Browsing by Subject "Sustainability"
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Item Book Review of Edward R. Carr's Delivering development: globalization’s shoreline and the road to a sustainable future(Indiana University Press, 2011) Hanrahan, Kelsey B.; Towson University. Department of Geography & Environmental PlanningBook review of Edward R. Carr's "Delivering development: globalization’s shoreline and the road to a sustainable future."Item Determining The Successes And Challenges Of Entrepreneurial Practices From Community College Leaders In Six States(2017) Lang, Clayton, Jr.; Gillett-Karam, Rosemary; Community College Leadership Program; Doctor of EducationThe purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the extent of success and the challenges faced by community college presidents in creating an entrepreneurial culture. Fourteen American community colleges, identified by Roueche and Jones (2005), were surveyed for this study. These fourteen community colleges are located in Texas, Florida, Massachusetts, Iowa, North Carolina and South Carolina. Additionally, community colleges located in these six states that were not identified as entrepreneurial were also included as part of the survey and a comparison of the extent of success of their entrepreneurial practices was evaluated. The presidents of the selected colleges were asked to assess to what extent they have been successful in creating an entrepreneurial culture. The presidents were asked to complete an Entrepreneurial Practices Survey reflecting a comprehensive assessment of entrepreneurial practices institution-wide. There was a comparison between the entrepreneurial practices of entrepreneurial community colleges versus non-designated entrepreneurial community colleges within the same 6-state area (independent variables) to discover the extent to which they have been successful in creating an entrepreneurial culture (dependent variable). Inferential and descriptive statistics were used to answer the research questions. The results of the study identified the extent of success and the challenges faced in establishing an entrepreneurial culture. The findings from the study may prove beneficial to all institutions seeking to transform their institutions through entrepreneurial leadership. The findings also indicated specific strategies that resulted in increased nontraditional revenues and serve as a guide for future practice.Item Developing an Intelligent Decision Support System Framework for School Transport Management(2019-03-29) Almurshidi, Ahmed Hassan; Jeihani, Mansoureh; Chavis, Celeste; Shin, Hyeon-Shic; Sen, Siddhartha; Transportation; Doctor of PhilosophyThe current school bus stops along school bus routes in the UAE are based on requests from the parents, and most of them are in front of the main gate of each student’s house. As a result, bus stops are generally placed so close to each other that in some cases the distance between two stops is just 40 meters. Moreover, a lack of school transportation planning often leads to having unnecessary bus stops, which increases the travel time of the school bus. In this research, GIS-based models were created to assist the Emirates Transport Authority and Ministry of Education in optimizing their bus stops. The main constraints were determined by the Emirates Transport Authority such as proposed location for stops, and average dwelling time for each student. The ArcGIS network analyst extension was used to create optimum route models and assign each student to a new bus stop. These two models, new route model and location-allocation model, were used to identify redundant bus stops throughout the study area (Dibba al Fujairah- U.A.E). The result suggested 73% of the current bus stops could be eliminated, saving approximately 26% of the travel time. Eleven students live within 350 meters of the main gate of the school, so they are not eligible for free school transportation. The models developed in this study can easily be transferred to other UAE school districts and re-run based on user-defined parameters. For sure, it will inspire the school transport and Ministry of Education officials to examine and apply the proposed systematic optimal route design approach to their current system. Finally, this study opens the door to further investigation for various aspects for improving the school transportation system in the UAE, such as reducing the number of bus fleets and carbon dioxide.Item Implementing Circular Economy Principles to Enhance Safety and Environmental Sustainability in Manufacturing(IJAMRS, 2024-02-19) Obiuto, Nwankwo Constance; Ninduwezuor-Ehiobu, Nwakamma; Ani, Emmanuel Chigozie; Olu-lawal, Kehinde Andrew; Ugwuanyi, Ejike DavidThe global manufacturing sector is confronted with mounting challenges related to safety hazards and environmental sustainability. In response, there has been a growing emphasis on adopting circular economy principles as a transformative approach to address these pressing issues. This review explores the implementation of circular economy principles within manufacturing processes to enhance safety and environmental sustainability. Circular economy principles prioritize resource efficiency, waste reduction, and the continual use of materials within closed loops. By shifting from the traditional linear "take-makedispose" model to a circular approach, manufacturing facilities can significantly mitigate safety risks associated with hazardous waste generation and disposal. Moreover, the adoption of circularity fosters a culture of preventive measures, reducing the likelihood of workplace accidents and improving overall safety standards. Furthermore, integrating circular economy principles into manufacturing operations contributes to environmental sustainability by minimizing resource depletion and pollution. Through strategies such as product redesign for recyclability, remanufacturing, and waste valorization, manufacturers can reduce their reliance on virgin materials and curb emissions. This transition towards circularity not only diminishes the environmental footprint of manufacturing activities but also creates opportunities for cost savings and innovation. However, the successful implementation of circular economy principles in manufacturing requires a concerted effort from stakeholders across the value chain. Collaboration among manufacturers, suppliers, policymakers, and consumers is essential to overcome barriers such as technological limitations, regulatory constraints, and behavioral change resistance. Embracing circular economy principles holds immense potential for enhancing safety and environmental sustainability in manufacturing. Through systematic integration and collaboration, the manufacturing sector can pave the way towards a safer, more sustainable futureItem Mitigating Stormwater Runoff In Urban Business Districts Using Aqua-Pores(2013) Odeh, Aysar Awad; Jha, Manoj K.; Civil Engineering; Doctor of EngineeringSite constraints in Urban Business Districts (UBDs) have prevented the use of many stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) that mitigate runoff in less restricted district. Without these mitigation devices, small yet frequent storms can generate enough runoff to purge sewer networks and convey 80% of the pollutants that enter waterbodies in a phenomenon referred to as the "first-flush." This study focuses on developing a BMP device for UBDs that can intercept and infiltrate the first 3/4" of runoff that is usually associated with the "first-flush." To that end, the study develops permeable concrete cylindrical inserts called Aqua-Pores. These Aqua-Pores are inserted into a slightly modified concrete curb to channel water into an aggregate base to attenuate runoff as it infiltrates into the subgrade. An Excel based software using American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official's (AASHTO's) 1986/1993 design manual was developed to evaluate and verify the design life of the new profile. Concurrently, physical models of varying dimension and makeup of Aqua-Pores were built and tested in different environmental and loading conditions. An optimal aggregate size, shape and placement of Aqua-Pores was identified and half scale models of road sections were built based on construction specifications developed. The stormwater runoff mitigation of the final assembly was then evaluated using the Environmental Site Design Unified Stormwater Sizing Criteria as well as a fully-integrated stormwater modeling software called HydroCAD. The performance in various site and soil conditions was evaluated on selected sites throughout the country. Calculation results verified the effectiveness of the design in intercepting the first 0.75" of runoff. The final device was found to supporting groundwater recharge, reducing peak runoff volume and increasing the time of concentration. A Life-Cycle Cost Analysis compared the device with a completely permeable road section and found it to have a substantially lower cost. The result is a roadway profile that channels, attenuates and infiltrates through its profile stormwater from 80% storms and mitigates runoff from larger storms. Future works may include developing the reconstruction profile for that generates revenue through conduit fees under sidewalks that breaks transportation agency finance dependency.Item New Definition Of Transit Oriented Development (Tod) Based On Context Sensitive Paradigm(2014) Laaly, Safieh; Jeihani, Mansoureh; Transportation; Doctor of EngineeringA great deal of attention has been given to the environmental impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emission (GHG) on global warming in recent years. It has also been noted that sprawl developments generate additional demand for motorized transportation to move people and goods, thus increasing Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) which has imposed exponential stress on social, economic, environmental and global sustainability. An antidote to sprawl is smart land-use planning with sustainable development strategies. During the past few decades, different forms of smart planning have emerged under various labels including "Transit Oriented Development" (TOD). TOD is sustainable, dense, accessible and mixed-use development that is located within comfortable walking distance from transit stations to maximize ridership and minimize auto-dependency. In this dissertation, a new definition of TOD is developed based on context sensitive paradigm. A series of descriptive and statistical analyses are presented to analyze Household Travel Survey (HTS) data at the