Matching Items (68)
Description
This paper explores the question, "What if we extended to our own being the aspiration of well-being and flourishing that we strive for in our sustainability work?" I offer my findings as a reflective essay, lightly grounded in autoethnographic methods, that presents as a persuasive essay. The intention is to deliver an offering for a new (old) state of being.
ContributorsCorning, Katelyn Emily (Author) / Cloutier, Scott (Thesis director) / Tekola, Sarra (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (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
As recent statistics from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) show, “in the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30-40 percent of the food supply…at the retail and consumer levels, correspond[ing] to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food in 2010” (“Food Loss and Waste | FDA”, 2020). Not only is excess food waste an economic problem for numerous companies, it’s unsustainable and inefficient when there could be the potential for learning and implementing innovative solutions, both on a large and small scale. The research from this creative project will focus on comparing The Walt Disney Company’s current food waste sustainability practices at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, with Arizona State University’s (ASU’s) local Aramark Catering Services practices and initiatives throughout the Tempe campus’ dining halls. Specifically, the thesis will explore the benefits of anaerobic digesters and The Walt Disney Company’s use of anaerobic digesters at their Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts as a central means of converting food waste material into renewable natural gas. It will also explore Aramark’s current food waste management processes, specifically composting with the City of Phoenix’s industrial-grade composting yard, and the potential for implementing anaerobic digestion via a partnership with the City of Mesa into or in place of their current processes on ASU’s Tempe campus in the future.
ContributorsNagy, Billie Isabella (Author) / Burns, Kevin (Thesis director) / Cloutier, Scott (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor, Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
Working in collaboration with the Clark Park Community Garden (CPCG), we sought to identify and implement practices and creative processes that increase community involvement and connection by further transforming the space into a community gathering place. Our primary goal was to foster greater community involvement within the garden through various methods while exploring our own creative outlets to represent what the concepts of “community” and “garden” mean to us.
When initially planning our project, we outlined a research process to conduct interviews with garden participants to determine the best practices for community garden connection-making. However, after our initial discussions with the CPCG Advisory Committee, it became clear that their goals could be better achieved through an applied project focusing on increasing community connection than from a research project. We have adopted our former research question--which asked how community gardens could serve as a means for community connection-- as our premise, and we seek to build upon it through the creation of programs, partnerships, and pieces of art that collectively expand the garden’s connection to its surrounding community. To begin this process, we worked with the leaders of the CPCG to identify the group’s main goals that they sought to achieve with our support. In collaboration with the CPCG Garden Advisory Committee, the three goals that we identified were: 1) increasing neighborhood participation in the space, 2) launching the site’s new subscription program, and 3) transforming the garden space into a place of community.
When initially planning our project, we outlined a research process to conduct interviews with garden participants to determine the best practices for community garden connection-making. However, after our initial discussions with the CPCG Advisory Committee, it became clear that their goals could be better achieved through an applied project focusing on increasing community connection than from a research project. We have adopted our former research question--which asked how community gardens could serve as a means for community connection-- as our premise, and we seek to build upon it through the creation of programs, partnerships, and pieces of art that collectively expand the garden’s connection to its surrounding community. To begin this process, we worked with the leaders of the CPCG to identify the group’s main goals that they sought to achieve with our support. In collaboration with the CPCG Garden Advisory Committee, the three goals that we identified were: 1) increasing neighborhood participation in the space, 2) launching the site’s new subscription program, and 3) transforming the garden space into a place of community.
ContributorsMercer, Madeline (Co-author) / Shea, Jacqueline (Co-author) / Cloutier, Scott (Thesis director) / Vitullo, Juliann (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Half of the global population lives in cities, 80% of GDP is generated in cities, 70% of carbon emissions are produced in cities (Prakash 2). The actions of city-dwellers are becoming more and more important. The following paper is an exploration into how cities are coping with this responsibility- particularly how they’ve kicked the door in for the natural building movement.
This thesis reflects the importance of bottom-up change. Government regulations might help make certain solutions more affordable, but this won’t help if the market doesn’t first demand it. This is why it’s up to green builders and product developers to innovate solutions that accentuate the modern way of life.
This thesis reflects the importance of bottom-up change. Government regulations might help make certain solutions more affordable, but this won’t help if the market doesn’t first demand it. This is why it’s up to green builders and product developers to innovate solutions that accentuate the modern way of life.
