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Agricultural Water Management in a Changing Mid-Atlantic: Stakeholder Experiences and Attitudes Towards Alternative Water Sources, Weather Variability, and Related Factors
Alexa Siglar and Michele Romolini
Water and agriculture are inextricably connected, and so are the impacts of climate change upon water supplies which will impact agriculture with greater intensity as the earth continues to warm. In the mid-Atlantic, climate change will intensify extremes such as flood and drought, resulting in greater water quantity variability (NIACS). Other consequences of climate change will include significant sea level rise and saltwater intrusion, as well as increased temperatures and decreased water quality (NIACS). In a region already experiencing significant but commonly overlooked impacts on water quality and quantity due to population and development increases, land use modifications, and agricultural runoff, understanding stakeholder perspectives on agricultural water management in the region is imperative. This study interviewed 17 mid-Atlantic stakeholders, largely based in Maryland, which included farmers, extension agents, engineers, academics, and state agency personnel. These semi-structured interviews examined stakeholders’ perceptions and experiences with 1) water use and management in agriculture, including both freshwater and reusable resources; 2) past, existing and future weather variability; and 3) related factors impacting water use and management. Semi-structured interviews were completed to examine stakeholder perceptions towards nontraditional water sources and water conservation practices, with the intent of informing a future survey that would assess farmers’ willingness to use treated recycled wastewater in agriculture in order to mitigate increasing water supply variability due to climate change.
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Core Results From a Three-Year Management Study of Human-Coyote Conflict in Culver City, CA with Suggestions for Conflict Amelioration
Anna Monterastelli, Melinda Weaver, Michele Romolini, and Eric Strauss
A three-year management study of urban coyotes (Canis latrans) by the LMU Center for Urban Resilience is being conducted in Culver City, CA in order to assist local government officials and residents in managing human- coyote conflicts. The study is in response to an increase in predation of domestic cats (80+) by local populations of coyotes. Our research has been focused on the ecological factors that have been drivers of the recent increase in predation events.
Multiple techniques were employed to better understand coyote behavior, including radio telemetry, diet analysis, remote camera trap systems, molecular analysis and direct observations. In addition, human social surveys were conducted in order to better determine resident attitudes towards coyotes and their management. Finally, formal and informal educational materials were prepared in order to inform local residents and students about safe coexistence with coyotes.
This poster provides an overview of findings and management suggests of the three-year study. Results include a strong relationship between the impacts of long-term drought and risk of predation by coyotes on cats.
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Examining and Developing Environmental Stewardship Funding Networks in Los Angeles
Lily Maddox and Michele Romolini
Following general patterns in non-profit funding, environmental grants have a continuing history of being inaccessible to the groups that could benefit from them the most. While many environmental stewardship organizations (ESOs) are in need of funding for projects, Los Angeles lacks a clear network of environmental funders that is accessible to all potential actors. In this study, we will be researching existing funder coalitions as well as philanthropic trends in Los Angeles. The findings from this review will be used to compile a database of environmental grant sources in Los Angeles detailing funders as well as specific grant programs, and will finally lead to the creation of a preliminary funding network. This funding network will be accessible to the general public and will allow for thorough, yet efficient grant- seeking in hopes that stewardship organizations of all scales and focuses will feel more confident pursuing funding for environmental projects.
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Diet Analysis of Scat from Coyote Pack in Culver City
Anna Monterastelli, Melinda Weaver, and Eric Strauss
Culver City’s residential and recreational areas have experienced more frequent encounters with native wildlife in recent years. The increase in these interactions with the city’s population and coyotes (Canis latrans) in particular have sparked interest in understanding why these canids have habitualized to urban environment. A possible hypothesis for this occurring could be that the coyotes’ diet has evolved to prey upon domesticated cats, which are also highly prevalent in urban areas. A dry fecal analysis has been developed to quantify how often the coyotes have incorporated cats into their diet. To track the consistency of their diets, we collected scat samples from one pack for a year period, dried them, and dissected them. We then observed animal hairs discovered in those samples via light microscopy at 100X magnification. We identified animal hair based on its structural characteristics such as the medulla, cortex, pigment granules, and the cuticle. Understanding seasonal patterns and contents in coyote diets will better inform City officials to create coyote management programs and provide residents with information that will help them better protect their pet.
