Design of a novel comfort liner for a motorcycle helmet

Natural fibres are nowadays increasingly being employed for producing protective clothing and sportswear. Due to economic and/or environmental considerations they are replacing synthetic materials. The present work provides an insight into the design and development of a novel comfort liner for a motorcycle helmet. The liner is produced from wool and Tunisian alfa fibre. The plant of the alfa fibre is abundantly available in Tunisia. Furthermore, we describe a design concept for a liner that uses these natural fibres and phase change material to improve sweat absorption and perception of thermal comfort. The raw material, the processes involved and the solution to use the phase change material are analysed. The novel comfort liner can facilitate breathability and evaporative transfer of heat in the safety helmet. In addition, it increases comfort, well-being, and provides an indirect message to use natural fibres for textile support to preserve our environment.     

Sediment radioisotope dating across a stratigraphic discontinuity in a mining-impacted lake

Application of radioisotope sediment dating models to lakes subjected to large anthropogenic sediment inputs can be problematic. As a result of copper mining activities, Torch Lake received large volumes of sediment, the characteristics of which were dramatically different from those of the native sediment. Commonly used dating models (CIC-CSR, CRS) were applied to Torch Lake, but assumptions of these methods are violated, rendering sediment geochronologies inaccurate. A modification was made to the CRS model, utilizing a distinct horizon separating mining from post-mining sediment to differentiate between two focusing regimes. (210)Pb inventories in post-mining sediment were adjusted to correspond to those in mining-era sediment, and a sediment geochronology was established and verified using independent markers in (137)Cs accumulation profiles and core X-rays.     

Groundwater: a regional resource and a regional governance

Groundwater is a valuable renewable resource for human life. The two major threatening issues being faced by groundwater are its depletion and degradation which affect both the quantity and the quality of groundwater. Though scientific output has progressed well ahead in the domain of groundwater, very little has been done with respect to the establishment of the groundwater governance framework. Groundwater is perceived as a widely distributed resource, but it is fundamentally a local entity. The paper presents the groundwater governance framework from the regional perspective of Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab, India—an over-exploited groundwater region.     

The transition to a sustainable society: a new social contract

This paper explores issues that are central to ecological economics. In spite of a substantial body of research and other literature that has appeared in recent decades on transition, and countless other efforts, no progress has been made to halt the increase in global warming, global emissions, rampant population growth, or several hundred other critical planet sustainability indicators including global species extinction. The opposite is true. Consumption has escalated and it is poised to double and, with it, planetary decay has followed closely. The aim of this work is to introduce a pragmatic solution and the economics mechanisms solidly rooted in science, in the laws of conservation of mass and energy, and in environmental and ecological sustainability that are necessary to overcome the tremendous forces of social, political, and economic resistance to major change. To advance towards a sustainable civilization, adopting a holistic approach with those underlying principles in all aspects of human activity, among others economy, finance, industry, commerce, engineering, politics, architecture, and education, is both lacking and fundamentally required. A short review of the state-of-the-art of the science on the critical status of the planet’s resources and its life-supporting systems is presented, as well as a brief catalog of the seminal works of the science that gave rise to its metrics and established early on the groundwork for the understanding of the degree of sustainability of the planet. We present the argument why past and current schemes of human economics, organization, culture, and politics cannot achieve anything else, but complete and utter failure under their own underlying precepts. A rigorous and disciplined process on how to overcome and avoid the precipitous decline and collapse of the environmental and planetary biosystems on which all life depends, including human life, and a new view towards the world and the universe we all have no choice but to live in, are also offered.     

Site selection for a data centre – a multi-criteria decision-making model

IT data centres (DCs) are a huge investment and most mid-size companies need to set up their own DCs to run their business operations. Building new DCs is a time-consuming effort needing millions of dollars and months of planning. Companies cannot afford to make a wrong decision when designing and setting up a new DC as these need to build for a life of around 20 years. In this paper, we studied the challenges and issues faced by enterprise DCs and explored various criteria which can be used for selecting a site for a new DC. We use a hierarchical model to look into various financial, environmental, social, political and geographical factors which an organisation need to look into when choosing a city for their DC. The model discussed in the paper provides a general framework and can be adopted by a company operating in any industry and any country.     

