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• 201. [Article] Climate change and climate variability: personal motivation for adaptation and mitigation

  Background: Global climate change impacts on human and natural systems are predicted to be severe, far reaching, and to affect the most physically and economically vulnerable disproportionately. Society ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Climate change and climate variability: personal motivation for adaptation and mitigation Author: George, Linda Acha, Ploubidis, George B., Semenza, Jan C. Year: 2011 Background: Global climate change impacts on human and natural systems are predicted to be severe, far reaching, and to affect the most physically and economically vulnerable disproportionately. Society can respond to these threats through two strategies: mitigation and adaptation. Industry, commerce, and government play indispensable roles in these actions but so do individuals, if they are receptive to behavior change. We explored whether the health frame can be used as a context to motivate behavioral reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation measures. Methods: In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in the United States using random digit dialing. Personal relevance of climate change from health threats was explored with the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a conceptual frame and analyzed through logistic regressions and path analysis. Results: Of 771 individuals surveyed, 81% (n = 622) acknowledged that climate change was occurring, and were aware of the associated ecologic and human health risks. Respondents reported reduced energy consumption if they believed climate change could affect their way of life (perceived susceptibility), Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.4 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.4 - 4.0), endanger their life (perceived severity), OR = 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1 - 3.1), or saw serious barriers to protecting themselves from climate change, OR = 2.1 (95% CI: 1.2 - 3.5). Perceived susceptibility had the strongest effect on reduced energy consumption, either directly or indirectly via perceived severity. Those that reported having the necessary information to prepare for climate change impacts were more likely to have an emergency kit OR = 2.1 (95% CI: 1.4 - 3.1) or plan, OR = 2.2 (95% CI: 1.5 -3.2) for their household, but also saw serious barriers to protecting themselves from climate change or climate variability, either by having an emergency kit OR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1 - 2.4) or an emergency plan OR = 1.5 (95%CI: 1.0 - 2.2). Conclusions: Motivation for voluntary mitigation is mostly dependent on perceived susceptibility to threats and severity of climate change or climate variability impacts, whereas adaptation is largely dependent on the availability of information relevant to climate change. Thus, the climate change discourse could be framed from a health perspective to motivate behaviour change. Title: Climate change and climate variability: personal motivation for adaptation and mitigation Author: George, Linda Acha, Ploubidis, George B., Semenza, Jan C. Year: 2011 Background: Global climate change impacts on human and natural systems are predicted to be severe, far reaching, and to affect the most physically and economically vulnerable disproportionately. Society can respond to these threats through two strategies: mitigation and adaptation. Industry, commerce, and government play indispensable roles in these actions but so do individuals, if they are receptive to behavior change. We explored whether the health frame can be used as a context to motivate behavioral reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation measures. Methods: In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in the United States using random digit dialing. Personal relevance of climate change from health threats was explored with the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a conceptual frame and analyzed through logistic regressions and path analysis. Results: Of 771 individuals surveyed, 81% (n = 622) acknowledged that climate change was occurring, and were aware of the associated ecologic and human health risks. Respondents reported reduced energy consumption if they believed climate change could affect their way of life (perceived susceptibility), Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.4 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.4 - 4.0), endanger their life (perceived severity), OR = 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1 - 3.1), or saw serious barriers to protecting themselves from climate change, OR = 2.1 (95% CI: 1.2 - 3.5). Perceived susceptibility had the strongest effect on reduced energy consumption, either directly or indirectly via perceived severity. Those that reported having the necessary information to prepare for climate change impacts were more likely to have an emergency kit OR = 2.1 (95% CI: 1.4 - 3.1) or plan, OR = 2.2 (95% CI: 1.5 -3.2) for their household, but also saw serious barriers to protecting themselves from climate change or climate variability, either by having an emergency kit OR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1 - 2.4) or an emergency plan OR = 1.5 (95%CI: 1.0 - 2.2). Conclusions: Motivation for voluntary mitigation is mostly dependent on perceived susceptibility to threats and severity of climate change or climate variability impacts, whereas adaptation is largely dependent on the availability of information relevant to climate change. Thus, the climate change discourse could be framed from a health perspective to motivate behaviour change. Close

• 202. [Article] Examining Generational and Gender Differences in Parent-Young Adult Child Relationships During Co-residence

