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  Soil Health: Regenerative and Conventional Crop Production Systems

  Silvertooth, Jeffrey C.; University of Arizona (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2026-01-20)

  This article, published in the VegIPM Newsletter (Vol. 17, No. 2), examines regenerative and conventional crop production systems, highlighting how soil health outcomes depend on management practices, climate, and cropping context, with particular emphasis on desert agricultural systems.
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  Trapped in Transit: Understanding public transport performance and user experience in La Molina

  Guevara, Claudia; College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture; Pineda, Maria Luisa; Apanovich, Nataliya; Bernal, Sandra; Pineda, Maria Luisa (The University of Arizona., 2025-12)

  This study examines how the Corredor Rojo bus service operates along Av. Javier Prado Este in La Molina can prevent long commute times by integrating user perception with lessons learned from regional public bus transportation systems. La Molina’s mobility problem is caused by its dependence on a single public transport exit route, which concentrates demand, creating delays for residents who rely on this transportation mode. Previous research on transit efficiency highlights the importance of dedicated bus infrastructure and system management that prioritize and incentivize the use of public transport; however, these elements remain limited in the current infrastructure assigned to the Corredor Rojo service, the only formal bus service in the district. Addressing this gap is essential as commuting time not only affects the efficiency of travel but affects the social equity of users who cannot transition to private transport options. Using a mix-method approach, the study combines a document review of successful medium-scale bus systems in Bogota and Chile, surveys of frequent Corredor Rojo users in La Molina, and on-site observations along Av. Javier Prado Este key node in the mentioned district. Findings indicate that overall travel time irregularities and user dissatisfaction are caused by the absence of exclusive bus lanes, insufficient enforcement of policies that prohibit invasion of private vehicles into these bus lanes, and the inadequacy of the current management system. The surveys support this as the majority of respondents indicated that their travel times were longer than expected. By comparing the existing challenges in the district with successful examples of regional bus systems, this research provides practices and strategies to improve the operation of the Corredor Rojo, such as implementing continuous exclusive lanes, strengthening enforcement mechanisms, and improving system management could significantly reduce commute times and improve equity within La Molina’s urban mobility.
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  Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Preliminary Energy-Use Analysis of Tucson Unified School District: Fiscal Year 2024

  Fink, Alyssa; Stoker, Philip; University of Arizona (2026-01-14)

  This report supports ongoing efforts to reduce climate-related impacts from Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) operations, in alignment with the district’s Climate Action and Sustainability Policy. It establishes a baseline understanding of these impacts through a greenhouse gas inventory covering FY2024, which follows guidance from The Greenhouse Gas Protocol: A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and includes emissions from seven key district activities. The report also provides a detailed assessment of energy use and costs at TUSD facilities through a preliminary building energy-use analysis conducted in accordance with ASHRAE Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits. Finally, it identifies several high-level opportunities for emissions reductions. Greenhouse gas emissions from the activities included in this report totaled 63,194 metric tons of CO₂e in FY2024. This amount is approximately equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 63,194 acres of U.S. forests, the emissions from 14,724 gas-powered passenger vehicles, or the energy used by 8,468 homes over the same time period. These emissions are associated with present and future damages with an estimated financial impact of just over $13 million. Of the seven operational activities examined, the purchase of electricity from the grid accounted for nearly two-thirds (60%) of the district’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The second-largest contributor was the disposal of refuse generated at TUSD facilities (17%), followed by on-site combustion of natural gas (11%) and district-owned transportation (8%). Among the four types of schools operated by TUSD, high schools accounted for the largest share of district greenhouse gas emissions. TUSD facilities generally used more energy per square foot than similar institutions in the same climate zone, excluding energy losses that occurred before reaching the building. The district procured electricity from on-site solar installations at 82 facilities through Solar Service Agreements, which reduced the amount of electricity purchased from the grid. Energy use per square foot varied widely across facility types, with several buildings consuming significantly more energy than is typical for TUSD and comparable institutions. Districtwide building energy use in FY2024 was approximately 10% higher than the average observed between FY2021 and FY2023. Key opportunities to reduce emissions include reducing total and peak building energy use; increasing on-site solar generation and energy storage; supporting efforts to decarbonize the electricity grid; prioritizing high-energy-use facilities; consolidating summer operations; implementing waste reduction and diversion programs; and electrifying building equipment and district-owned vehicles. Pursuing these opportunities could also support student apprenticeship programs in partnership with local building trades. To support future reduction efforts, the district should identify an optimal baseline year and clearly define and implement tracking systems for activities included within emissions reduction targets.
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  From Smoot-Hawley to the Synthetic Opioid Crisis: The United States Postal Service as a Conduit for International Fentanyl Shipments [Note]

  Sklar, Lily (The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (Tucson, AZ), 2025)

  Over the last decade, the United States postal system has become an unwitting conduit for the international trafficking of deadly synthetic fentanyl and its precursors. This form of fentanyl trafficking has been made possible by an illicit pipeline that runs through China, Mexico, and the United States postal system. This Note will explore how the synthetic fentanyl pipeline emerged from a confluence of U.S. trade policy loopholes, the rapid expansion of Chinese e-commerce, and troubled counternarcotics diplomacy with China and Mexico. This Note will then discuss how attempts by the U.S. government to interrupt the fentanyl pipeline have so far proven inadequate and, at times, capricious. Finally, this Note will advocate for comprehensive and transparent policy solutions to fortify the U.S. customs sector against international narcotics trafficking.
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  Filling the A.I. Gap: How Domestic and International Law Fails to Protect Artificial Intelligence Whistleblowers [Note]

  Kiefer, Alivia (The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (Tucson, AZ), 2025)

  As artificial intelligence (A.I.) development accelerates beyond the reach of current regulatory frameworks, whistleblowers in the A.I. sector, particularly those employed by privately held firms, face a dangerous legal void. This Note identifies a critical regulatory shortfall, termed the “A.I. Gap,” where employees seeking to expose unsafe but not explicitly illegal A.I. practices are left unprotected under both U.S. and EU law. Through a detailed analysis of high-profile whistleblower cases, including the 2024 “Right to Warn” letter and disclosures by former OpenAI and Microsoft employees, the Note demonstrates how existing laws, such as the Dodd-Frank Act, the False Claims Act, and the EU Whistleblower Directive, fail to protect individuals who raise concerns about speculative or ethical A.I. risks. The Note also examines how non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are strategically used to suppress internal dissent and limit legal recourse. Ultimately, this Note proposes a multi-step reform framework to protect AI whistleblowers across internal, governmental, and post-disclosure stages, emphasizing the need for confidential, responsive, and independent reporting channels; statutory redefinition of whistleblowing to include risk-related concerns; and robust anti-retaliation safeguards. Without these reforms, the public remains vulnerable to unaccountable A.I. development practices and the individuals best positioned to expose them remain silenced.

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