Lifestyle: suggesting mechanisms and a definition from a cognitive science perspective

The concept of lifestyle is rather difficult to pin down. It is used in a variety of disciplines and related to many different problems. In our highly modern society, lifestyle is more often mentioned as something we need to change in order to achieve a sustainable development. Our main interest then is how we create and change a lifestyle. How can we understand why it is sometimes difficult to achieve change? In relation to terms like beliefs, desires, intentions, habits and artefacts six factors will be suggested. Within these factors we may have a foundation for a mechanism underlying the creation and change of lifestyle. A definition of the concept of lifestyle from a cognitive science perspective will also be suggested, as derived from the same foundation and terms related to it.     

Community partnered projects: a case study of a collaborative effort to improve sanitation in a marginalized community in northwest Mexico

There is a growing recognition in developing countries that community participation in water and sanitation projects is a necessary strategy in sustainable development. The main advantage of following such an approach is that, if participation can encourage a sense of ownership of the projects, the benefits of the project are more likely to extend over the long term. The case study at hand focuses on the challenges faced in implementing a wastewater treatment system to solve an environmental and public health problem in a rural community, Rosario de Tesopaco, in northwest Mexico. Until recently, the community has been unable to implement an effective plan to treat the wastewater generated in the community. The problems faced by the community can be attributed to the political arrangement of water and sanitation decentralization in Mexico that occurred in the mid 1980’s, whereby communities were required to meet wastewater treatment standards, but were not given the technical and political guidance needed to achieve this goal. However, in this instance, cooperation between the authorities in Rosario de Tesopaco, the federal agency for social development, and an academic institution has led to the successful design and approval of a wastewater treatment project. This achievement can be attributed to the use of an effective collaborative strategy, tailoring the project to the needs and capacity of the local community, positioning the community as the leaders and owners of the project. A model for following this strategy for developing rural sanitation projects in Mexico is proposed. Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Change in a butterfly community on a gradually overgrowing site

Monitoring of day-active butterflies by water pan traps method over the period 2001–2012 was conducted on a gradually overgrowing habitat in Ko?ick? kotlina basin (Slovakia). Totally, 1457 individuals of 57 species of butterflies were caught and evaluated. Monitoring revealed significant changes in the butterfly community which might be a consequence of a gradual overgrown of the study area. During the research, 12 butterfly species have disappeared from the study area. The monitoring provided results which point to the necessity of appropriate management for conservation of rare and protected butterfly species.     

Shedding light on a neglected area: a new approach to knowledge creation

Awareness is needed of sustainability issues that are currently neglected but potentially important. A computer-based approach can highlight unconscious and neglected areas because it can structure vast amounts of knowledge. In this article, we propose a methodology to perceive unconscious areas of sustainability with the support of a computer-based approach, which creates a matrix, named the recognized-unrecognized matrix, which highlights both local and globally neglected problems. A case study is conducted to consider the potential contribution of the aviation industry to sustainability issues. We demonstrate that a citation network analysis is an effective methodology to chart the recognized-unrecognized matrix. We highlight issues of water use in the aviation industry by designing an innovative water and air circulation system, which significantly reduces water and fuel consumption on board airplane flights. We also suggest a new approach to integrating both explicit and tacit knowledge to enable knowledge creation.     

Air infiltration measurements in a home using a convenient perfluorocarbon tracer technique