  Young adults of the twenty-first century face a long path to adulthood marked by uncertainty and lack of stability. In response, young adults are heading back to or failing to leave their family homes ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Examining Generational and Gender Differences in Parent-Young Adult Child Relationships During Co-residence Author: Ferguson, Lauren Elizabeth Year: 2016 Young adults of the twenty-first century face a long path to adulthood marked by uncertainty and lack of stability. In response, young adults are heading back to or failing to leave their family homes in higher numbers than generations before (Jacobsen and Mather 2011; Qian 2012). These macro-level trends bring about questions about their impact on family relationships as well as how these relationships have evolved over time. My thesis investigates parent-child relationships during co-residence with a specific focus on generation and gender differences. Through secondary data analysis of the National Survey of Families and Households, I explore how parent-child relationships during co-residence differ between parents of Generation Xer young adults (born between 1965-1980) and Millennial young adults (born between 1981-1996). Additionally, I examine gender differences between these two generational cohorts. My findings offer support that intergenerational relationships are not necessary closer, but look different for parents of Millennials as compared to Generation Xers. I also find that there are significant gender differences between mothers and fathers of Generation Xers versus those of Millennials. I find that mothers of Generation Xers report more time shared with co-residing young adults and increased frequency of perceived emotional support from their child than fathers; yet, fathers of Millennials report more perceived support than mothers. I suggest these findings offer support for the notion that gendered roles play out into young adulthood and potentially have more flexibility for fathers across time. As the economic and social landscape continues to change and present more uncertainty, family relationships become a form of social security; thus it becomes increasingly important to understand these dynamics. My findings are significant as they contribute to a better understanding of parent-child relationships over time and offer discussion on the potential implications. Title: Examining Generational and Gender Differences in Parent-Young Adult Child Relationships During Co-residence Author: Ferguson, Lauren Elizabeth Year: 2016 Young adults of the twenty-first century face a long path to adulthood marked by uncertainty and lack of stability. In response, young adults are heading back to or failing to leave their family homes in higher numbers than generations before (Jacobsen and Mather 2011; Qian 2012). These macro-level trends bring about questions about their impact on family relationships as well as how these relationships have evolved over time. My thesis investigates parent-child relationships during co-residence with a specific focus on generation and gender differences. Through secondary data analysis of the National Survey of Families and Households, I explore how parent-child relationships during co-residence differ between parents of Generation Xer young adults (born between 1965-1980) and Millennial young adults (born between 1981-1996). Additionally, I examine gender differences between these two generational cohorts. My findings offer support that intergenerational relationships are not necessary closer, but look different for parents of Millennials as compared to Generation Xers. I also find that there are significant gender differences between mothers and fathers of Generation Xers versus those of Millennials. I find that mothers of Generation Xers report more time shared with co-residing young adults and increased frequency of perceived emotional support from their child than fathers; yet, fathers of Millennials report more perceived support than mothers. I suggest these findings offer support for the notion that gendered roles play out into young adulthood and potentially have more flexibility for fathers across time. As the economic and social landscape continues to change and present more uncertainty, family relationships become a form of social security; thus it becomes increasingly important to understand these dynamics. My findings are significant as they contribute to a better understanding of parent-child relationships over time and offer discussion on the potential implications. Close

• 203. [Article] Evaluation of Smart Home Hubs

  A smart home hub is a hardware device that connects the devices on a home automation network and controls communications among them. The devices on a home automation or smart home network might include ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Evaluation of Smart Home Hubs Author: Alzahrani, Ahmed, Alshamlani, Majed, Hsu, Wei-Chen, Harish, Shreyas Year: 2017 A smart home hub is a hardware device that connects the devices on a home automation network and controls communications among them. The devices on a home automation or smart home network might include thermostats, light bulbs, wall outlets and switches, door locks, energy monitors, window coverings, appliances, motion sensors, etc. With a smart hub, all of these smart devices can be controlled using a single app. In spite of being very useful devices, smart hubs have their limitations. Certain smart hubs are only compatible with certain smart devices, whereas others support a limited number of languages. Some operate well only over a short distance (about 15 feet). Some hubs support more smart devices than others, while certain hubs can connect to more devices simultaneously than others. These limitations present a question to consumers as to which smart hub will best suit their needs. This project proposes a hierarchical decision model (HDM) to help consumers decide which smart hub alternative is best for them, based on their needs. The HDM is coupled with a pairwise comparison method in order to evaluate all possible alternatives. The model incorporates various criteria for smart hubs such as range of operation, communication protocols supported, number of devices supported, etc for various smart hubs available in today's market, thus providing the consumer with the right information and feedback needed to purchase the smart hub that suits him/her best. Four alternatives for smart hubs were used in this model, namely Samsung SmartThings, VeraSecure, Wink2 and Securifi Almond 3. Rankings were assigned to these alternatives based on experts’ opinions used in the HDM. Results concluded that the SamsungSmartThings is the best alternative for the model used, followed by Wink2 and Securifi Almond 3. This indicated that initial cost, number of protocols supported by the hub and ease of use were the most important criteria considered to achieve the desired objective of selecting the appropriate smart hub. Title: Evaluation of Smart Home Hubs Author: Alzahrani, Ahmed, Alshamlani, Majed, Hsu, Wei-Chen, Harish, Shreyas Year: 2017 A smart home hub is a hardware device that connects the devices on a home automation network and controls communications among them. The devices on a home automation or smart home network might include thermostats, light bulbs, wall outlets and switches, door locks, energy monitors, window coverings, appliances, motion sensors, etc. With a smart hub, all of these smart devices can be controlled using a single app. In spite of being very useful devices, smart hubs have their limitations. Certain smart hubs are only compatible with certain smart devices, whereas others support a limited number of languages. Some operate well only over a short distance (about 15 feet). Some hubs support more smart devices than others, while certain hubs can connect to more devices simultaneously than others. These limitations present a question to consumers as to which smart hub will best suit their needs. This project proposes a hierarchical decision model (HDM) to help consumers decide which smart hub alternative is best for them, based on their needs. The HDM is coupled with a pairwise comparison method in order to evaluate all possible alternatives. The model incorporates various criteria for smart hubs such as range of operation, communication protocols supported, number of devices supported, etc for various smart hubs available in today's market, thus providing the consumer with the right information and feedback needed to purchase the smart hub that suits him/her best. Four alternatives for smart hubs were used in this model, namely Samsung SmartThings, VeraSecure, Wink2 and Securifi Almond 3. Rankings were assigned to these alternatives based on experts’ opinions used in the HDM. Results concluded that the SamsungSmartThings is the best alternative for the model used, followed by Wink2 and Securifi Almond 3. This indicated that initial cost, number of protocols supported by the hub and ease of use were the most important criteria considered to achieve the desired objective of selecting the appropriate smart hub. Close

