Focused Discussions (Asynchronous Session)
Building Conceptual Resilience in the Anthropocene: The Importance of Lateral Thinking, Neurodiversity, and Transdisciplinary Approaches View Digital Media
Focused Discussion Kara Cassidy Hall
Empirical Research has been the cornerstone of scientific research until relatively recently and transdisciplinary works have the potential for "cross pollinating" manifestations in unconventional ways. Highly accessible apps such as iNaturalist are bridging the gap between citizen scientists and researchers, allowing for data collection at an unprecedented scale with the ease of submitting a photo. The potential to invite artists and passionate amateurs to participate in dialogue around the Anthropocene are critical to unlock the true breadth of modality and resourcefulness with which we need to build resilience for the future. Ecological systems thinking is conceptually intertwined with the Anthropocene and we have to look toward networks of neurodiversity to unpack these hyperobjects the best we can: we need to invite more diverse voices into these conversations.
The Radical Potential for Urban Restoration: Expanding Conceptions of Urban Restoration Projects
Focused Discussion Morningstar Bloom
Conservation and restoration projects often fall prey to dualist notions of divisions between humanity and the environment, such that the immediacy of the restoration project at hand can obscure the ways in which we cannot achieve environmental justice without social justice. A re-conception of urban restoration projects would center the impact of these projects on our most vulnerable populations and seek to incorporate partnerships with social services, in addition to environmental organizations, at each stage of project development. Without a reconceptualization of the scope of urban restoration, low-SES and homeless communities will never benefit from the work done to reshape our built environments and seek a sustainable urban existence. We look to interactions with people experiencing homelessness who live along the Los Angeles River and among the restoration projects around Goleta and Santa Barbara to consider the unequal distribution of the human impacts of conservation- both the benefits and the potential harm and invite discussion from others interested in these issues.
Protecting Indoor Air Quality: The Growing Risk of Moisture and Gas Migration from Soil Contaminants
Focused Discussion Xia Cao
Indoor air quality is becoming an increasingly important factor to consider during the design of a building. When buildings are constructed in high water tables, brownfields, or near landfills, there is a high risk of chemical and vapor intrusion into occupied spaces. This is a widespread problem, with an estimated 47,000 waste sites across the U.S., and more than 1,700 on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Priorities List. It’s essential to have a below-ground barrier that not only stops moisture and water but also reduces or slows down the passage of liquid chemicals and vapors through the building foundation. As the construction industry continues to build larger and deeper buildings, there is an increasing probability that these barrier systems will be exposed to contaminated ground water and soils over the course of their service life. In this session we will discuss: the increasing challenges of protecting indoor air quality: how to quantify contaminant concentrations in the soil; common groundwater and surface water contaminants that can impact occupants’ health; and methodologies to estimate long-term barrier performance against moisture and contaminants.
Analysis of Social Impacts of COVID-19 on Street Food Vendors: A Case of Betul, Madhya Pradesh, India View Digital Media
Focused Discussion Aditi Parihar
The COVID-19 pandemic or coronavirus pandemic occurred due to the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In order to prevent the spread of the virus lockdowns were implemented. These lockdowns have had a serious effect on the economies of many countries. India's informal economy accounts for half of the country's overall GDP. During the COVID-19 lockdown, India's GDP dropped drastically, impacting the lives of many people. The street food vendors cover a huge area and sustain the livelihoods of millions of urban poor people. The businesses of the street food vendors were shut and till now they are recovering from the loss of income, customer and livelihood. This paper aims to analyze the social impacts of COVID-19 on street food vendors for a medium town, Betul which is located in the central state Madhya Pradesh of India. The main parameters considered are sustaining lockdown, major concerns after lockdown, the impact of government schemes and mental health for the analysis of employment and unemployment, livelihood and wealth, education and training, living, accommodation and habitat, health and physical wellbeing and mental health and wellbeing. This deductive research relies on primary data collected from surveys. The findings reveal that vendors' lives have a serious social impact due to COVID-19 and its subsequent lockdowns.
The Shift to Online Engagement: Exploring Online Engagement Platforms View Digital Media
Focused Discussion Rebecca Poschmann
Public participation brings people together to discuss common themes or issues that may be impacting them (Arnstein, 2019; Richards & Dalbey, 2006; Rowe & Frewer, 2004). For successful participation to take place, open lines of communication need to be established to allow for conversations between the public and the decision maker (Richards & Dalbey, 2006). It also requires dynamic structures including multiple participatory methods to produce effective feedback (Tritter & McCallum, 2006). What these lines of communication and dynamic structures look like have drastically changed all in one year. Prior to 2020, most public engagement sessions were held in person as this allowed the public to connect with subject matter experts and engage with the people who could initiate the changes they were suggesting. However, in 2020 the ability to bring people together in a common space disappeared while the online rooms appeared. With platforms such as Zoom and Bang the Table® making it possible for “in person” meetings to continue, have they allowed for effective public engagement to take place? The presentation will explore the tools that are available for online engagement and discuss what is missing to allow for impactful engagement. There are many proponents to a public engagement session and now that the world is well versed on hosting discussions in the online world, will online public engagement continue to be a tool that is utilized for all engagement sessions or will we revert back to the past methods of meeting in person?
