Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Institutional claims of university-community engagement in support of the public good and planning for teaching, learning, and research have largely remained in the realm of rhetoric. This thesis analyzes the 2019-2021 Trent University Lands and Nature Areas Plan and public consultation process, which at times was marked by the complete absence of consultation and at other times, wholly… more
Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The bringing together of Indigenous (IK) and Environmental science Knowledge (ESK) has garnered significant attention in environmental research. This intersection has been recognized for enhancing understanding of various contemporary environmental challenges. Despite its acknowledged importance, there remains a notable gap in understanding how these knowledge systems are brought… more
Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Akter, Mohinur, Thesis advisor (ths): Kermani, Saeid SK, Thesis advisor (ths): Zohar, Asaf AZ, Degree committee member (dgc): Guzel, Gulay GG, Degree committee member (dgc): Dart, Ray RD, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>The global shift toward sustainability has prompted brands to promote their sustainability initiatives on social media, aiming to connect with pro-environmental consumers. However, this strategy comes with risks, as social media allows for swift and widespread backlash if consumers perceive greenwashing. The present work examines the impact of social media backlash toward a brand's… more
Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The study examines the adaptive reuse of historical and heritage industrial sites in Peterborough, Ontario. Industrial-heritage sites face several challenges when being subjected to adaptive reuse. These challenges are largely concerned with the contamination of sites and how industrial buildings and sites can be transformed into reusable sites. The study adopted a qualitative research… more
Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial for reducing transportation-related emissions and achieving sustainability goals. However, a significant research gap exists regarding specific consumer groups, such as university students, and their attitudes toward EV adoption, as they represent a demographic influential in shaping future adoption patterns. This research… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Sustainable housing is crucial for immigrant settlement and integration in their host countries. This research focuses on achieving sustainable housing for one racialized immigrant group in
Toronto. A concurrent mixed-method approach, which involves simultaneous collection and analysis
of quantitative and qualitative data, was used to explore how a racialized immigrant group, like… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Faced with the intersecting environmental crises of the 21st century, conservation organizations are searching for practices that produce better, more sustainable outcomes. However, they have often relied on forms of conservation which shore up rather than disrupt settler relationships to land in the form of fortress conservation and assumptions about the human-nature dualism. In this… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The seed oil of Carapa guianensis, known as Crabwood oil (CWO) and its fractionation was studied, focussing on chemical composition and physicochemical functionality. Compounds never reported before in CWO were identified, including limonoids such as Trichillin, ketostearic and hydroxyoleic acids. Yield of olein and stearin fractions correlated strongly with solvent polarity. Important… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Ecological restoration of grassland ecosystems is increasing in scope in Ontario, as a result the demand for genetically appropriate, high-quality seeds of native plants is also
increasing. This mixed methods study characterized fitness and seed quality traits using
genetic, demographic and growth trial data for a keystone tallgrass prairie species Big
bluestem (Andropogon gerardii).… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Heated leaf extracts of Euphorbia neriifolia (sweet aloes) are used traditionally in Guyana for asthma therapy, but the phytoconstituents have not been studied and phytohormones are generally unexplored in Euphorbia species. Phytoconstituents in asthma-effective traditional heated extracts were analyzed and compared with unheated leaves and latex extracts as screens to identify candidate… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research aimed to capture the experiences of cities that have endeavored to localize the SDGs in their areas. Literature review and one-on-one interviews with SDG practitioners have been conducted to glean best practices and effective strategies to develop recommendations for how cities in Canada should plan to localize the SDGs in their areas. The research uncovered themes in… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This study used literature from the social and ecological sciences to look at the practice of seed saving in the Global North for adaptation in the face of climate change. The hypothesis is that small-scale gardeners and farmers are adapting seeds to the changing climate as they grow them, which is not the case for growers who grow only food. However seed savers face obstacles and are… more
Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Hvenegaard, Carson, Thesis advisor (ths): Bocking, Stephen, Degree committee member (dgc): Hill, Stephen, Degree committee member (dgc): Rutherford, Stephanie, Degree committee member (dgc): Zohar, Asaf, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Local environmental initiatives can create visible and essential changes and inspire greater environmental action. Municipal governments and local environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) are important local actors, but their partnerships and relationships have not received much attention. This thesis examines what activities and relationships have been developed between… more
Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Food waste (FW) disposal has negative implications for the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of communities. While some municipalities in Canada have made improvements to their FW management, others have not been successful. Considering the complexity of the issues integrated into municipal FW management (MFWM), a mixed methodological approach was used to understand the… more
Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Addressing the issue of food insecurity effectively within a region in a way where interventions reflect the variability of food insecurity levels across subgroups of the population is important. It is a unique challenge and requires specific data. This study took in this direction by conducting an exploratory statistical analysis of a community-representative dataset of Inuit Seniors… more
Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research evaluates the degree to which nutrients are included in forest management planning. First, the thesis evaluates forest management plans globally to determine the extent to which countries consider key nutrients (N, P, Ca, Mg and K) in their forest management plans. This is followed by a case study in Muskoka, Ontario, of a pilot wood ash recycling program with the goal of… more
Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The notion that food insecurity only occurs in the absence of food is prevalent in society. This perception is too narrow and insufficient to capture the diverse manifestations and experiences of food insecurity. In this thesis, I adopt a more expansive approach to examine food (in)security through the lenses of adequacy, quality, and availability of culturally relevant food. I look… more
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis explores the perceptions of human-bear interactions in Ontario, suggesting that they have been shaped by narratives that have roots in colonial perceptions of nonhuman animals. Further, I seek to consider how these interactions could unfold differently if we rethought our relationships and responsibilities to these beings, in particular through an embrace of Indigenous-led… more
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis explores the history of the Indigenous child welfare system in Manitoba and the effects of the Millennium Scoop on children in care. My research question is: what was the experience of children in care in Manitoba from 1990 to 2015? A related question is: how do survivors find healing? The thesis begins with a discussion of the history of acts, policies, and practices that… more
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Arctic ecosystems are increasingly altered by climate change, and some wildlife species, like moose, are adapting to these new conditions. Indigenous knowledge and values, such as those held by Inuit, can provide insight into adaptive wildlife management and may improve ecosystem resiliency. This thesis seeks to address the following question: What is the potential role of Indigenous… more