Sustainable Utilization of Whey By-Product For the Production of Biobutanol; The Role of Carbon Offsets in Corporate Sustainability and Climate Accountability
Year: 2025
Type: dissertation
Abstract: My technical and STS projects both explore contemporary responses to climate change, but they do so from different angles, one through applied chemical engineering and the other through ethical analysis of corporate sustainability practices. At first glance, they seem distinct, as one aims to design a processing plant to convert yogurt industry waste into renewable energy and protein products, while the other investigates the ethics of corporate carbon offsetting through the lens of Actor-Network Theory. However, both projects are motivated by a core concern: how do we move from sustainability discourse to measurable impact? Whether evaluating the viability of biobutanol production from waste or the legitimacy of carbon credits used by Fortune 500 companies, my work reflects a broader interest in bridging the gap between environmental narratives and their real-world consequences. These projects share a commitment to understanding the material, social, and ethical infrastructure behind climate solutions, whether they are fermented in a bioreactor or laid out within a corporate ESG report.
Source: Libra
DOI: 10.18130/f94c-9538
Author: Sarah Bogdan
Institution: University of Virginia
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6925587978
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