While the U.S. energy portfolio increasingly includes renewables, social acceptance of such technologies can pose an important challenge for developers. Using survey data from a random sample of nearby households (n=524), content analysis of coverage in local newspapers, and interviews with various stakeholders (n=14), I explore local social acceptance of...
Climate change is increasing the severity of pest and pathogen infestations affecting forests. Resulting shifts in disturbance patterns can have substantial ecological, social, and economic impacts on forested ecosystems and their dependent communities. Researchers are actively investigating methods to improve tree resistance to specific pests and pathogens and enhance forest...
As climate change forces energy policy to incorporate environmental impacts and fuel diversification into the traditional model of energy security, finding ways to site, develop, and deliver renewable energy has taken on increasing importance across the United States. With no consistent federal framework to implement these changes, much of the...
Ocean acidification disrupts marine and coastal ecosystems’ carbonate chemistry, directly and indirectly affecting communities that depend on critical marine organisms. Ocean acidification research typically seeks to understand natural system responses; yet there is insufficient research that examines community and institutional responses or, more generally, their vulnerability to ocean acidification. This...
This study aimed to explore the relationship between grassroots activism, in the form of a plastic bag ban, and social capital. I postulated that grassroots activism would lead to higher levels of social capital. The data was collected through a survey distributed on community bulletin boards, an announcement at a...
In recent years, zoos and aquariums have become prominent centers for environmental education and have focused much of their organizational efforts towards conservation and inspiring conservation action among visitors. However, there is little research available to support the efficacy of these efforts, especially in relation to the behavioral outcomes associated...
The question of “what is to be done” about the prevalence of houselessness in large US cities has become a top policy priority, Often left out of these discussions are the opinions of the unhoused about the policies that are designed to serve their needs. Most of the literature that...
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) is considered by many to be among the most powerful and most contentious environmental laws in the United States. Persistent challenges to the Act’s implementation make reaching conservation goals problematic. Most notably, the very nature of the law—providing protections for species already at...
Children enter kindergarten on unequal footing. Early childhood experiences shape initial disparities and predict academic achievement and life trajectories. One influence, child care, is not available to all children in Oregon as most counties qualify as child care deserts. This paper analyzes if child care access has an effect on...
Children enter kindergarten on unequal footing. Early childhood experiences shape initial disparities and predict academic achievement and life trajectories. One influence, child care, is not available to all children in Oregon as most counties qualify as child care deserts. This paper analyzes if child care access has an effect on...