Sustainable cooking energy options for rural poor people in India: an empirical study

Currently, energy consumption for cooking in rural households of India is mostly based on fuelwood used in traditional stoves. This paper presents results of a study carried out in a forest fringe area of India on cooking energy use. The concept of calculating levelized cost as cost per unit of useful energy is applied on source–device combinations of cooking and validated in Bargaon Community Development Block of Sundergarh District in Odisha, India. About 92 % of the households in the study area use fuelwood as the only energy source for cooking; the total use of fuelwood for only cooking, in the Block is nearly 1.8 times the total sustainable wood supply showing an urgent need for promoting alternative cooking energy options. This paper also presents an assessment of different cooking options in terms of cost per unit of useful cooking energy. LPG, biogas and gasifier stoves are found to be far too expensive for the local people. Briquette-fired improved stoves appear to be a promising cooking energy option in the study area. Government support and intervention are recommended for promoting this option.     

A methodology for electricity monitoring and targeting (M&T) in an Irish precision engineering SME

Abstract

Energy management in small to medium enterprises (SMEs) remains undeveloped due to competing priorities and a lack of specialist knowledge. However considerable savings can be demonstrated where companies take the time to investigate their energy use. Savings of over 20% can be achieved through changes to operational and behavioural practice. Additional benefits, such as improved production tracking and improved maintenance, can been seen which add to the value in undertaking an energy monitoring and targeting (M&T) plan. The method described involves the application of a series of ‘virtuous’ cycles of engagement and energy savings that can be applied from the highest factory level right down to a specific machine. The analysis of overall energy use from utility bills and the visualisation of typical machine power profiles aid in understanding the drivers of energy consumption and in engaging management in energy efficiency. The monitoring of specific machines in production highlights the significant consumption of electricity during non-productive times. The development of energy performance indicators is described for product variations which can be useful in tendering for business and selecting optimum production pathways. The approach is illustrated with data from a case study of a precision engineering SME based in Limerick, Ireland.     

The Mekong River: trading off hydropower,fish, and food

Regional Environmental Change - Hydropower dam construction is currently focused in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to increase electricity supplies, yet the negative environmental and social...     

Development of an environment-friendly feeding management for pond-reared fish species in the Segara Anakan Lagoon, Java, Indonesia

Inefficient feeding practices for producing fish in captivity create environmental problems. Therefore, the feed input should be reduced to a level that does not result in negative impacts of fish production. Reducing feed input can be done by periodic feed deprivation which does not necessarily decrease the fish production. This study was designed to investigate the effect of repeated unfed–fed cycles on the growth and feed utilization of the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides raised in floating net cages in estuarine ponds. The trial was conducted in the north east of Segara Anakan, Java, Indonesia. The fish were purchased from local fishermen and mean fish body weight was 53.2 g. After acclimation in the cages for 2 weeks, 500 fish were randomly assigned to four feeding groups. The groups included: fish fed daily as a control (C); fish not fed every Monday and Thursday and fed on Tuesday and Wednesday, then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (T1); fish unfed every Sunday, Monday and Thursday and fed on Tuesday and Wednesday, then on Friday and Saturday (T2). The experiment ran for 10 weeks. The results showed that reducing feed input by repeating unfed–fed cycles induced compensatory growth of the fish. Application of this feeding regime provides flexibility in feeding management and may reduce organic discharge into the environment. Reduction of organic pollution should help the sustainable use and conservation of the Segara Anakan ecosystem.     

Influence of fish size and sex on mercury/PCB concentration: importance for fish consumption advisories

Fish advisories for polychlorinated biphenyls (total-PCBs) and mercury are often given on a length-specific basis and fish sex is usually not considered. The relationship between concentration and length is well established for mercury, however its suitability for total-PCBs and the influence of sex over the large scale covered by most monitoring programs is not well known. Here we use what is perhaps the largest consistent sport fish contaminant dataset to evaluate the relationship between total-PCB/mercury and length and sex. We evaluated seven of the most commonly consumed fishes from the Canadian Great Lakes and two Ontario (Canada) inland lakes. For mercury, the relationship between concentration and length was significant (p<0.05) in most fish species and locations. For total-PCB, this relationship was also generally significant in Chinook salmon and lake trout, which are the species with the most advisories for this compound. In contrast, significant relationships were found less often for whitefish, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, and especially yellow perch. However, mercury usually drives fish consumption advisories for these species. Overall, our results support the protocol of issuing contaminant advice on a length-specific basis in fish monitoring programs with reasonable confidence when at least a moderate number of samples over the natural size range of a species are included in the analysis. Sex differences were common for walleye (males>females, p<0.05) but not other species, suggesting that an equal number of male and female walleye should be used in deriving fish advisories for walleye.     