Using miniature perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) sources and miniature passive samplers, both about the size of a cigarette, tests conducted in the laboratory and in a typical home successfully demonstrated the utility of the PFT kit as a means for implementing wide-scale infiltration measurements in homes. The PFT diffusion plug source, an elastomer containing a dissolved perfluorocarbon compound, was shown to emit vapors at the rate of about 0.1 to 5 nL/min, providing steady-state concentrations in a home of about 1 to 10 pL/L, i.e., parts per trillion by volume, when one source is deployed for each 300–500 ft² (28–46 m²) of living space. The emission rate from the diffusion source was predictable, but its dependence on both temperature and time suggested the development of alternative approaches. One such alternative, a liquid PFT permeation source, had emission rates which could be tailored over the range 10–20 nL/min, were independent of age for as long as the liquid remained ( 5 yr), and had significantly lower temperature dependence. A number of passive adsorption tube samplers performed reproducibly and identically (to within ±2%–3%) in laboratory tests. Together with a programmable tracer sampler, the miniature diffusion sources and samplers were deployed in a typical home; six PFT sources were uniformly deployed, three on each level of a two-story house. Multiple location sampling, as well as sampling in rooms with and without a miniature source, demonstrated that even in a house without forced-air circulation, a well-mixed modeling approach is justified. Analyses of the tracer samplers were performed back in the laboratory with an automatic electron-capture gas-chromatography system. The effects of the inside/outside temperature differential, as well as that of an open fireplace compared with a wood-burning stove, on the measured air infiltration rates were clearly demonstrated. Comparisons of the PFT tracer method with that of the SF₆ tracer decay approach showed the results of the two methods to be identical within experimental precision. With this miniature source and sampling tracer kit, infiltration rates in the range 0.2–5 air changes per hour can be measured over time-averaged periods of as little as 1 day up to several years.     

Building a freshman-year foundation for sustainability studies: Terrascope, a case study

Terrascope is a freshman learning community at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in which teams of students work to find solutions to large ‘unsolvable’ problems and to communicate about those problems with a wide variety of audiences in multiple formats. The program strongly promotes students’ autonomy in focusing and structuring their work, and student projects culminate in public presentations, both to general audiences and to panels of technical specialists. Students who have completed the program tend to show strong engagement with environmental and sustainability issues, as well as the skills and experience to work intensively on such issues within multidisciplinary teams. Here, we present the program as a case study, with some discussion of the factors that are key to its operation.

Modeling groundwater flow and its associated environmental problem in a lowland coastal plain: a first step towards a sustainable development plan

Groundwater is an important resource in the alluvial coastal lowland plains. In the Shiroishi lowland plain, southwestern Kyushu Island of Japan, land subsidence due to groundwater development has long been recognized as an environmental issue. Land subsidence can have several negative economic and social implications. In this study, an integrated numerical groundwater and land subsidence model, which combines a three-dimensional numerical groundwater flow model and a one-dimensional soil consolidation model, was used to simulate the dynamic groundwater flow and ground subsidence due to pumping. On the other hand, a groundwater optimization model was also formulated to search for an optimal safe yield of groundwater pumping without violating physical, environmental, social-economic constraints. The model results reveal that groundwater levels in the aquifers greatly vary from season to season in response to varying climatic and pumping conditions. Consequently, land subsidence has rapidly occurred throughout the area with the central prone in Shiroishi plain. The study also proposes a countermeasure against subsiding process in the area by means of numerical models. The optimization model result suggests that pumping can be increased in the northern part of the study area without leading to significant land subsidence.     

Decommissioning a phosphoric acid production plant: a radiological protection case study

During a preliminary survey at the area of an abandoned fertilizer plant, increased levels of radioactivity were measured at places, buildings, constructions and materials. The extent of the contamination was determined and the affected areas were characterized as controlled areas. After the quantitative and qualitative determination of the contaminated materials, the decontamination was planned and performed step by step: the contaminated materials were categorized according to their physical characteristics (scrap metals, plastic pipes, scales and residues, building materials, etc) and according to their level of radioactivity. Depending on the material type, different decontamination and disposal options were proposed; the most appropriate technique was chosen taking into account apart from technical issues, the legal framework, radiation protection issues, the opinion of the local authorities involved as well as the owner’s wish. After taking away the biggest amount of the contaminated materials, an iterative process consisting of surveys and decontamination actions was performed in order to remove the residual traces of contamination from the area. During the final survey, no residual surface contamination was detected; some sparsely distributed low level contaminated materials deeply immersed into the soil were found and removed.     