• 204. [Article] Do Forest Commons Contribute to International Environmental Initiatives? A Socio-Ecological Analysis of Nepalese Forest Commons in view of REDD+

  Forests in developing countries have the potential to contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity and support the livelihoods of rural, local people. Approximately one-fourth ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Do Forest Commons Contribute to International Environmental Initiatives? A Socio-Ecological Analysis of Nepalese Forest Commons in view of REDD+ Author: Luintel, Harisharan Year: 2016 Forests in developing countries have the potential to contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity and support the livelihoods of rural, local people. Approximately one-fourth of such forests are under the control of local communities, which primarily manage forests for subsistence and to meet their livelihood needs. The trend of bottom-up community control is increasing through the adoption of decentralization reforms over the last 40 years. In contrast, the United Nations has introduced the top-down program, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) for the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon and the sustainable management of forest in developing countries. REDD+ incentivizes forest-managing communities to sequester carbon and reduce emissions. REDD+ has created hope for managing forests to mitigate climate change and has created fear that the new initiative may not be effective and may not ensure continuing forest-managing community benefits. However, little research has been conducted to answer these concerns. By taking nationally representative data from Nepalese community-managed forests (“forest commons"), I bring insights into whether and how these forests can contribute to REDD+ initiatives, particularly as they relate to carbon sequestration, biodiversity, equity in benefit sharing and collective action. My results indicated the highly variable carbon and biodiversity in the forest plots across the country, depicting the availability of space for additional growth in carbon storage and biodiversity conservation. My results also reflect the complex and varied relationships of carbon with different indices of biodiversity at the national level, across geographic and topographic regions, and in forests with varying canopy covers. Weak positive relationships between carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation indicate the possibility of synergies between carbon-forestry and biodiversity conservation. I also found that the formal community forestry program (CFP) has clearly positive impacts on biodiversity conservation and household-level equity in benefit sharing and a negative impact on carbon sequestration at the national level. However, disaggregated results of impacts of CFP on biodiversity, carbon and equity across geography, topography, forest quality and social groups display mixed results i.e., either positive or negative or neutral. I also identified that different drivers of collective action have different (i.e., positive, neutral, and negative) associations with carbon sequestration, which either supports or challenges established knowledge. In aggregate, my research indicates the potential of contribution by forest commons, and specially the CFP, to global environmental initiatives such as REDD+. It suggests that targeted, dedicated policies and programs to increase carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation and foster equity and collective actions are critical. In addition, my results also contribute to the growing literature on socio-ecological implications of forest commons that demonstrated the need of interdisciplinary research to understand human-nature relationships in the changing context. Title: Do Forest Commons Contribute to International Environmental Initiatives? A Socio-Ecological Analysis of Nepalese Forest Commons in view of REDD+ Author: Luintel, Harisharan Year: 2016 Forests in developing countries have the potential to contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity and support the livelihoods of rural, local people. Approximately one-fourth of such forests are under the control of local communities, which primarily manage forests for subsistence and to meet their livelihood needs. The trend of bottom-up community control is increasing through the adoption of decentralization reforms over the last 40 years. In contrast, the United Nations has introduced the top-down program, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) for the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon and the sustainable management of forest in developing countries. REDD+ incentivizes forest-managing communities to sequester carbon and reduce emissions. REDD+ has created hope for managing forests to mitigate climate change and has created fear that the new initiative may not be effective and may not ensure continuing forest-managing community benefits. However, little research has been conducted to answer these concerns. By taking nationally representative data from Nepalese community-managed forests (“forest commons"), I bring insights into whether and how these forests can contribute to REDD+ initiatives, particularly as they relate to carbon sequestration, biodiversity, equity in benefit sharing and collective action. My results indicated the highly variable carbon and biodiversity in the forest plots across the country, depicting the availability of space for additional growth in carbon storage and biodiversity conservation. My results also reflect the complex and varied relationships of carbon with different indices of biodiversity at the national level, across geographic and topographic regions, and in forests with varying canopy covers. Weak positive relationships between carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation indicate the possibility of synergies between carbon-forestry and biodiversity conservation. I also found that the formal community forestry program (CFP) has clearly positive impacts on biodiversity conservation and household-level equity in benefit sharing and a negative impact on carbon sequestration at the national level. However, disaggregated results of impacts of CFP on biodiversity, carbon and equity across geography, topography, forest quality and social groups display mixed results i.e., either positive or negative or neutral. I also identified that different drivers of collective action have different (i.e., positive, neutral, and negative) associations with carbon sequestration, which either supports or challenges established knowledge. In aggregate, my research indicates the potential of contribution by forest commons, and specially the CFP, to global environmental initiatives such as REDD+. It suggests that targeted, dedicated policies and programs to increase carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation and foster equity and collective actions are critical. In addition, my results also contribute to the growing literature on socio-ecological implications of forest commons that demonstrated the need of interdisciplinary research to understand human-nature relationships in the changing context. Close

