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Sustainability News

Innovative ASU-created device traces chemicals affecting human, environmental health

View Source | February 25, 2016

Rolf Halden 

Chemicals and pesticides used within homes, agriculture and industries pour into our environment. Unfortunately, the poor effects of these compounds on the human and ecological environments are often overlooked.

Rolf Halden and a team of experts have created a new study that tracks the use of chemicals and pesticides known as fiproles. These contaminants have been found to kill off pollinating insects that are vital to human and ecological lifestyles. The study continues to explore the effects of these contaminants around the world, including human health, soil and ground contamination and pollution.

The question of renewable energy on tribal lands

View Source | February 23, 2016

Martin Pasqualetti

Pasqualetti explored the social and cultural disparities of the Navajo Nation as they have the greatest potential, in comparison with every tribe in the United States, to lead the way in renewable energy. He found that the lack of renewable energy use and creation in the Navajo land is solely due to social aspects rather than environmental.

Global Engagement Increasing Southeast Asia's global visibility

View Source | February 23, 2016

 Karen Carter

A rhetoric and linguistics graduate student and member of the Global Devleopment Research Program with the School of Sustainability, received the USAID Research and Innovation Fellowship that allowed her to visit the Philippines to study NGO's proposals and how the reflect the culture and values of their society. She hopes to inform the NGO's of the Philippines on how the can connect with the global community on a grassroots level to enact change and create better policies.

 

Class Notes: Jin Jo

View Source | February 18, 2016

Jin Jo – who earned the first PhD in sustainability in the nation from ASU's School of Sustainability – is part of a trio of Illinois State University faculty working in renewable energy honored with the Outstanding Cross-Disciplinary Team Research Award. Jo is assistant professor of technology in the Renewable Energy program.

Sour orange harvest puts squeeze on sustainability

View Source | February 8, 2016

ASU students gather oranges from treesMore than 100 volunteers – including ASU students, faculty, staff and alumni – converge each February to collect oranges from 140 trees on the Tempe campus. Though the ASU community may more commonly encounter the sour orange juice as DevilAde, it is also used in dressings, marinades, and a number of sweet and savory dishes.

The Seville sour orange campus harvest earned the 2015 President’s Award for Sustainability, which recognizes outstanding university organizations that develop sustainable principles, services and programs to support ASU’s core missions. The 2016 harvest took place Feb. 5–7.

Professor’s work sustains global respect

View Source | February 2, 2016

B. L.Turner IIProfessor of Environment and Society in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, School of Sustainability

Named as a Regents’ Professor, the highest faculty honor at Arizona State University for his research on how humans affect the environment.

 

Publication - A Paradox of Plenty: Renewable Energy on Navajo Nation Lands

February 1, 2016

Mike Pasqualetti's paper "A Paradox of Plenty: Renewable Energy on Navajo Nation Lands" is published in the journal Society and Natural Resources.

ABSTRACT - A persistent paradox in the global boom of renewable energy revolves around how little of its vast potential has been developed on Native American lands. For economic and environmental reasons, attempts to reverse this pattern are on the rise. Such plans will encounter many unique conditions, particularly those related to tribal norms, customs, and histories. This article examines the prospect of renewable energy (RE) development on the Navajo Nation of the American Southwest. We examine its potential in light of past energy projects, current jurisdictions and control, and the cultural and social heritage of the Navajo Nation. We find that robust RE development on Navajo Nation lands will remain hindered without accounting for Navajo values, intratribal and tribal–nontribal politics, and their relationship to a multifaceted set of regulatory procedures. Without due consideration of these factors, RE development on Navajo and other Native American lands will continue to be slow and disappointing.

You can access the entire article on-line here:  http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/afjNHRVpWZSdx37weq4e/ful.

 

Long-term study shows impact of humans on land

View Source | January 28, 2016

Michael Barton

Now researchers from Arizona State University are reporting on a 10-year project that studies the long term effects humans have had on the land - and the consequences for the communities whose livelihoods depend on those lands.