regional Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) level. The statistical results of binary TOD/NonTOD defined HTS data demonstrate the deficiency of binary and the need for a new TOD definition. This study investigates the benefits of TOD, including emission reduction, based on the binary definition (TOD/NonTOD) of a regional HTS data. Then, a new TOD definition is developed to address the insufficiency of binary definition based on context sensitive neighborhood characteristics. The new definition provides a useful planning tool based on neighborhood-level qualitative variables as objective measures of a range of TODness for evaluation, design, planning, and management of context sensitive urban neighborhoods. This definition is intended to serve as a more useful planning tool to inform the stakeholders, including policy makers, of the urban neighborhoods' qualitative characters to better assess the needs and allocate resources for improvement. In conclusion, suggestions are provided for future research needs and strategies to further improve TOD definition with quality-associated indicators.Item Qualifying Stream Temperature Measurements of an Aerial Thermal Infrared camera While Gathering Evidence of Thermal Refugia for the City of Frederick, Maryland(2024-05-03) Jesse Lynch; Dr. Drew Ferrier, Dr. Eric Annis, Dr. April Boulton; Hood College Biology; Hood College Biomedical and Environmental ScienceThermal refugia, due to seepages and tributaries, provide mild-temperature sanctuaries relative to the more extreme water temperatures in the winter and summer. Exploring streams for thermal seepages via in-water probes can be a slow and time-consuming endeavor, especially when seasonal timing is of the essence. One way to offset this time-debt could be using a Thermal Infrared Camera (TIR) attached to a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (sUAV), yet in order to implement this new technology it is necessary to compare the measurements between the two devices to ensure that the drone can effectively replace the probes. This research compared the temperature measurements from the TIR against in-water temperature probes at three sites, one with a known seepage and two with suspected seepages, by analyzing agreement via Bland-Altman statistical analysis. The results of the analysis suggested little agreement between the two devices, and a broad range in the limits of agreement. Evidence of the TIR camera’s ability to differentiate temperatures but not measure them accurately was provided in the form of value-value plots and side-by-side TIR/RGB photographs. This research concluded that the sUAV’s TIR camera was useful for photographing and investigating temperature differentiation but true temperature needed to be evaluated with standardized, reliable ground-truthing methods. Evidence for the presence or absence of seepages at two sites designated by the City of Frederick Sustainability Department was provided in the form of side-by-side TIR/RGB photographs and value-value plots comparing the temperature difference along the stream reach as well as across the stream channel.Item Recent advances in Donnan dialysis processes for water/wastewater treatment and resource recovery: A critical review(Elsevier, 2022-11-21) Chen, Hui; Rose, Michael R.; Fleming, Michael; Souizi, Sahar; Shashvatt, Utsav; Blaney, LeeDue to its low chemical and energy consumption, Donnan dialysis offers major opportunities to improve contaminant removal and resource recovery from water and wastewater. Conventional Donnan dialysis reactors involve (i) a feed solution that contains a target ion to be removed, (ii) a draw solution with a high concentration of acid, base, or salt, and (iii) an ion-exchange membrane that separates the two solutions. The electrochemical potential gradients of the target and draw ions across the membrane facilitate transport phenomena that can be exploited for contaminant removal or resource recovery. In this critical review, we highlight the need for a consistent framework for the design and interpretation of Donnan dialysis systems using the Rd/w concept, evaluate the impacts of solution properties (e.g., pH, draw ion, competing ions), membrane characteristics (e.g., thickness, ion-exchange capacity, hydration, surface modifications), and system configuration (e.g., membrane surface area, reactor volume, mixing speed, crossflow velocity, integrated processes), and discuss Donnan dialysis applications for treatment and recovery of metals, nutrients, and other inorganic and organic chemicals. In each section, we make recommendations for future studies to both fill knowledge gaps and promote new opportunities. This critical review will serve as an important resource for future Donnan dialysis efforts to address grand challenges related to clean water and circular economies of essential elements.Item Research Through Design: Solutions to Mitigate Fast Fashion(2023-06) Parey, Stephanie; Walsh, Greg; University of Baltimore. Yale Gordon College of Arts & Science; University of Baltimore. Master of Science in Interaction Design and Information ArchitecturePurpose: This thesis utilizes a Research through Design approach to address the increasing demand of fast-fashion and the over consumption of clothing by proposing a design output for social media users to mitigate their individual ultra-fast