Measured elemental transfer factors for boreal hunter/gatherer scenarios: fish, game and berries

The environmental assessment of long-term nuclear waste management requires data to estimate food chain transfers for radionuclides in various environmental settings. For key elements such as iodine (I) and chlorine (Cl), there is a paucity of transfer factor data, particularly outside of agricultural food chains. This study dealt with transfers of I, Cl and 28 other elements to foods that would be typical of boreal hunter/gatherer lifestyles, as well as being common foods for modern recreational and subsistence hunters. Food/substrate concentration ratios (CRs) and related transfer factors for eight species of widely distributed fish, whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and wild blueberries (Vaccinium myrtilloides) were measured and compared to the literature. Limited data were obtained for caribou (Rangifer tarandus), elk (Cervus elaphus) and moose (Alces americanus). Freshwater sediment Kd values and CRs for a ubiquitous freshwater macrophyte were also obtained. The CRs for I in fish were 29 L kg⁻¹ in edible muscle (fillets) of large-bodied species and 85 L kg⁻¹ for whole, small-bodied fish. The log CRs for fish and macrophytes were correlated across elements. For several elements, the Kds for sediments in deep water were ∼4-fold higher than for littoral samples. The elemental transfers to wild animals for some elements were notably different than the literature indicates for domestic animals. It is argued that the transfer data obtained using indigenous elements from real environmental settings, as opposed to contaminant elements in experimental or impacted environments, are especially relevant to assessment of long-term impacts.     

Biota-sediment accumulation factors for Dechlorane Plus in bottom fish from an electronic waste recycling site, South China

Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) for Dechlorane Plus (DP), a highly chlorinated flame retardant, were determined in three bottom fish species, i.e., crucian carp, mud carp, and northern snakehead from an electronic waste recycling site in South China. The average BSAFs are 0.007, 0.01, and 0.06 for syn-DP, and 0.003, 0.025, and 0.001 for anti-DP in crucian carp, mud carp, and northern snakehead, respectively, suggesting low bioaccumulation potential of DP isomers in these fish. However, the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) determined previously in the same sample set indicated that both DP isomers were highly bioaccumulative (BAFs>5000) in most of the samples. This implies that BSAF values may be inherently inconsistent affecting their reliability as a bioaccumulation indicator. The BSAFs for DP isomers are two orders of magnitude lower than those (average of 0.43-2.28) for extremely hydrophobic polychlorinated biphenyls (CBs 199, 203, 207 and 208), but are comparable to those (average of 0.0001-0.009) for decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) determined in the same sample set. Despite of the different chemical structures of the three compound classes, significantly negative correlations between logarithm of octanol-water partition coefficients (log K(OW)s) and BSAFs of these chemicals were found, indicating that hydrophobicity is one of the key factors influencing the bioaccumulation of these compounds.     

Biota-sediment accumulation factors for Dechlorane Plus in bottom fish from an electronic waste recycling site,South China

Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) for Dechlorane Plus (DP), a highly chlorinated flame retardant, were determined in three bottom fish species, i.e., crucian carp, mud carp, and northern snakehead from an electronic waste recycling site in South China. The average BSAFs are 0.007, 0.01, and 0.06 for syn-DP, and 0.003, 0.025, and 0.001 for anti-DP in crucian carp, mud carp, and northern snakehead, respectively, suggesting low bioaccumulation potential of DP isomers in these fish. However, the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) determined previously in the same sample set indicated that both DP isomers were highly bioaccumulative (BAFs > 5000) in most of the samples. This implies that BSAF values may be inherently inconsistent affecting their reliability as a bioaccumulation indicator. The BSAFs for DP isomers are two orders of magnitude lower than those (average of 0.43–2.28) for extremely hydrophobic polychlorinated biphenyls (CBs 199, 203, 207 and 208), but are comparable to those (average of 0.0001–0.009) for decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) determined in the same sample set. Despite of the different chemical structures of the three compound classes, significantly negative correlations between logarithm of octanol–water partition coefficients (log K_OWs) and BSAFs of these chemicals were found, indicating that hydrophobicity is one of the key factors influencing the bioaccumulation of these compounds.     

