<p> Media literacy is touted as a necessary life skill for cultural citizenship, yet as it is generally practiced there is little engagement with sustainability issues. In order to gain insights into why this is the case, this research investigated how media literacy practitioners use metaphors to frame both the role of media education in the world and how it affects green cultural citizenship. This involved analyzing web site documents and teacher resources of seven North American media literacy organizations as well as interviewing nine key practitioners within a bounded system called the <i>media literacy ecosystem</i>. Drawing on an ecocritical framework, I analyzed the discourses of the media literacy ecosystem by using multi-site situational analysis, qualitative media analysis and critical discourse analysis. This research explored how media literacy practitioners participate in meaning-making systems that reproduce pre-existing environmental ideologies. The findings show that media literacy education is grounded in a <i>mechanistic</i> worldview, thereby perpetuating unsustainable cultural practices in education. By problematizing the mechanistic discourses of media literacy education, the aim of this research was to raise awareness and to offer potential solutions for changing the nature of those same discourses. As such, I theorized a model of media literacy that incorporates green cultural citizenship, called ecomedia literacy, and outlined a path forward so that sustainability becomes a priority for media literacy educators.</p>

Best practices for Restoration Ecology have been largely derived from case studies. Novel Ecosystems is an approach that has the possibility of providing the field of restoration research with both structure and a road map for ecological recovery. In December 2015, Ontario Parks will be ceasing the lease of approximately 122 ha of farmland within Boyne Valley Provincial Park. My thesis aims to bridge the gap between social and ecological systems and build a resilient restoration project at Boyne Valley Provincial Park. My approach integrated the best case scenarios from each the social and ecological aspects to determine a restoration plan. From the social aspect, I chose the method photo-elicitation to bridge the communication gap between myself, the researcher, and the interviewees. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six major stakeholders including a farmer who is currently leasing land within Boyne Valley Provincial Park, a frequent hiker of the Ontario Parks’ trail system, an academic researcher for Ontario Parks, and three Ontario Parks’ personnel to understand the different landscape preferences of stakeholders within Boyne Valley Provincial Park. From the ecological aspect, I examined the success of restoration for the first year after a fall planting in terms of species richness and percent cover for all species, including native species (planted and not planted) and non-native species across three fields with different initial conditions. To test which species should be used as the initial ground cover after farming has ceased, I looked at the survivorship and growth of five species: Danthonia spicata, Elymus trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus, Sporobolus cryptandrus, Monarda fistulosa and Penstemon hirsutus. My recommendations for restoration at Boyne Valley Provincial Park include implementing the restoration efforts at a smaller scale to start. The remaining fields should continue to be farmed until restoration can commence or mowed at least four times a year before seeds are formed. Open communication should continue between all stakeholders. Soil preparation should include tilling the soil prior to planting only if the land was left abandoned (e.g. old-field). A plant composition survey should be conducted prior to restoration – more particularly in hay fields - to determine if native meadow species are found. If native meadow species are present (e.g. Sisyrinchium montanum) that would not survive tilling, a no-till planting method may be a better option than tilling. Acknowledging these are early results, my initial recommendation based on survivorship and growth for the first year after planting would be to use plant plugs for Elymus trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus and a combination of plant plugs and seeds for Monarda fistulosa and Penstemon hirsutus. Future studies should incorporate other herbaceous species to increase the biodiversity while choosing flowers that bloom at different times. Additionally, pilot studies should be completed at all Ontario Parks locations where agriculture leases are ending to develop restoration methodologies that are applicable across Ontario. Information on each of the species to be planted should be distributed to the farmers that border Ontario Parks’ boundaries. This information should include at minimum the species life history, dispersal mechanisms, and a photograph. The research in this thesis outlines initial restoration efforts to guide restoration recommendations for the first year after land abandonment. Much longer-termed research is necessary to understand community dynamics and potential recovery of system.

<p> This project explores the significance of seed saving as an integral part of sustainable agriculture through the lens of social-ecological resilience. In order to take a deeper look at seed saving and its relationship to social-ecological resilience on a regional scale, this research examines the practices of three culturally distinct seed-saving organizations in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado&mdash;an indigenous pueblo organization, a multi-generational Hispanic family, and an Anglo family farm. Guided by Participatory Action Research methods, interviews were conducted and an exchange of knowledge and ideas among farm managers was encouraged. Interviews focused on understanding the farms reasons for saving seed, their seed saving projects, and their perspectives on their role within the larger regional seed system. Through qualitative data analysis and concept mapping, this research also works towards revealing existing contributions to the resiliency of the regional seed system as well as limitations and possible steps for the future. The findings range, from contributions to the diversity and ecological knowledge to the region's seed system through crop choice and growing practices, to the discussion of limitations such as the difficulty in sharing agricultural knowledge between generations. Future steps are then shared through the mention of seed swaps, seed libraries and ways to open up new pathways of communication between farmers and the community.</p>

