Harold Ward has a variety of research interests including: Solid Waste Management Strategies; Environmental Health; Hazardous Waste Reduction; Comprehensive; Environmental Planning; Campus Environmental Stewardship; Environmental Justice; and Urban Environmental Quality.
Also see: http://envstudies.brown.edu/Dept/people/faculty/hward/research.html
Environmental Studies and Service-Learning (ES/SL) Here are links to a survey of the current status of ES/SL generally and of our Center's work on this area. These chapters appeared in a monograph titled: Acting Locally: Concepts and Methods for Service-Learning in Environmental Studies, published by the American Association of Higher Education in 1999. I am the editor of this volume.
Watershed-Level Environmental Management - Over the past three years, as Rhode Island has attempted to decentralize some of its environmental management to the watershed level, my students and I have begun to work with non-profit watershed councils and with state and federal agencies to assist in the transition. The results of several theses in this area can be seen at: http://envstudies.brown.edu/land/. My undergraduate service-learning class also has focused on watershed-level analysis for the past several years. Reports are available from the 2001 and the 2002 classes, and the course description for the 2003 class is available.
State-level Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Our Center compiled an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions for the State of Rhode Island, and we have been active partners in the process of developing a plan for their reduction. The master's service-learning seminar in 2002 conducted feasibility studies of transportation-related strategies for emissions reductions.
Water Allocation Policies - The State of Rhode Island, influenced by a short-term but severe drought in 2001 and 2002, has begun to develop water allocation policies. I serve on the implementation team for this policy development, and two of my thesis students are working on the design of mechanisms to balance the impact of water withdrawal on natural aquatic systems and land use development.
Prevention of Childhood Lead Poisoning - I have worked with several students on this problem for a period of six years. Most recently, we have devised a method to identify housing that is likely to cause poisoning and at the other end of the spectrum, housing that is relatively safe. We also have identified owners of significant numbers of the highest risk houses and referred these names to agencies for enforcement, resulting in some settlements leading to remediation of all the housing they own.
Socially Responsible Investing - I serve as Chair of Brown's committee that advises our President on the social responsibility aspects of investing Brown's endowment. One of my thesis students is studying the role of stockholder advocacy in reducing the risk of climate change from greenhouse gas emissions.
