Browsing by Subject "sustainable"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Assessing Data Requirements for Calculating Sustainable Marine Mammal Bycatch Limits
    (2022-04-15) May, Eva
    The Fish and Fish Product Import Provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act extend several domestic marine mammal management tools to foreign fisheries wishing to export their products to the United States. One of these tools is the calculation of bycatch limits for marine mammal populations impacted by fishing operations. Several methods exist for these calculations, with the most ubiquitous methodology being the Potential Biological Removal model. This study explores all calculation methods and their data requirements, categorizing methods based on model structure and input data. Measures and concepts of population size are most crucial to creating bycatch limit models across existing methods. Exporting fishery managers in low-data environments should focus on collecting population abundance data while being mindful of other important factors such as data uncertainties, how models fit into larger regulatory schemes, and conservation objectives. Further, these models are most accurate and impactful when they are updated and grown as more data about marine mammal populations are collected. Data availability is the primary limiting factor in implementing bycatch limit methods, and this work has important implications for comparability determinations for foreign fisheries under the new Import Provisions.
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    BIO-BASED PLASTIC PACKAGING: A TOOL TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS ANALYZE THE TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN BIO-BASED AND CONVENTIONAL PLASTICS
    (2007-09-18T19:55:21Z) Bellucci, Nina
    An increasing number of companies are exploring ways to improve their environmental footprint. Some environmental benefits are offered by bio-based plastic packaging; however, this approach requires trade-offs. For example, plastic bottles made with polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based plastic resin, lack the impact strength offered by plastic bottles made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Other trade-offs include diminished shelf life capabilities, increased cost, and recycling infrastructure. In particular, displacement of recyclable plastic packaging with plastics made from renewable resources has created controversy among environmental advocates. Despite its performance, cost, and recycling shortcomings, PLA offers an attractive choice to some because it represents the transition towards use of renewable resources. In an attempt to address trade-offs, I developed an analytical framework with assistance from key stakeholders. After identifying the fundamental objective of the best choice of resin for the manufacture of plastic bottles, I surveyed stakeholders to create a list of essential packaging criteria, with the three major criteria being performance as a bottle material, cost, and environmental impact. I relied on private interviews with industry experts and conference presentations to gather bottle data for four resins: PLA, PET, high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP). The framework for comparison was Multiattribute Utility Theory (MAUT), a methodology designed to address trade-offs among multiple objectives to achieve an overall objective. Based on the survey results and best available data as input for MAUT, PET was the best choice of resin for the beverage bottle. This non-bio-based plastic emerged as the top choice largely due to its superior performance on criteria such as strength and shelf life. Further analysis of the characteristics of the four plastics showed that even if all environmental and cost characteristics of the bio-based plastic, PLA, were as favorable as any of the other plastics I analyzed, PLA still would not come to the top. Only if PLA’s performance as a bottle material (strength, etc.) increased several fold would PLA become the top choice among the four I analyzed. Similarly, analysis of the weighting of the criteria showed that increasing the weights on environmental criteria, compared to performance and cost criteria, cannot elevate PLA to the top choice, mainly because HDPE has desirable environmental characteristics such as recyclability. Only increasing the weight on environmental criteria such as greenhouse gas emissions while decreasing the weight on all other environmental criteria would allow PLA to become the top choice among the four bottle materials I analyzed.
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    Carbon Offset Opportunities at the Duke University Health System
    (2012-04-26) Shown, Erin; Wallis, Kimberly; Lin, Ye
    The Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative (DCOI) is collaborating with the Duke University Health System (DUHS) to obtain carbon offsets that will aid in fulfilling the University’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2024. This study identified and prioritized financially feasible projects within the DUHS that would lead to carbon offsets. A number of carbon reduction opportunities were identified within the DUHS: medical waste management, renewable energy opportunities, energy efficient kitchen equipment, lighting upgrades, organic waste management, and sustainable tableware. Funding from the DCOI would allow the DUHS to invest in projects beyond what its current budget allows while at the same time generating carbon credits for the University thereby benefitting both parties.
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    Leadership for Thriving: A Framework to Lead the Business Community to Sustainable Behaviors
    (2023-04-25) Olivares, Magdalena
    Climate change is a complex problem whose solution is still far from being on track. Although we have advanced a lot in terms of knowledge and awareness of the problem, we are struggling to transition to sustainable actions. Corporations have the key to unleash a substantial potential contribution to facing this challenge moving forward. Developing new business models that move their operations away from current environmental damage is needed. Their potential to leverage their connections with consumers and other stakeholders, educating and influencing them to be part of the solution, and joining efforts to adjust lifestyles and preferences for sustainable consumption also presents a huge opportunity. For these challenges, corporations need to face the transition from a technical to an adaptative approach. But corporations are not prepared to run this challenge on their own; integrating the environmental impact in the business model requires the support of environmental experts. This research is based on the hypothesis that there is an opportunity to enhance sustainable behavior transformation by improving communication and collaboration between business and environmental professionals. With this purpose, the research was done through a qualitative comparative analysis that looks to contrast the perspective and resources those professionals have with respect to climate change, looking for the interconnection of joint possibilities that can be approached in a more collaborative manner. The ecological self maturity, nature experience, and knowledge of environmental professionals make them the best candidates to support corporate change. But there is a learning challenge for environmental professionals as well, since technical acumen is not enough to lead such large and complex adaptative changes in human systems in the corporate world. This framework aims at providing a tool for environmental professionals to effectively hone their skills to lead and communicate with corporate audiences and guide them towards effective actions to tackle environmental change. Leadership for Thriving combines this perspective of leadership and inspiring storytelling with the optimistic approach of the breakthrough movement of thriving, which inspires the examples and reflections of this proposal.
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    Lingerie Company Market Opportunity Assessment
    (2022-04-20) Hawkins, Cameron
    Most bras end up in the trash contributing to the ever-growing amount of textile waste in our landfills. Everyone has a different body shape and size, and individual breasts are usually different sizes. As a result, many individuals are wearing the wrong bra size. This project details an opportunity assessment within the lingerie industry to create a new custom, low-carbon footprint, and comfort-focused bra, using 3D knit technology. Market research and consumer trends indicate a large market that is continuing to grow. While there are lots of players in this space, this unique technology and highly customizable product is completely different than any other potential competitor’s product. The largest barrier to overcome will be operationalizing this idea and raising money to develop a protype and test the 3D knit technology. Based on the market analysis and pro forma financial projections, it is recommended to proceed to the next stage of testing to operationalize the business.