Paraguay has 35% of its territory covered by wetlands. One of the most important is the Ñeembucú wetland, situated mostly in the Department of Ñeembucú. Human activity in sectors such as agriculture, industry, transportation (roads), and energy (hydroelectric dams), exercise pressure on the environment and natural resources. Wetland conservation in particular needs to be prioritized, and this cannot happen without the involvement of the local community (Local Residents or Campesinos and Ranchers), which currently does not take place. Consequently, implementation of an ecosystem management approach is crucial to maintaining social, economic, and environmental wellbeing. The overall objective of this research project is to promote sustainability of human livelihoods in the Ñeembucú ecoregion, Paraguay, working in partnership with stakeholders in order to balance production with environmental priorities. The principal findings of this research study are presented according to each specific objective it addressed. (1) Determine the socio-economic situation in the Ñeembucú. Campesinos live in a very precarious situation. (2) Assess changes in areas of water bodies and other land cover. Human activities such as drainage, burning and deforestation, are causing a change in the water distribution and the vegetation complexity of the area. (3) Identify general changes in wildlife abundance in the Ñeembucú region with particular emphasis on indicators of ecosystem health. There is a decrease in the wildlife population in the Ñeembucú region. (4) Establish how these changes are associated with cattle and crop production in the San Juan del Ñeembucú District. Ranchers were the main builders of channels and roads. (5) Identify and establish further socioeconomic initiatives with ranchers and farmers that balance production and environmental priorities. There is a lack of networking and joint work among stakeholders. (6) Recommend approaches to enhance sustainability of the ecoregion. The main recommendations are: • Develop an adaptive management plan • Stimulate environmental education to create awareness • Encourage public participation • Create protected areas for wildlife • Support research • Motivate local tourism and create work alternatives • Create a sustainable and regional water management plan for the Ñeembucú Department • Offer government technical support to local producers

<p> The purpose of this dissertation was to develop, test, and evaluate a framework to assist investors in photovoltaic (PV) power plants in dust-prone arid regions make informed decisions regarding selection among PV panel cleaning alternatives. Soiling of PV panels is a problem in dust-prone arid regions such as the Arabian Gulf where daily dust deposition and frequent dust storms coupled with lack of rainfall can compromise PV panel energy output. There are several alternatives to clean the PV panels. However, not much research has been done to determine the most favorable means to do so or how often it is feasible to perform the cleanup. Furthermore, the decision maker/investor might face difficulty in selecting among several cleaning alternatives given the competing requirements that must be considered in the selection process. Therefore, in this research a framework was developed to assist investors in PV power plants determine: (1) how often it is economically feasible to clean the PV panels using different cleaning alternatives, (2) what impacts those cleanups have on the overarching factors considered during the selection process, and (3) what the most favorable cleaning alternative is in light of several competing requirements. </p><p> A hypothetical 1 MW PV plant located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was used to test the developed framework which was accomplished by: (1) estimating the PV plant's lifetime energy yield using a PV performance simulation program, (2) researching and estimating the effects of daily dust deposition and dust storms on the panels' output, (3) surveying and collecting PV panel cleaning alternative cost and performance data, (4) developing a spreadsheet program to simulate PV plant lifetime performance under different scenarios using input data from the previous 3 steps, (5) using a multi criteria decision method (MCDM) to select among cleaning alternatives in light of competing criteria, (6) performing a sensitivity check on the criteria weights in the MCDM to check the robustness of the results. </p><p> Research results indicated that although PV panel cleaning can consume large amounts of water and result in release of harmful emissions to the environment, the benefits of such cleaning can be worth it. The results also indicated that for each given scenario, an optimum cleaning threshold can be determined. It was also determined that initiating a cleanup when the soiling reaches a certain threshold is a preferable approach to cleaning using a fixed schedule. In addition, One-on-one interviews with subject matter experts to elicit their opinion resulted in determination of the selection criteria and priorities used in the MCDM which consequently resulted in selection of a preferred alternative. The results of the MCDM showed that opinion and preferences can vary drastically among different stakeholders and that, for each particular scenario, the set of relevant criteria and their priorities will depend on the stakeholders involved and their influence on the selection decision. Subject matter expert evaluation of the developed framework on whether it can improve selection among PV panel cleaning alternatives was accomplished via a questionnaire in which the experts rated the degree of their agreement or disagreement on a Likert scale. Average results indicated agreement that the study can improve selection among PV panel cleaning alternatives.</p>

New Zealand's Antarctic research station, Scott Base, is currently 100% reliant on aviation turbine fuel and existing diesel generator sets to produce the heat and electricity necessary to sustain staff activities. Decreasing fuel consumption at Scott Base has benefits economically, politically and environmentally. A method of reducing fuel consumption and increasing base independence that is receiving considerable attention from Antarctica New Zealand is the addition of wind power to the existing energy system. A performance-objective design of a wind-diesel hybrid energy system for Scott Base is proposed in order to determine the most effective hybrid system configuration with the lowest cost within a set of system constraints. A demand side management technique is also evaluated as a measure to further increase potential fuel savings. Modelling is completed using the simulation tool HOMER and results are presented for several different system configurations.

