Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) conceptual design option study

Results are given of a study to explore options for the development of a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) for a future Space Station. In addition, study results will benefit the design of other facilities such as the Life Sciences Research Facility, a ground-based CELSS demonstrator, and will be useful in planning longer range missions such as a lunar base or manned Mars mission. The objectives were to develop weight and cost estimates for one CELSS module selected from a set of preliminary plant growth unit (PGU) design options. Eleven Space Station CELSS module conceptual PGU designs were reviewed, components and subsystems identified and a sensitivity analysis performed. Areas where insufficient data is available were identified and divided into the categories of biological research, engineering research, and technology development. Topics which receive significant attention are lighting systems for the PGU, the use of automation within the CELSS system, and electric power requirements. Other areas examined include plant harvesting and processing, crop mix analysis, air circulation and atmosphere contaminant flow subsystems, thermal control considerations, utility routing including accessibility and maintenance, and nutrient subsystem design

Communities towards social sustainability: A case study of La\u27akea permaculture community and Lost Valley education and event center

In this research, I explore social practices that members of two intentional communities identified as contributing positively to their experiences and the functioning of their communities. Specifically, I examined the social practices that deal with conflict resolution/prevention, the decision making processes of consensus and sociocracy, and how knowledge about these practices is shared within the ecovillage context. The intention is to present how community members develop and use these social practices to live together more harmoniously and authentically by utilizing activities and techniques to help mediate and resolve conflicts and make decisions collectively. In order to investigate these questions I traveled and lived at several different sustainability oriented communities ranging from three weeks to five months. I participated in day-to-day life at these communities and interviewed residents of the two communities I stayed at longest. Through my participation in these two communities it appeared the social practices of heart shares, check-ins, community meetings, mediations, and personal growth workshops helped to reduce conflict and foster social cohesion between community members. The insights from this research revealed how knowledge shared about these practices is done so mainly through participation. Results indicate that knowledge sharing about these practices may benefit from increased involvement of both community members and visitors, specifically, through holding events and gatherings

Interviews with May Swanson, Frank Guill, and James A. Pechin

Interviews with May Swanson, Frank Guill, and James A. Pechin. This recording is unavailable.https://scholars.fhsu.edu/sackett/1102/thumbnail.jp