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The global apparel industry’s energy intensive manufacturing and distribution of clothing uses vast amounts of water, toxic chemicals and fossil fuels through socially unjust practices while creating dangerous emissions and enormous amounts of textile waste. These negative impacts are intensified by the accelerated consumptive and disposal rates of countries in the Global North. Various solutions under the umbrella of eco-fashion are growing in an effort to address the problems created by conventional clothing, such as ecological sourcing of raw materials and creating clothing out of post-consumer textile waste. Growing consumer awareness is positively influencing textile recycling as well as collaborative efforts to set and enforce industry standards through accurate and informative labeling. Positive changes need to be practiced on a large scale in order to reduce the environmental impact of the global clothing industry.
❐ PDFIn many jurisdictions throughout North America, people from private citizens to land management agencies are investing in alternative management techniques regarding water and beavers. These techniques include purposeful reintroductions of beavers as a ‘watershed management tool’ to improve the health of wetland and riparian ecosystems, as well as the installation of water flow devices to reduce human-beaver conflicts. Beavers are an impressive ecosystem engineer that increases water availability, improves ecological connectivity, and promotes biodiversity. Therefore, they hold potential as a tool for wetland reclamation. Beaver reintroductions have occurred in parts of the United States and western Canada with the goal of reclamation in mind. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the regulations that speak to this process. Installation of pond-levelling devices has also occurred in parts of Alberta without clear regulatory guidelines. Individuals and organizations promoting both of these approaches are unsure whether their actions align with current policy or legislation. Therefore, there is a need to clarify Alberta’s policy and legislative framework as it relates to these alternative management techniques. Our study assesses how these initiatives fit within Alberta’s current policies and laws. Through an extensive literature review and meta-analysis we examined initiatives in other parts of North America, including Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, California, and Utah. Through this research, we identified regulatory tools in Alberta that support new management strategies and provide recommendations for any additional changes that may be required to clarify these management activities.
❐ PDFThis study determined if orally derived Streptococcus gordonii bacteria is capable of inducing macrophage cell death as a result of hydrogen peroxide production (H2O2). Other orally derived Streptococcus strains have been shown to induce macrophage cell death via H2O2 production; however, there is no information on S. gordonii. This study also sought to determine if the addition of catalase (an enzyme that decomposes H2O2) to S. gordonii infected macrophage samples could significantly reduce or prevent macrophage cell death. Multiplicity of Infection (MOI) quantities of 0, 50, 100, and 200 of S. gordonii cells were used to infect cultured macrophage cells. Samples of macrophage cells infected with a 200 MOI were also treated with either 10U/μL or 100 U/μL of catalase enzyme. Macrophage cell viability was determined post-bacterial infection using trypan blue exclusion dye and counting the dead and live cells. It was found that the 200 MOI and 100 MOI treatments had significantly higher dead/live ratios than the 0 MOI (control). The addition of catalase to 200 MOI treated macrophage cells did not improve the dead/live ratio when compared to the control. This experiment provided evidence that infected macrophage cell death was a result of S. gordonii derived H2O2
❐ PDFCommunity service based service learning has been implemented in many different academic settings from elementary school to college (Celio, Durlack, & Dymnicki, 2011). Service learning is utilized as a tool to help students integrate real-world experiences and skills into the curriculum of the course. Students who engage in community based service learning are likely to see improvements in areas such as self-esteem, self-concept, self-efficacy, and academic achievement (Celio, Durlack, & Dymnicki, 2011). Our objective was to measure academic achievement and self-esteem. We looked at student’s participation in service learning and community service as well as those who have not participated. We sent out recruitment emails to the student body as well as using social media. Participants were asked questions about their overall self-esteem, academic achievement and involvement in community service or service learning. We used questions from the Harter Self-Perception for College Students and the Blais, Brière, Pelletier, and Valler Academic Motivation Scale, Why you go to College? We also used items that were created about community service and service learning involvement as well as how it influences academic achievement and self-esteem. It was hypothesized that students who participate in service learning and community service will tend to have higher levels of self-esteem and academic achievement compared to those who do not. By examining student’s participation in community service or service learning, it tests how effective service learning and community service are as learning tools.
