Solar energy systems purchased in the United States have increased tenfold since 2010. As solar photovoltaics (PV) markets expand, solar energy becomes more affordable. In the last five years, the price of solar has decreased by 40 percent. Despite solar PV becoming more affordable and rising consumer demand, between 50...
Many industries in California are difficult to decarbonize, making carbon capture and storage (CCS) essential to reach net zero. California has committed to deliver an enormous 100 thousand tons per year of carbon storage by 2045. Despite much interest in carbon sequestration, there are currently no active geologic carbon capture...
In some legislative bodies, the use of terms like climate change and global warming is frequently seen as taboo. In the United States, voters who identify as right-leaning have reported little concern about the environment or climate change. This lack of interest is mirrored by Republican legislators who often publicly...
To meet growing energy demands and climate change goals, the use of renewable energy is increasingly becoming a policy priority globally, nationally, and at the state levels. In Oregon, the use of marine renewable energy and offshore wind remains part of this discussion but has yet to result in operational...
Anthropogenic climate change is an escalating environmental and humanitarian emergency, but American public opinion varies on the issue, particularly in terms of whether climate change is natural or human caused. Belief that climate change is human caused has been shown to be critical in terms of support for policy action....
Marin County, located in the northern San Francisco Bay Area in California, faces significant threats due to climate change, including more frequent wildfires, flooding, and increased temperatures. Adaptation and mitigation efforts are necessary in order to promote resilience amidst these changing conditions. Scorecards and similar evaluation tools have previously been...
Many skilled immigrants suffer from the nonrecognition of their foreign professional credentials within the US labor market. As such, they are often forced to accept employment in fields that do not make full use of their skills. Consequently, foreign trained professionals are underrepresented in the upper segments of the American...
Noise is an environmental issue uniquely harmful to public welfare but essential to a well-functioning modern economy. Given the prevalence of noise especially in urban soundscapes, noise pollution has been recognized as a negative externality and an environmental stressor and thus has become an issue in public policy. Yet, as...
Bunk to 5K is a program designed to encourage and support new and experienced runners in custody at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF). CCCF is the only women’s prison in Oregon, housing around 1,200 women at any given time, at all levels of custody (ODOC, 2020). The non-profit which runs...
The Willamette River Basin supports 70% of Oregon’s population and contains the richest native fish fauna in the state, (Hulse, Gregory, & Baker, 2002). The Basin is facing changes that stress its water management regimes. Is the Basin’s water management regime able to adapt in the face of these changes?...