fashion consumption rates and to consider buying from more sustainable sources. Methodology: The overarching research question is, does convenience, cost, style, and trendiness influence social media users’ fast-fashion consumption habits? Three research types were used to answer the research question: survey, concept testing, interviews, and prototype design. Findings: Most participants are clothing pricing sensitive, have a lack of fashion environmental education, have no understanding of how their purchases impact the environment and are not influenced to purchase impulsively from various social media pressures. Implications: Future technological solutions should need to incorporate pricing and budgeting features, address both environmental and illustrate everyone’s personal impact through their shopping choices. More research needs to be conducted to understand the correlation between impulse purchasing behavior, social media usage and age.Item Supporting Families Using a Rural Paediatric Integrated Care Model(2016) Venable, Victoria; Habeger, AmyChildren in rural areas are 20% less likely to receive mental health and behavioral interventions than those living in urban areas (Lambert, Ziller, & Lenardson, 2009). This is largely due to isolated service providers and the families’ lack of resources. To underscore the struggles of parents, it has been reported that 29.4% of parents report that pediatric behavioral health care services are hard to access and difficult to coordinate, especially in rural environments (Bronheim, Thomas, & McKay, 2007). Rural families in Maryland struggle to access social and behavioral health care services due to stigma, transportation, provider shortages, and a lack of family education regarding the need for services. There is currently a lack of accessible integrated health care services available to support pediatric patients and their families in rural Maryland.Item Toward a biopsychosocial ecology of the human microbiome, brain-gut axis, and health(2017) Maier, Karl; al‘Absi, MustafaThis is a non-final version of the article published in final form in Maier, K. J., & Al'Absi, M. (2017). Toward a biopsychosocial ecology of the human microbiome, brain-gut axis, and health. Psychosomatic medicine, 79(8), 947-957. OBJECTIVE: Rapidly expanding insights to the human microbiome and health suggest that Western medicine is poised for significant evolution, or perhaps revolution – this while the field continues on a trajectory from reductionism to a biopsychosocial (BPS) paradigm recognizing biological, psychological, and social influences on health. The apparent sensitivity of the microbiota to perturbations across BPS domains suggests that a broad and inclusive framework is needed to develop applicable knowledge in this area. We outline an ecological framework of the human microbiome by extending the BPS concept to better incorporate environmental and human factors as members of a global, dynamic set of systems that interact over time. METHODS: We conducted a selective literature review across disciplines to integrate microbiome research into a BPS framework. RESULTS: The microbiome can be understood in terms of ecological systems encompassing BPS domains at four levels: (1) immediate (molecular, genetic, and neural processes); (2) proximal (physiology, emotion, social integration); (3) intermediate (built environments, behaviors, societal practices); and (4) distal (physical environments, attitudes, and broad cultural, economic, and political factors). The microbiota and host are thus understood in terms of their immediate interactions and the more distal physical and social arenas where they exist. CONCLUSIONS: A BPS ecological paradigm encourages replicable, generalizable, inter/transdisciplinary research and practices that take into account the vast influences on the human microbiome that may otherwise be overlooked or understood out of context. It also underscores the importance of sustainable bio-environmental, psychological, and social systems that broadly support microbial, neural, and general health.Item Two sides of the megalopolis: Educating for sustainable citizenship(2012) Pope, Alexander; Patterson, TimothyDespite widespread focus on literacy and math at the expense of other subjects, citizenship and environmental education have an important role in American public education. Citizenship and environmental education are broadly tasked with helping students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to shepherd the body politic and natural world, respectively, into the future. For educators and administrators concerned with instructional efficiency, educational farm visits offer one means of pairing these two approaches into a unified learning experience. This paper presents findings from a qualitative case study analysis of two such programs, incorporating interviews with and observations of visiting students, teachers, and parents. The authors argue that sustainable citizenship—a typically European conception of citizenship that stresses the natural as well as the national world—is an important outcome of these types of educational experiences.Item Young Children and the Environment: Early Education for Sustainability(Originally published by: Children, Youth and Environments (CYE) Journal, 2010) Rivkin, Mary; Education