❐ PDFAn estimated 1.5 million liters of bitumen oil has spilled within Canadian National Resources Limited’s Primrose East operation within the Cold Lake Air Weapons range in Alberta. The ongoing spill has impacted extensive areas and contaminated hundreds of animals. Exploration of non-conventional energy sources is intensifying in Alberta, and inevitably, ecosystem contamination by hydrocarbons is recurring. Three bitumen-contaminated North American beavers (Castor canadensis) were captured from a lake impacted by CNRL’s bitumen spill, rehabilitated, and subsequently released near Bowden, Alberta. Post-release monitoring of the three beaver consisted of using telemetry to confirm their survival, as well as behavioral monitoring that included general behavior patterns, foraging patterns, pond modification, lodge growth, and food cache construction. Two of three beaver survived. My results show that survival-dependent activities were carried out more frequently by the adult beaver than the juvenile. Normal behavior patterns were documented between the remaining beavers, and a sufficient lodge and food cache were developed prior to freeze-up. Despite few studies reporting concrete evidence of long-term survival of animals following rehabilitation, extensive resources are invested into the rehabilitation and release of oil-contaminated wildlife. There is no known research conducted on the post-release survival of bitumen contaminated wildlife, nor is there research on the post-release survival of rehabilitated North American beaver. This study increases our understanding of the effectiveness of rehabilitating bitumen-contaminated beaver, and has the potential to aid in the management of bitumen-exposed and rehabilitated wildlife in the future.
❐ PDFPrevious research has revealed that perceptions of a politician’s personality traits and personal life are as important to voters as competence (Funk, 1996; Teven, 2008). The current study asked undergraduates to evaluate the importance of a politician’s affair, with the hypothesis that women would rate the affair as more important than men. The method provided participants (17 males, 37 females) with a scenario about a presidential candidate’s affair. They were then asked to rate eight statements about the candidate, the affair, and their inclination to support the candidate or switch their vote. Independent samples t-test were conducted on the dependent variables and the hypothesis was supported. Namely, women judged a political candidate more negatively based on the affair. Results also revealed that women participants asserted that the affair “matters more” than men. The implications of these findings, in real-world political campaigns are discussed.
❐ PDFThe first forms of life that developed on Earth were believed to be simple, single celled organisms that consisted of genetic material enclosed in a simple lipid bilayer. The formation of these simple lipids has been observed under a laboratory setting that included the atmospheric conditions of ancient Earth. These conditions included extreme heat, atmospheric discharge, high levels of radiation, and extreme pH levels. The elements carbon, nitrogen, and even some water were present during this time as well. Nitrogen and sulfur are known building blocks of genetic material found in terrestrial life. One can speculate that life in extraterrestrial bodies, such as moons and asteroids, exists because they contain the above-mentioned basic components of life and are exposed to environmental conditions similar to those that might have led to the origin of life on Earth. Extremophiles are organisms, often single celled, which thrive in extreme environmental conditions such as high pH and temperature. For this review, I will discuss the conditions required for life, how extremophiles thrive in harsh conditions, and how these organisms may potentially exist on extraterrestrial bodies. Research done on Earth’s deep sea volcanic vents has yielded findings that life is abundant in these highly pressurized and hot settings. This same idea can be applied to extraterrestrial bodies that are known to have vents of their own. Io, one of Jupiter’s many moons, is one such body. Io has a sulfur rich atmosphere as well as volcanic vents that eject large plumes of gas into the atmosphere and even into space. The presence of geothermal activity, sulfur, and carbon suggests that primitive life forms could thrive near the volcanic vents on Io. With so many extraterrestrial bodies that contain all the right conditions and materials for life, it can be theorized that life may be more abundant in space than originally thought.
❐ PDFEvery individual will face inevitable hardships in his or her life. These hardships will differ in severity, but each event will be respectively challenging to each individual. Research supports that students who are resilient are more capable of overcoming these obstacles in their lives. In schools today, educators often forget about the value of fostering resiliency within their students. This can inhibit the successful outcomes that all educators hope that their students will achieve in school and in life. Resiliency skills such as goal setting, social competency, self-efficacy skills, stress management, belongingness and more can help a student succeed academically, socially, and/or emotionally. Some schools use whole school comprehensive frameworks such as the Knowledge Is Power Program, while others use small group counseling programs such as Karen Griffith’s Building Resiliency program. While building a whole school comprehensive program can take time, an effective small group counseling program can help build this ever so valuable skill within students who are struggling academically, socially, and/or emotionally in a short period of time. As educators, if we think about supporting our students in their pursuit of becoming resilient, we can in turn foster success throughout every other aspect of their lives.
