Deafness and Disability—Forgotten Components of Environmental Justice: Illustrated by the Case of Local Agenda 21 in South Wales

Abstract

This paper contributes to discussions of procedural aspects of environmental justice, understood as having procedural and substantive dimensions. It argues that the struggle for environmental justice must recognize the oppression of disabled people as part of the essential broadening of the notion of citizenship, which continues to be the focus for struggle for the international disability movement. Its case study of an area of South Wales suggests that at present disabled people, and the struggles of the disability movement, do not really feature in the way environmental activists (inside and outside government) see the world. This huge omission must be addressed, but in a way that avoids interpreting disability as an administrative category, and must engage with disablement as a political and contested notion. The paper develops the significance of this contention by considering the case of Deafness, which is entirely different from hearing impairment. The paper's case study, presented as an illustration of its arguments, shows that to regard Deaf people in South Wales as part of some generic category of ‘disabled people’ would be to ignore their self-identification as a distinctive linguistic community. Moreover, there is some evidence that Deaf people have a distinctive view of, and set of concerns about, quality of life, reflecting their distinctive experience of social injustice and marginalization. This underlines the necessity for a serious engagement with disablement as a political category, and the disability movement as a struggle for social justice, within the promotion of environmental justice.     

Evaluation of Existing and Modified Wetland Equations in the SWAT Model

The ability to accurately simulate flow and nutrient removal in treatment wetlands within an agricultural, watershed‐scale model is needed to develop effective plans for meeting nutrient reduction goals associated with protection of drinking water supplies and reduction of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. The objectives of this study were to incorporate new equations for wetland hydrology and nutrient removal in Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), compare model performance using original and improved equations, and evaluate the ramifications of errors in watershed and tile drain simulation on prediction of NO₃‐N dynamics in wetlands. The modified equations produced Nash‐Sutcliffe Efficiency values of 0.88 to 0.99 for daily NO₃‐N load predictions, and percent bias values generally less than 6%. However, statistical improvement over the original equations was marginal and both old and new equations provided accurate simulations. The new equations reduce the model's dependence on detailed monitoring data and hydrologic calibration. Additionally, the modified equations increase SWAT's versatility by incorporating a weir equation and an irreducible nutrient concentration and temperature coefficient. Model improvements enhance the utility of SWAT for simulating flow and nutrients in wetlands and other impoundments, although performance is limited by the accuracy of inflow and NO₃‐N predictions from the contributing watershed. Editor's note : This paper is part of the featured series on SWAT Applications for Emerging Hydrologic and Water Quality Challenges. See the February 2017 issue for the introduction and background to the series.     

1998年厄尔尼诺后珊瑚礁的侵蚀与恢复:印度洋查戈斯礁群

在印度洋中部查戈斯礁群的大多数珊瑚死亡之后3年,对30m水深以浅珊瑚的侵蚀和恢复情况进行了研究.北部环礁15m水深以浅、中部和南部环礁＞35m处的珊瑚差不多全部死亡.由于密集珊瑚丛的损失,一些礁体"表面"下降了1 5m.珊瑚的生物侵蚀情况严重,减少了三维礁体"结构"并形成松散的碎石.幼年珊瑚数量众多,尽管大部分是在侵蚀的或不稳定的基底上,并且稳定种较少.在15m的深度,礁体间鱼类丰度和多样性仍旧较高;依赖于珊瑚生存的物种减少,而一些食草动物和食碎屑动物则增加.一个新的海面温度(SST)数据集表明,平均SST自1950年以来升高了0.65℃.造成查戈斯珊瑚礁死亡的临界SST是29.9℃.     

Perceived enjoyment,concentration, intention,and speed violation behavior: Using flow theory and theory of planned behavior

Objective: Road accidents are an important public health concern, and speeding is a major contributor. Although flow theory (FLT) is a valid model for understanding behavior, currently the nature of the roles and interplay of FLT constructs within the theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework when attempting to explain the determinants of motivations for intention to speed and speeding behavior of car drivers is not yet known. The study aims to synthesize TPB and FLT in explaining drivers of advanced vehicles intentions to speed and speed violation behaviors and evaluate factors that are critical for explaining intention and behavior.

Method: The hypothesized model was validated using a sample collected from 354 fully licensed drivers of advanced vehicles, involving 278 males and 76 females on 2 occasions separated by a 3-month interval. During the first of the 2 occasions, participants completed questionnaire measures of TPB and FLT variables. Three months later, participants' speed violation behaviors were assessed.

Results: The study observed a significant positive relationship between the constructs. The proposed model accounted for 51 and 45% of the variance in intention to speed and speed violation behavior, respectively. The independent predictors of intention were enjoyment, attitude, and subjective norm. The independent predictors of speed violation behavior were enjoyment, concentration, intention, and perceived behavioral control.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that safety interventions for preventing speed violation behaviors should be aimed at underlying beliefs influencing the speeding behaviors of drivers of advanced vehicles. Furthermore, perceived enjoyment is of equal importance to driver's intention, influencing speed violation behavior.     