Comparative estimations of 137Cs distribution in a boreal forest in northern Sweden using a traditional sampling approach and a portable NaI detector

Field-portable detectors have been frequently used in routine monitoring and hazard assessment studies. However, there have been few thorough attempts to evaluate their potential as an alternative to the traditional procedure of collecting samples and analysing them in the laboratory. Thus, in this study the two approaches were compared in terms of their utility for monitoring (137)Cs activity in the Ny?nget catchment in northern Sweden. The objectives were: (i) to determine the (137)Cs activity in soils associated with three types of vegetation, (ii) to map the geographical distribution of (137)Cs using the portable NaI detector connected to a GPS system (GDM-40), (iii) to identify (137)Cs anomalies in the catchment, and (iv) to compare the measurements obtained with the NaI detector and traditional sampling followed by laboratory analysis. Our results demonstrate that the GDM-40 has very good potential for making (137)Cs inventories and for detecting (137)Cs anomalies within large areas. The GDM-40 measurements identified differences between different hydrological areas that were not determined with the soil sampling method. The GDM-40 method is much faster than a traditional soil sampling method. However, soil sampling cannot be totally excluded because it is needed to calibrate the GDM-40. The agreement between the (137)Cs activity values obtained by the two approaches was 20% which is good in the field where so many factors vary.     

Radioecological characterization of a uranium mining site located in a semi-arid region in Brazil

The work presents the radioecological characterization of the new Brazilian uranium mining and milling site located in a semi-arid region of the country. The process characterization demonstrated that in heap leach plants most of the 226Ra remains in the leached ore. Despite the potential higher availability of radium isotopes in the soils of the studied region the lack of precipitation in that area reduces the leaching/mobilization of the radionuclides. High 226Ra and 228Ra concentrations were found in manioc while 210Pb was significant in pasture. It was suggested that a range from 10(-3) to 10(-1) may conveniently encompass most of the transfer factors (TF) values for soil/plant systems (i.e. involving different cultures, different soils and natural radionuclides). Impacts due to aerial transportation of aerosols and radon generated in the mining were proved to be minimal and restricted to an area not greater than 15 km2. Finally, uranium complexation by carbonates was shown to be the main mechanism responding for the elevated radionuclide concentration in groundwater.     

Advancing to a Circular Economy: three essential ingredients for a comprehensive policy mix

Material resources exploitation and the pressure on natural ecosystems have raised concerns over potential future resource risks and supply failures worldwide. Interest in the concept of Circular Economy has surged in recent years among policy makers and business actors. An increasing amount of literature touches upon the conceptualisation of Circular Economy, the development of ‘circular solutions’ and circular business models, and policies for a Circular Economy. However, relevant studies on resource efficiency policies mostly utilise a case-by-case or sector-by-sector approach and do not consider the systemic interdependencies of the underlying operational policy framework. In this contribution, a mapping of the existing resource policy framework in the European Union (EU) is undertaken, and used as a basis for identifying policy areas that have been less prominent in influencing material resource efficiency. Employing a life cycle approach, policies affecting material efficiency in the production and consumption stages of a product have been found to be poorly utilised so far in the EU. Taking this as a point of departure, three policy areas that can contribute to closing material loops and increasing resource efficiency are thoroughly discussed and their application challenges are highlighted. The three policy areas are: (1) policies for reuse, repair and remanufacturing; (2) green public procurement and innovation procurement; and (3) policies for improving secondary materials markets. Finally, a potential policy mix, including policy instruments from the three mentioned policy areas—together with policy mixing principles—is presented to outline a possible pathway for transitioning to Circular Economy policy making.     

Soil mutagenicity as a strategy to evaluate environmental and health risks in a contaminated area

