
ContributorsTrombino, Frank Michael (Author) / Golub, Aaron (Thesis director) / Kelley, Jason (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
The following Student Sustainability Consultant's Portfolio was created with the intention of being duplicated and utilized by Arizona State University (ASU) students to build their own Portfolio and to help prepare them for success after graduation. Student Consultants in GreenLight Solutions (GLS) are in a unique position to prepare themselves to create value for organizations while in school, and then continue to after graduation. When I enrolled in the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate transfer student I heard some constructive criticism from graduates of the school. Those students shared that while they had attained a great theoretical understanding of the science of sustainability, they lacked the ability to apply their knowledge in a practical way. They were struggling with finding work in their field because they could not communicate to employers how their knowledge was useful. They did not know how to apply their sustainability knowledge to create value for an organization. I did not want to have that same problem when I graduated. Enter GreenLight Solutions.
ContributorsKeleher, Kevin Robert (Author) / Schoon, Michael (Thesis director) / Basile, George (Committee member) / Buch, Rajesh (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
This thesis examines how the wording of proposed government policies can affect the level of public support that a given policy generates. By surveying 158 Phoenix residents, I tested the differing degrees of support that voters would have for a proposed city ordinance, which would stop Homeowners' Associations from restricting the use of native desert plants in residential landscaping. The ordinance was framed in the survey as a self-governance issue or a water conservation issue. I found that the message frames had little effect on the overall level of support for the ordinance, since most residents had moderate support for the policy. However, participants who were either residents of Homeowners' Associations that did not have native plant restrictions, or native residents of Arizona, demonstrated greater levels of support for the self-determination frame of the proposed ordinance. These findings have implications for policy makers who use targeted messages to establish pro-environmental policies at the local level.
ContributorsSmith, Mary Hannah (Author) / Darnall, Nicole (Thesis director) / Ramirez, Mark (Committee member) / Tetreault, Colin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
My project is an examination of the process ASU Tempe campus took to institute an organics collection program. Working from a sustainability science perspective I demonstrate the structural and logistical barriers faced during program creation and expansion. My examination lead to the creation of a manual designed as a tool for other organizations in which I document ASU's process and provide information on key steps and procedures necessary to implement a unique organics collection program.
ContributorsSchumacher, Katherine Marie (Author) / Schoon, Michael (Thesis director) / Brundiers, Katja (Committee member) / Levine, Alana (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2013-05