A laboratory study of auctions for reducing non-point source pollution

Non-point source pollution, such as nutrient runoff to waterways from agricultural production, is an environmental problem that typically involves asymmetric information. Land use changes to reduce pollution incur opportunity costs that are privately known to landholders, but these changes provide environmental benefits that may be more accurately estimated by regulators. This paper reports a testbed laboratory experiment in which landholder/sellers in sealed-offer auctions compete to obtain part of a fixed budget allocated by the regulator to subsidize abatement. In one treatment the regulator reveals to landholders the environmental benefits estimated for their projects, and in another treatment the regulator conceals the potential projects’ “environmental quality.” The results show that sellers’ offers misrepresent their costs more for high-quality projects when quality is revealed, so total abatement is lower and seller profits are higher when landholders know their projects’ environmental benefits. This suggests that concealing this information may improve regulatory efficiency.     

Recovery from job stress: The stressor‐detachment model as an integrative framework

This paper reviews empirical evidence on psychological detachment from work during nonwork time. Psychological detachment as a core recovery experience refers to refraining from job‐related activities and thoughts during nonwork time; it implies to mentally disengage from one's job while being away from work. Using the stressor‐detachment model as an organizing framework, we describe findings from between‐person and within‐person studies, relying on cross‐sectional, longitudinal, and daily‐diary designs. Overall, research shows that job stressors, particularly workload, predict low levels of psychological detachment. A lack of detachment in turn predicts high strain levels and poor individual well‐being (e.g., burnout and lower life satisfaction). Psychological detachment seems to be both a mediator and a moderator in the relationship between job stressors on the one hand and strain and poor well‐being on the other hand. We propose possible extensions of the stressor‐detachment model by suggesting moderator variables grounded in the transactional stress model. We further discuss avenues for future research and offer practical implications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantification of gasoline-ethanol blend emissions effects

ABSTRACT

Emissions levels from current gasoline spark-ignited engines are low, and emissions changes associated with the blending of ethanol into gasoline are small and difficult to quantify. Addition of ethanol, with a high blending octane number, allows a reduction in aromatics in market gasoline. Blending behavior of ethanol is nonlinear, altering the distillation curve, including the 50% temperature point, T50. Increase in gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine technology in the fleet challenges ability of older models based on port fuel injection (PFI) results to predict the overall air quality impact of ethanol blending. Five different models derived from data collected through U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Policy Act (EPAct) programs were used to predict LA92 Phase 1 particulate matter (PM) emissions for summer regular (SR) E0 (gasoline with 0% ethanol by volume), E10 (gasoline with 10% ethanol) and E15 (gasoline with 15% ethanol). Substantial reductions of PM for E10 and E15 relative to E0 were predicted when aromatics were displaced by ethanol to maintain octane rating. SR E0 and E10 were also matched to linear combinations of EPAct fuels and results showed a 35% PM reduction for SR E10 relative to SR E0. For GDI vehicles the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) E-94-3 study found that E10 had 23% or 29% PM increase. However, CRC E-129 found an E10 PM reduction of 10% when one E0 fuel and its splash blended (SB) E10 were compared. Both CRC project E-129 SB data and fuel triplets selected from the EPAct study showed variation for E15 emissions, although E-129 suggests that E15 in GDI offers about a 25% reduction of PM with respect to E0. Overall, data suggest that ethanol blending offers a modest to a substantial reduction of cold-start PM mass if aromatic levels of the finished products are reduced in response to ethanol addition.

Implications: Studies of exhaust emissions effects of ethanol blending with gasoline vary in conclusions. Blending properties are nonlinear. Modeling of real-world emissions effects must consider all fuel composition adjustments and property changes associated with ethanol addition. Aromatics are reduced in E10 or E15, compared with E0, and distillation changes. PFI-derived models show reductions in cold-start PM for expected average E10 versus E0 pump fuel, due to reduced aromatic content. Relative emissions effects from older technology (PFI) engines do not predict newer engine (GDI) results reliably, but recent GDI data show reduced cold-start PM when ethanol displaces aromatics.     

The effect of air control systems on the indoor distributions of viable particles

We have investigated the filtering effects of three types of air control systems of enclosed structures on viable particles in the ambient air. Aspergillus fumigatus and other thermophilic organisms were used as monitors for viable particles. The indoor concentrations of viable particles were found to be affected by building design and the use of conventional mechanical air systems. Viable particles of approximately 4.0 μm and greater in aerodynamic diameter were filtered from the air while respirable size particles less than 4.0 μm were not filtered as well. There was evidence of growth of viable particles within the mechanical air systems. Conventional air control systems may not be adequate for the control of viable particle contamination of the indoor environment without modifications and proper maintenance.