“ … of Environmental Science, Policy and Engineering Adv. J.Douglass Klein Union College The Adirondacks as a Compass … ”
Abstract
This work is an amalgamation of the subject matter of my courses over my time at Union, and my passion for the more hidden side of the value nature presents. In this paper, I will build a chronology of the ways in which our symbiotic relationship and comprehension of the natural world around us has shifted and evolved over time. Modern-day practices and policy will be examined to get a measure of how changes in our actions have reflected these changes in mindset, where they come from culturally or anthropologically, and whether or not our modern moral ecological imperative is in alignment with these world views.
“ … Bobbi Nelson, Assistant Secretary Life Trustees David J. Breazzano ‘78, B.A., M.B.A., President, DDJ Capital … Leadership Grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation) J.DouglassKlein, Kenneth B. Sharpe Professor of Economics and Director … ”
“ … Scholars with co-investigators Joanne Kehlbeck (chemistry), J.Douglass Klein (economics/interdisciplinary studies) and … … project, led by Dean of Interdisciplinary Studies Doug Klein, the talented architects of EYP and the dedicated … ”
“ … TABLE OF CONTENTS From the Editor J.Douglass Klein ‘The emotional recovery, I think, … ”
Abstract
Welcome to volume 26 of the Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies. Following our tagline: “Seeking Common Ground among A Multitude of viewpoints,” this issue contains a broad spectrum of topics and ideas. We cover birds, floods and climate change, history and politics, public safety, and we continue to shine a light on Adirondack archives.
Table of Contents
From the Editor by J. Douglass Klein, page 1
'The emotional recovery, I think, continues': An ethnography-style case study of Tropical Storm Irene's impact on the North Country by Hadar Pepperstone and Kimberly J. Coleman, page 7
Visualizing Warmer Adirondack Futures: How Virtual Reality influences Sense of Place in Climate Change Education by Stephane Tyski and Joseph A. Henderson, page 23
Creating an Interactive GIS-based Dashboard for Preventative Search and Rescue Efforts Using New York's Adirondack Park as a Case Study by Lindsay Ciurleo, page 41
Are Loons on Thin Ice with Climate Change? by Nina Schoch, Emily Prosser, and Jennifer Denny, page 55
Factors Influencing Avian Nest Success in Exurban Residential Areas in the Adirondack Park by Michale Glennon and Heidi E. Kretser, page 63
Adirondack Climate Stories: Storytelling and Art as Catalysts for Climate Discussions by Stephanie Ashenfelder and Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, page 77
Dalton-Loines Family Papers Available at the Adirondack Research Library by Matthew Golebiewski, page 81
The Adirondack Artist Interviews in the St. Lawrence University Adirondack Collection by Paul Doty, page 85
Power Struggle Over Preservation at Lake George by Ellen Apperson Brown, page 91
“ … insect farms. Department of Economics, June 2015. ADVISOR: J.Douglass Klein As omnivores, humans have a deeply engrained … ”
Abstract
As omnivores, humans have a deeply engrained appetite for meat. The methods for which we obtain this meat have vastly changed throughout our history. Today, meat is “farmed” in order to meet the demand of the ever-growing population. While the meat industry provides food at a relatively cheap price, there are many underlying consequences and costs that are not as transparent. The methods by which meat is grown are often deployable and inhumane. The sustainability of these farms and the meat industry as a whole is in question. The UN reported that as high as 18% of greenhouse gas emissions are directly linked to the meat industry. They proposed to switch to more sustainable food options, especially to combat global hunger and malnutrition. One such option is insect farming. Insects occupy a vast majority of the world, and yet are often overlooked as a viable source of protein and vitamins. Certain insects, such as crickets, are edible and easy to mass-produce. Many believe that insect farming will use fewer resources than the meat industry and is a viable route for sustainability in food. Also, because insect farming is dually economically savvy and environmentally achievable, insect-farming kits could be produced and distributed to developing nations. By having another sustained food source outlet, these local insect farmers would experience newfound independence, and combat hunger within their areas. With a proper business plan in place, insect farming could effectively transform and become the solution for bettering the world.