• 205. [Article] Behavioral Perspectives on Home Energy Audits: The Role of Auditors, Labels, Reports, and Audit Tools on Homeowner Decision-Making

  Our study focused on the perspective of homeowner decision-making in response to home energy audits, combined with attention to the quality of the recommendations that homeowners receive, as well as the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Behavioral Perspectives on Home Energy Audits: The Role of Auditors, Labels, Reports, and Audit Tools on Homeowner Decision-Making Author: Ingle, Aaron, Moezzi, Mithra, Lutzenhiser, Loren, Hathaway, Zachary Lawrence, Lutzenhiser, Susan, Van Clock, Joe, Peters, Jane, Smith, Rebecca, Heslam, David, Diamond, Rick Year: 2012 Our study focused on the perspective of homeowner decision-making in response to home energy audits, combined with attention to the quality of the recommendations that homeowners receive, as well as the perspectives of some key industry actors on auditing and home energy labels. Unlike a program evaluation, the research was not designed to answer detailed questions about program effectiveness in terms of costs, savings, or process, nor was it designed to provide direct answers to questions of how to get people to do more audits or more retrofits. Rather it “steps back” toward a better understanding of more basic questions about what audits provide and what homeowners seem to want, for the case of one particular program that we expect has parallels to many others. In this report, we present the results of a study for the U.S. Department of Energy, applied to an existing home energy audit program and pilot offered by Seattle City Light, the electric utility for the City of Seattle. Portland State University, Research Into Action, and Earth Advantage Institute worked together with Seattle City Light and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to complete the research project. From mid-2010 to late 2011, approximately 1,350 home energy audits were completed in Seattle as part of Seattle City Light’s program. These audits, and the homeowners who received them, are the subject of our report. The research reported here was designed to advance the field’s knowledge on what homeowners want and get from home energy audits. It did so by simultaneously studying multiple dimensions of these audits, including: physical characteristics of the houses audited, the energy use estimates and upgrade recommendations these audits offered to homeowners, actual energy use data, self-reported retrofit activity and energy use behaviors, physical assessment of the quality of the retrofits undertaken, viewpoints of both auditors and realtors on various key program elements, and—centrally in tying these streams together—homeowner motivations and reactions to the audits, what they consequently changed, and what they thought about the results. These data were used to address gaps in knowledge about home energy efficiency upgrades and audits, including: Homeowner decision-making processes in planning and undertaking energy retrofits, reactions to home energy performance scores, and satisfaction with the audits performed; Differences and similarities between home energy assessment and retrofit recommendation tools; Importance of household energy behaviors relative to house-and equipment-based assessments of home energy performance and upgrade recommendations; and Industry views on the current and potential future use, and usefulness, of home energy performance ratings in general Title: Behavioral Perspectives on Home Energy Audits: The Role of Auditors, Labels, Reports, and Audit Tools on Homeowner Decision-Making Author: Ingle, Aaron, Moezzi, Mithra, Lutzenhiser, Loren, Hathaway, Zachary Lawrence, Lutzenhiser, Susan, Van Clock, Joe, Peters, Jane, Smith, Rebecca, Heslam, David, Diamond, Rick Year: 2012 Our study focused on the perspective of homeowner decision-making in response to home energy audits, combined with attention to the quality of the recommendations that homeowners receive, as well as the perspectives of some key industry actors on auditing and home energy labels. Unlike a program evaluation, the research was not designed to answer detailed questions about program effectiveness in terms of costs, savings, or process, nor was it designed to provide direct answers to questions of how to get people to do more audits or more retrofits. Rather it “steps back” toward a better understanding of more basic questions about what audits provide and what homeowners seem to want, for the case of one particular program that we expect has parallels to many others. In this report, we present the results of a study for the U.S. Department of Energy, applied to an existing home energy audit program and pilot offered by Seattle City Light, the electric utility for the City of Seattle. Portland State University, Research Into Action, and Earth Advantage Institute worked together with Seattle City Light and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to complete the research project. From mid-2010 to late 2011, approximately 1,350 home energy audits were completed in Seattle as part of Seattle City Light’s program. These audits, and the homeowners who received them, are the subject of our report. The research reported here was designed to advance the field’s knowledge on what homeowners want and get from home energy audits. It did so by simultaneously studying multiple dimensions of these audits, including: physical characteristics of the houses audited, the energy use estimates and upgrade recommendations these audits offered to homeowners, actual energy use data, self-reported retrofit activity and energy use behaviors, physical assessment of the quality of the retrofits undertaken, viewpoints of both auditors and realtors on various key program elements, and—centrally in tying these streams together—homeowner motivations and reactions to the audits, what they consequently changed, and what they thought about the results. These data were used to address gaps in knowledge about home energy efficiency upgrades and audits, including: Homeowner decision-making processes in planning and undertaking energy retrofits, reactions to home energy performance scores, and satisfaction with the audits performed; Differences and similarities between home energy assessment and retrofit recommendation tools; Importance of household energy behaviors relative to house-and equipment-based assessments of home energy performance and upgrade recommendations; and Industry views on the current and potential future use, and usefulness, of home energy performance ratings in general Close