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Urbanization’s Effect on a Coyote Population in Culver City
Colby Mallett, Eric Strauss, and Melinda Weaver
Due to the increased rates of urbanization in once biodiverse areas, it is now critical to study the effects of urbanization on species abundance and biodiversity. This study investigates the impact of urbanization in the Culver City area on coyote abundance. As part of a larger multi-year study, four sites across Culver City were studied and split into two groups, inner city, known as the urban area, and edge of city, known as the rural area. Coyote abundance was determined through the use of systematic camera trapping at each site for the year of 2020. A final total that accounts for all images collected containing coyotes at each site was analyzed and compared against the opposing locations and statistically analyzed using a t-test. In this analysis we found a decrease in coyote abundance in the urban areas as opposed to the more rural locations on the edge of town. The further understanding of urbanization’s effect on coyote populations will help us to not only protect coyotes in present day, but also allows for better coyote management polices to be put in place prior to future urban expansion.
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Happiness Index in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Lucille Njoo and Eric Strauss
Northern Ireland (NI), which was torn apart by the Troubles in the late 20th century, has a history of political and socioeconomic hardships and thus currently harbors many social conditions that typically would be connected to lower life satisfaction (BBC, European Commission). However, NI’s happiness index is the highest of the countries in the UK, and higher than that of the United States (ONS, OECD). One proposed explanation for this apparent contradiction is that NI's happiness is due to a strong social capital (ONS). In order to explore the relationships between happiness, social capital, and socioeconomic status, I surveyed 30 randomly selected residents of Belfast, NI about their life satisfaction as well as other factors such as their volunteering frequency and the influence of their religious beliefs. By performing statistical analyses on the survey data and mapping responses to different districts of Belfast, we explore correlations (if any) between happiness and a variety of social/socioeconomic factors. These correlations can potentially be generalized to communities beyond Belfast, including areas of the United States that face similar issues of wealth inequality and unemployment, in future studies
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Public Opinion of Coyotes in Long Beach: Surveys and Interviews
Barbara Velasco and Michele Romolini
It is important to understand public opinion on urban wildlife in order to effectively manage it. Coyotes have adapted to survive in urban environments and do not have a favorable presence in Long Beach, California due to their predatory nature. This research project seeks to provide a clearer understanding of how the residents of Long Beach feel about the coyote population and how they interact with it. The data obtained from this project will fill knowledge gaps about the types of encounters residents have with coyotes and help create management plans to effectively deal with local safety concerns. Residents were randomly mailed a survey (n=341) where they were asked about their opinions towards coyotes in the City and their satisfaction with the City's coyote management. Interviews were conducted with six different urban wildlife experts. Prevalent themes among the interviews include (1) a need for public education and awareness of coyotes and (2) higher concern among residents with pets and small children. Survey data shows that 60% of residents have encountered coyotes in their neighborhood and that the most common encounter type is ”sighting only.” 31% of free responses indicated concern regarding pet safety. 19% of free responses favored management practices that involve human behavior (primarily through education) and 10% of responses favored those that would involve action on coyotes. Increasing public awareness is necessary in order to promote the coexistence of wildlife with human life in an urban environment.
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Analyzing Public Opinion of the Silver Lake Reservoir
Reilly Grzywacz, Michele Romolini, and E. Simso
Silver Lake, California is a diverse residential neighborhood located five miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, with a population of approximately32,890 people. Silver Lake was built around its local reservoir, the facilities of which provide habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic, social, and wellness benefits for visitors. Presumably, the reservoir also mitigates the urban heat island effect. Since the reservoir was recently refilled with water, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council (SLNC) plans to update the reservoir management plan, informed by public input and assessment. A team of CUResresearchers surveyed 249 citizens in person around the Silver Lake neighborhood to gather public opinion on the reservoir’s facilities, including possible improvements in water accessibility, educational opportunities, and infrastructure. This same survey was also voluntarily taken online by 1014 people. This study serves to analyze the results of the survey to conclude the main concerns of Silver Lake residents and visitors. A majority of the surveyed subjects proved to be informed about the environmental and ecological effects of the reservoir. The majority also showed certain interest and concern for public accessibility, increased traffic, and improved facilities. Acknowledgment of both societal and ecological benefits of the reservoir substantiates a diverse array of public recommendations. The collected information is hoped to play a major role in the continued development of the reservoir management plan, the outcomes of which have potential to bolster the Silver Lake reservoir as a vital, dynamic green space serving both citizens and local flora and fauna.