“ … v Acknowledgements I would like to thank Professor Douglass Klein for all his assistance and patience in guiding … ”
Abstract
Much of our world today depends on electricity. However, the demand for electricity is not consistent throughout the day or even over the course of a year. In order to redistribute the demand more evenly to allow electric utilities to produce electricity as efficiently as possible, demand side management strategies have been enacted by various countries. Analysis of these strategies of different countries can help to determine the most effective demand management practices. This paper will focus on policies and strategies that encourage or require the installation and utilization of smart meters. The United States, New Zealand and the European Union have all taken different approaches towards integrating smart meters and other demand management practices. Examining the success of these different policies in the future will help to determine the best approach for creating a more efficient and clean electricity grid.
“ … 536870.php#ixzz2PkUDPurv). Turner, Margery Austin, Susan J. Popkin, and G. Thomas Kingsley. 2005. “Distressed … : … D., Mary Cunningham, Jeremy Gustafson, Bruce Katz, Susan J. Popkin and … ”
Abstract
There is a lack of environmental justice in the public housing sector in the United States today. Prejudice in public housing policy and environmental hazards over the last 20th century have disproportionately affected populations based on race, ethnicity, and income. As global climate change becomes a reality, we need to protect the most vulnerable populations from direct and indirect effects of extreme weather events such as hurricanes and heat waves. We can protect residents of public housing by strengthening their homes structurally using green building techniques. Buildings are a huge drain on our nation's energy sector. If we use green building strategies we can make buildings more efficient, lowering costs and emissions. Green building strategies work to create healthier indoor environments for occupants, using environmentally benign and healthy materials for buildings to improve the safety and well being of occupants. Governments at the local level can implement building policies that employ aspects of green design to reduce environmental health hazards for residents of public housing as well as future risks from climate change. Such building policies are known as green building codes and standards. The city of Bridgeport, Connecticut will be studied as a case of environmental and climate change justice. Bridgeport should develop green building codes of its own to mitigate the health and environmental injustice externalities that are a product of the standard building practices and materials used today and to minimize the impact of deleterious environmental, social, and structural damages resulting from climate change for future generations.
“ … could serve as a global emissions trading system. Advisor: J.Douglass Klein … . 2007.The Incidence of a US Carbon Tax: A … ”
Abstract
The release of carbon and other chemicals into the atmosphere is a growing environmental problem. The use of carbon-based processes is at an all-time high with the continued growth in carbon-fueled transportation, electric power generation and other carbon-intensive industrial processes. With climate change increasingly threatening the daily lives of Earth's population, many countries are beginning to take steps to reduce their impact on the Earth and its climate. Over the last decade, carbon markets have been established in 18 countries worldwide. While all of these emissions trading systems have similarities, each also has some unique traits, including differences in allowance prices, strategies for allowance allocation, size, and linkages to other regional systems. This research compares four specific emissions trading systems: New Zealand, the European Union, and two in the United States, weighing the successes and failures within each system and assessing the characteristics of an "ideal" system that could serve as a global emissions trading system.
“ … 40 Works Cited Arthur, J., B. Bohm, B. J. Coughlin, M. Layne, and D. Cornue. 2008. "Evaluating the … in Shale Gas Reservoirs.” ALL Consulting. Baihly, J. et al. 2011. “Study Assesses Shale Decline Rates.” The … ”
Abstract
This paper attempts to quantify how the rapid increase in shale gas production in the past fifteen years has impacted regional natural gas spot prices. This method of natural gas extraction-pumping water mixed with sand and clay first vertically and then horizontally, with clay and sand particulates holding fractures open to allow the flow of natural gas-has a shorter well lifespan and faster decline rate than conventional wells. Through analyzing the degree of market integration between shale gas production and spot prices, we can quantify what impact different shale plays have had on the regional pricing of natural gas. With this information, we can then discuss how the exploitation of the Marcellus Shale, a relatively untapped shale play in the Northeast, could impact different natural gas price regions.