• 206. [Article] Proving Sustainability: The International Development Monitoring Initiative

  Nearly a billion people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, two billion have inadequate sanitation facilities, three billion use biomass for their daily energy needs and nearly half the world's ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Proving Sustainability: The International Development Monitoring Initiative Author: Thomas, Evan A., Zumr, Zdenek Year: 2011 Nearly a billion people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, two billion have inadequate sanitation facilities, three billion use biomass for their daily energy needs and nearly half the world's population live in rural isolation, lacking access to the most basic human services. Combined, these limitations are a leading cause of the perpetuating cycle of poverty and political insecurity. Meanwhile, the majority of international development agencies are responsible for self-reporting project outcomes. At best, expert spot-checks are conducted in the field occasionally. These results tend to show individual project success, while meta- surveys indicate on-going challenges in the sector. This disconnect may be addressed through independent data monitoring technologies that provide objective data on system performance and use and can be used to demonstrate success and identify project weaknesses. By demonstrating which technologies and programs are truly successful, these successes can be targeted for scaling, through savings realized by eliminating unsuccessful approaches. This will benefit developing communities by providing proven and accountable programs. The Sustainable Water, Energy and Environmental Technologies Laboratory, the SWEETLab?, at Portland State University is working with partners to demonstrate this concept across several applications and countries. The SWEETSense? technology can provide objective, qualitative and continuous operational data on the usage and performance of programs across a range of sectors and communities. The data is then directly integrated into SWEETData?, an internet database presenting summary statistics on performance and usage of the monitored technologies to front-end users. The SWEETLab? is currently demonstrating this concept in water, sanitation, household energy and rural infrastructure programs with diverse partners including Mercy Corps, the Lemelson Foundation, Bridges to P- osperity, Manna Energy Limited and Vestergaard Frandsen, in several countries including Indonesia, Haiti, Guatemala and Rwanda. Remote monitoring systems are an innovative method to ensure the success of appropriate technology projects. Rather than infrequent engagement, remote monitoring systems ensure that community partnerships are maintained through continuous monitoring. This approach seeks to raise the quality and accountability of these projects internationally. Title: Proving Sustainability: The International Development Monitoring Initiative Author: Thomas, Evan A., Zumr, Zdenek Year: 2011 Nearly a billion people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, two billion have inadequate sanitation facilities, three billion use biomass for their daily energy needs and nearly half the world's population live in rural isolation, lacking access to the most basic human services. Combined, these limitations are a leading cause of the perpetuating cycle of poverty and political insecurity. Meanwhile, the majority of international development agencies are responsible for self-reporting project outcomes. At best, expert spot-checks are conducted in the field occasionally. These results tend to show individual project success, while meta- surveys indicate on-going challenges in the sector. This disconnect may be addressed through independent data monitoring technologies that provide objective data on system performance and use and can be used to demonstrate success and identify project weaknesses. By demonstrating which technologies and programs are truly successful, these successes can be targeted for scaling, through savings realized by eliminating unsuccessful approaches. This will benefit developing communities by providing proven and accountable programs. The Sustainable Water, Energy and Environmental Technologies Laboratory, the SWEETLab?, at Portland State University is working with partners to demonstrate this concept across several applications and countries. The SWEETSense? technology can provide objective, qualitative and continuous operational data on the usage and performance of programs across a range of sectors and communities. The data is then directly integrated into SWEETData?, an internet database presenting summary statistics on performance and usage of the monitored technologies to front-end users. The SWEETLab? is currently demonstrating this concept in water, sanitation, household energy and rural infrastructure programs with diverse partners including Mercy Corps, the Lemelson Foundation, Bridges to P- osperity, Manna Energy Limited and Vestergaard Frandsen, in several countries including Indonesia, Haiti, Guatemala and Rwanda. Remote monitoring systems are an innovative method to ensure the success of appropriate technology projects. Rather than infrequent engagement, remote monitoring systems ensure that community partnerships are maintained through continuous monitoring. This approach seeks to raise the quality and accountability of these projects internationally. Close

