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Description
The town of Visaginas, originally known as Sniečkus, is a small city in Lithuania located about a two hour drive from the country's capital of Vilnius. While Vilnius is a lively and big city of about 600,000 that draws people in and acts as the country’s hub, Visaginas is a small and quiet town. The town is a Soviet-planned city, and was fully established in 1975 almost exclusively to house workers of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Its ties to Russia and nuclear energy give Visaginas a complex history. Almost all workers at the nuclear plant came from the Soviet Union, so the community served as an instrument for Russification. Visaginas' geographically isolated location and predominantly Russian speaking demographic effectively makes it an exclave in Lithuania. When the decommissioning of the INPP was completed, Visaginas lost its main source of economic revenue, but it was also a huge loss to the community because their sense of identity was strongly tied to the nuclear plant. Visaginas provides a one of a kind case study and a unique opportunity to examine the energy justice implications of the end of the nuclear industry.
The complex relationship between Lithuania and the Soviet Union, succeeded by Russia, has played a major role in shaping Visaginas as well as contributing to some of the ongoing struggles in the region. This thesis will aim to address the history of Visaginas in relation to the geopolitics between Russia and Lithuania and examine the lifespan of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. The decommissioning will be framed through the lens of energy justice by examining the distributive, participatory, and recognition justice implications that stemmed from the decommissioning process. Finally, the paper will address the era of post-nuclear urbanism in Visaginas, Lithuania, and explore possible future avenues for the town. This thesis is a comprehensive literature review of relevant research and studies completed relating to the topic, and elements informed by the Generator Project week-long field school, a European Humanities University energy justice fellowship.
ContributorsBussiere, Jacqueline (Author) / Richter, Jennifer (Thesis director) / Kelman, Jonathan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis uses the four frames—structural, human resource, political, and symbolic—from Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership (2021) by Bolman and Deal to analyze the issue of website inefficiencies at the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market (DPFM) with the goal of identifying solutions that benefit stakeholder relations and financial viability of the market. First, the farmer’s market industry and DPFM are introduced. Context regarding the mission, goals, and services of the DPFM are explained along with information about their stakeholders and organizational hierarchy. Next, Bolman and Deal’s four frames are introduced and used to analyze the stem of the issue, the current situation, and opportunities to optimize their website practices. The symbolic and structural frames prove to be especially vital for addressing the issues presented, as reorganization and efficient upkeep of the website assists in better conveying the purpose and mission of the DPFM to stakeholders. Website optimization also opens the DPFM to human resource and political opportunities through increased support of its vendors and networking that can lead to favorable financial outcomes. Potential solutions are then presented through the integrated use of the four perspectives. Identified solutions include expanding the Volunteer Student Intern’s role to include website upkeep and developing action plans and job transition plans to keep the website useful and functional until a new website is ready to be launched. Specifications about what aspects of the website require attention are also provided, with options to adjust them.
ContributorsJanisch, Jordan (Author) / deLusé, Stephanie (Thesis director) / Banish, Lisa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
The paper explores the benefits of small-scale mushroom cultivation at home to address food insecurity and environmental sustainability challenges such as industrial agriculture, plastic pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The study employs cultivation-based experimentation using pre-colonized and post-colonized methods to grow lion's mane and oyster mushrooms, which is further supported through the guidance provided by a deep literature review process. The pre-colonized and post-colonized cultivation processes resulted in varying outcomes of mushroom yield and helped conclude that pre-colonized methods are better suited for beginners, while post-inoculated require more intermediate-level skills. The cultivation experiment, along with the literature review research, collectively help recognize that Mushrooms are more than just a source of sustenance but a solution to reclaiming security in modern food systems, conquering mismanaged environmental impacts, and fostering opportunities for personal well-being and financial growth.
