The uphill battle of environmental technologies: Analysis of local discourses on the acceptance and resistance of Green Bin programs

Many Canadian municipalities have been looking for alternative sustainable waste management solutions since landfill capacity has been decreasing and siting new facilities often results in vehement local opposition. In Ontario, there is no provincial mandate for organic waste diversion targets, where most large-sized municipalities have implemented a Green Bin program while other jurisdictions of varying size still have not. This paper uses discourse analysis to explore predominant and counter discourses that have resulted in Guelph sustaining a Green Bin program, while London has not implemented a Green Bin. Manuscript one explores the interaction of provincial and local municipal discourses in London, Ontario in not adopting a Green Bin program. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the power of discourses in technological and environmental debates to overcome the inertia of the status quo. To examine this further, manuscript two is a comparative case study focused on two municipalities, London and Guelph each with a different approach to the management of organic waste as it relates to Green Bin. This study identified the prominent discourses that represent eco-centric positions, as found in Guelph, are more often discursively juxtaposed against economic conservatism discourses, such as in London. In this study, the discursive positions (eco-centric and conservative) are ingrained within the local municipal discourse and is highly representative of a community coherence on an environmental issue. Overall, the implications of this study find that there is an interface between community coherence and perceived risk of new technology. Such that, in the face of crisis or perceived risk, the community tends to be risk averse, prompting less risky intermediary acceptable risks to be supported

Land Use Scenarios for Scottsville, VA

Scottsville is an incorporated municipality responsible for its planning and zoning. The town has a small population and serves a larger surrounding area from the neighboring Albemarle, Buckingham, and Fluvanna Counties. As part of its comprehensive plan update, Scottsville can consider long-range planning options. Three scenarios were produced for the town of Scottsville, each representing a different development pattern and planning approach. Added dwelling units, additional retail demand, and total open green space were calculated for each scenario to compare each development approach through common metrics. Each scenario adopts a different design approach. Scenario 1 follows existing development patterns and adopts a suburban development pattern. This planning method results in low-density housing and an expansive development pattern. A moderate retail demand is produced because most land is developed at a low density. Scottsville can expect little change by following the development pattern from Scenario 1. Scenario 2 has the most significant population growth of all three scenarios, quadrupling the town’s current population. Following a cluster development pattern by implementing a planned unit development in the northern area of town limits significantly increases the town’s population, located away from currently existing development and infrastructure downtown. Retail and other uses are auto-oriented in this scenario. New development under Scenario 3 adopts a new urbanist approach. Growth is concentrated where infrastructure currently exists along the Route 20 and Route 6 corridors. Focusing future development along these corridors preserves open space and increases the town’s sense of place

The projectionist: a novel

Submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Creative Writing., July 2012XL201

Mental Health Inpatient Hospitalization and Smoking Cessation

Forty- four percent of cigarettes purchased, are by persons with serious mental illness. This population dies approximately twenty- five years earlier than the general population. In 1993, American hospitals were mandated to become smokefree. At that time, psychiatric facilities requested variances amid concerns that their patients may present adverse behaviors due to nicotine withdrawal. Within the last five years, smoking bans have become more prevalent, resulting in many psychiatric facilities adhering to a no smoking policy. The Owatonna Mental Health Unit at the Owatonna hospital currently has a variance to allow smoking breaks for their mentally ill inpatients. Research Questions: Are there adverse effects or negative behaviors among mentally ill inpatients when there is a smoking ban in psychiatric institutions? What are best practices for good outcomes for smoking cessation for mentally ill smokers