Environmental Studies

Persephone on a Warming Planet

John Elder, Professor Emeritus of English and Environmental Studies at Middlebury College

This talk will explore the timeliness of the myth of Persephone in our era of global warming, and will also reflect more broadly about how the Western tradition’s deep cultural resources may be brought into play at this moment of ecological and spiritual crisis.

Pipelines, Pipedreams & ‘Sovereignty by the Barrel’: Tribal Nations as Environmental Stewards of the Natural World

N. Bruce Duthu, Samson Occom Professor of Native American Studies, Dartmouth College

This talk will examine the role of tribal governments as participants in the nation’s regime of environmental federalism. In the process, we’ll examine instances where environmentalism clashes with economic development in Indian Country.

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Presentations

Seminar Theme: A Holistic Exploration of Vermont’s Dairy Industry

Project Topics:
• water quality and farm management practices
• viability of biomethane digesters
• complex labor and immigration issues
• generational farm transitions

Project Partners:
VT Department of Environmental Conservation, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, UVM-Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Migrant Justice, and Green Mountain Power

Getting Energy Use Down to a (Social) Science: Advancing Energy Efficiency through Research-Based Behavioral Techniques Kira Ashby, Senior Program Manager, Behavior, Consortium for Energy Efficiency Human behavior plays a key role in whether energy efficient equipment is installed and how much energy is used in a given home or office. Yet, for many reasons, people often don’t make the most energy efficient choices.

If Perpetual is not Forever: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in Land Conservation Jessica E. Jay, Land Conservation Attorney and Law Professor As the use of perpetual conservation easements to protect private property continues to grow in popularity, so grow the challenges and opportunities associated with these perpetually binding promises. Today’s conservation community faces significant challenges to the durability and flexibility of perpetual conservation easements as a result of changing conditions, landscapes, climate, and public interests.

A Scientist’s View of Climate Change as a Moral Issue Curt Stager, Author, Educator, Scientist Scientific explanations of global warming are important sources of information, but the world faith community is also providing inspiration to address its impacts on the planet, the poor, and future generations as a moral issue. Pope Francis has recently called pollution a sin and welcomed non-religious scientists as “precious allies” in the struggle to care for Creation.

America’s Snake: The Rise and Fall of the Timber Rattlesnake Ted Levin, Nature writer, recipient of the 2004 Burroughs Award During this talk Ted will be discussing his most recent book America’s Snake: The Rise and Fall of the Timber Rattlesnake. This is a book about love—but also about fear, danger, and a long history of misunderstanding.

Farmworker Food Security in the Northern Borderlands Teresa Mares, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Vermont This talk examines household food access among Latino/a dairy workers in Vermont, the majority of whom have migrated in recent years from central and southern Mexico.

Targeting Big Polluters: Understanding Activism against the Fossil Fuel Industry Johannes Urpelainen, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Columbia University For centuries, fossil fuels have played a central role in human development and the growth of the industrial society. Coal, oil, and natural gas have fueled the world economy, enabling rapid industrialization. However, fossil fuels carry a high environmental cost. In less than a decade, activism against the fossil fuel industry has exploded both in the United States and elsewhere.

“Identifying & responding to the health impacts of climate change in Vermont”  Jared Ulmer, MPH, AICP, Climate & Health Program Coordinator Vermont Department of Health