Category: Uncategorized
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An online decision support tool to evaluate ecological weed management strategies
Weeds remain the most commonly cited concern of organic farmers. Without the benefit of synthetic herbicides, organic farmers must rely on a host of ecological weed management (EWM) practices to control weeds. Despite EWM’s ability to improve soil quality, the perceived rate of integrated EWM strategy adoption remains low. This low adoption is likely a…
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Most Michigan residents are concerned about Line 5 spilling into Mackinac Straits
On Friday, February 22nd, Grant Gunn and I, colleagues on an IPPSR MAPPR grant looking at the Line 5 underwater oil pipeline, spoke with Arnold Weinfeld and Charles Ballard on WKAR’s MSU Today with Russ White Podcast. Hear what we had to say and read about work here. You can also download the MSU Today…
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Do people disagree with themselves?
It is commonly accepted that people disagree with one another. In this article, my colleagues and I present results that suggest people may disagree with themselves. Using eight decision-making contexts ranging in familiarity, complexity, and risk, we show that a nationally representative sample (n = 1874) of respondents made choices that were inconsistent across two complimentary methods…
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Exploring landowners’ post-construction changes in perceptions of wind energy in Michigan
Researchers have suggested that residents’ acceptance of wind turbines follow a U-shaped curve over time, starting with generally positive attitudes about wind energy, dipping once a project is proposed, and then rebounding after construction. This research considers how residents’ perceptions of the benefits and negative impacts of wind turbines shift post-construction by surveying the same…
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A Great Lakes pipeline dispute points to a broader energy dilemma
A deal involving an aging oil pipeline in Michigan reflects the complex decisions communities across the country must make to balance energy, safety and climate change. Read more on the ConversationUS
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Outdoor News: “Deer ‘stakeholders’ group does due diligence
I couldn’t be happier to read Steve Pollick’s review of the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s deer stakeholder process. It was a lot of time and energy spent not only by the ODW, but also by the stakeholders who attended five meetings spread out over a year. These individuals were fully committed to the process and…
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The Global Climate Action Summit a missed opportunity?
Last week’s 2018 Global Climate Action Summit provided an opportunity for corporate executives and politicians from around the world to gather in San Francisco and announce, to considerable fanfare, their new carbon mitigation targets. Initiated by Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) immediately following Trump’s announcement that the US would withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, the…
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Deer Stakeholder Engagement Process: Informing the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Wildlife 10-year Deer Management Plan: Final Report
Beginning in the fall of 2016, the Ohio Division of Wildlife began a 1.5 year deliberative stakeholder engagement process aimed at informing their 10-year deer management plan. Then at OSU, myself and Jeremy Bruskotter, an Associate Professor at OSU, helped facilitate that process. Attached is the final report describing the process, its results and our…
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In the weeds: distinguishing organic farmers who want information about ecological weed management from those who need it
The benefits of farming organically in the USA are increasingly known; however, organic farmers also encounter considerable risks, especially from weeds. Without herbicides, organic farmers can rely only on crop rotations, mechanical cultivation, manual weeding, beneficial insects and other cultural practices, termed ecological weed management (EWM), to control weeds. Despite promising results and the many…
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Engaging attribute tradeoffs in clean energy portfolio development
Governments and privately-held utilities will have to drastically reduce their carbon emissions to mitigate climate change. Such reductions will require transitioning electrical infrastructure to rely on cleaner fuels and power-generation technologies. Despite the myriad factors influencing both the process and eventual outcome of these transitions, it is typically transitions’ cost and individuals’ willingness to pay…
Energy Values Lab 