The found that there are thresholds that separate success and failure and that current practices will increase our problems, but if you go beyond the threshold every disaster will strike. They also found that farmers can't equally cultivate crops and herd animals successfully. Lastly, they found that human activities directly effect the natural landscape.

 

Teaming up for sustainability

View Source | January 12, 2016

Players get ready to plant treesA unique competition took place before the January 2016 college football national championship, played in Glendale. Representatives from the four college football playoff teams, as well as Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, competed in the Playoff Plant-off.

The teams, some of which were intermingled with representatives and alumni from various colleges, planted trees at Marivue Park in northwest Phoenix. The competition challenged the teams to see which one could plant 10 trees the fastest and in the correct way. The winning teams were awarded trophies, and the champion – Michigan State – received an urban forestry grant to plant trees on its campus.

The power of words: Climate change and the media

View Source | January 11, 2016

Dan Sarewitz

Daniel is a Senior Sustainability Scientist and a professor of science and society for the School for the Future and Innovation. He put together and moderated the discussion between multiple media outlets, including the New York Times and NPR, about the past, present and future of climate change coverage in the media.

The goal of this discussion was to form big picture topics about climate change while using plain language so that every reader can understand the media presented. Now that climate change has made its way into the media, it is important that journalist recognize what they're interviewing scientists about, that they understand what they scientist are saying, and that not every article has to be about the ultimate demise of the planet.

Hawai'i prepares for 2016 World Conservation Congress: John DeFries Offers a preview

January 5, 2016

John DeFries, Chair of IUCN WCC’s Neighboring Islands and Counties subcommittee.
John DeFries, Wrigley Institute Board Member and Chair of IUCN WCC’s Neighboring Islands and Counties subcommittee.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature Council (IUCN) has hosted the World Conservation Conference (WCC) for 68 years in all corners of the world. The conference provides a forum for all to debate major sustainable development issues, propose solutions, and facilitate the sharing of information and experiences.

For the first time ever, the conference will be held on U.S. soil. John DeFries, Wrigley Institute Board Member and Chair of the IUCN WCC subcommittee on Neighbor Islands and Counties, provides an inside look at how the State of Hawai'i is preparing for the congress and a preview of what to expect in September 2016.

How did Hawai'i secure the bid for the 2016 World Conservation Congress and what does this mean for Hawai'i?

When IUCN WCC 2012 adjourned in Jeju, Korea, I first became aware that the State of Hawai'i - on behalf of the United States of America - was committed to submitting a bid to IUCN and competing in the site selection process for WCC 2016. In January 2014, I was informed by state organizers that IUCN had selected two finalists in the site competition for WCC 2016 - Istanbul, Turkey and Honolulu, Hawai'i.

In an effort to strengthen Hawai'i's final bid proposal to IUCN, I turned to Julie Ann Wrigley and Dr. Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University, for supportive testimonies that proved to be both timely and helpful as Hawai'i was subsequently selected as the site for WCC 2016.

What compelled you to pursue this endeavor?

What inspires me is the premise that 8,000 to 10,000 people will attend WCC 2016 from more than 100 countries, giving the State of Hawai'i a rare opportunity in front of a global audience to feature statewide sustainability goals for 2030, island biodiversity and cultural diversity, a full range of the world's climactic zones and two World Heritage Sites - Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Additionally, Hawai'i's community leaders, institutions and conservation/sustainability advocates will have opportunities to share their knowledge and learn from visiting experts and authorities.

What committee are you leading and what are your goals and aspirations for this committee?

Within the WCC National Host Committee, I chair the "Neighbor Islands and Counties" sub-committee. While WCC 2016 will be convened in Honolulu (on the island of Oahu), my responsibility is to ensure that the neighbor island counties of Maui, Kauai and Hawai'i are prepared to host IUCN delegates during pre- and post-congress visitations. In addition, the neighbor island counties will be showcased at an exhibition pavilion at the congress.