• 207. [Article] Designing More Effective Air Quality Advisories

  Background: There is increasing concern about the impact of air quality on human health in urban environments and how to best reduce impacts through public policies. An NSF Biocomplexity Project - "Feedbacks ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Designing More Effective Air Quality Advisories Author: Olexy, Justin Year: 2008 Background: There is increasing concern about the impact of air quality on human health in urban environments and how to best reduce impacts through public policies. An NSF Biocomplexity Project - "Feedbacks between Urban Systems and the Environment" (FUSE), led by Portland State University, studies the human feedbacks and responses to air quality and heat advisories through data collected in city-wide phone surveys in Portland, OR and Houston, TX. On days when ozone levels are predicted to exceed air quality standards, regulatory agencies issue air quality advisories which ask residents to reduce certain air polluting behaviors such as driving and lawn mowing. However, there have been very few studies of the effectiveness of these systems. Previous work documented that in both Portland and Houston, around ~10% of the population respond to voluntary advisories (Semenza et. al, 2008). In the testbed cities, the survey also asked respondents questions about their personal emissions-related behavior such as driving, mowing, use of household products, etc., as well as how that behavior was effected by an air quality advisory. Objectives: In this project, the survey data is used to accomplish three major tasks. Firstly, to estimate emissions based on the survey responses. For example, estimating VOC emissions based on reported mowing behavior (size of lawn, frequency of mowing, and type of mower). Secondly, to compare reported behavior during normal days to behavior during air advisory days. And finally, to compare the emissions estimates to demographic data (such as population density) to find any trends. For example, can variations in emission patterns be predicted using a demographic characteristic such as housing density? Currently the EPA and the Oregon DEQ estimate many types of emissions on a per capita basis. These per capita emissions numbers are generally not adjusted for any local demographic information. One additional use of this research could be to improve current emissions estimation methods. Methods: Survey responses to questions about emissions related behavior were used as activity factors in emissions calculations. The emission estimations were then tested against demographics such as housing density. For the purpose of graphical representation, housing density was broken into four quartiles to represent four different levels of density. For statistical analysis housing density was not categorized. Results: Emissions behavior, in several cases, appears to be linked to demographic features such as housing density. Per capita lawn care hydrocarbon emissions, vehicle emissions, and several consumer product category emissions trend higher towards lower housing density in both Portland and Houston. Conclusions: The results of this research project could be used to tailor air quality advisories to better target their audience with appropriate messages, thereby more effectively improving air quality during potentially hazardous air quality conditions. Understanding demographic elements to emissions estimation could be used by environmental agencies to produce better emission estimations. Title: Designing More Effective Air Quality Advisories Author: Olexy, Justin Year: 2008 Background: There is increasing concern about the impact of air quality on human health in urban environments and how to best reduce impacts through public policies. An NSF Biocomplexity Project - "Feedbacks between Urban Systems and the Environment" (FUSE), led by Portland State University, studies the human feedbacks and responses to air quality and heat advisories through data collected in city-wide phone surveys in Portland, OR and Houston, TX. On days when ozone levels are predicted to exceed air quality standards, regulatory agencies issue air quality advisories which ask residents to reduce certain air polluting behaviors such as driving and lawn mowing. However, there have been very few studies of the effectiveness of these systems. Previous work documented that in both Portland and Houston, around ~10% of the population respond to voluntary advisories (Semenza et. al, 2008). In the testbed cities, the survey also asked respondents questions about their personal emissions-related behavior such as driving, mowing, use of household products, etc., as well as how that behavior was effected by an air quality advisory. Objectives: In this project, the survey data is used to accomplish three major tasks. Firstly, to estimate emissions based on the survey responses. For example, estimating VOC emissions based on reported mowing behavior (size of lawn, frequency of mowing, and type of mower). Secondly, to compare reported behavior during normal days to behavior during air advisory days. And finally, to compare the emissions estimates to demographic data (such as population density) to find any trends. For example, can variations in emission patterns be predicted using a demographic characteristic such as housing density? Currently the EPA and the Oregon DEQ estimate many types of emissions on a per capita basis. These per capita emissions numbers are generally not adjusted for any local demographic information. One additional use of this research could be to improve current emissions estimation methods. Methods: Survey responses to questions about emissions related behavior were used as activity factors in emissions calculations. The emission estimations were then tested against demographics such as housing density. For the purpose of graphical representation, housing density was broken into four quartiles to represent four different levels of density. For statistical analysis housing density was not categorized. Results: Emissions behavior, in several cases, appears to be linked to demographic features such as housing density. Per capita lawn care hydrocarbon emissions, vehicle emissions, and several consumer product category emissions trend higher towards lower housing density in both Portland and Houston. Conclusions: The results of this research project could be used to tailor air quality advisories to better target their audience with appropriate messages, thereby more effectively improving air quality during potentially hazardous air quality conditions. Understanding demographic elements to emissions estimation could be used by environmental agencies to produce better emission estimations. Close

• 208. [Article] Is Portland Really the Place Where Young People Go To Retire? Migration Patterns of Portland’s Young and College-Educated, 1980-2010

