By Mara Scallon, communications graduate assistant in the Sustainability Office Most members of the University of Utah community have a go-to, on-campus spot for grabbing a snack, a drink or a meal. Some may opt for burgers & fries at The Game, while others may indulge in a slice of pizza from the Union’s Hive […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office When it comes to practicing law, one often thinks of filing briefs, going to court, representing clients, and engaging in litigation. Ruhan Nagra, associate professor of law and founding director of the Environmental Justice Clinic at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, refers to such activities as […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Dr. Brian Eisenhauer is the Director of the Office of Environmental Sustainability, and professor of environmental sociology at Plymouth State University. Combining his personal affinity for the outdoors and his academic background in studying people and human society, his research interests center around environmental communications, sustainability, conservation, and grassroots activism. […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office “Oftentimes we think about the mining, oil, and gas industries in black and white terms,” says Dr. Jessica M. Smith, professor in the Engineering, Design, and Society department at the Colorado School of Mines. “Especially when it comes to questions of sustainability.” However, when we broadly critique these industries, both […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office The impacts of pollution are felt all around the world, but they are not felt equally. Low-income and minority communities are often deprived of resources and political protections, leaving them to face the brunt of environmental pollution and its health consequences including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. On Tuesday, February 14 at […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Respondings to climate change has entangled social, cultural, political, and environmental implications. Often, when these implications are overlooked or disregarded, researchers, policymakers, and community members face “maladaptive outcomes,” or consequences of adaptation efforts that don’t go to plan and incur negative outcomes. On Tuesday, Jan. 31, Dr. Amanda Bertana, assistant […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Research shows that disseminating scientific information is, in itself, an insufficient way to prompt meaningful dialogue among the general public. Rather, the way in which science is communicated has more of an impact to promote change. For scientific findings to catalyze social change, they must be communicated in accessible and comprehensible […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Achievements in human development often come at the expense of the natural environment. From metropolitan expansion to the development of agricultural land for food production, environmental conservation efforts have historically conflicted with human “progress.” Over the past 20-30 years, however, the field of conservation has adopted the idea that conservation […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Green spaces—like urban parks, gardens, and trail systems—have a variety of benefits for human health, ecosystems, and economic growth. Studies show that green spaces can help reduce stress levels, mitigate regional and local flooding from storms, and improve air and water quality. However, not everyone has equal access to green […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Higher education sustainability has changed significantly over the last decade. A field that once supported sustainability for the sake of business and profit has since adopted a more holistic model—one that that centers social equity and inclusion alongside environmental and economic concerns. “I’ve been doing this work for twenty years […]
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