How has IUCN and its many partners and supporters made a difference in conservation? Can you share one or two examples that are most meaningful for you?

For me, IUCN's vital impact and immense contributions as a difference-maker in conservation are exemplified by The IUCN Red List, which is described by IUCN as follows:

"The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species. From its small beginning, The IUCN Red List has grown in size and complexity and now plays an increasingly prominent role in guiding conservation activities of governments, NGOs and scientific institutions. The introduction in 1994 of a scientifically rigorous approach to determine risks of extinction that is applicable to all species has become a world standard.

In order to produce The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the IUCN Global Species Programme - working with the IUCN Survival Commission and with members of IUCN - draws on and mobilizes a network of scientists and partner organizations working in almost every country in the world, who collectively hold what is likely the most complete scientific knowledge base on the biology and the conservation status of species."

From your perspective, what are the top conservation priorities for Hawai’i? What are the barriers and opportunities?

Start with the premise that Planet Earth is an island and one can begin to appreciate the Hawaiian Islands as a frontier of new opportunities for refinement in the management and stewardship practices of our ocean coastal zones, forests, watersheds, water sources, and in dealing with invasive species and the impacts of population growth. Hawai'i is a place where modern science and technological advances can be informed by the native culture, which is imbued with traditional knowledge about these regions, conditions and the cycles of nature, as well as human behavioral changes that were once mandated for conservation purposes.

Going forward, the business and government sectors of Hawai'i will drive much of the state's sustainability agenda and thus, the high cost of electrical power will continue to present a significant barrier of entry for new business startups and business growth in general. In December 2014, the Florida-based utility giant, NextEra Energy, announced its intention to acquire the State of Hawai'i's largest electrical utility, which has spurred the intense oversight of government regulators and peaked the interests of the business sector and the community-at-large.

Pivotal questions are being raised in the current public and regulatory review process. Will this pending transaction result in lower electrical costs to all rate-payers; financing for a system's upgrade and improvements to the existing (and aging) utility grid; increased deployment of Hawai'i's renewable energy sources; and less reliance on imported fossil fuels? Throughout the State of Hawai'i, this proposed utility acquisition is causing a deep and timely review of its energy future.

What conservation words of wisdom or advice do you have for current and future generations?

My advice reflects the wisdom of my own Hawaiian ancestors who came to understand that the health of our natural environment is the health of my community, my family and me. Essentially, there is no separation between nature and the human experience.

What other IUCN-related organizations or programs would you like to showcase?

The most dynamic demonstration of environmental conservation and sustainability emanating from Hawai'i at this time can be found at www.hokulea.com. There you will find the stories of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Malama Honua - The Worldwide Voyage - all of which epitomize the mission of IUCN and the significance of WCC 2016 being convened in Hawai'i. Aloha!

Homesteaders build self-sufficient, sustainable Waimea Nui Community

January 5, 2016

Constructing Greenhouses in the Waimea Nui Community.
Constructing Greenhouses in the Waimea Nui Community.

On the Big Island, the Waimea Nui Hawaiian Homesteaders are beginning to build a food and energy self-sufficient sustainable community with the creation of the Waimea Nui Community Development Initiative (WNCDI).

The WNCDI is led by the Homesteaders, but built to support the entire community. The purpose is to create the fundamental infrastructure needed to build a sustainable, self-sufficient community grounded in traditional Hawaiian values.

Waimea Nui covers over 27,000 acres of Homestead Lands with 536 leases awarded.
Waimea Nui covers over 27,000 acres of Homestead Lands with 536 leases awarded.

The Waimea Nui Region covers in excess of 27,000 acres of Homestead Lands, on which 536 leases have been awarded. The homestead is part of the Waimea Community - a population of about 14,000 people, of which roughly 40% are of Hawaiian descent.

The Waimea region is home to a diverse population, and is known for its history of ranches and a tightly knit community. Today, the community includes Parker Ranch headquarters, the Keck and Canada France observatory stations, Hawai'i Preparatory Academy, Lalimilo Farms, and many other organizations that provide for a rich and varied community.