Soil can be a storage place and source of pollutants for interfacial environments. This study looked at a site contaminated with wood preservatives as a source of mutagens, defined routes and extent of the dispersion of these contaminants by particle remobilization and atmospheric deposition, considering an evaluation of risk to human health by quantifying mutagenic risk. Soil sampling sites were chosen at gradually increasing distances (150, 500 and 1700 m) from SI (industrial area pool) and indoor dust (pool in an area at risk at 385 m and at 1700 m). Mutagenesis was evaluated in the Salmonella/microsome assay, TA98, TA97a and TA100 strains with and without S9 mix, YGs strains 1041, 1042 and 1024 for nitrocompounds. Acid extracts were analyzed to define the effects of metals and organics for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitroderivates, besides concentrations of these compounds and pentachlorophenol (PCP). Risk to human health was obtained from the relation between the quantified potential of mutagenic risk and estimated soil ingestion for children according to USEPA. Metal concentrations showed a gradient of responses with As, Cr and Cu (total metal) or Cr and Cu (fraction available) higher for SI. However, mutagenic effects of the mixtures did not show this grading. Site SR1700, without a response, was characterized as a reference. In organic extracts, the mutagenesis responses showed the mobility of these compounds from the source. In the surrounding area, a smaller pattern similar to SI was observed at SR150, and at the other sites elevated values of direct mutagenesis at SR500 and diminished effects at SR1700. Tests with YG strains indicated that nitrated compounds have a significant effect on the direct mutagenesis found, except SR500. The investigation of indoor dust in the surrounding area enabled confirmation of the particle resuspension route and atmospheric deposition, showing responses in mutagenicity biomarkers, PAH concentrations and PCP dosage similar to SI. The range of values obtained, considering the soil masses needed to induce mutagenicity was 0.02 to 0.33 g, indicating a high risk associated with human populations exposed, since these values found surpass the standard estimate of 200 mg/day of rate of soil ingestion for children according to USEPA. The study showed that it is essential to evaluate the extent of contamination from the soil to delimit remedial measures and avoid damage to the ecological balance and to human health.     

Movement towards a low carbon emitted environment: a test of some factors in Malaysia

There exists a high global concern in different nations on environmental sustainability especially at the focal stage of increased economic growth and development process due to high level of environmental degradation and pollution. The major aim of this study was to empirically examine how to minimise carbon emissions (CO₂) in Malaysia which are mainly caused by energy production, fossil fuel consumption, population density and economic growth. The study adopted the method of autoregressive distributed lag bound testing approach to analyse the data for the period 1971–2011. The study found that economic growth in Malaysia has a direct relationship with CO₂ emissions in both the short run and the long run. Similarly, there is a positive relationship between fossil fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions over the same period. Population density was found to have positive impacts on CO₂ emissions. Contrarily, the relationship between the activities of energy production and pollution is negative in the long run. The study recommends that a targeted GDP growth rate should be set with the consideration to avoid more environmental pollution. In addition, the positive impact of fossil fuel consumption on the environmental pollution implies that there is a need to make and implement policies that will encourage the use of public transportation system more than private transportations. That is, the unnecessary use of private vehicles should be discouraged in order to reduce the extent of fossil fuel consumption.     

Actinide analysis of a depleted uranium penetrator from a 1999 target site in southern Serbia

Following the detection of 236U in depleted uranium (DU) ammunition used during the Balkans conflict in the 1990s, concern has been expressed about the possibility that other nuclides from the nuclear fuel cycle and, in particular, transuranium nuclides, might be present in this type of ammunition. In this paper, we report the results of uranium and plutonium analyses carried out on a depleted uranium penetrator recovered from a target site in southern Serbia. Our data show the depleted nature of the uranium and confirm the presence of trace amounts of plutonium in the penetrator. The activity concentration of (239+240)PU, at 45.4+/-0.7 Bq kg(-1), is the highest reported to date for any penetrator recovered from the Balkans. This concentration, however, is comparable to that expected to be present naturally in uranium ores and, from a radiological perspective, would only give rise to a very small increase in dose to exposed persons compared to that from the DU itself.     

Policy-adaptation for a smarter and more sustainable EU electricity distribution industry: a foresight analysis

The European Union (EU) transition to a smarter and more sustainable electricity sector is driven by climate change adaptation and technological developments. For the electricity distribution industry, this has contributed to a growing need to understand how these network monopolies should adapt their role, activities, and responsibilities for a redesigned electricity market, given the growth of distributed generation, and the increased control and monitoring capabilities. Considering this, a foresight study on business model innovation, technological adaptation, and market design policy alternatives is presented. A Policy Delphi method was applied, involving two iterative survey rounds and 207 European experts, which assessed 57 policy alternatives. The results highlight adaptation challenges for implementing new technologies and business practices. Experts support innovation and transition to new roles, and innovative services, while warranting that core electricity distribution activities are secured. This shift in roles is expected to be achieved through research and development (R&D) support policies, innovation friendly regulatory frameworks, and concerted actions at the EU and Member States level. The results provide policy-adaptation guidelines for electricity distribution industry stakeholders.