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An Analysis of Coyote (Canis latrans) Abundance, Movement Patterns & Distribution
Jaclyn Findlay, Dominic Baechler, Peter Auger, Eric Strauss, Maria Curley, J. Kleya, and Emily Simso
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An Analysis of Coyote (Canis latrans) Abundance, Movement Patterns & Distribution
Jaclyn Findlay, Dominic Baechler, Peter Auger, Eric Strauss, Maria Curley, J. Kleya, and Emily Simso
The LMU Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) is currently in the third year of a three-year project to inform a long-term coyote Canis latrans management plan for the City of Long Beach, California. This plan will be applied by the Long Beach Animal Care Services Bureau. The project consists of using game cameras set up at a tree nursery study site in Long Beach to determine coyote abundance, movement patterns, and distribution. This includes studying where the coyotes are spending the most time, if they are transient / mobile, what packs are present, and peak activity. Preliminary analysis of temporal data indicates that the coyotes at this location do not overlap in movement patterns with other species such as humans and cats. Game camera data show coyotes are abundant when other species are not present. This is an indicator of niche partitioning. Another finding is that there is an average of 47 coyote sightings per week at the location. From this it can be inferred that coyotes are present and abundant at this study site in Long Beach. Further data collection, including collaring study coyotes, will inform the City on coyote movement patterns and distribution through the area. These data will help inform the City’s long-term coyote management strategies.
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Genetic Diet Analysis of Coyote Scat from Populations in Long Beach
Matthew Sheridan, Grace Riggs, D. Willette, Eric Strauss, Peter Auger, Maria Curley, and Emily Simso
Interactions between humans and local wildlife are inherent to urbanization and have created a demand for wildlife/human management solutions. Coyotes (Canislatrans) are prominent in urban ecosystems and can cause a variety of residential threats. The aim of this study is to monitor coyote distribution and activity in Long Beach, CA to better understand urban predatory behavior and develop local wildlife management techniques. One method for better understanding urban coyotes is through scat analysis, which provides insight into the specific animal species that comprise their diet. This study focuses on prey species identification using DNA isolated from coyote scat samples. DNA was isolated using a modified Chelexmethod, in which scat material was suspended in a higher volume and lower percentage Chelexsolution than the standard method. A 1,000 bpportion of the mitochondrial genome, which contains part of the cytochromebgene and D-loop region, was amplified using PCR. The PCR primers flanked the cytochromeb/D-loop region at sequences that are conserved in nearly all mammals (Foranet al. 1997). Since the amplified region is variable between species, restriction enzymes digest the region into different sized fragments. These fragments were visualized using gel electrophoresis and the banding pattern was read to determine species composition. The amplified DNA was digested using the BfaIrestriction enzyme. Determining dietary information on coyotes allows us to take effective steps towards managing wildlife and educating Long Beach residents on the predators that share their neighborhoods.
