Education plays an important role in the way people view their relationship to the natural world. It is important that we include concepts of sustainability in formal education, and my focus is in higher education. People tend to protect that with which they feel most connected, and creating opportunities where people can become immersed in the natural world allows them to feel that connection with nature. A nature immersion model recognizes the value...

The Sustainable Quality of Life for Artisans Practicing the Fair Trade Business Model study examines the principles of the Fair Trade Business Model (FTBM). The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is used often as a frame of reference by American writers. Other International Fair Trade organizations are referenced for supporting data on Fair Trade (FT). This paper looks at how and if the Fair Trade Business Model can position itself firmly within a "new globalization,...

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- Prescott College, 2010 Self-awareness, cultural competency, environmental consciousness, and economic empathy are often achieved through study abroad travel experiences. This phenomenological study was intended to shed light on the inter'national backpacking study abroad experiences for college students, describing the phenomenon from the perspective of the participants and its meaning for those participants. The literature...

This dissertation focuses on the North Fork Mono (or Nium ) Tribe's historiography and oral narratives about its land and water tenure. I begin with a recounting of my recent experiences in elementary school curriculum development about Native Americans and the environment and a discussion of the clash in worldviews that this work brought to the surface. Then, by drawing on secondary sources, on archival research into federal land records and anthropologists'...

In the decades since the 1970s, major shifts in economic theory and political ideology have taken place, resulting in a widening gap between the rich and poor within and between the world's major economies--all occurring in the name of, and on behalf of, material growth. Urban centers responded accordingly to these shifts, allowing the emergence of development elites (growth machines) that dominated local government. These, in turn, have transformed...

The construction industry has experienced little growth since the beginning of the 2008 recession. Despite this phenomenon, green building remains in the forefront as a growing sector within the industry. There are, however, many barriers to the success and widespread adoption of high performance green building practices. This study focused on the real estate appraisal industry's role in determining the value of properties with green features. The...

The purpose of this study was to address three primary questions, (1) What role does the conceptualization of place play between cultures and generations within The Dalles, Oregon; (2) How has colonization, migration and interscalar relationships with place--from the local to global--challenged and changed the way in which education and youth leadership activities can and should be implemented in The Dalles community; and (3) Within the diverse histories...

This project explores collaborative efforts involving the United States Forest Service and the communities it serves. By contributing to our understanding leadership dynamics within collaborative groups in this setting, this project provides resource managers and communities with a more refined insight into how collaborative groups are maintained or improved over time. A survey was developed and delivered to "leaders" within selected collaborative...

This study describes exploratory qualitative research of North Carolina certified environmental educators' conceptualizations of sustainability within their educational context. In general, environmental educators' perceptions of sustainability have been under-researched. Based on a naturalistic inquiry model, the study employed an Internet-based questionnaire followed by a series of semi-structured interviews and discussion groups to gain insights...

This dissertation addresses social justice aspects of sustainability education, seeking to problematize the seeming resistance many of us have to partnering across "difference" (be it cultural, ideological, structural, etc.). The question posed was: What internalized characteristics and externalized communicative capacities help diverse groups to partner in working toward ecosociocultural justice, healing, & connectivity? The study's theoretical framework...