Duke Scholarly Works

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Open Access
20 Years of Government Responses to the Global Plastic Pollution Problem: The Plastics Policy Inventory
(2020-05-15) Virdin, John; Karasik, Rachel; Vegh, Tibor; Pickle, Amy; Diana, Zoie; Rittschof, Daniel; Bering, Janet; Caldas, Juan
Plastic pollution in the ocean is a global problem that requires cooperation from a wide range of groups (e.g., governments, producers, consumers, researchers, civil society). This study aims to synthesize the policy response of governments to the global plastic pollution problem, as a basis for more rigorous monitoring of progress (as called for in Resolution 4/6 of the 2019 United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) meeting) and to inform future public policies.
Open Access
2020 Aspen-Nicholas Water Forum Water Affordability and Equity Briefing Document
(2020-08-12) Patterson, Lauren; Doyle, Martin
The importance of water and sanitation for public health is once again visible and may change the trajectory of the water sector moving forward. Given that water is essential for public health, what must be done to ensure that these life-sustaining services are affordable and accessible to all and the utilities providing services are financially resilient? How do we reconcile the different values as individuals and society negotiate who decides, who gets what, and who pays. In a just society this process is inclusive, meaning all have a seat at the table. To unpack these questions, this paper explores the evolution of water services in the United States. The construction of water and wastewater systems during the 19th and early 20th century were significant feats. Now, most people have access to water, most tap water is drinkable, most dams are secure, most farms can grow more with less water, and most rivers are cleaner than they were 50 years ago. Most does not mean all. There is growing evidence that an increasing number of Americans are losing access to safe drinking water and sanitation—and others never had it at all.
Open Access
2022 ALA-CORE National Binding Survey: Report of Findings
(2023-02-01) Chapman, Joyce; Doyle, Beth; Ellenburg-Kimmet, Tanya; Coulbourne, Mark; Brim, Richenda
The American Library Association (ALA) Core Preservation Administration Interest Group (PAIG) held a Symposium on the Future of Library Binding1 in 2022. Following the symposium, the ALA Core Library Binding Practices Survey Team2 (hereafter, “Team”) was convened to explore issues that arose during the symposium. The Team members volunteered to create a survey on current library binding practices to gain a better understanding of who is using library binding as a preservation and access method, how they are using such services, and the challenges that face the community.
Open Access
2023 Annual Trends in Plastics Policy: A Brief
(2023-08-31) Karasik, Rachel; Vegh, Tibor; Utz, Ria; Dominguez, Andrew; Skarjune, Melissa; Merlo, Juan; Dixon, Natalie; Virdin, John
In the first annual update of Annual Trends in Plastics Policy, Nicholas Institute researchers find that plastics policy enactment continues to surge and was not negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, researchers found more than 300 additional policies to index in the Plastics Policy Inventory, upon which this report is based, for a total of 894 policies. The 2022 update to the inventory increased the total by more than 50%. However, gaps in scope and implementation remain. Though more policies address additional types of single-use plastics, most still target only plastic bags. Microplastics and marine sources remain relatively unaddressed, and economic instruments are a minority of policy instruments used. To better gauge policy implementation, researchers established a new effectiveness policy library to accompany the 2022 update. These studies indicate that, while underused in existing policy, greater governmental use of economic instruments (e.g., taxes, fees, levies) and information instruments (e.g., awareness campaigns to communicate other instruments to the public, education initiatives, etc.) would aid in enacting effective policies in the future.
Open Access
A Closer Look at RGGI and Grid Reliability
(2021-11-24) Hill, Sophia; Konschnik, Kate; Monast, Jonas; Ross, Martin
Open Access
A dialogue between Fodor and Staddon
Staddon, John
Open Access
A Framework for Library Support of Expansive Digital Publishing
(2018-12-01) Hansen, David; Milewicz, Liz; Mangiafico, Paolo; Shaw, Will; Begali, Mattia; McGurrin, Veronica
This report offers a framework for how libraries can begin to embrace their role in the maturing space of digital humanities publishing, particularly as they seek to support what we call “expansive digital publishing” — challenging digital publications that can span disciplinary and institutional boundaries; use many different technologies; have multiple scholarly outputs; grow over time; operate over the long-term or are multi-phase; aim to engage with multiple audiences; and, in general, use digital tools and methods to explore or enable scholarship that would be more difficult to achieve through traditional publishing.