  For many metro areas, including Portland, being economically competitive in today’s knowledge and information economy depends on attracting and retaining young, college-­‐educated (YCE) migrants. On this ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Is Portland Really the Place Where Young People Go To Retire? Migration Patterns of Portland’s Young and College-Educated, 1980-2010 Author: Jurjevich, Jason R., Schrock, Greg Year: 2012 For many metro areas, including Portland, being economically competitive in today’s knowledge and information economy depends on attracting and retaining young, college-­‐educated (YCE) migrants. On this indicator, Portland has been most successful: since 1980, the Portland metropolitan region has attracted college-­‐educated individuals under the age of 40 at some of the country’s highest net migration rates in good economic times and bad. Though not unique to Portland, the resiliency of Portland’s migration streams, even in periods of economic uncertainty, calls attention to an increasingly selective group of YCE migrants who appear to place greater relative value on non-­‐economic factors—from political milieu to access to quality public transportation—compared to employment opportunities. This trend directly challenges a long-­‐established cornerstone of traditional migration theory suggesting that the decision to move is predicated on benefits exceeding costs, and linked to the importance of jobs and economic opportunity as attractive forces for working-­‐age households. Reading between the lines of recent media accounts, and in particular the television show Portlandia, the shift from economic to non-­‐economic factors has been portrayed in a most interesting way: because young migrants to Portland place relatively low value on work and traditional careers, their desire to exchange employment opportunities for quality of life (amenity) factors indeed makes Portland the city “where young people go to retire.” The question is: in the short and long-­‐term, how sustainable is Portland’s trend of attracting and retaining YCE migrants if labor market outcomes continue to remain worse compared to other metro areas? What are the facts? In this paper we draw upon U.S. Census Bureau data from the 2000 Census and more recent American Community Surveys from 2005-­‐2007 and 2008-­‐2010, to compare migration patterns in Portland to the other 50 largest U.S. metros. Title: Is Portland Really the Place Where Young People Go To Retire? Migration Patterns of Portland’s Young and College-Educated, 1980-2010 Author: Jurjevich, Jason R., Schrock, Greg Year: 2012 For many metro areas, including Portland, being economically competitive in today’s knowledge and information economy depends on attracting and retaining young, college-­‐educated (YCE) migrants. On this indicator, Portland has been most successful: since 1980, the Portland metropolitan region has attracted college-­‐educated individuals under the age of 40 at some of the country’s highest net migration rates in good economic times and bad. Though not unique to Portland, the resiliency of Portland’s migration streams, even in periods of economic uncertainty, calls attention to an increasingly selective group of YCE migrants who appear to place greater relative value on non-­‐economic factors—from political milieu to access to quality public transportation—compared to employment opportunities. This trend directly challenges a long-­‐established cornerstone of traditional migration theory suggesting that the decision to move is predicated on benefits exceeding costs, and linked to the importance of jobs and economic opportunity as attractive forces for working-­‐age households. Reading between the lines of recent media accounts, and in particular the television show Portlandia, the shift from economic to non-­‐economic factors has been portrayed in a most interesting way: because young migrants to Portland place relatively low value on work and traditional careers, their desire to exchange employment opportunities for quality of life (amenity) factors indeed makes Portland the city “where young people go to retire.” The question is: in the short and long-­‐term, how sustainable is Portland’s trend of attracting and retaining YCE migrants if labor market outcomes continue to remain worse compared to other metro areas? What are the facts? In this paper we draw upon U.S. Census Bureau data from the 2000 Census and more recent American Community Surveys from 2005-­‐2007 and 2008-­‐2010, to compare migration patterns in Portland to the other 50 largest U.S. metros. Close

• 209. [Article] Assessing Ultrasonography as a Diagnostic Tool for Porcine Cysticercosis

  Background Taenia solium inflicts substantial neurologic disease and economic losses on rural communities in many developing nations. Ring-strategy is a control intervention that targets treatment of humans ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Assessing Ultrasonography as a Diagnostic Tool for Porcine Cysticercosis Author: Flecker, Robert H., Pray, Ian W., Santivanez, Saul J., Ayvar, Viterbo, Gamboa, Ricardo, Muro, Claudio, Moyano, Luz M., Benavides, Victor, Garcia, Hector H., O'Neal, Seth E. Year: 2017 Background Taenia solium inflicts substantial neurologic disease and economic losses on rural communities in many developing nations. Ring-strategy is a control intervention that targets treatment of humans and pigs among clusters of households (rings) that surround pigs heavily infected with cysticerci. These pigs are typically identified by examining the animal's tongue for cysts. However, as prevalence decreases in intervened communities, more sensitive methods may be needed to identify these animals and to maintain control pressure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ultrasonography as an alternative method to detect pigs heavily infected with T. solium cysts. Methodology/Principal Findings We purchased 152 pigs representing all seropositive animals villagers were willing to sell from eight communities (pop. 2085) in Piura, Peru, where T. solium is endemic. Tongue and ultrasound examinations of the fore and hind-limbs were performed in these animals, followed by necropsy with fine dissection as gold standard to determine cyst burden. We compared the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography with tongue examination for their ability to detect heavy infection (> 100 viable cysts) in pigs. Compared to tongue examination, ultrasonography was more sensitive (100% vs. 91%) but less specific (90% vs. 98%), although these differences were not statistically significant. The greater sensitivity of ultrasound resulted in detection of one additional heavily infected pig compared to tongue examination (11/11 vs. 10/11), but resulted in more false positives (14/141 vs. 3/141) due to poor specificity. Conclusions/Significance Ultrasonography was highly sensitive in detecting heavily infected pigs and may identify more rings for screening or treatment compared to tongue examination. However, the high false positive rate using ultrasound would result in substantial unnecessary treatment. If specificity can be improved with greater operator experience, ultrasonography may benefit ring interventions where control efforts have stalled due to inadequate sensitivity of tongue examination. Title: Assessing Ultrasonography as a Diagnostic Tool for Porcine Cysticercosis Author: Flecker, Robert H., Pray, Ian W., Santivanez, Saul J., Ayvar, Viterbo, Gamboa, Ricardo, Muro, Claudio, Moyano, Luz M., Benavides, Victor, Garcia, Hector H., O'Neal, Seth E. Year: 2017 Background Taenia solium inflicts substantial neurologic disease and economic losses on rural communities in many developing nations. Ring-strategy is a control intervention that targets treatment of humans and pigs among clusters of households (rings) that surround pigs heavily infected with cysticerci. These pigs are typically identified by examining the animal's tongue for cysts. However, as prevalence decreases in intervened communities, more sensitive methods may be needed to identify these animals and to maintain control pressure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ultrasonography as an alternative method to detect pigs heavily infected with T. solium cysts. Methodology/Principal Findings We purchased 152 pigs representing all seropositive animals villagers were willing to sell from eight communities (pop. 2085) in Piura, Peru, where T. solium is endemic. Tongue and ultrasound examinations of the fore and hind-limbs were performed in these animals, followed by necropsy with fine dissection as gold standard to determine cyst burden. We compared the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography with tongue examination for their ability to detect heavy infection (> 100 viable cysts) in pigs. Compared to tongue examination, ultrasonography was more sensitive (100% vs. 91%) but less specific (90% vs. 98%), although these differences were not statistically significant. The greater sensitivity of ultrasound resulted in detection of one additional heavily infected pig compared to tongue examination (11/11 vs. 10/11), but resulted in more false positives (14/141 vs. 3/141) due to poor specificity. Conclusions/Significance Ultrasonography was highly sensitive in detecting heavily infected pigs and may identify more rings for screening or treatment compared to tongue examination. However, the high false positive rate using ultrasound would result in substantial unnecessary treatment. If specificity can be improved with greater operator experience, ultrasonography may benefit ring interventions where control efforts have stalled due to inadequate sensitivity of tongue examination. Close