ContributorsMagliaro, Zachary (Author) / Cloutier, Scott (Thesis director) / Papenfuss, Jason (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This study investigates the viability of utilizing flexible perovskite solar modules (PSMs) as a sustainable energy solution for extended lunar missions. The study focuses on optimizing PSM fabrication processes, including laser scribing techniques and substrate selection, to enhance durability and performance in the harsh lunar environment. Through iterative processing and characterization methods, such as photoluminescence spectroscopy with thermal cycling tests, the research evaluates the reliability of PSMs on both rigid glass and flexible PET substrates. Results indicate that precise laser scribing is feasible when manufacturing PSMs on flexible PET substrates. Samples processed on flexible PET substrates also demonstrate superior resilience to extreme temperature differentiation, highlighting their potential for long-term energy generation on the lunar surface. The findings contribute to advancing solar power technology for space exploration, offering insights into the development of robust energy solutions for sustained lunar habitation and exploration missions. This research underscores the importance of innovative approaches in renewable energy to support future space endeavors and lays the groundwork for further exploration into flexible PSM capabilities.
ContributorsWestmoreland, Adam (Author) / Salazar, Grace (Co-author) / Rolston, Nicholas (Thesis director) / Rice, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Global sustainable development starts with including youth in sustainability experiences with their creative ideas and unwavering determination. With increasing climate concerns and the push for cleaner energy, support from all ages is crucial for long-term, sustainable reform. Educating youth about essential sustainability systems and their impacts supports their valuable environmental stewardship efforts focused on implementing sustainable initiatives in their communities. For this project, I collaborated with a Southwest organization that connects students to sustainable energy technologies and transitions in an educational environment. Through this interaction, students completed real and meaningful work in their communities by becoming citizen scientists and researching sustainable energy systems, like agrivoltaics, that would benefit their local environment. The students gained a holistic understanding of sustainability concepts instilled in them, along with leadership and empowerment. I also co-designed educational materials with a high-achieving high school student and concluded their experiences co-creating alongside a supportive, intergenerational team. When involving students in real-world impact projects, they take an interest and personal responsibility in their work, which enhances its visibility, believability, and meaningfulness. Empowering students through diverse partnerships and advocating for student-led research will encourage the next generation of sustainability leaders to combat the climate crisis.
ContributorsSpreitzer, Katie (Author) / Jordan, Michelle (Thesis director) / Goebel, Janna (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This project seeks to answer the question, "How do different years of college students access their food and how does access to transportation impact their access?" To answer this question, a survey was conducted amongst ASU students to understand their preferences and uses of various transportation methods and venues for food access. Additionally, interviews were conducted with five students to get a more individualized look at their food sources, transportation access, and overall daily habits, uses, and opinions. It was found that first-year students typically have the least access to transportation methods and rely mainly on on-campus food sources. Other undergraduate students (second year and above) have increasing access to transportation and food sources. Recommendations include increasing student access to public transit options through fare reduction, increasing price transparency amongst on-campus food sources, and encouraging student use of local and campus-sponsored food pantries.
ContributorsBarrett, Karli (Author) / Kelley, Jason (Thesis director) / Rosales Chavez, Jose Benito (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Cities often require developers to build a minimum amount of parking on-site, which causes significant economic, environmental, and land-use problems. Minimum Parking Requirements (MPRs) are becoming increasingly criticized by planners, policy makers, and advocates for being an inefficient zoning strategy that often undermines the sustainability goals of cities. With growing desire to meet sustainable urban growth objectives, cities are beginning to reform their parking and land-use policies. However, despite MPRs being a tenet of American planning since their introduction, they have remained largely ignored by scholarly research.
This research follows the recommendations of the current research and adds to the existing literature by 1) creating an inventory of multi-family development (MFD) parking supply in downtown Tempe and 2) analyzing other contextual factors that influence developer parking provision. To meet urban and sustainability goals, cities should monitor their own parking trends, learn from other cities, and implement evidence-based solutions that best serve their communities.
ContributorsRoss, Sierra (Author) / King, David (Thesis director) / Porter, JC (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2023-05