An integrated approach to the toxicity assessment of Irish marine sediments: validation of established marine bioassays for the monitoring of Irish marine sediments

This paper describes the ecotoxicological evaluation of marine sediments from three sites around Ireland representative of a range of contaminant burdens. A comprehensive assessment of potential sediment toxicity requires the consideration of multiple exposure phases. In addition to the evaluation of multi-exposure phases the use of a battery of multi-trophic test species has been advocated by a number of researchers as testing of single or few organisms may not detect toxicants with a specific mode of action. The Microtox(R) solid phase test (SPT) and the 10-d acute amphipod test with Corophium volutator were used to assess whole sediment toxicity. Porewater and elutriates were assessed with the Microtox(R) acute test, the marine prasinophyte Tetraselmis suecica, and the marine copepod Tisbe battagliai. Solvent extracts were assayed with the Microtox(R) and T. battagliai acute tests. Alexandra Basin was identified as the most toxic site according to all tests, except the Microtox(R) SPT which identified the Dunmore East site as being more toxic. However, it was not possible to correlate the observed ecotoxicological effects with a specific and/or class of contaminants based on sediment chemistry alone. Therefore porewaters found to elicit significant toxicity (Dunmore East and Alexandra Basin) with the test battery were selected for further TIE assessment with T. battalgiai and the Microtox(R) system. The results of this study have important implications for risk assessment in estuarine and coastal waters in Ireland, where, at present the monitoring of sediment and water quality is predominantly reliant on chemical analysis alone.     

Arsenic concentrations in rice, vegetables, and fish in Bangladesh: a preliminary study

Arsenic contaminating groundwater in Bangladesh is one of the largest environmental health hazards in the world. Because of the potential risk to human health through consumption of agricultural produce grown in fields irrigated with arsenic contaminated water, we have determined the level of contamination in 100 samples of crop, vegetables and fresh water fish collected from three different regions in Bangladesh. Arsenic concentrations were determined by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. All 11 samples of water and 18 samples of soil exceeded the expected limits of arsenic. No samples of rice grain (Oryza sativa L.) had arsenic concentrations more than the recommended limit of 1.0 mg/kg. However, rice plants, especially the roots had a significantly higher concentration of arsenic (2.4 mg/kg) compared to stem (0.73 mg/kg) and rice grains (0.14 mg/kg). Arsenic contents of vegetables varied; those exceeding the food safety limits included Kachu sak (Colocasia antiquorum) (0.09-3.99 mg/kg, n=9), potatoes (Solanum tuberisum) (0.07-1.36 mg/kg, n=5), and Kalmi sak (Ipomoea reptoms) (0.1-1.53 mg/kg, n=6). Lata fish (Ophicephalus punctatus) did not contain unacceptable levels of arsenic. These results indicate that arsenic contaminates some food items in Bangladesh. Further studies with larger samples are needed to demonstrate the extent of arsenic contamination of food in Bangladesh.     

Plutonium and americium in arctic waters,the North Sea and Scottish and Irish coastal zones

Plutonium and americium have been measured in surface waters of the Greenland and Barents Seas and in the northern North Sea from 1980 through 1984. Measurements in water and biota, Fucus, Mytilus and Patella, were carried out in North-English and Scottish waters in 1982 and Fucus samples were collected from the Irish coast in 1983. Fallout is found to dominate as a source of ^239+240Pu north of latitude 65°N, while for ²³⁸Pu a substantial fraction originates from European nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. The ²³⁸Pu/^239+240Pu isotope ratio provides clear evidence of the transport of effluent plutonium from the latter to Spitsbergen waters. Fallout plutonium in Arctic waters has a residence time of the order of several years, while for Pu from Sellafield we estimate mean residence times of 11–15 months in Scottish waters and, tentatively, 1·5-3 y during transport from the North Channel (north of the Irish Sea) to Spitsbergen. ²⁴¹Am found in Arctic waters probably originates from the decay of fallout ²⁴¹Pu and, like Pu, tentatively has a residence time of the order of several years. Americium from Sellafield has an estimated mean residence time of 4–6 months in Scottish waters.     