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Mosquito Larvae Density Study at Ballona Freshwater Marsh
Oscar Repreza, Ian Wright, J. Dorsey, Michele Romolini, and Eric Strauss
The Ballona Wetlands is a 51-acre freshwater marsh ecosystem located in the Playa Vista Community of Westside Los Angeles, California. The 25 acres north of Loyola Marymount University are part of a riparian corridor that is used for community beautification and enjoyment, while the 26 acres situated to the west of LMU comprise a large freshwater marsh that has been the focus of efforts to restore the ecological function of the area. Along with beautification and community enjoyment, marshes have the potential to serve as sites for mosquito breeding.Mosquitoes represent a significant health risk, as they are known as vectors of various diseases and nuisances to humans. In order to reproduce, mosquitoes require relatively stagnant water and temperatures consistently above 10°C. In the Ballona Wetlands, a large area of water sits relatively still, and poses a risk as a site of large-scale mosquito reproduction in the center of an urban area. This area has not shown a significant risk of serving as a site of mosquito proliferation, however monitoring needs to be conducted during mosquito breeding seasons to maintain the low-risk site designation. From Aug.-Nov. of 2018, several sites in the Ballona Wetlands were sampled and all mosquito larvae and pupae found were counted and the numbers recorded to better understand mosquito breeding patterns and density.
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Population Studies for Predator Aversion Project at the Venice Beach Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) Colony
Ian Wright, Oscar Repreza, Maria Curley, Peter Auger, Eric Strauss, and Emily Simso
In the Fall of 2017, the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) contracted with a consultant of the State of California Dept. of Fish & Game Wildlife Branch, Ryan Ecological Consulting, to collaborate on solutions to American crow Corvus brachyrhyncos predation on Least tern eggs and chicks in the Venice Beach Least tern colony. Least terns prefer nesting in low sand dunes with light vegetation. As a result of urban expansion and beach combing, Least terns, a federally endangered bird, have lost much of their preferred nesting habitat in Southern California and have become vulnerable to crow predation at the few remaining nesting sites like Venice Beach. The aim of the CURes Venice Beach field study includes: • trapping and banding crows in order to determine resident vs. transient crow populations • using predator aversion strategies, including pseudo tern nests with mildly electrified decoy eggs, to deter the crows from entering the fencedin enclosure • monitoring Least tern populations as they arrive during the 2019 nesting season The ultimate goal of the project is to increase Least tern reproductive output, which has been extremely low in the past decade.
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Surface Flow Measurements in the Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh
Calvin Foss, Michele Romolini, E. Simso, and Sarah Bruce-Eisen
The Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh is a 26-acre constructed wetland located in coastal Los Angeles, CA. The Marsh serves an important ecological function of capturing and filtering runoff from the surrounding urbanized area before it enters the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Mosquito populations in the Marsh are monitored by Los Angeles County Vector Control to prevent public health risks. Knowledge of the areas in the Marsh with the least water movement, an indication of the highest probability of mosquito breeding, may help to maximize the efficiency with which the control is being exercised. Additionally, knowledge of the marsh hydrology will assist in further research done in the area. To address this need, the study used flotation devices and GPS tracking units to collect information on surface water velocity and an electronic temperature gauge to measure water temperature in the Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh. The velocity measurements of the water at different points in the Marsh were combined to create a vector field layer edover a satellite map of the marsh to clearly show where water flow is fastest and slowest. This map can facilitate further examination of mosquito concentrations in the Marsh, as well as improve the knowledge of the Marsh’s hydrological characteristics. This research on surface flow is a crucial first step in establishing the entire Ballona Fresh water Marsh Ecosystem Monitoring Program, and the collected data will be useful for a variety of purposes.
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A Temporal Analysis of Urban Coyote (Canis latrans) Activity in Long Beach, CA
Stephen Gloudeman
The coyote (Canis latrans) is found across the United States in both rural and urban ecosystems. They have always filled a niche in the ecosystem in the wild as both scavengers and hunters, but in urban environments they have adapted to anthropogenic food sources and pose a threat to communities. In communities such as Long Beach, CA, the presence of a coyote can be dangerous to pets and humans, which is a concern of residents. This arm of the ongoing study includes the implementation of game cameras to understand daily coyote activity and movement throughout the community. The data give us important information about the diurnal and nocturnal behavior as well as family group sizes and dispersion times. Future measures include trapping and radio-collaring the coyotes to obtain geographical data on the movement patterns, as well as community engagement and education. Through community education and citizen reporting, we hope to manage the problem and minimize human-coyote interactions. Our goal is for the community to coexist with the coyotes and to avoid extermination.
