The Ethics of Constrained Choice: How the Industrialization of Agriculture Impacts Farming and Farmer Behavior

The industrialization of agriculture not only alters the ways in which agricultural production occurs, but it also impacts the decisions farmers make in important ways. First, constraints created by the economic environment of farming limit what options a farmer has available to him. Second, because of the industrialization of agriculture and the resulting economic pressures it creates for farmers, the fact that decisions are constrained creates new ethical challenges for farmers. Having fewer options when faced with severe economic pressures is a very different situation for farmers than having many options available. We discuss the implications of constrained choice and show that it increases the likelihood that farmers will consider unethical behavior.     

Respecting The Autonomy of European and American Consumers: Defending Positive Labels on Gm Foods

In her recent article, “Does autonomy count in favor of labeling genetically modified food?,” Kirsten Hansen argues that in Europe, voluntary negative labeling of non-GM foods respects consumer autonomy just as well as mandatory positive labeling of foods with GM content. She also argues that because negative labeling places labeling costs upon those consumers that want to know whether food is GM, negative labeling is better policy than positive labeling. In this paper, we argue that Hansen’s arguments are mistaken in several respects. Most importantly, she underestimates the demands of respecting autonomy and overestimates the cost of positive labeling. Moreover, she mistakenly implies that only a small minority of people desire information about GM content. We also explore the extent to which her arguments would apply to the US context, and argue that any discussion of the relationship between autonomy and labeling should include not just considerations of consumer autonomy but also considerations of what we call citizen autonomy.     

Human Diets and Animal Welfare: the Illogic of the Larder

Few moral arguments have been made against vegetarian diets. One exception is the “Logic of the Larder:” We do animals a favor by purchasing their meat, eggs, and milk, for if we did not purchase these products, fewer animals would exist. This argument fails because many farm animals have lives that are probably not worth living, while others prevent a significant number of wild animals from existing. Even if this were not so, the purchase of animal products uses resources that could otherwise be used to bring a much greater number of animals into existence.     

Erratum to: Accumulation of Cr,Cd, Pb,Cu, and Zn by plants in tanning sludge storage sites: opportunities for contamination bioindication and phytoremediation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research -     

氯离子及油脂对硝酸磷钾肥水溶液安全性的研究

为了研究氯离子及油脂对硝酸磷钾肥水溶液热安定性的影响,采用绝热加热仪对含40%硝酸铵的硝酸磷钾肥水溶液进行升温热分析实验。实验表明,单独的氯离子对硝酸磷钾肥水溶液有抑制作用,且浓度越大,抑制作用越明显。而单独的油脂对硝酸磷钾肥水溶液起促进作用。氯离子和油脂同时存在时,氯离子浓度一定,油脂含量越大,促进硝酸磷钾肥水溶液的分解;油脂含量一定,氯离子对硝酸磷钾肥水溶液分解起促进作用。该结果对保障硝酸铵在生产、使用过程中的安全具有重要的参考价值。     

紫外消毒对城市污水处理厂耐药菌去除的影响研究

通过选取假单胞杆菌、鲍曼不动杆菌以及芽孢杆菌3种耐药菌作为研究对象,研究紫外光变化对这3种耐药菌的去除效果,得出较好的紫外消毒条件,应用到实际的污水处理厂消毒过程中。结果表明,紫外消毒对3种耐药菌都有很好的灭活效果。     

Contribution of precursor compounds to the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from waste water treatment plants (WWTPs)

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs) are ubiquitous in sludge and water from waste water treatment plants, as a result of their incorporation in everyday products and industrial processes. In this study, we measured several classes of persistent PFASs,precursors, transformation intermediates, and newly identified PFASs in influent and effluent sewage water and sludge from three municipal waste water treatment plants in Sweden, sampled in 2015. For sludge, samples from 2012 and 2014 were analyzed as well.Levels of precursors in sludge exceeded those of perfluoroalkyl acids and sulfonic acids(PFCAs and PFSAs), in 2015 the sum of polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid esters(PAPs) were 15–20 ng/g dry weight, the sum of fluorotelomer sulfonic acids(FTSAs) was 0.8–1.3 ng/g,and the sum of perfluorooctane sulfonamides and ethanols ranged from non-detected to 3.2 ng/g. Persistent PFSAs and PFCAs were detected at 1.9–3.9 ng/g and 2.4–7.3 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The influence of precursor compounds was further demonstrated by an observed substantial increase for a majority of the persistent PFCAs and PFSAs in water after waste water treatment. Perfluorohexanoic acid(PFHxA), perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid(PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid(PFOS)had a net mass increase in all WWTPs, with mean values of 83%, 28%, 37% and 58%,respectively. The load of precursors and intermediates in influent water and sludge combined with net mass increase support the hypothesis that degradation of precursor compounds is a significant contributor to PFAS contamination in the environment.     

Effect of reclaimed water effluent on bacterial community structure in the Typha angustifolia L. rhizosphere soil of urbanized riverside wetland, China

In order to evaluate the impact of reclaimed water on the ecology of bacterial communities in the Typha angustifolia L. rhizosphere soil,bacterial community structure was investigated using a combination of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and 16S rRNA gene clone library. The results revealed significant spatial variation of bacterial communities along the river from upstream and downstream. For example,a higher relative abundance of γ-Proteobacteria,Firmicutes,Chloroflexi and a lower proportion ofβ-Proteobacteria and ε-Proteobacteria was detected at the downstream site compared to the upstream site. Additionally,with an increase of the reclaimed water interference intensity,the rhizosphere bacterial community showed a decrease in taxon richness,evenness and diversity. The relative abundance of bacteria closely related to the resistant of heavy-metal was markedly increased,while the bacteria related for carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus/sulfur cycling wasn't strikingly changed. Besides that,the pathogenic bacteria markedly increased in the downstream rhizosphere soil since reclaimed water supplement,while the possible plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria obviously reduced in the downstream sediment.Together these data suggest cause and effect between reclaimed water input into the wetland,shift in bacterial communities through habitat change,and alteration of capacity for biogeochemical cycling of contaminants.     

环境保护系统参与空间规划的思考与建议

空间规划体系下,环境规划在空间落地性以及精细化程度上存在短板。建议环境规划进一步完善生态保护红线制度,探索环境质量底线、环保负面清单的划定技术思路与技术路线,推动环境保护系统化参与空间规划。