Open Access
A Game Plan for Heat Stress: Policy Recommendations for High School Sports
(2023-07-26) Clark, Jordan
High school athletic associations (HSAAs) bear the responsibility of ensuring the health and safety of student-athletes. Exertional heat illness poses a significant risk, making this a task of increasing urgency in light of climate change and rising temperatures. This policy brief, from Duke University's Heat Policy Innovation Hub, builds on prior research to offer recommendations to HSAAs as part of an ongoing commitment to safeguard student-athletes from heat-related illnesses: 1. Implement environmental heat monitoring using a scientific device for onsite measurement of a heat stress index appropriate for the local climate, with staff training to ensure measurement precision. 2. Develop activity modification guidelines contingent on heat stress levels. 3. Incorporate specific heat action protocols into existing venue-specific emergency action plans. 4. Institute universal application of heat policies across all sports and activities. 5. Support full implementation by pursuing funding opportunities for measurement equipment and establishing incentives for compliance among member schools.
Open Access
A Menu of State Actions to Promote Forest Carbon Sequestration and Storage
(2022-05-27) Lohman, Adam; Mason, Sara; Olander, Lydia
Across the U.S., states are developing policies and programs to help promote forest-based natural climate solutions. This effort is bolstered by a growth in forest carbon programs that aim to make entry into the voluntary carbon offset market accessible to all landowners. Here we present a “menu” of policy and program options (that we call action items) derived from existing state programs and policies that decision makers can leverage to promote forest carbon solutions.
Open Access
A National Decision Point: Effective Testing and Screening for Covid-19
(2020-09-09) McClellan, Mark; Silcox, Christina; Anderson, David; Zavodszky, Anna; Borre, Ethan; Dentzer, Susan; Aspinall, Mara
This Duke-Margolis report out provides a framework for public health officials and community leaders in schools, businesses and other institutions on how to use Covid-19 screening test strategies to operate safely and prevent further spread of the virus. A National Decision Point: Effective Testing and Screening for Covid-19, was developed with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, and aims to be a useful tool to help officials customize screening strategies of asymptomatic people to local circumstances and risk – with a particular focus on higher-risk populations and suppressing community spread.
Open Access
A Profile of 2013 Mortgage Borrowers: Statistics from the National Survey of Mortgage Originations
(Technical Report Series,, 2016-05-27) Avery, RB; Bucks, B; Chai, C; Critchfield, T; Keith, IH; Mohamed, IE; Pafenberg, FW; Patrabansh, S; Schultz, JD; Wood, CE
Open Access
A Profile of 2013 Mortgage Borrowers: Statistics from the National Survey of Mortgage Originations
(Technical Report Series, 2017-03-21) Avery, RB; Bilinski, MF; Bucks, BK; Chai, C; Critchfield, T; Keith, IH; Mohamed, IE; Pafenberg, FW; Patrabansh, S; Schultz, JD; Wood, CE
Open Access
A Profile of 2014 Mortgage Borrowers: Statistics from the National Survey of Mortgage Originations
(Technical Report Series, 2017-03-21) Avery, RB; Bilinski, MF; Bucks, BK; Chai, C; Chow, M; Clement, A; Critchfield, T; Frumkin, S; Keith, IH; Mohamed, IE; Pafenberg, FW; Patrabansh, S; Schultz, JD; Wood, CE
Open Access
A Review of the Use of Early-Action Incentives in U.S. Environmental Markets
(2016-09-20) Galik, Christopher; Olander, Lydia
Early action can refer to activities undertaken prior to a regulatory program or the generation of a particular service before its use to mitigate an impact elsewhere. In U.S. environmental markets, early action can result in multiple benefits. One benefit is facilitation of market function by helping to generate a sufficient supply of viable, low-cost credits to buyers and gain momentum in new markets. Another benefit is providing advance mitigation, which can speed the delivery of ecosystem services. As markets emerge and mature, early action can help reduce lags in environmental performance, improve outcomes, and encourage innovation in mitigation approaches. Multiple tools have been proposed for encouraging early action in ecosystem services markets. To varying extents, these tools have also been deployed, providing valuable experience and insight into their functioning. This paper presents several case studies of how these tools have been used in wetland and stream mitigation, species and habitat banking, greenhouse gas emissions reduction and sequestration, and water quality trading. It finds that early action incentives necessary to motivate sellers differ from those necessary to motivate buyers and that interventions should account for this reality. The tool or approach best suited to encourage early action may also vary as conditions change and new barriers arise. Anecdotal evidence suggests the potential for benefits to accrue from early action, but additional data on the costs and benefits of early action are needed to inform the selection and implementation of specific tools. A revised version of the paper appears in the journal Land Use Policy.