Framework for participative reflection on the accomplishment of transdisciplinary research programs

In response to the increasingly complex social–ecological issues facing society, there is a growing trend to conduct environmental research in large collaborative programs. This approach is described as transdisciplinary research as it transcends formal disciplinary boundaries, explicitly acknowledges that many different perspectives are relevant to the resolution of complex problems, and actively involves the users of research. This poses challenges for the evaluation of “impact” as any evaluation process must take into consideration the different expectations, values, culture, language and reward structures of the main participating groups, the funders, researchers and end users. How can these participating groups learn about the progress of a transdisciplinary research program in a way that is purposeful and structured, continues through the life of the program, and includes explicit feedback mechanisms that facilitate adaptation during the course of the program? This paper presents a framework for co-reflecting on the accomplishment of transdisciplinary research programs. The framework incorporates the perspectives of funders, researchers and users, and recognizes that while they place different emphasis on measures of achievement such as efficiency, rigor and relevance, ultimate accomplishment in terms of translating knowledge into practice requires that the needs and expectations of all three groups are adequately addressed. What emerges from the framework is the importance of early investment in processes, behaviors and relationships that foster social learning and the co-production of the knowledge and understanding that are required to ensure relevance; while maintaining emphasis in the traditional areas of formally testing evidence and mentoring young researchers to ensure rigor and build confidence and capacity in transdisciplinary approaches.     

Effect of wastewater composition on the calcium carbonate precipitation in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors

Calcium carbonate often precipitates in anaerobic reactors treating wastewater with high calcium content. The aim of this paper is to study the effect of wastewater composition on calcium carbonate precipitation in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors. Two laboratory-scale UASB reactors were operated with calcium-containing influents using acetate and carbohydrate as substrate, respectively. There was an obvious accumulation of inorganic precipitate observed in the biogranules. Observations via scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the acclimated biogranules in the two reactors differed in microstructure. Calcium carbonate was found to have precipitated on the surface of acetate-degrading biogranules, but precipitated at the core of the carbohydrate-degrading biogranules. The results indicated that substrates had significant influence on the location of calcium carbonate precipitation in anaerobic granular sludge, which was expected due to the different methanogens distribution and pH gradient within the granular sludge degrading various substrates. Moreover, the location of calcium carbonate precipitation substantially affected the specific methanogenic activity (SMA) of the granular sludge. The SMA of the acetate-degrading biogranules dropped from $ 1.96 gCOD_{CH_4 } \cdot gVSS^{ - 1} \cdot d^{ - 1} $ 1.96 gCOD_{CH_4 } \cdot gVSS^{ - 1} \cdot d^{ - 1} to $ 0.61 gCOD_{CH_4 } \cdot gVSS^{ - 1} \cdot d^{ - 1} $ 0.61 gCOD_{CH_4 } \cdot gVSS^{ - 1} \cdot d^{ - 1} after 180-d of operation in the reactor. However, the SMA of the carbohydrate-degrading biogranules was not adversely affected by calcium carbonate precipitation.     

Effect of enhanced seat belt reminders on driver fatality risk

Objective

Enhanced seat belt reminders in automobiles have been shown to increase belt use rates by approximately 3 percentage points. The objective of this study was to estimate the effect of enhanced seat belt reminders on driver fatality risk.

Method

Data included all passenger vehicle driver deaths and vehicle registration counts in the United States for calendar years 2000-2007. Driver fatality rates per vehicle registration per year were compared for otherwise identical vehicle models with and without enhanced seat belt reminders.

Results

Driver fatality rates were 6% lower for vehicles with enhanced seat belt reminders compared with vehicles without enhanced belt reminders. After adjusting for vehicle age differences, the estimated effect of enhanced belt reminders on driver fatality risk ranged from a 9% reduction for General Motors vehicles to a 2% increase for Honda vehicles. Combining all manufacturers, enhanced belt reminders reduced fatality risk by approximately 2%. Although not statistically significant, the 2% reduction in fatality risk agrees with what should be expected from a 3 percentage point increase in seat belt use rates.

Conclusions

Enhanced seat belt reminders have raised driver belt use rates and reduced fatality rates, but more aggressive systems may be needed for some drivers. It can be inferred that nonfatal injury rates also have been reduced.

Impact on Industry

Manufacturers should be encouraged to put enhanced seat belt reminders on all vehicles as soon as possible.     

Diagnosis of cardiac defects: where we've been,where we are and where we're going

There has been tremendous development in the field of prenatal diagnosis of cardiac disease in the last 30 years. Early work centered on the technical aspects of providing an accurate assessment of cardiac structure and function. Techniques of fetal cardiac screening have been developed and utilized throughout the world. More recently, investigators have begun to explore the ramifications of fetal cardiac diagnosis by assessing measures of outcome. In this article, the field of fetal echocardiography, as a screening tool for identifying congenital heart disease, and its impact on disease outcome is reviewed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intrauterine manometry: Technique and application to fetal pathology

A technique is described for measuring pressure within the amniotic cavity and within fetal vessels and/or body compartments. Two saline-filled catheters were connected at one end to needles inserted during indicated invasive procedures and at the other to silicon strain gauge transducers. In 36 pregnancies with normal liquor volume, stable intra-amniotic pressure (IAP, range 1–14 mmHg) increased with gestation (r=0·48, p<0·01). In pregnancies complicated by severe oligohydramnios, IAP was ≤ 1 mm Hg and rose to normal levels with saline amnioinfusion. Raised IAP (range 17–26 mm Hg), found in pregnancies with gross polyhydramnios, fell with drainage of amniotic fluid. Subtraction manometry was used to determine supra-amniotic pressure within the intervillus space, umbilical vein, umbilical artery, abdominal and thoracic cavities, and the urinary tract in normal and/or pathological fetuses. Low intravesical and intrapelvicalyceal pressures (median 6·5, range 2–10 mmHg) were noted in fetuses with obstructive uropathies. Intrauterine subtraction manometry appears to be a useful tool in the understanding of fetal pathophysiology and may be of clinical benefit in the therapeutic drainage and infusion of amniotic fluid and in the assessment of certain fetal disease states.