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- All Subjects: Sustainability
- All Subjects: Water
- Creators: School of Sustainability
Description
Feed Your Senses is an illustrated book made to holistically communicate links between local food systems and cultural wellbeing. Food was the center of my household growing up; my mom’s love of food, cooking, and experimenting with flavors molded my palette from a young age. As I got older, I realized that everyone has a deeply personal relationship with their food - no matter what their upbringing. My developing interests in food took off when I started traveling and experiencing the uniqueness and vibrancy of food culture. Food became the object of every trip I took.
The summer after my Junior year, I studied abroad in Denmark and was given the opportunity to create my own research topic. My interest in Sustainability has always revolved around food, so I started thinking about ways that I could incorporate this interest with the geographical backdrop of Århus, Denmark. Food is a medium for so many uniquely human creations: celebrations, art, connection, and taste. Food is also a big driver of climate change, as the meat and agriculture industries account for more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions. However, I wanted to research more than food. I wanted to incorporate balance; a balance of local and global food systems, a balance of individual and community relationships, and a balance of science and art. I wanted to show how food is a driving force in achieving global sustainability and resilience.
After much contemplation, I began researching the connections between local food and community wellbeing in the city. I interviewed farm-to-table chefs, local farmers, farmer’s market vendors, street food vendors, and consumers on their relationships with food. The topic itself was flexible and open-ended enough so that each interviewee could relate it to their lives in a unique way. I loved the research so much that I decided to continue interviewing stakeholders in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Through the continuation of my research in Arizona, I was able to include a comparative element that offered a better perspective on the matter. I found that the history of the country itself has a significant influence on people’s mindsets and actions surrounding food and the environment. The common theme I heard from all interviewees, however, was their confidence in the power of food to unite people to one another and to the natural world.
I chose to create this illustrated book because my research experience was a whole and inseparable experience; it could never be fully expressed in words. I wanted my project to be an intellectual and visual map of my journey, inspiring the reader to go on a journey of their own. Therefore, I partnered with an undergraduate art student at Arizona State University, Sofia Reyes, to help create my vision. I shared my experiences, photos, and stories with her so that she could create the beautiful watercolor paintings that make the book so visually appealing and accessible to all demographics. The images act as a way of engaging all of our human senses, initiating a stronger connection to the material presented.
Creating this project was my favorite experience as an undergraduate, and I feel fortunate to be able to tell the stories of those intimately tied to the local food system. I am in the process of entering my book in various competitions including Writer’s Digest, Reader’s Favorites, The Food Sustainability Media Award, and The Indie Book Awards. I am also going on to publish the book through a small publishing company.
The summer after my Junior year, I studied abroad in Denmark and was given the opportunity to create my own research topic. My interest in Sustainability has always revolved around food, so I started thinking about ways that I could incorporate this interest with the geographical backdrop of Århus, Denmark. Food is a medium for so many uniquely human creations: celebrations, art, connection, and taste. Food is also a big driver of climate change, as the meat and agriculture industries account for more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions. However, I wanted to research more than food. I wanted to incorporate balance; a balance of local and global food systems, a balance of individual and community relationships, and a balance of science and art. I wanted to show how food is a driving force in achieving global sustainability and resilience.
After much contemplation, I began researching the connections between local food and community wellbeing in the city. I interviewed farm-to-table chefs, local farmers, farmer’s market vendors, street food vendors, and consumers on their relationships with food. The topic itself was flexible and open-ended enough so that each interviewee could relate it to their lives in a unique way. I loved the research so much that I decided to continue interviewing stakeholders in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Through the continuation of my research in Arizona, I was able to include a comparative element that offered a better perspective on the matter. I found that the history of the country itself has a significant influence on people’s mindsets and actions surrounding food and the environment. The common theme I heard from all interviewees, however, was their confidence in the power of food to unite people to one another and to the natural world.
I chose to create this illustrated book because my research experience was a whole and inseparable experience; it could never be fully expressed in words. I wanted my project to be an intellectual and visual map of my journey, inspiring the reader to go on a journey of their own. Therefore, I partnered with an undergraduate art student at Arizona State University, Sofia Reyes, to help create my vision. I shared my experiences, photos, and stories with her so that she could create the beautiful watercolor paintings that make the book so visually appealing and accessible to all demographics. The images act as a way of engaging all of our human senses, initiating a stronger connection to the material presented.
Creating this project was my favorite experience as an undergraduate, and I feel fortunate to be able to tell the stories of those intimately tied to the local food system. I am in the process of entering my book in various competitions including Writer’s Digest, Reader’s Favorites, The Food Sustainability Media Award, and The Indie Book Awards. I am also going on to publish the book through a small publishing company.