<p> Waste as a topic for anthropological investigation has enjoyed a recent resurgence in interest, mirroring burgeoning discussion among policy-makers and the general public about questions of environmental impacts, economic costs, and social detriments of contemporary waste management paradigms. While waste management in the United States has largely focused on technical and organizational solutions typically considered the domain of environmental planning and engineering (such as source reduction, recycling, and reuse), anthropology and the social sciences have become more prominently involved in efforts to inform policy-makers and researchers about the social and behavioral factors influencing waste norms and habits, particularly in educational institutions and municipal governments.</p><p> The central questions to this research were as follows: (1) What are some of the perceptions and practices concerning food waste at an environmental charter elementary school in Florida? (2) What do self-reported data on food waste behaviors suggest about disposal habits and norms? (3) What is the extent to which food is discarded relative to other types of refuse? and (4) From the perspectives of school staff and students, what are some of the factors influencing food waste?</p><p> To answer these questions, I employed both "garbological" and ethnographic methods at an environmental charter school, Learning Gate Community School, over a period of nine months, including (1) participant observation, (2) garbological audits of the cafeteria waste stream, (3) key informant interviews with students and staff, and (4) log sheets sent home to a random sample of parents to gauge the fraction of leftovers taken home that are ultimately discarded in order to gain a more holistic understanding of the waste stream of the school cafeteria. </p><p> The results of this project support the following conclusions: (1) students at Learning Gate tend to agree that food waste is a detriment, but these concerns are subordinate to factors such as the degree of hunger at lunchtime and the perceived palatability of certain food items and (2) lunch periods are an important block of unstructured time, which Learning Gate students use for a far broader variety of activities than merely nourishment </p>

<p> A robust body of research has identified three primary life experiences that foster a lasting commitment to active care for the environment. These are: time spent enjoying nature, especially during childhood; a close, often familial, role model for nature appreciation; and participation in a nature or environment focused organization that offers direct learning opportunities. Family nature clubs (FNCs) bring groups of families together to explore nature on a regular basis &ndash; thus fulfilling all three of these experiences. This study used ecological psychology, attachment and family systems theories, and community psychology to create a framework for understanding how these experiences can come together in the form of FNCs to foster pro-environmental behavior as well as individual, familial, and community well-being. The methodologies of ethnography, case study and action research and the methods of direct observation, surveys, and most-significant change interviews were used. The study population was the leaders in and participants of FNCs, including <i>Columbia Families in Nature</i>, a FNC I founded. Study results incorporate data from 47 FNCs and over 350 participants. More than twenty distinct positive outcomes of FNC participation were identified in the areas of: greater knowledge of and sense of connection with nature; more time spent in nature; enhanced individual and familial well-being; stronger social connections; and greater environmental and social action. The youth nature experiences of the adult participants was found to be significantly related to their current sense of connection to nature (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and level of environmental action (<i>p</i>=0.03). Family time in nature was found to be significantly related to connection with nature (<i>p</i>=0.007), environmental action (<i>p</i>=0.02), and social action (<i>p</i>=0.03). </p>

<p> In the absence of state and national governments leadership addressing climate change, cities and academic institutions have been taking the initiative to provide direction toward low-carbon transitions. From the U.S. Mayor's Climate Agreement, to the American College and University President's Climate Commitment, voluntary agreements are the only U.S. initiatives to address climate change systematically over the last decade or more. These voluntary agreements constitute a social movement and innovation space, supported through networks of sustainability practice and research. The proliferation of these agreements, the increasing numbers of participating organizations, and a nascent market in businesses providing supporting resources to network members, points to an action space that is a form of transition niche, unusual in that it is not protected or supported at any higher level of governance. Using a combination of social constructivist methods of situational analysis and social network analysis, this dissertation describes and analyzes six purely voluntary university agreements and makes visible their complex interactions. It investigates these voluntary agreements and the universities that are working to transform their operations, practices and curriculums in a collaborative effort to mitigate and adapt to climate change and move toward sustainability. It demonstrates that these networks are part of a larger network of cognitive practice for sustainable low-carbon transitions.</p>

<p> Resource consumption continues to increase as the population grows. In order to secure a sustainable future, society must educate the next generation to become "sustainability natives." Schools play a pivotal role in educating a sustainability-literate society. However, a disconnect exists between the hidden curriculum of the built environment and the enacted curriculum. This study employs a transformative participatory professional development model to instruct teachers on how to use their school grounds as teaching tools for the purpose of helping students make explicit choices in energy consumption, materials use, and sustainable living. </p><p> Incorporating a phenomenological perspective, this study considers the lived experience of two sustainability coordinators. Grounded theory provides an interpretational context for the participants' interactions with each other and the professional development process. Through a year long professional development experience - commencing with an intense, participatory two-day workshop -the participants discussed challenges they faced with integrating facilities into school curriculum and institutionalizing a culture of sustainability. </p><p> Two major needs were identified in this study. For successful sustainability initiatives, a hybrid model that melds top-down and bottom-up approaches offers the requisite mix of administrative support, ground level buy-in, and excitement vis-&agrave;-vis sustainability. Second, related to this hybrid approach, K-12 sustainability coordinators ideally need administrative capabilities with access to decision making, while remaining connected to students in a meaningful way, either directly in the classroom, as a mentor, or through work with student groups and projects.</p>