• 210. [Article] A Study on the Current State of Contaminants of Concern Research, With a Focus on Biosolids and Regulations

  Wastewater treatment plants are a major source of contaminants of emerging concern, as these facilities are the main receptors of these products via household, commercial, and industrial drains, and transport ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Study on the Current State of Contaminants of Concern Research, With a Focus on Biosolids and Regulations Author: Fulton, Maren Year: 2016 Wastewater treatment plants are a major source of contaminants of emerging concern, as these facilities are the main receptors of these products via household, commercial, and industrial drains, and transport via stormwater runoff. Biosolids are composed of numerous constituents, with a number of environmentally persistent and potentially toxic contaminants of emerging concern identified as present in large concentrations. Research is needed to understand the transport and fate mechanisms of these compounds in biosolids. Additionally, this research is needed to determine a new priority framework to regulate CECs, both on the national level and regional levels. Wastewater treatment plant influent and effluent treatment regulations and practices may be improved upon as more knowledge accrues regarding contaminants of emerging concern behavior in the environment. The United States environmental regulatory process is a constant work in progress. Inherited from decades-old public health traditions, environmental regulatory programs arose to address the issues of public health as water and air quality issues surfaced. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C. 2601), enacted in 1976, provided the EPA regulatory authority to protect the environment and consumers’ health against risks posed by chemicals in commerce. TSCA only retroactively addressed chemical hazards, after they had been deemed unsafe and previously unrestricted in the public. A bill to overhaul TSCA, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2576, TSCA Modernization Act of 2015), was passed by the Senate on June 7, 2016 and sent on for President Obama’s signature. The amended law will give the EPA new authority to evaluate the safety of a new chemical before it enters the marketplace. It will also allow EPA to evaluate the safety of chemicals already known to be risks, including chemicals found to persist in the human body and in the environment. The Columbia River is presented as a case study as an example of a significant waterbody with research and regulatory gaps concerning CECs. The Columbia River waterbody was chosen as it represents an important natural resource for which data gaps exist on CEC sources and pathways into the waterbody, and which also does not receive adequate protective regulations under the national regulatory framework. Title: A Study on the Current State of Contaminants of Concern Research, With a Focus on Biosolids and Regulations Author: Fulton, Maren Year: 2016 Wastewater treatment plants are a major source of contaminants of emerging concern, as these facilities are the main receptors of these products via household, commercial, and industrial drains, and transport via stormwater runoff. Biosolids are composed of numerous constituents, with a number of environmentally persistent and potentially toxic contaminants of emerging concern identified as present in large concentrations. Research is needed to understand the transport and fate mechanisms of these compounds in biosolids. Additionally, this research is needed to determine a new priority framework to regulate CECs, both on the national level and regional levels. Wastewater treatment plant influent and effluent treatment regulations and practices may be improved upon as more knowledge accrues regarding contaminants of emerging concern behavior in the environment. The United States environmental regulatory process is a constant work in progress. Inherited from decades-old public health traditions, environmental regulatory programs arose to address the issues of public health as water and air quality issues surfaced. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C. 2601), enacted in 1976, provided the EPA regulatory authority to protect the environment and consumers’ health against risks posed by chemicals in commerce. TSCA only retroactively addressed chemical hazards, after they had been deemed unsafe and previously unrestricted in the public. A bill to overhaul TSCA, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2576, TSCA Modernization Act of 2015), was passed by the Senate on June 7, 2016 and sent on for President Obama’s signature. The amended law will give the EPA new authority to evaluate the safety of a new chemical before it enters the marketplace. It will also allow EPA to evaluate the safety of chemicals already known to be risks, including chemicals found to persist in the human body and in the environment. The Columbia River is presented as a case study as an example of a significant waterbody with research and regulatory gaps concerning CECs. The Columbia River waterbody was chosen as it represents an important natural resource for which data gaps exist on CEC sources and pathways into the waterbody, and which also does not receive adequate protective regulations under the national regulatory framework. Close