Strategic thinking on sustainability: challenges and sectoral roles

This paper focuses on identified challenges for sustainable development across various sectors and the actions needed by different institutions and individuals for the achievement of a sustainable path. For finding solutions that impede sustainable development, emphasis is given to collaborative, inter- and trans-disciplinary problem-solving approaches. The ‘ecological modernization’ view is based on the belief that science and technology will result in continuous improvement in human welfare, while the emerging postmodern ‘ecological paradigm’ also emphasizes harmony with nature and other actors. Global societies are in the midst of a number of challenges: (1) implementation of existing and new hard- and soft-law instruments, (2) the degradation of natural resources, (3) an inadequate global mechanism for handling environmental and social responsibilities by the international community, (4) an unbalanced distribution of wealth, locally and internationally, (5) unethical and unsustainable business practices, (6) consequent unethical and unsustainable consumer practices, (7) selective application of ethical principles by rich countries and (8) the absence of norms of good conduct by powerful and wealthy peoples pertaining to sustainable development. Governments, civil societies, academicians, indigenous peoples, communities, businesses and international organizations need to become engaged in the formulation and enforcement of environmentally and ecologically sound development policies along with relevant research, education, training, awareness and a change in social values as provided in the Earth Charter to support actions for sustainable development.     

New roles for farming in a differentiated countryside: the Portuguese example

Throughout Europe, the role of farming as the private provider of public goods and services increasingly valuated by society is today generally acknowledged. Furthermore, in the turn towards rural development concerns, multifunctionality as an attribute of rural space has emerged, justifying the territorial approach of farming. The situation facing the multifunctionality demand is nevertheless not the same in all European regions, which by all means is getting strengthened in the transition towards post-productivism. In some regions, there is a productivist orientation and production has a dominant economic role, while others will need to be supported on other functions to survive economically and socially, or may be best suited to environmental functions alone. The vocation of the rural territories is different, and thus also the functions they are able to support. This paper discusses the concept of multifunctionality of the rural areas, and defines a possible methodological approach towards the identification of the different types of rural areas in Europe, based on the identification of ideal types, through the analysis of selected indicators. The empirical application has been developed for the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture, aiming at assessing the differentiated characteristics and dynamics of the Portuguese rural territory. Analyzing data from 1990 and 2000, at municipal level, three dimensions have been considered: the land cover, the agricultural sector and the rural community. Combining the three analyses, it was possible to identify different vocations of the rural space, and the role that farming could have in the future for the multifunctionality of the territory. Accordingly, the municipalities have been grouped in types, pre-defined as ideal types. This was a first attempt to understand the differentiation of the rural territory in Portugal. For decision-making it should be further developed. It nevertheless shows that there is clear differentiation concerning the possible landscape functions to be developed between regions and a possible way to assess. It also shows that a territorial approach to agriculture may be the key for the maintenance of the sector in many areas where production by itself, as it has been know until now, may be severely threatened.     

Interpretation of fish biomarker data for identification,classification, risk assessment and testing of endocrine disrupting chemicals

Chemical induced changes in fish biomarkers vitellogenin (VTG), secondary sex characteristics (SSC), and sex ratio indicate modes/mechanisms of action (MOAs) of EAS (estrogen, androgen and steroidogenesis) pathways. These biomarkers could be used for defining MOAs and the causal link between MOAs and adverse effects in fish for the identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This paper compiled data sets of 150 chemicals for VTG, 57 chemicals for SSC and 38 chemicals for sex ratio in fathead minnow, medaka and zebrafish. It showed 1) changes in fish biomarkers can indicate the MOAs as anticipated; 2) in addition to EAS pathways, chemicals with non-EAS pathways induced changes in fish biomarkers; 3) responses of fish biomarkers did not always follow the anticipated patterns of EAS pathways. These responses may result from the interaction of chemical-induced multiple MOAs and confounding factors like fish diet, infection, culture conditions, general toxicity and stress response. The complex response of fish biomarkers to a chemical of interest requires EDC testing at multiple biological levels. Interpretation of fish biomarker data should be combined with relevant information at different biological levels, which is critical for defining chemical specific MOAs. The utility of fish biomarker data for identification, classification, PBT assessment, risk assessment, and testing of EDCs in the regulatory context was discussed. This paper emphasizes the importance of fish biomarker data in the regulatory context, a weight of evidence approach for the interpretation of fish biomarker data and the need for defining levels of evidence for the identification of EDCs.     