The Hawaiian Home Lands trust was created in 1921 when the U.S. Congress set aside 200,000 acres for the “rehabilitation of Native Hawaiians” through homestead, agricultural and pastoral leases. The Waimea Nui Region includes approximately 27,000 acres of lands, which are a part of the Hawaiian Home Lands trust.

Waimea Hawaiian Homestead Association represents 536 lessee families (residential, pastoral and agricultural) in the Waimea Nui region. The families in this region have inherited a long history of sustainable agriculture going back centuries. When Captain Cook first visited the island, his quartermaster made many notes of the produce supplied by the farmers in Waimea. The region was home to Kamehameha the Great, and the unification of the Kingdom of Hawai'i began in Waimea.

Over the last few decades, the region has lost two-thirds of its farmers, largely due to an inability to compete with large mainland farms. The farmers deal with energy, fuel and fertilizer costs that have been as high as 400% greater than their mainland counterparts.

Dependence on imports has brought the region to a point where there are less than two weeks of food reserves on the island at any given time, and the farms only produce enough to supply 20% of the population. The WNCDI is a comprehensive program designed to restore self-sufficiency while also building a foundation of education, health and wellness, economic stability, cultural creativity, and community inclusiveness to create a truly sustainable region.

The first step in the program began in 2013 with the establishment of a “farming for the working class/veteran-to-farmer” program. This program has been certified by the University of Hawai'i - Hilo as an 18-credit hands-on learning certificate.

Since its inception, the program has received over $600,000 in private and public funding, and has established 35 greenhouse-based farms on the homestead, with another seven families in training beginning in 2016. To support the growth of these new farms, the Waimea Hawaiian Homestead Association, a 501(c)3 organization, recently began operations on a farmers market that focuses on local produce from local farms. The grand opening of the market in November of 2015 saw more than 10 graduates of the Farming for the Working Class program selling their produce, with more farmers joining each week.

The next phase of the WNCDI began with the award of a 161 acre lease from the Department of Hawaiian Homelands to support the development of the facilities that will enable the many programs envisioned to be created over the next 10-15 years.

The first facility is the Community Agriculture Park, which has been awarded $3.5M in Capital Improvement Program funding by the Hawai'i legislature. This facility will provide small-farm training opportunities to as many as 300 residents of the Waimea/Kohala region, and builds off the same program that has been so successful on the homestead agriculture leases. The facility will begin construction in mid-2016, and will soon be opening up memberships to allow any interested resident to come join in the growing farming movement.

The WNCDI has been fortunate to have many partners, and is moving forward with the development of next-phase facilities. These include a food safety-certified agriculture processing facility, commercial scale community kitchen, a renewable energy-based independent micro-grid to support all the planned facilities, an education center to host collegiate opportunities through graduate level, an equestrian center/community fair grounds, and a health/wellness clinic.

Future plans include a Hawaiian Cultural Center, a fitness facility, community center, athletic parks, walking trails  and many other facilities to support the Waimea community. The WNCDI will be fossil fuel-free from its first day of operation, not just for electric power, but for all the equipment and vehicles operated by the facilities. The goal is to enable the Waimea region to be able to produce all the food and energy it needs.

The WNCDI team looks forward to hearing from anyone interested in farming and renewable energy, and will be holding open houses in the near future. More information can be found here.

ASU offers expertise to ensure Hawai'i's sustainable energy future

January 5, 2016

Kris Mayes, former Chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, serves as one of the key expert witnesses for the County of Hawai’i and the HEI merger with NextEra.
Kris Mayes, former Chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, serves as one of the key expert witnesses for the County of Hawai’i and the HEI merger with NextEra.

The State of Hawai'i set a goal in June 2015 of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. To meet this clean energy goal in 30 years, the Hawai'i Public Utilities Commission is exploring several options, including a merger between two industry leaders in clean and renewable energy: Hawaiian Electric Industries and NextEra Energy.