“ … Department of Economics, June 2014. ADVISOR: Professor J.Douglass Klein —Kenneth B. Sharpe Professor of Economics … ”
Abstract
With the average tuition of both public and private institutions on the rise, students are graduating from college with a higher burden of debt than ever before. In turn this is adversely affecting their post-graduation decisions, specifically the purchasing of their first home. With the simultaneous increase of educational debt levels and tightening of lending constraints for mortgages, it is hypothesized that first-time homeownership is being delayed. The purpose of this study is to analyze what exactly is delaying graduates from purchasing a home, the outstanding total educational debt amount or the monthly educational debt repayment amounts. Both can hinder the requirements necessary to sign a mortgage, as potential homebuyers look to bypass the down payment and monthly mortgage payment constraints. Literature exists that looks into the increasing burden of educational debt on graduates and separate literature that looks into the future trends of homeownership in America, but the goal of this paper is link these studies providing an empirical analysis of the effect college debt has on homeownership rates. Studies suggest that educational debt is becoming a significant variable in the decision to buy a home. Through the development of an empirical model the trends in homeownership rates relevant to homebuilders, prospective students, college graduates, and families will be properly exposed.
“ … 2115-2124. ACM, 2011. o Middleton, P., P. Kjeldsen, and J. Tully. "Forecast: The Internet of Things … ”
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to design and build an Internet of Things (IoT) Robotic Light Switch. This light switch would act as a complementary device to existing toggle switches and equip them with typical smart device features such as remote control (via Wi-Fi), digital voice assistant control, motion-sensing and integration with other smart home solutions (such as IFTTT). All these features would be supported by a dedicated web page that would also be able to view the usage statistics of the device. This device is aimed at offering users an extremely easy-to-install home automation solution that needs no wiring and gives users the flexibility to implement a phased transition to home automation rather than having to revamp their entire home lighting system. The device was designed to meet certain basic constraints. First and foremost, the device must be extremely simple to install to an existing light switch and should not require any professional services for installation. Secondly, the configuration of the device should be relatively simple and there should be ways to easily re-configure the remote communication method settings when moving the device from one location to another. Besides this, the device should offer a remote communication platform such as a webpage that can be used to control the switch, view all switching/sensor activity and integrate the switch with other smart home solutions/services. The body of the device was 3D printed and an adhesive was used to snap the device on to existing switches. A webserver was set up to offer a web platform that allowed the use of all features of the device. Also, the webserver allowed integration with 3rd party services such as IFTTT and digital voice assistant. Integration with other services allowed additional features such automated switching based on motion-sensing and GPS-location of user, voice command control via Cortana/Siri etc. Finally, a business canvas model was developed using this device as a case-study. The model addressed all aspects that would need to be considered if the proposed device was commercialized including a detailed cost analysis.
“ … Development, Department of Economics, March 2013 ADVISOR: Douglass Klein Maximizing energy efficiency, producing as … ”
Abstract
Maximizing energy efficiency, producing as much as possible with as little energy as possible, is something every country should be working toward. This study measures the efficiency of specific countries by examining the interrelationships that exist among each country's energy consumption and such measures of development as health, education, income, access to essentials and CO2 emissions. It then analyses why certain countries are more efficient than others and how these inefficient countries can improve. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to generate a cross country comparison of energy efficiency scores over multiple dimensions of development. Pairs of inefficient countries and their efficient role models are examined in detail to understand which factors contribute to their relative efficiencies. The paper hypothesizes that countries which have made significant commitments to renewable energy sources will have higher levels of sustainable development than those that have not. Furthermore those countries which have invested in health, education, jobs and access to essential services such as water and sanitation will have higher efficiency scores than those that have not. This study's ultimate goal is to provide policy recommendations for improving energy efficiency.