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Diet Composition of Long Beach Coyotes via Solids Scat Analysis
Armaan Zare and DeLisa Madere
Canus latrans (coyotes) have posed threats against both urban wildlife and domesticated animals all across the United States. In the urban and residential areas encompassing Long Beach, green areas such as parks and golf courses create a series of wildlife corridors that coyotes may use to provide themselves with food, shelter, and a means of refuge for breeding. Along with wildlife corridors, anthropogenic food sources also contribute to the increased coyote density in the city of Long Beach; this inevitably leads to more frequent coyote-human interactions. Now in its second year, our study aims to accurately assess the diet of the coyote population to better understand their interactive relationship with the urban wildlife and domesticated animals of Long Beach. A solids scat analysis is being performed on samples from Long Beach as it is a practical and inexpensive starting point to understand the diet of the Long Beach coyotes. The lab will analyze the bones and other remains in an attempt to understand what organism they may have come from, including: fruit, insects, grass, vegetable material and bones. The lab will reference anatomy books as well as Biology faculty for assistance on identifying species from the bones
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Genetic Diet Analysis of Coyote Scat from Populations in Long Beach
Alexis Isaev and Matthew Sheridan
Interactions between humans and local wildlife are inherent to urbanization and have created a demand for management solutions. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are prominent in urban ecosystems and can potentially cause a variety of residential threats, as seen at Long Beach, CA. Currently, a project is underway assessing the coyote population, in order to better understand how the animals function in the city and how best to manage them. The main components of the study include monitoring coyote activity and dispersal patterns, how the urban environment affects coyote living strategies, and a dietary analysis. The dietary analysis has two components: a solid analysis of the bones found in the coyote scat and a parallel study on the genetic material of prey items found in the scat. This study will focus on the genetic analysis of the coyote scat using species-specific primers for PCR.
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INTEGRATION OF HUMMINGBIRD RESEARCH INTO PUBLIC SCHOOL SCIENCE
Kaitlyn Yee, Maria Curley, Lisa Fimiani, and Emily Simso
Hummingbirds are beautiful, acrobatic and mysterious synanthropes in urban ecosystems, providing important benefits to humans such as pollination, insectivory, and biophilia. However, environmental factors that affect behaviors that lead to such services are largely unknown, and could be altered by urbanization and climate change. Though their extremely high metabolism can make detailed observations of hummingbird behavior difficult, simple and low-cost methodologies, such as remote monitoring equipment deployed at feeders and nests, allow students at all levels of education to closely observe hummingbirds directly from their school sites. The Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) and the Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL) at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) have partnered, to implement CURes urban ecology curricula Urban EcoLab in various Los Angeles area schools and classrooms. With support from the Daniel and Susan Gottlieb Foundation, internet protocol (IP) cameras have been installed as a key element in the curriculum that will allow participation in world wide hummingbird research in the classroom. Beyond enriching the understanding of how animals thrive in urban environments, we propose to develop a model that will facilitate the investigation of complex scientific questions through collaboration with citizen science and integration of the Urban EcoLab curricula into primary and secondary-level public school curricula.
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Mapping the South Los Angeles Food Desert
Alice Tiffany
The USDA defines a food desert as“a low income-census tract where either a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. ”This is the case with South Los Angeles, where grocery stores are scarce, magnifying the dependency on corner and convenience stores, and fast food restaurants. Government and advocacy organizations recognize this as an issue of inequity, yet the problem persists. Meanwhile, the data that is available is not comprehensive and is quickly becoming outdated. The aim of this study is to develop a detailed, current map of where fresh, healthy food is unavailable in South Los Angeles, and whether this is correlated with population demographics. This project will illuminate persisting inaccessibility of fresh, local, organic produce in South Los Angeles and provide data for residents and political activists fighting to bring healthy food back into this food desert.