ContributorsSykes, Chloe (Author) / Cloutier, Scott (Thesis director) / MacFadyen, Joshua (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
As the move towards sustainable urbanism grows, understanding how the city has previously been envisioned and designed will be useful to moving forward. This work examines the legacy of urban design theories, what these theories have implied about what the city should be, and their sustainability consequences. Noticing three prominent urban design visions of the city, the technological city (as proposed in 1922 by Le Corbusier's Ville contemporaine and later in 1933 by his Ville Radieuse (The Radiant City), and in 1935 by Frank Lloyd Wright's' Broadacre City), the social city (as explored in 1961 by Jane Jacobs and in 1976 by Edward Relph of the University of Chicago), and the ecological city (as expounded upon in 1924 by both Lewis Mumford and in 1969 by Ian McHarg), I have newly applied the social-ecological-technical systems framework (SETS) to help classify and analyze these urban design theories and how they have mixed to create hybrid perspectives in more recent urban design theory. Lastly, I have proposed an urban design theory that envisions the sustainable city as an ongoing process. Hopefully, this vision that will hopefully be useful to the future of sustainable development in cities, as will a more organized understanding of urban design theories and their sustainability outcomes.
ContributorsWeber, Martha Stewart (Author) / Coseo, Paul (Thesis director) / Larson, Kelli (Committee member) / Industrial, Systems and Operations Engineering Program (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Sustainability is intrinsically interdisciplinary, but the implementation of nontraditional pedagogy in this area is in its infancy. I aim to show that music can be a model to demonstrate the protean systems that consistently involve each of us. The connection between systems thinking and musical improvisation is evident in musical improvisation ensembles; it is a system unto itself with individual players connected through their musical composition. Musical improvisation allows the players to learn about systems and system behaviors. Such ability to identify and understand the underlying dynamics involved in complex social-ecological systems is fundamental to taking advantage of leverage points and working towards a sustainable future. I use music and musical improvisation to demonstrate the three concept groups of the systems thinking competency: 1) Variables, structures and functions 2) Resilience, self-organization and hierarchy and 3) Scales and domains. These parts constitute complex systems and are made easier with the analogy of music that provides a more representative language for discussing them in an intuitive way. Furthermore, improvisation activities provide a method and space for these future practitioners to rehearse working with systems. From accepting the nature of systems, one is accepting of their role in the system, which enables them to make changes. Musical improvisation is a valuable method to systems thinking because it requires future practitioners to engage in mindfulness, because it demands remaining in an intuitive stance so to be able to respond (not react) thoughtfully. My thesis will explore how the practice of musical improvisation can enhance the understanding of the three systems thinking content groups and to argue that such practice is unique and necessary as it provides opportunities to rehearse being effective change agents.
ContributorsEller, Maria Sara (Author) / Jianguo, Wu (Thesis director) / Kaplan, Robert (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
The Prosopis genus of trees, also known as mesquites, are uniquely equipped to allow for an agroforestry regime in which crops can be grown beneath the canopy of the tree. Mesquites have the ability to redistribute water moisture in such a way that allows plants under the canopy to use water that has been brought up by the roots of mesquite trees. This means that there is a potential for food crops to be grown under the trees without using additional irrigation measures. This could be used where access to water is limited or for a sustainability-minded farmer who is trying to reduce water inputs in an arid environment. Mesquite trees produce a variety of products, including lumber and bean pods that can be ground down into an edible flour. Both products demand a high price in the marketplace and are produced in addition to the crops that can potentially be grown beneath the mesquite tree. In order to determine whether or not it is possible to grow crops under mesquite trees, I reviewed a wide range of literature regarding hydraulic redistribution, mesquite trees in general, and what plants might be best suited for growing beneath a mesquite. The list of plants was narrowed down to four crops that seemed most likely to survive in shaded, low water conditions in a hot environment. There has not been any research done on crops growing beneath mesquite trees, so the next step for research would be to experiment with each of the crops to determine how well each species can adapt to the specified conditions.
ContributorsMesser, Luke Winston (Author) / Eakin, Hallie (Thesis director) / Hall, Sharon (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Despite similar climate, ecosystem, and population size, the cities of Hermosillo, Mexico and Mesa, USA manage their water very differently. Mesa has a stable and resilient system organized around state and federal regulations. Hermosillo, after rapidly industrializing, has not been able to cope with climate change and long-term drought conditions. Water distribution statistics, stakeholders, policy structure, and government organization were combined in an organizational framework to compare the practices of the two cities. These inputs were weighed against the outcomes and the sustainability of each system. While Mesa is part of a massive metropolitan area, Hermosillo is still developing into a metropolitan center and does not have access to the same infrastructure and resources. In Hermosillo local needs are frequently discounted in favor of broad political goals.
ContributorsMoe, Rud Lamb (Author) / Chhetri, Netra (Thesis director) / White, Dave (Committee member) / Robles-Morua, Agustin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor)
Created2013-05
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
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
Freshwater is an essential component of life for most organisms on earth. "Civilization itself is built on a foundation of water (Fagan, 2011)," as people often congregate near water sources, and find innovative solutions to exploit these resources for food production and domestic needs. Rising demand for water due to altered lifestyles and population increase pose further stress on water availability. Alterations and pollution of freshwater ecosystems can dramatically compromise ecological services that many species, among them humans, depend on. Arid places are specifically vulnerable in regards to water, characterized by very low levels of precipitation, as well as many dry months, which are often followed by a short time of severe storms. Considering the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems in regards to freshwater services is crucial in order to sustainably manage freshwater resources and avoid ecological crises that in turn are likely to lead to social crises around the globe (Berkes et. al., 2003).
ContributorsHenenson, Einav (Author) / Anderies, M. John (Thesis director) / Aggarwal, Rimjhim (Committee member) / Golub, Aaron (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2012-12