“ … an alarming trend for the … , Paul and Miceli, Thomas J. 2011. "The Law and Economics of International Cooperation … ”
Abstract
From 2006 to 2010, the number of reported piracy incidents perpetrated by Somali pirates, has increased from 19 to 212 per year, an alarming trend for the international shipping industry. This paper examines the increasing number of pirate attacks within the context of the theory developed in, Crime and Punishment: An Economic Approach (Becker, 1968). This paper demonstrates the supply of pirates is a function of probability of punishment, severity of penalty, as well as institutional factors.
This research entails a theoretical discussion, and an analysis of the available data on Somali piracy. The theoretical discussion combines theory with current studies on piracy. The data analysis examines the effect of deterrence strategies on the success of pirate attacks.
The data for the statistical analysis is primarily taken from The International Maritime Bureau annual piracy reports from 2006-2010. One hundred attacks will be randomly selected from the total (600), and additional data collected from other published reports.
The synthesis of Becker's model and a statistical analysis of Somali piracy deterrence efforts offers a unique approach to studying the current dilemma. This research includes a theoretical discussion and an empirical model that should provide some insight into which current strategies are effective against the increasing pirate threat.
Consequences of development have threatened the health of the Hudson River for decades. These have included the prospect of destroying scenic value of the Hudson River Valley with the a hydroelectric power plant on Storm King Mountain, as well as the pollution of the river itself by a variety of industrial sources. Since the 1960s, a long lineage of environmental activism in the Hudson River Valley has emerged to address those issues. The example of the Hudson River supplies an excellent case study of how environmental issues began to be addressed in the later half of the 20th century. I will demonstrate how environmental activism regarding the Hudson River had developed since the 1960s. Research focused primarily on several key environmental organizations —Scenic Hudson Inc., Riverkeeper, and the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater —to reveal environmental awareness of a particular time period. Data for the project was gathered from primary sources such as contemporary newspaper articles, archival sources at the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Collection, and the Scenic Hudson Collection. As a result, it was found that environmental activism on the Hudson River very much so reflected the evolution of the greater environmental movement's transition from scenic to ecological concerns of the Hudson River. The Storm King case marked the beginning of the transition from preservationist to ecological concerns, the Clearwater focused on the education of the ecology of the Hudson, and the Riverkeeper pursued polluters on the basis of this altered ethic. All in all resulting in making the Hudson River one of the most cared about and distinct bodies of water in the nation.
“ … Department of Economics, June 2013. ADVISOR: Professor J.Douglass Klein The past two decades have born witness to a … ”
Abstract
The past two decades have born witness to a cascade of new legislation and market design measures to restructure the United States' electric power industry from price-setting regulatory agencies to competitive markets. Deregulation was intended to increase competition and improve market efficiency while preserving the reliability of the transmission system. Results have varied in success, and deregulation has invariably led to an increase in both the overall price level of electricity and volatility of those prices. Investigating these deregulation consequences is crucial for market operations and retrospective analyses of deployed mechanism outcomes.
The objective of this study is to extend the methodological research of Hadsell (2007) in examination of the effect of three market deployments and one exogenous factor on price volatility in the Capital Zone of the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) markets. To accomplish this end, a Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model is used to model the conditional variance, or volatility, of a constructed return series of Real-Time prices.
The GARCH models found an association between the three market deployments and a reduction in price volatility. These variables included: Lake Erie Loop Flow mitigation measures; establishment of a centralized wind forecasting system; and economic dispatch of wind resources. Furthermore, this study confirmed the association of Thunderstorm Alert (TSA) announcements and an increase in price volatility.