Open Access
A Spatiotemporal Exploration of Water Consumption Changes Resulting from the Coal-to-Gas Transition in Pennsylvania
(2016-11-19) Patterson, Lauren; Jordaan, Sarah; Diaz Anadon, Laura
During the early stages of Pennsylvania’s coal-to-gas transition, extraction and generation of coal and natural gas contributed to a yearly 2.6–8.4% increase in the state’s water consumption. Although some areas experienced no change in water consumption, others experienced large decreases or increases. Consumption variations depended on available natural gas resources and pre-existing power-generating infrastructure. This analysis estimates monthly water consumption associated with fuel extraction and power generation within Pennsylvania watersheds between 2009 and 2012. It also provides the first comprehensive representation of changing water consumption patterns associated with the state’s coal-to-gas transition at the sub-basin level. The analysis shows that water consumption for natural gas energy extraction and production increased throughout the period, while for coal extraction and production it decreased. Water use for natural gas generation increased 67%, particularly in the Philadelphia and Pittsburg areas; water use for hydraulic fracturing increased nine fold in southwest and northeast Pennsylvania. By contrast, water use for coal extraction and production decreased 13%. In some areas, increased water consumption resulting from hydraulic fracturing was offset by decreased water consumption for power generation as plants switched from coal to natural gas. Additionally, an interactive map and chart highlighting the changes has been developed. These findings indicate the importance of considering the implications of energy production and generation choices in the context of both energy extraction and production sectors and of doing so at smaller-than-state-level scale. An updated version of this publication is featured in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
Open Access
A U.S. Innovation Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation
(2008-12) Newell, R
Open Access
Adaptation and Evaluation of the Output-Deviations Metric to Target Small-Delay Defects in Industrial Circuits
(2010-03-29T18:14:41Z) Chakrabarty, Krishnendu; Tehranipoor, Mohammad; Yilmaz, Mahmut
Timing-related defects are a major cause for test escapes and field returns for very-deep-sub-micron (VDSM) integrated circuits (ICs). Small-delay variations induced by crosstalk, process variations, power-supply noise, and resistive opens and shorts can cause timing failures in a design, thereby leading to quality and reliability concerns. We present the industrial application and case study of a previously proposed test-grading technique that uses the method of output deviations for screening small-delay defects (SDDs). The technique is shown to have significantly lower computational complexity and test pattern count, without loss of test quality, compared to a commercial timing-aware automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) tool.
Open Access
Addressing Financial Sustainability of Drinking Water Systems with Declining Populations: Lessons from Pennsylvania
(2020-10-01) Bash, Rachel; Grimshaw, Walker; Horan, Kat; Stanmyer, Ruby; Warren, Simon; Patterson, Lauren
Many cities across the United States have declined in population over recent decades, creating numerous challenges to providing safe drinking water to their residents. Such “shrinking cities” are particularly prevalent in the Northeast and upper Midwest, (i.e., the “Rust Belt”) where globalization of the economy, particularly manufacturing, has shifted employment opportunities away from these once vital centers of the American economy. Drinking water systems serving cities with declining populations face the challenge of maintaining adequate service on smaller revenues. Fewer, poorer residents are left to pay for repairing and rebuilding infrastructure that was designed to support larger populations and commercial industries. As this infrastructure ages, increases in water rates to finance the necessary maintenance of these outsized systems may become unaffordable for many customers. Proper upkeep of a city’s water infrastructure is critical to public health yet requires considerable funding that can be difficult to secure. The compounding nature of these challenges can lead to unsustainable and unaffordable water systems. This report focuses on the challenges facing water utilities in areas where population has declined in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A total of 16 water systems were broadly analyzed, with in-depth analyses of four municipal water systems in the cities of Altoona, Chester, Johnstown, and Reading. These four cases highlight some of the overall trends and complications faced by shrinking cities. Challenges to the utilities are explored and each system is quantified based on a set of financial indicators, credit rating assessments, rates and affordability metrics, borrowing behavior, and drinking water violations to fully capture current performance. An analysis of the incentives and impediments of current policies and agencies in place to assist water utilities in the financing of their endeavors is also included, as well as recommended policy modifications to better address water system challenges.
Open Access
America's Promise Alliance Dropout Prevention Summits: Mobilizing Action to Address the High School Dropout Crisis across the Nation
(America's Promise Alliance Dropout Prevention Summits: Mobilizing Action to Address the High School Dropout Crisis across the Nation, 2011) Gifford, E; Evans, Kelly
Open Access
America's Promise Alliance: 10 Indicators of Academic Achievement and Youth Success
(America's Promise Alliance: 10 Indicators of Academic Achievement and Youth Success) Gifford, E; Evans, Kelly; Berlin, L.J.; Bai, Yu