Numerical simulation of 137Cs and (239,240)Pu concentrations by an ocean general circulation model

We simulated the spatial distributions and the temporal variations of 137Cs and (239,240)Pu concentrations in the ocean by using the ocean general circulation model which was developed by National Center of Atmospheric Research. These nuclides are introduced into seawaters from global fallout due to atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. The distribution of radioactive deposition on the world ocean is estimated from global precipitation data and observed values of annual deposition of radionuclides at the Meteorological Research Institute in Japan and several observed points in New Zealand. Radionuclides from global fallout have been transported by advection, diffusion and scavenging, and this concentration reduces by radioactive decay in the ocean. We verified the results of the model calculations by comparing simulated values of 137Cs and (239,240)Pu in seawater with the observed values included in the Historical Artificial Radionuclides in the HAM database, which has been constructed by the Meteorological Research Institute. The vertical distributions of the calculated 137Cs concentrations were in good agreement and are in good agreement with the observed profiles in the 1960s up to 250 m, in the 1970s up to 500 m, in the 1980s up to 750 m and in the 1990s up to 750 m. However, the calculated 137Cs concentrations were underestimated compared with the observed 137Cs at the deeper layer. This may suggest other transport processes of 137Cs to deep waters. The horizontal distributions of 137Cs concentrations in surface water could be simulated. A numerical tracer release experiment was performed to explain the horizontal distribution pattern. A maximum (239,240)Pu concentration layer occurs at an intermediate depth for both observed and calculated values, which is formed by particle scavenging. The horizontal distributions of the calculated (239,240)Pu concentrations in surface water could be simulated by considering the scavenging effect.     

Adaptive threat management framework: integrating people and turtles

In the 35 years since its inception, the Brazilian National Program for the Conservation of Marine Turtles (TAMAR) has had great success in protecting the five species of sea turtles that occur in Brazil. It has also contributed significantly to worldwide scientific data and knowledge about these species’ biology, such as life cycles and migration patterns. TAMAR’s conservation strategies have always relied on a variety of environmental education and social inclusion (EESI) activities highly adapted to the socio-environmental evolving contexts of its 25 locations distributed across nine states. Diversity and flexibility are critical to enable timely and effective local responses to existing or potential threats to sea turtles. The intuitive, locally adapted, decentralized, and independent way EESI activities have been carried out have generated positive results in the resolution of specific and evolving local problems through the course of the project. This article brings EESI under the same conceptual framework that underlies its conservation approach by adopting an adaptive threat management framework to organize and qualify its educational and social inclusion interventions according to the main categories of threat addressed by TAMAR.     

High and low value fish chains in the Mekong Delta: challenges for livelihoods and governance

This paper investigates the structure, function and wealth distribution within the Pangasius hypophthalmus and Henicorhynchus spp./Labiobarbus spp. value chains in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The analysis is driven by key questions relating to the form and function of value chains, their contribution to the livelihoods of farmers and fishers, the effectiveness of government policy and the potential for value chain governance mechanisms, such as contracts and certification, to steer towards sustainable production. The results indicate that actors in the high value Pangasius hypopthalmus export chain have a higher potential income, but face considerably higher economic vulnerability from global markets. Alternatively, Henichorhychus/Labiobarbus spp. fishers are severely constrained in their ability to negotiate higher prices for their fish but appear to be less vulnerable to economic and environmental change. The paper concludes that for value chain governance to improve the livelihoods of fishers and farmers in both high and low value chains, new arrangements are needed that better accommodate customary institutions and informal market relations.     

Pesticides as water pollutants and level of risks to environment and people: an example from Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Sustainable agriculture focuses using agricultural resources with minimum possible negative environmental externality to produce more food. The present...