All Contributions
How American Cities Can Promote Urban Agriculture
In his original plan for the city of Philadelphia, William Penn declared that every home should have ample space “for gardens or orchards or fields, that it may be a green country that will never be burnt and always be wholesome.” Before militiamen or throngs of protestors, the Boston Common...
How Developing Countries Can Address Environmental Concerns in International Investment Agreements
International investment has a substantial impact on the natural environment. In 2016 for instance, the energy sector attracted $1.7 trillion worth of investments, with two-thirds dedicated to fossil fuel power. That kind of power generation is the primary cause of air pollution, and poor air quality is linked to an...
Challenging Assumptions about the Use of Contraception by U.S. Muslim Women
Contraception is complicated. Reproductive health scholars can comfortably weigh the protective benefits of condom use compared to the convenience of intrauterine devices. However, for most people, contraception continues to be a sensitive subject not appropriate for casual conversation – and consequently many Americans lack an adequate understanding of their contraception...
Hybrid Cars Do Well in Assessments of the Environmental Impact of Urban Vehicles
Transportation uses vast amounts of energy and has a major environmental impact. As a result, rigorous assessments of the sustainability of various modes of moving people and goods are critically important. Alternative fuels and electric vehicles are two major developments that can help transportation planners reduce the detrimental environmental impact...
How Environmental Policies Can Promote Economic Growth
The Trump administration is working hard to roll back the nation’s environmental regulations on the grounds that they are an economic burden on business. But evidence from California tells a very different story. For the past half century, California has been the richest U.S. state – even as it has...
Workable Policies to Fight Climate Change and Bridge the Interests of Developing and Industrialized Countries
Not much progress has been made on climate change since it was first recognized as a danger in the 1970s, and in the years since the signing of the United Nation’s Rio Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992 global carbon dioxide emissions have increased by 60%. Why is the...
Assessing - and Reducing - Public Fear of Muslims
Presidential candidate Donald Trump waged a “tough on crime” campaign and vowed he would “make America safe” by implementing a “Muslim ban.” Soon after his inauguration President Trump followed through on his promise when he signed of Executive Order 13769, which temporarily banned individuals from seven predominantly Muslims countries from...
What Past Battles Can Teach Today's Activists Fighting Environmental Catastrophes
Antarctica has been in the news lately – for good reason. In July this year, a 5,800 kilometer-square iceberg – about the size of Delaware – broke off what is known as the “Larsen C” ice shelf. Experts fear that the ice shelf will soon collapse entirely, meeting the same...
How Interest in Science Boosts Trust in Climate Scientists
Americans’ attitudes toward scientists have become more negative in recent years, especially on the political right. Climate scientists specifically are amongst some of the least trusted scientific experts in the U.S. While most Americans think that climate scientists should have a say in shaping climate policy, many are skeptical of...
Fighting Subtle Forms of Employment Discrimination against Muslim Refugees
Despite long-standing laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or genetic information – discrimination against legal immigrants persists. New research I conducted in Utah on the employment history of people from refugee backgrounds finds that discrimination continues because employers and managers have found creative...