Protecting the environment through public procurement: The case of South Africa

This article deals with the use of the procurement or purchasing power of governments to protect the environment. The focus is on South Africa and the aim is to show that South African organs of state can use procurement as an environmental policy tool to contribute to sustainable development as they have commendably done so to address past discriminatory policies and practices. It is argued that such use does not fall outside the current legislative framework governing procurement and suggestions are made as to how environmental considerations could be incorporated throughout the procurement process, namely the preparatory stage; the drawing up of tender or technical specifications; ensuring the capability or responsibility of contractors; the use of criteria to compare different tenders; and ensuring that eventual performance under a contract is environmentally sound.     

A critical review of the theory and application of social learning in participatory natural resource management processes

Social learning is increasingly cited as an essential component of sustainable natural resource management and the promotion of desirable behavioural change. This paper attempts to contribute to the current debate about social learning and public participation by reviewing the many perspectives on social learning and associated claims and benefits. Based on this analysis the paper identifies conceptual and practical weaknesses of the concept of social learning and their implications for the design of participatory processes in natural resource management.     

Water quality and restoration in a coastal subdivision stormwater pond

Stormwater ponds are commonly used in residential and commercial areas to control flooding. The accumulation of urban contaminants in stormwater ponds can lead to a number of water quality problems including high nutrient, chemical contaminant, and bacterial levels. This study examined the interaction between land use and coastal pond water quality in a South Carolina residential subdivision pond. Eutrophic levels of chlorophyll and phosphorus were present in all seasons. Harmful cyanobacterial blooms were prevalent during the summer months. Microcystin toxin and fecal coliform bacteria levels were measured that exceeded health and safety standards. Low concentrations of herbicides (atrazine and 2,4-D) were also detected during summer months. Drainage from the stormwater pond may transport contaminants into the adjacent tidal creek and estuary. A survey of residents within the pond's watershed indicated poor pet waste management and frequent use of fertilizers and pesticides as possible contamination sources. Educational and outreach activities were provided to community members to create an awareness of the water quality conditions in the pond. Pond management strategies were then recommended, and selected mitigation actions were implemented. Water quality problems identified in this study have been observed in other coastal stormwater ponds of varying size and salinity, leading this project to serve as a potential model for coastal stormwater pond management.     

Participants and non-participants of place-based groups: an assessment of attitudes and implications for public participation in water resource management

Policy-makers and public participation analysts face the question of who should be involved in environmental decision-making. Participants are often representatives of organized groups who share similar demographic and other characteristics. This raises concerns about the degree to which the interests and opinions of others are represented. The research presented here investigates the nature and degree of differences in environmental attitudes, specifically those toward water resource management efforts, among people who do and do not participate in place-based groups in metropolitan Portland, Oregon. Neighborhood associations and a watershed council were the focus of this research due to their involvement in land-use planning and resource activities. Thirty-four individual attitudinal judgments were evaluated, along with four indices representing attitudes toward resource protection goals, government, regulations, and economic measures. Survey findings revealed watershed council participants were more supportive of resource protection compared to others on all attitudinal dimensions except anthropocentric goals. In contrast, neighborhood association participants are relatively representative of non-participants except for heightened support for economic strategies. Participants in both groups exhibited higher socioeconomic status than non-participants. Written survey comments highlighted the perceived value of on-the-ground projects incorporating local input and feedback while interviews provided insights on how to expand participation in place-based groups and resource protection efforts.     

Creating and sustaining community capacity for ecosystem-based management: Is local government the key?

Recently, collaborative approaches to natural resource management have been widely promoted as ways to broaden participation and community involvement in furthering the goals of ecosystem management. The language of collaboration has even been incorporated into controversial legislation, such as the US Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003. This research examines collaboration and sharing management responsibility for federal public land with local communities through a case study of the Ashland Municipal Watershed in southern Oregon. A policy sciences approach is used to analyze community participation and institutional relationships between the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, and local city government in the planning processes of five land management actions occurring over a 7-year period. The knowledge gained from examining differing approaches to planning and decision making in the Ashland watershed is used to suggest future planning processes to develop and sustain the community capacity necessary to support implementation of community-based ecosystem management.     

