Motivating energy conservation in the workplace: An evaluation of the use of group-level feedback and peer education

Research suggests that curbing consumer demand for energy through behavioral interventions is an essential component of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the short-term. Behavior within organizational settings poses a particular challenge to those wishing to promote energy conservation because employees typically have no direct financial incentive to reduce energy use and rarely have access to information regarding their level of consumption. Two relatively simple and easy-to-implement interventions were evaluated in a workplace setting during the fall of 2008. The first involved group-level feedback presented monthly to employees via e-mail. The second used peer educators to disseminate information and to encourage colleagues to reduce energy use. Both interventions were compared to an information-only control designed to educate employees about how and why to conserve energy. Results indicated that feedback and peer education resulted in a 7% and 4% reduction in energy use, respectively. Buildings that received the control increased energy use by 4%. The effect of peer education was limited by implementation failures in two buildings. The utility of these interventions will be discussed in terms of their overall potential for reducing energy use, as well as the feasibility of their being implemented in future organizational settings.     

Spatial variations of human health risk associated with exposure to chlorination by-products occurring in drinking water

During disinfection, chlorine reacts with organic matter present in drinking water and forms various undesirable chlorinated by-products (CBPs). This paper describes a study of the spatial variability of human health risk (i.e., cancer effects) from CBP exposure through drinking water in a specific region. The region under study involves nine drinking water distribution systems divided into several zones based on their characteristics. The spatial distribution of cancer risk (CR) was estimated using two years of data (2006-2008) on various CBP species. In this analysis, trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) served as surrogates for CBPs. Three possible routes of exposure (i.e., via ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact) were considered for each selected compound. The cancer risk assessment involved estimating a unit risk (R(T)) in each zone of the selected distribution systems. A probabilistic analysis based on Monte Carlo simulations was employed. Risk assessment results showed that cancer risk varied between systems, but also within individual systems. As a result, the population of the same region was not exposed to the same risk associated with CBPs in drinking water. Unacceptable levels (i.e., R(T) > 10(-4)) for the estimated CR were determined for several zones in the studied region. This study demonstrates that a spatial-based analysis performed to represent the spatial distribution of risk estimates can be helpful in identifying suitable risk management strategies. Suggestions for improving the risk analysis procedure are also presented.     

Adsorption of cadmium on carbonaceous adsorbents developed from used tire rubber

Carbonaceous adsorbents (CAs) are developed from used tire rubber (UTR) and tested as adsorbents of Cd(2+) in aqueous solution. In the preparation of the CAs, UTR was treated thermally at 400-900 °C for 2 h in N(2) and at 850 °C for 2 h in steam. Concentrated NaOH, HCl, H(2)SO(4), HNO(3) and H(2)O(2) solutions were also used. UTR and H900 (i.e. UTR pyrolyzed at 900 °C) were treated with O(3) at 25 °C for 1 h and with air at 250 °C for 1 and 24 h. CAs were characterized texturally by N(2) adsorption at -196 °C, mercury porosimetry, and density measurements. The surface groups were analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy. Using the batch method, the adsorption process of Cd(2+) was studied mainly from the kinetic standpoint at various pH values of the adsorptive solution. Significant porosity developments are achieved only when UTR is heat-treated, in particular in steam. However, the variety and concentration of surface groups are low in CAs. This is so even for CAs prepared using oxidizing agents as strong as O(3) and H(2)O(2), which has been associated with a lack of available or accessible surface active sites for oxidation in UTR and H900, respectively. Thermal and thermal-chemical treatments are usually more effective than chemical treatments to increase the adsorption of Cd(2+) in aqueous solution. The adsorption process of Cd(2+) is first fast and then much slower. Adsorption-time data fit better to a pseudo-second order kinetic equation than to a pseudo-first order kinetic equation. The extent to which the adsorption process occurs is strongly dependent on the pH of the Cd(2+) solution, being larger at pH 4.6 or 7.0 according to the adsorbent.     

Alkylphenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in eastern Mediterranean Spanish coastal marine bivalves

This paper reports the first results on alkylphenol pollution in edible bivalves from the Spanish coast. Two sampling campaigns (July 2006 and July 2007) were carried out to determine the concentration of nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), and eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialys) and clams (Donax trunculus) at 14 sampling sites along the eastern Mediterranean Spanish coast. The results show that NP is the predominant alkylphenol, being the port of Valencia the most polluted area (up to 147 ??g/kg wet weight in clams). Moving away from the ports the concentration of NP in bivalves decreased. OP concentration was below its detection limit in most of the studied areas and its maximum concentration (6 ??g/kg w/w) was measured in clams from the port of Sagunto. The presence of low levels of PAHs was observed in most of the studied areas. The total PAHs concentration (i.e., sum of the eight measured PAHs) achieved a maximum value of 10.09 ??g/kg w/w in the north coast of Valencia city. The distribution pattern of the individual PAHs showed that both pollution sources petrogenic and pyrolytic were present in the sampled areas. Fluoranthene was the most abundant PAH in mussels while benzo(b)fluoranthene in clams. The maximum concentration of 10 ??g/kg w/w for benzo(a)pyrene established by the European Commission was never reached, indeed sampled bivalves showed concentrations 10 times lower than this reference value. Thus, they can be considered safe for human consumption. Despite the low contamination levels, the results show an overall pollution of bivalves by alkylphenol and PAHs as well as an increment in the number of polluted areas from 2006 to 2007. Thus, periodical sampling campaigns should be carried out to monitor the long-term tendency of these toxic and persistent pollutants.     

The impact of air pollution on COVID-19 pandemic varied within different cities in South America using different models

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - There is a rising concern that air pollution plays an important role in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the results were not consistent on the...     

Spatio-temporal geostatistical modelling of sulphate concentration in the area of the Reocín Mine (Spain) as an indicator of water quality

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water stored in open-pit lakes can be a water resource when the mine is closed. This study aimed to develop a reliable model to evaluate the water...     

Factors driving sediment compositional change in the distal area of the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain): oceanographic processes vs. paleopollution

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - We analyze potential Late Holocene metal contamination along a sediment core collected in the distal zone of Ria de Vigo (North Spain). Statistical...     

EU-28’s progress toward the 2020 renewable energy share: a club convergence analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This paper assesses the convergence of the EU-28 countries toward their common goal of 20% in the renewable energy share indicator by year 2020. The...