“ … JOURNAL of ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES EXECUTIVE EDITOR J.Douglass Klein Union College Kelly Adirondack Center 807 … ”
Abstract
Volume 25, issue 1: Table of Contents
Volume 25, issue 1, article 1: James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans as an Adirondack Novel by Onno Oerlemans
Volume 25, issue 1, article 2: Dugout Canoes from Lakes of the Adirondack Uplands by Jay Curt Stager
Volume 25, issue 1, article 3: Historic Preservation and the Adirondack Forever Wild Clause: The Constitutional Amendment to Save Debar Pond Lodge by Adam N. Bailey
Volume 25, issue 1, article 4: Snapshot of Recreational Users in the Adirondacks 2020 by Jill Weiss
Volume 25, issue 1, article 5: Policy Options for Forest-Disturbance-Adapted Species Management: Assessing the Rusty Blackbird in New York’s Adirondack Park by Louis W. Hallstrom
Volume 25, issue 1, article 6: Bathymetric Mapping and Sonar Imaging of Tufa at Green Lakes: Fayetteville, New York by Justin Stroup
Volume 25, issue 1, article 7: Climate Change and the Myth of the Adirondack Asbestos Forest by Louis Curth
Volume 25, issue 1, article 8: The APA at 100 by Elizabeth Thorndike
Volume 25, issue 1, article 9: Contemporary Iroquois Art Collection Available Online by Colette Lemmon
Volume 25, issue 1, article 10: Long-Term Observation of the Adirondack Ecosystem - Data from the SUNY ESF Newcomb Campus by Stacy McNulty
“ … JOURNAL of ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES EXECUTIVE EDITOR J.Douglass Klein Union College Kelly Adirondack Center 807 … ”
Abstract
Volume 24, issue 1: Table of Contents
Volume 24, issue 1, article 1: The Impact of Climate Change on Hockey Expertise in the North Country and Adirondack Region of New York by Jon Rosales
Volume 24, issue 1, article 2: Challenges and Successes Managing Eurasian Watermilfoil in Lake Luzerne: A 25 Year Citizen-Government Partnership by Avi Gajjar
Volume 24, issue 1, article 3: Conservation and the Under-Represented Revisited by Louis Curth
Volume 24, issue 1, article 4: My Crane Mountain Home: Rare North Country Photographs Now Available Through The Adirondack Research Library by Matthew Golebiewski
“ … Paul Smith’s College Melanie Johnson Paul Smith’s College J.Douglass Klein Union College Ellen Percy Kraly Colgate … ”
Abstract
Volume 25, issue 1: Table of Contents
Volume 25, issue 1, article 1: James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans as an Adirondack Novel by Onno Oerlemans
Volume 25, issue 1, article 2: Dugout Canoes from Lakes of the Adirondack Uplands by Jay Curt Stager
Volume 25, issue 1, article 3: Historic Preservation and the Adirondack Forever Wild Clause: The Constitutional Amendment to Save Debar Pond Lodge by Adam N. Bailey
Volume 25, issue 1, article 4: Snapshot of Recreational Users in the Adirondacks 2020 by Jill Weiss
Volume 25, issue 1, article 5: Policy Options for Forest-Disturbance-Adapted Species Management: Assessing the Rusty Blackbird in New York’s Adirondack Park by Louis W. Hallstrom
Volume 25, issue 1, article 6: Bathymetric Mapping and Sonar Imaging of Tufa at Green Lakes: Fayetteville, New York by Justin Stroup
Volume 25, issue 1, article 7: Climate Change and the Myth of the Adirondack Asbestos Forest by Louis Curth
Volume 25, issue 1, article 8: The APA at 100 by Elizabeth Thorndike
Volume 25, issue 1, article 9: Contemporary Iroquois Art Collection Available Online by Colette Lemmon
Volume 25, issue 1, article 10: Long-Term Observation of the Adirondack Ecosystem - Data from the SUNY ESF Newcomb Campus by Stacy McNulty