ContributorsRice, Kelly (Author) / Cloutier, Scott (Thesis director) / Garshasby Moakhar, Mohsen (Committee member) / Dean, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This paper explores patterns of declining sense of community found in many modern-day neighborhoods and maintains that this phenomenon presents a level of vulnerability to our society that has been overlooked. It investigates this by examining four modern environments within the U.S.: two primarily low-income, immigrant communities in or near the Tempe area, and two middle-income class communities in downtown Mesa and on the South Texas border, respectively. It uses a multi-methods approach to understand how sense of community could manifest itself at varying levels depending on the type of community establishedamong different types of communities. The locations studied were fundamentally different in nature, and, therefore, could not be subject to comparative analysis. However, the study gives evidence of weaker sense of community and general relational connection among moderate to upper-class environments. Literature review utilized in the two low-income immigrant neighborhoods revealed that residents experience high sense of community, as well as high satisfaction with their environments. Qualitative analyses consisting of interviews approached through an assets-based community development perspective, as well as forms of coding employed in the South Texas neighborhood, revealed that the two middle to upper-income communities experience low to moderate sense of community, and corresponding satisfaction with their environments. This paper suggests that trends of decreasing sense of community, such as these, create unnoticed vulnerabilities for our modern environments that present disadvantages for sustainable development. It also suggests that we can learn from the former two communities, and proposes that strong communities are critical for our society on many levels, as well as advantageous for the future of sustainable development.
ContributorsMeador, Keily (Author) / Cloutier, Scott (Thesis director) / Eakin, Hallie (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor, Contributor) / School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-12
Description
As a cause of negative economic, societal, and environmental effects, food waste is increasingly being seen as a sustainability issue that needs to be addressed. Reduction of food waste is preferred to recycling because it reduces the financial burden and technological innovations needed to address the issue. While there are many different approaches to reduce food waste, this paper investigates dynamic social norms as an avenue for reducing food waste. Recent studies showcased the effectiveness of using dynamic social norms to reduce meat consumption and the use of to-go cups. However, there appears to be a gap in research that investigates the impact of dynamic social norms in U.S. university community dining settings. This study piloted the use of dynamic social norms to intervene in post-consumer food waste behaviors at Arizona State University. Specifically, this study compared food waste amounts in a location with and without an intervention tool as well as conducted interviews to monitor any self-reported behavior change. Results show that dynamic social norms can promote behavior change in terms of food waste when compared to a control location without the intervention. Further, this study advocates for monitoring food habits through both quantitative and qualitative analysis in order to identify potential behavior changes that could not be captured to the same extent by a mono-methodological approach.
ContributorsCampbell, Hailey Paige (Author) / Fischer, Daniel (Thesis director) / Auustin-Behravesh, Shirley-Ann (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor, Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This autoethnography is the culmination of years of migraine research and self-experimentation with alternative medicine to treat Hemiplegic Migraine (HM). HM is a rare phenomenon that is commonly misdiagnosed as a stroke or epilepsy disorder since the symptoms can include partial unilateral paralysis or weakness, visual disturbances, unilateral headache, vomiting, and trouble speaking. There is no known cure for HM, and current migraine medications can be accompanied by adverse side effects at an expensive cost. Alternative medicine, such as dietary supplementation, meditation, and positive thinking are potential options for working in relationship with HM episodes. This thesis explores HM as a personally transformative experience by learning to grow from pain.
ContributorsSchramm, Emily (Author) / Cloutier, Scott (Thesis director) / Brewer, Gene (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Over the past decade, corporate social responsibilities and sustainability has become more of a trending topic; not only amongst citizens, but within many private firms as well. Aligning operations with sustainable practices within a for-profit firm or organization has evolved into a critical focus area in order for a company to be more sustainable.
Having sustainable practices in place can be significant, but it is also important to consider employees and their perspectives, as they are the ones who implement them. The majority of the employees that work within an organization, not those that create these policies, are the ones who’s perspectives should be more strongly considered. In order to effectively implement these practices, firms can educate their employees about the initiatives or newly implemented changes to current practices. Sustainability education for employees, covering company-specific policies, improves the likelihood of participation within initiatives. Increased employee education has the potential to raise the probability that companies will see the benefits that come with enacting sustainable practices.
Having sustainable practices in place can be significant, but it is also important to consider employees and their perspectives, as they are the ones who implement them. The majority of the employees that work within an organization, not those that create these policies, are the ones who’s perspectives should be more strongly considered. In order to effectively implement these practices, firms can educate their employees about the initiatives or newly implemented changes to current practices. Sustainability education for employees, covering company-specific policies, improves the likelihood of participation within initiatives. Increased employee education has the potential to raise the probability that companies will see the benefits that come with enacting sustainable practices.
ContributorsCourrier, Leandra Denaye (Co-author) / Campbell, Hannah (Co-author) / Fischer, Daniel (Thesis director) / Molly, Cashion (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This proposal lays out the business case for Isagenix International to adopt circular packaging that is compatible with the circular economy. I first give a brief background on plastic packaging and the environmental risks that go along with it. After explaining how a linear economy is unsustainable, I introduce the concept of a circular economy. I then explain the competitive advantages that Isagenix can gain over its competitors from pursuing circular or sustainable packaging, and provide a benchmarking analysis of other companies’ sustainable packaging goals. After establishing the reasons that Isagenix should pursue this initiative, I go into an explanation of how Isagenix should design packaging for circularity and educate consumers on how to recycle their packaging products. Lastly, I propose my three recommendations for action that Isagenix should start with to begin transitioning all of their packaging to be circular.
ContributorsPatel, Tanvi (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis director) / Cloutier, Scott (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05