Consumerism,self-creation and prospects for a new ecological consciousness

The shift from production-based to consumption-based societies has seen consumption transformed from a means of meeting material needs to a method of creating a personal identity. Citizens of affluent countries increasingly seek a sense of self from their consumption activity instead of their workplace, class or community. Environmental appeals to change consumption behaviour implicitly ask people not merely to change their behaviour but to change their sense of personal identity. This can be threatening and makes more difficult the emergence of a new ecological consciousness, although the phenomenon of downshifting provides some grounds for optimism.     

Proposals for the conservation of nature in urban Singapore

The benefits of conserving nature in urban environments have proved to be a significant factor in improving the quality of life for residents of major cities throughout the world. In Singapore there are still many potential areas in which conservation management techniques would support sufficient natural habitat and attract a wide diversity of wildlife.This paper attempts to establish the criteria for selecting such areas, to identify the numerous human needs to be satisfied and to describe several case study examples.     

Emerging trends in informal sector recycling in developing and transition countries

Optimistic estimates suggest that only 30–70% of waste generated in cities of developing countries is collected for disposal. As a result, uncollected waste is often disposed of into open dumps, along the streets or into water bodies. Quite often, this practice induces environmental degradation and public health risks. Notwithstanding, such practices also make waste materials readily available for itinerant waste pickers. These ‘scavengers’ as they are called, therefore perceive waste as a resource, for income generation. Literature suggests that Informal Sector Recycling (ISR) activity can bring other benefits such as, economic growth, litter control and resources conservation. This paper critically reviews trends in ISR activities in selected developing and transition countries. ISR often survives in very hostile social and physical environments largely because of negative Government and public attitude. Rather than being stigmatised, the sector should be recognised as an important element for achievement of sustainable waste management in developing countries. One solution to this problem could be the integration of ISR into the formal waste management system. To achieve ISR integration, this paper highlights six crucial aspects from literature: social acceptance, political will, mobilisation of cooperatives, partnerships with private enterprises, management and technical skills, as well as legal protection measures. It is important to note that not every country will have the wherewithal to achieve social inclusion and so the level of integration must be ‘flexible’. In addition, the structure of the ISR should not be based on a ‘universal’ model but should instead take into account local contexts and conditions.     

An agent-based approach to explore the effect of voluntary mechanisms on land use change: A case in rural Queensland,Australia

In rural regions, land use changes (LUC) are often the result of the decision-making of individual farmers. To influence this decision-making, compulsory and voluntary mechanisms are implemented. However, farmers’ decision-making is a heterogeneous process that depends on their ability and willingness to take certain decisions. Discrepancies between farmers’ ability and willingness and the design of voluntary mechanisms occur frequently. This makes it necessary to understand how farmers’ participation in these mechanisms can affect LUC. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate an agent-based approach to analyse and explore how voluntary mechanisms can influence LUC processes in rural regions. This approach was applied to a rural region in Australia, where clearing of native vegetation has occurred for agricultural development. Historical land cover data and semi-structured interviews were used to parameterise an agent-based model. Factors that influence farmers’ ability and willingness to participate in these mechanisms were identified. Three scenarios were simulated with the model to explore how the implementation of different voluntary mechanisms can affect the landscape structure of the region. This paper identifies how the diversity of farmers’ decision-making can influence the landscape structure in the region. The advantages and limitations of an agent-based approach in relation to LUC research and policy are discussed.     

Satellite remote sensing as a tool in Lahar disaster management

At least 40,000 deaths have been attributed to historic lahars (volcanic mudflows). The most recent lahar disaster occurred in 1998 at Casita volcano, Nicaragua, claiming over 2,500 lives. Lahars can cover large areas and be highly destructive, and constitute a challenge for disaster management. With infrastructure affected and access frequently impeded, disaster management can benefit from the synoptic coverage provided by satellite imagery. This potential has been recognisedfor other types of natural disasters, but limitations are also known. Dedicated satellite constellations for disaster response and management have been proposed as one solution. Here we investigate the utility of currently available and forthcoming optical and radar sensors as tools in lahar disaster management. Applied to the Casita case, we find that imagery available at the time could not have significantly improved disaster response. However, forthcoming satellites, especially radar, will improve the situation, reducing the benefit of dedicated constellations.     

Song repertoires and reproductive success in the great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Summary The relationship between song repertoire size and reproductive success was investigated in a population of great reed warblers breeding in southern Germany. No correlations were found between repertoire size and various measures of male quality such as weight, wing length and age. Repertoire size was not correlated with territory size, but showed strong correlations with some measures of territory quality such as the amount of high quality reeds and reed-water interface. Repertoire size and territory quality were both correlated with various measures of reproductive success. Partial correlation analysis revealed that territory quality had a more significant effect upon the number of females obtained, but that repertoire size had a more significant effect upon the number of young produced.     

Operationalizing the outcomes of union commitment: The dimensionality of participation

In contrast to the past and current reliance upon a unidimensional or additive index of union participation, our research presents evidence of the multidimensional nature of the construct of union participation, a behavioral manifestation of union commitment. In this study, we examined a more diverse set of items than typically used in studies of union commitment and participation, ranging from holding union office to voting and to the more mundane, day-to-day activities which may take place in the workplace. Our results suggest three distinct dimensions to union participation, each representing potentially varying strengths of union commitment: an administrative factor reflecting office holding duties; an intermittent factor, reflecting participation in activities scheduled or available at particular times; and a supportive factor, reflecting on-going participative activities in support of other members of the union. Our findings further suggest these dimensions are relatively stable across time periods in two diverse samples: a retail worker sample and a nursing sample. Implications of the results are discussed.