❐ PDFBiodiesel is widely perceived as a sustainable alternative fuel to petroleum diesel. Despite being considered environmentally friendly, there is little known regarding the toxicological responses from exposure to biodiesel particulate matter (PM) relative to diesel PM, especially from PM generated in 'real world' combustion operations. The composition of ‘real world’ biodiesel and diesel PM can include transition metals, and polar/nonpolar organic species, all of which can induce stress responses within an organism. Based on previous studies we know that transition metals, such as Fe and Ni, generate reactive oxygen species and may be associated with negative health effects. In this study, we evaluated the mass concentration and metals composition of biodiesel and diesel PM collected at a rural recycling center in Keene, NH. We also assessed cytotoxic effects in human lung cells exposed to the fuel particles. We determined differences in the fuel PM metal composition and cytotoxicity, with diesel PM exposure resulting in significantly higher cytotoxicity in the lung cells (compared to biodiesel PM) at the highest dose. Comparing chemical composition differences between biodiesel and diesel PM helps further our understanding of the toxicological impact of different fuel sources on human health.
❐ PDFFew studies have evaluated the ecological significance of Keene State College’s riparian woodlands. The goals of this exploratory study were to compare two similar tools for recording animal tracks and to use track data to assess the activity of small mammals in two distinct habitats: the riparian zone of the Ashuelot River and a nearby transitional field. We assembled two types of track tubes, devices in which mammals leave ink spots on contact paper as they move towards a scented bait. We placed the two types of track tubes at stations along line-transects in both habitats. We used non-parametric one-way Kruskal-Wallis analysis to calculate variance in numbers of ink spots. Results indicate that over a six week period the rate of small mammal activity in the riparian habitat (inferred from the numbers of ink spots in track tubes) greatly exceeded that in the transitional field. Ink spots in the track tubes placed in the riparian zone were more numerous and were also distributed over a greater fraction of contact sheet area than those from track tubes in the transitional field habitat. Finally, track tube type was not associated with differences in activity rates from either habitat. We conclude that both types of track tubes efficiently recorded ink spots in a way that permitted comparison of small mammal activity between the riparian woodlands and the adjacent transitional field. We also discuss limitations of track tube techniques.
❐ PDFWe are constantly situated between clocks and others; it ticks, they talk; it oversees, they perpetrate; it orders, they annoy. But where do we enter the conversation?
Through everyday language, the roofs of our mouths become houses of power with a wont for blaming outsiders. When under the sway of any emotion or feeling, we are so hasty to declare “It’s stressing me out” or “he’s/she’s causing me to feel this way.” But what is pushing? Who is causing? Why do we need so much control, anyway?
Using philosopher Michel Foucault’s insights as springboards for social and historical reflection, as well as a clock in my room—my talk will struggle between the comfortable and the unknown. We detail schedules, make plans, and scribble on calendars, just as historians declare facts. These are all efforts to achieve a sense of control over inevitable contingency. But what if we start to accept chaos? The first step towards an even-minded perception of history, as media theorist Marshall McLuhan once said, is simply through “dialogue.” After we speak our power structures, let’s be ready to breathe through those of others.
This presentation analyzes which factors affect consumer consumption, by using regression analysis, and these components should be considered by the U.S. government to promote economic growth. Because consumer spending is one of the most important components of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), examining the factors of consumer spending indicates various ways to improve the economy. While studying the GDP components in macroeconomics, there was one interesting feature that the United States has the higher marginal propensity to consume than other countries. Considering consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the U.S. economic activities, the high marginal propensity to consume in the U.S. contributes to the development of the U.S. domestic market and economic growth. If the government notices economic downturn, they can target factors which can increase consumption to activate domestic economy. There are independent variables to affect consumption expenditures: personal disposable income, interest rates, oil price and recession. In Council of Economic Advisers report, “The Economy in 2014”, it says consumer spending increased because of the consumer high sentiment with increase in real wages, declining gasoline prices, and employment expectations. Based on these potential variables, this project examines which factors are useful to explain the changes in consumer spending. Moreover, how U.S. government can manage them to achieve the continuous economic growth.
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