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Monitoring Mosquito Larvae Population Density in the Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh
S Bruce-Eisen
Mosquitoes play an important role in wetland ecosystems. Their larvae feed on algae and plankton, and also provide a valuable food source for migrating bird species. However, adult mosquitoes can be a public health concern due to their possible transmittance of vector-borne diseases. The importance of protecting both the ecosystems used by mosquitoes and public health has prompted the monitoring of mosquito populations in the BallonaWetlands. This research aims to investigate and understand how the freshwater marsh supports the early life history stages of mosquitoes, and what role the BallonaWetlands play in mosquito population dynamics in west Los Angeles. The work presented here is the first phase: a pilot study that tests the utility of field-based surface water sampling methods to quantify the abundance and diversity of mosquito larvae in the freshwater marsh. This experimental study will provide temporal data of the appearance of mosquitoes in the wetlands, report population abundances of mosquito larvae, pupae and eggs, and discern the specific locations that contain the highest densities of mosquitoes.
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Patterns of Urban Hummingbird Nest Distribution on the LMU Campus
Amy Weber
Urban environments provide numerous benefits to hummingbirds including feeders, planted flowers, and nesting sites.
The thermal environment, among other factors, may be important to hummingbird’s choice of nesting microhabitats (Calder 1974).
Allen’s and Anna’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin sedentarius) breeds during the winter months in Los Angeles (Clarke 2017).
Between 2012 and 2016, five active hummingbird nests were discovered and monitored on the LMU campus.
In 2017, 15 active nests were monitored on the LMU campus. The locations of these 15 active nests and 45 older nests seemed to exhibit a clustered pattern, and individual nests often were in close proximity to built structures.
Question: How does the distribution of 2018 nests across the LMU campus compare to the distribution of hummingbird 2017 nests? What are the microhabitats surrounding hummingbird nests?
Hypothesis: The distribution of 2018 hummingbird nests across the LMU campus will be similar to the 2017 distribution. Most nests will be partially sheltered from the sun and wind by their surroundings, and many will be in close proximity to built structures.
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Plastic Perception: An Analysis on Single-Use Consumerism
Lindsay Beck, Nicole Alaverdian, and Alexxa Melendez
Plastic has become essential to everyday use as the material is very costeffective and therefore used to create various single-use products. According to the Ocean Conservancy, the amount of ocean plastic in weight will outweigh fish by 2050. Concerns about plastic pollution have provided an incentive for people to buy reusable products, which has been encouraged by legislation banning certain single-use products from being freely distributed. Data indicates that massive quantities of singleuse plastic are simultaneously being produced and thrown away daily; however, there is little data that indicates whether reusable efforts have made a difference in slowing this process. Thus, the purpose of this study is to better understand: 1) whether people have measurably made a switch from using single-use items to reusable items; 2) whether levels of plastic pollution have changed following the implementation of plastic bans; and 3) whether knowledge about single-use products varies by a person’s geographic location, income, education, or other demographic factors. Methods will include conducting surveys with individuals in both inland and coastal communities in Los Angeles, California, as well as analyzing data from beach cleanups from local organizations. We anticipate the findings will help show whether these reusable measures are effective, and if so, whether that is consistent across locations and populations. This can provide useful information to municipalities and other local organizations working to reduce plastic pollution.
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Sustainable Diagram on Food Waste Reduction Programs in Mitigating Carbon Footprint—a Loyola Marymount University Case Study
Timothy Mandema
Food waste is an economic, social, and environmental problem with broad implication. The direct impacts from fossil fuel use, food waste rotting in landfills, water use, and transferring food waste create environmental stressors associated with climate change. Increasing methods to reduce food waste are becoming common practice across private sector as a tool to reduce economic cost and carbon footprint. This study aims to evaluate the food waste diversion efforts at Loyola Marymount University’s dining hall. The research approach examining Loyola Marymount dining halls’ sustainability efforts will be broken down into two separate stages: analyzing food waste data pre- and post-implementation of mitigation efforts, and diagramming the mitigation efforts including the composting, liquefying, and dehydrator processes. This study hopes to demonstrate how a university’s efforts to reduce food waste can contribute to the overall goal of sustainability. Using diagrams to relay findings, this study can serve as encouragement to LMU to continue and increase sustainability efforts, and as a model for other universities.
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