Kris Mayes, Director of the Energy Policy Innovation Council - a LightWorks initiative at Arizona State University - and former Chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, serves as one of the key expert witnesses for the County of Hawai’i.  With testimony from expert witnesses and input from stakeholders, the three-member PUC will assess and determine the path towards transforming Hawai'i’s energy future.

Professor Mayes  is a member of the faculty at ASU’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. Mayes is also Co-Director of the ASU Energy Policy Innovation Council (EPIC). Mayes provides direct testimony during the evidentiary hearings and affirms that the utility should “in partnership with the communities it serves and other interested stakeholders, define a vision for sustainability for the state of Hawai'i, and by which a new direction for the utilities' business models is established.”

ASU is broadly contributing expertise to this decision-making process as a third-party. The ASU Wrigley Institute, Seidman Economic Policy Group and EPIC are collectively analyzing the Merger docket as it relates to PUC Docket No. 2014-0183 (Power Supply Improvement Plans). With significant capabilities to model and optimize electric utility systems, the ASU team is also developing scenario planning to explore the HECO Companies' grid and generation development options.

Gary Dirks - Director of the ASU Wrigley Institute - says, “the path to ensure Hawai'i’s sustainable and renewable energy future must combine innovative approaches from industry leaders with culture, values and public interest for affordable renewable energy. ”

ASU’s Fron Nahzi named to VEGA board

View Source | December 17, 2015

Fron Nahzi, Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives

Named to the board of directors for Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA)

VEGA works with NGOs to implement projects that focus on economic governance, capacity building and local governance strengthening.

What’s the deal with food compost at ASU?

December 4, 2015

Every truck of organic material diverted away from the landfill strengthens ASU’s commitment to sustainable business practices.

Compost is immensely beneficial because it decreases methane emissions from landfills; treats waste as a resource; employs locally; saves money; supports alternatives to the outdated, linear economy landfilling model; and creates fertilizers to rejuvenate soils and grow food.

Compost CollectionComposted organics from ASU benefit the local economy and environment, and a lot of work goes into the process.

Items including food scraps, paper plates and napkins are picked up by custodians, kitchen staff and Zero Waste department staff, then placed in centralized bins for collection by Sonoran Waste Disposal’s organics transportation truck. Organics are collected from athletic venues, the Memorial Union on the Tempe campus, large events, all dining halls on the Tempe campus, as well as one dining hall on the Polytechnic and West campuses.

Office building pilot programs are currently underway at University Sustainability Practices, Wrigley Hall and the University Service Building. Almost 300 tons of food waste was diverted in fiscal year 2015 through these collection routes.

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Franklin elected to American Association for the Advancement of Science

View Source | November 23, 2015

Janet Franklin, a distinguished sustainability scientist and professor in ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, has been elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in recognition of her contributions to understanding of human impacts on ecosystems.

In notifying her of the award, Rush D. Holt, CEO and executive publisher of Science, cited Franklin’s “distinguished contributions on human impacts on ecosystems by developing novel species distribution models, combined with innovative geospatial analysis and extensive fieldwork.”

This award adds to a growing list of honors for Franklin, including election to the National Academy of Sciences in 2014 and selection as an ASU Regents’ Professor in 2015.

 

Three ASU sustainability scientists appointed Regents' Professors

View Source | November 20, 2015

ASU sustainability scientists Petra Fromme, Robert Page and Billie Lee Turner II were nominated for the title Regents' Professor by President Michael Crow and were approved by the Arizona Board of Regents on Friday.

Regents’ Professor is the highest faculty honor and goes to full professors from one of the three Arizona public universities whose exceptional achievements have brought them national or international distinction. With the most recent vote, ASU has a total of 83 Regents’ Professors.

David Hondula: On Extreme Heat and Sustainability

November 10, 2015

David Hondula discussing researchIn this month's video Q&A, David Hondula - a senior sustainability scientist and assistant research professor in the Center for Policy Informatics - discusses climate with regard to extreme heat and his research into its impacts on human health.