Sustainability: Human Factors

An expert on how societies prepare for and respond to emergencies — from pandemics to climate change — USC’s Andrew Lakoff explores how our well-being depends on the health of Earth’s ecosystems.

From displacement to respiratory illness, Angelenos without stable housing suffered disproportionately — and most residents support smarter rebuilding.

The USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute will use endowment funds established by chemists and entrepreneurs Massoud Arvanaghi ’82 and Ferial K. Arvanaghi to drive research aimed at building a more sustainable future and a healthier environment.

Organized by USC Dornsife’s Public Exchange, the USC-led California Solar Canal Initiative could transform major portions of the state’s 4,000 miles of canals into a powerful source of clean energy and water conservation.

A new USC Dornsife study finds that outdated guidelines are limiting tree growth — especially in lower-income neighborhoods — and offers a path forward.

Anyone affected by the L.A. fires can drop off or mail in soil samples for testing as part of Public Exchange’s community-focused project to assess post-fire lead contamination.

The City of Angels has long turned catastrophe into opportunity, learning lessons and rebuilding in the wake of tragedy.

The Los Angeles fires may be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. A USC expert on safety, risk reduction and complex systems calls for a blue-ribbon commission to analyze their causes.

The method is the first of its kind, reclaiming high-value materials from both the carbon fiber fabric and polymer of a material commonly used in manufacturing.

The promised ‘white gold rush’ would extract lithium alongside geothermal power production. The mineral is used in EV batteries, but even this less-polluting mining raises local health concerns according to USC Dornsife research.

In a recent study, USC and Australian researchers found that the strength of people’s convictions in climate science can weaken when they are exposed repeatedly to statements or claims that contradict their beliefs.

The grant will be used to develop a disruptive and sustainable method for upcycling ocean-bound plastic waste across Southern California waterways, and to investigate the psychology behind eco-conscious choices.

New research adds solid evidence to the suspicion that steep declines in America’s wild bee populations stem in large part from pesticide use. Saving the crucial pollinators requires new approaches to managing pesky insects, say USC Dornsife researchers.

If you come across the same piece of misinformation several times, it will start to feel familiar — and familiar information feels more true.

Scientists studying biodiversity rely on public data, but USC Dornsife researchers found that butterfly sightings on one popular online platform are skewed by personal preferences.

New technology from USC and Caltech could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the global shipping industry.

Published in the journal Climatic Change, the study is USC’s second collaboration with the U.N. Foundation aimed at improving science communications.

As climate change intensifies across the planet, attention is turning toward technologies that offer novel ways to decarbonize our economy and our atmosphere. Yet, these solutions are not without their critics, who warn about unforeseen environmental and social repercussions.

As Earth’s temperature rises due to the effects of climate change, cooling the air in our lived environments is increasingly crucial. So, how do we meet the growing demand for cooling in a manner that is sustainable, energy-efficient, and accessible to all?

A growing number of political leaders and environmentalists support a renewed investment in nuclear power. Should it be a part of the clean energy strategy?

What lessons can we learn from more than 100 years ago, when L.A.’s water was an even more hotly contested commodity than it is today?

Learn how remote work is likely to affect workers’ quality of life, the profitability of firms, and the economic geography of cities and suburbs.

Understand the history of fire in the West, including Indigenous fire practices and fire’s many environmental legacies, which is crucial to determining a more sustainable path forward.