Lithium ion batteries are quintessential components of modern life. They are used to power smart devices — phones, tablets, laptops, and are rapidly becoming major elements in the automotive industry. Demand projections for lithium are skyrocketing with production struggling to keep up pace. This drive is due mostly to the rapid adoption of electric vehicles; sales of electric vehicles in 2020 are more than double what they were only a year prior. With such staggering growth it is important to understand how lithium is sourced and what that means for the environment. Will production even be capable of meeting the demand as more industries make use of this valuable element? How will the environmental impact of lithium affect growth? This thesis attempts to answer these questions as the world looks to a decade of rapid growth for lithium ion batteries.

Water affordability is a critical issue for rural and tribal communities in Northern Arizona. However, measuring affordability in these communities can be extremely challenging due to a lack of accessible data and several unique, structural, barriers. This thesis evaluates both the challenges and opportunities for measuring water affordability in the City of Show Low and the Hopi Nation and explores potential solutions to improve measurement accessibility. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study found that data necessary to measure water affordability is often unavailable or difficult to collect in rural and tribal systems, and limited resources, personnel & capacity, as well as sociocultural and political factors within these areas further hinder their ability to assess affordability. Additionally, analysis of existing resources and initiatives for assessing water affordability in these communities revealed several limitations that must be addressed to improve measurement accessibility. The study suggests that several actions can be taken at the state and federal levels to improve the ability of small and rural systems to study water affordability in Northern Arizona. These actions include conducting a state-wide water affordability assessment, improving existing guidebooks and resources specifically for rural and tribal systems, providing low-cost consultants to assist in utility management, detailed federal review of SRF funding application requirements, and oversight on new allocations following the recent historic investment in the SRF. Overall, this thesis highlights the challenges faced by rural and tribal communities in measuring water affordability and provides recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to improve measurement accessibility. By advocating for policy changes and addressing limitations in existing resources, this research aims to improve water affordability in Northern Arizona and beyond.