Bio-based materials for high-end electronics applications

During the past decade, a shift of focus onto greener alternatives to petroleum-based plastics has spurred the development of bio-based resins for plastic development. This has led to a positive marketing image for companies making the switch to resins from renewable resources. This shift of focus is further reinforced by corporations, which are committed to a reduction in their greenhouse gas emissions and product environmental footprints. Here, we present a perspective on the use of renewable materials in durable goods applications and the challenges and advantages associated with the use of renewable materials. Replacement of petroleum-based acoustic foam with that derived from sustainable resources and qualification of thermoplastic polylactic acid blends for enclosure covers has been demonstrated. The technical details of the materials development required for use in durable goods, and their characterization is also discussed.     

Energy from waste and the food processing industry

The provision of a secure, continuous energy supply is becoming an issue for all sectors of society and the food processing industry as a major energy user must address these issues. This paper identifies anaerobic digestion as an opportunity to go some way to achieving energy security in a sustainable manner. However, a number of energy management and waste reduction concepts must also be brought into play if the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability are to be balanced. The reporting of such activity will help to promote the green credentials of the industry. Cleaner production, supply chain and life cycle assessment approaches all have a part to play as tools supporting a new vision for integrated energy and waste management. Our reliance on high-energy processing, such as canning and freezing/chill storage, might also need re-assessment together with processing based on hurdle technology. Finally, the concepts of energy and power management for a distributed energy generation system must be brought into the food processing industry.     

Policy And Practice Improving EIA for Intensive Livestock Projects

Agriculture is being increasingly integrated into the UK's land use planning system and recently approved amendments to the EU's Environmental (Impact) Assessment Directive will further this integration and cause more assessments of more projects on a mandatory basis. This paper reviews recent research on the quality of assessments and argues that Environmental Statements of agricultural projects are of a much lower standard than those for other project types and that improvements will need to be made as a result of the changes to the Directive.     

A model and design equations for the intermittent sand filter

Design parameters based upon influent suspended (SS) and volatile suspended solids (VSS) concentrations and hydraulic loading rates were evaluated. Functional relationships and coefficients describing the efficiency of the ISF process were developed based upon laboratory data from filter units containing 0.17 mm effective sand size (ε′) media. Adequate SS and VSS removals were observed for the 0.17 mm ε′ sand filters. Field data from other studies using filter units containing 0.17, 0.40, and 0.68 mm ε′ sand were also evaluated using the model. Sand sizes larger than 0.17 mm ε′ did not produce effluents satisfying a federal secondary standard of 30 mg/1 of SS when the filter influent suspended solids were predominantly algae.     

BENEFITS OF POLLUTION CONTROL ON MASSACHUSETTS’ HOUSATONIC RIVER: A HEDONIC PRICING APPROACH1

ABSTRACT: This paper illustrates one mode of analysis for estimating the benefits of water pollution control projects. Results indicate regional benefits associated with an abatement program instituted for point source pollution along the Housatonic River during the 1960's were substantial. Studies of this kind can aid regulatory and recreation resource administrators in devising and evaluating environmental programs.     

Wind speed affects prey-catching behaviour in an orb web spider

Wind has previously been shown to influence the location and orientation of spider web sites and also the geometry and material composition of constructed orb webs. We now show that wind also influences components of prey-catching behaviour within the web. A small wind tunnel was used to generate different wind speeds. Araneus diadematus ran more slowly towards entangled Drosophila melanogaster in windy conditions, which took less time to escape the web. This indicates a lower capture probability and a diminished overall predation efficiency for spiders at higher wind speeds. We conclude that spiders’ behaviour of taking down their webs as wind speed increases may therefore not be a response only to possible web damage.     

Greenhouse gas emissions and poverty alleviation nexus in the Economic Commission of West African States

This paper investigates the nexus between greenhouse gas emissions and poverty alleviation in the Economic Commission of West African States between 1985 and 2020 applying autoregressive distributed lag and Granger causality techniques. The results reveal that carbon dioxide non-significantly relates to gross domestic product per capita positively while nitrous oxide and foreign direct investment impacts gross domestic product per capita positively. Methane negatively impacts gross domestic product per capita. The governments should use conventions to regulate greenhouse gas emissions’ effects on environmental degradation regionally and globally. The study underscores that countries should diversify to cleaner energy sources. This would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. Massive technological investment is required to mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions’ negative impacts on the environment which create poverty. This policy implication ensures environmental sustainability and reverses the ugly trend of greenhouse gas emissions on poverty.