Informing common pool resource problems: a survey of preference for catchment management strategies amongst farmers and the general public in the Ythan river catchment

In principle the protection of environmental resources is in every ones interest, yet it is evident that this is not what often occurs. In some cases there is an identifiable person or corporation, whose environmental impact can be tractably regulated either politically or via market forces. In other cases there is cumulative impact on a commonly held or "common pool" resource, from a variety of users, making establishing rights and responsibilities for resource management more difficult. The water of the Ythan catchment is one such 'Common Pool Resource' (CPR). An intensively farmed catchment also sustaining a sizable population, the consequent nitrate inputs to the water are believed to be the cause of algal matting at the estuary mouth, an internationally designated wildlife reserve. This led to its designation as Scotland's first Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). Supported by the EU Life Environment fund, the Ythan Project attempted to foster co-operation between farmers and the wider community of the Ythan catchment to protect and restore the river environment. Throughout the project surveys were undertaken concerning the popularity of the Ythan Project's voluntary approach compared with more individualist or state-organised approaches. Taking CPR theory as a framework, key findings from those surveys are presented and discussed as to their implications for organisational intervention in CPR problems.     

Xia Futou's public bathhouse--a sustainable urbanization experiment in a Chinese village

Xia Futou, a small Chinese village with a unique cultural landscape, consists of two unbalanced parts, an old village up the hill and a new one down the hill. In order to upgrade and preserve the unique cultural landscape of the older village and rebalance the dislocation of the two parts, a small public bathhouse project has been carried out according to sustainable architecture principles. Based on the current cultural landscape of the bathhouse and its surroundings, this approach is attempting to localize an informed, balance-seeking, design process in the village and in so doing develop a series of diverse possibilities and beneficial paths. The experiment of the public bathhouse's design and construction led to two key conceptual questions that need to be examined, the one is to research a village with a dynamic system conception instead of a static one; the other is to research a village with a self-organizing system conception1 instead of an organized one. Furthermore, we can give the sustainable path for the future that such naturally evolved Chinese villages evolve into sustainable towns and cities.     

CDC's research portfolio in older adult fall prevention: a review of progress, 1985-2005, and future research directions

PROBLEM: Falls are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among adults age 65 and older. Population models predict steep increases in the 65 and older population bands in the next 10-15 years and in turn, public health is bracing for increased fall rates and the strain they place on health care systems and society. To assess progress in fall prevention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a research portfolio review to examine the quality, relevance, outcomes and successes of the CDC fall prevention program and its impact on public health. METHODS: A peer review panel was charged with reviewing 20 years of funded research and conducting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis for extramural and intramural research activities. Information was collected from grantees (via a survey instrument), staff were interviewed, and progress reports and products were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: CDC has invested over $24,900,000 in fall-related research and programs over 20 years. The portfolio has had positive impacts on research, policies and programs, increasing the public health injury prevention workforce, and delivering effective fall prevention programs. DISCUSSION: Public health agencies, practitioners, and policy makers recognize that while there are some evidence-based older adult fall prevention interventions available, many remain unused or are infeasible to implement. Specific recommendations across the public health model, include: additional research in gathering robust epidemiologic data on trends and patterns of fall-related injuries at all levels; researching risk factors by setting or sub-population; developing and testing innovative interventions; and engaging in translation and dissemination research on best practices to increase uptake and adoption of fall prevention strategies. CDC has responded to a number of suggestions from the portfolio review including: funding translation research of a proven Tai Chi fall intervention; beginning to address gaps in gender, ethnic, and racial differences in falls; and collaborating with partner organizations who share in CDC's mission to improve public health by preventing falls and reducing fall-related injuries. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Industry has an opportunity to develop more accessible and usable devices to reduce injury from falls (for example, hip protectors and force reducing flooring). By implementing effective, evidence-based interventions to prevent falls and reduce injuries from falls, significant decreases in health care costs can be expected.     

Aggressive driving: a survey of attitudes, opinions and behaviors

INTRODUCTION: Aggressive driving encompasses a continuum of behaviors that range from extreme acts, such as shootings, to less severe manifestations, such as arguments and gestures. It is clear from the available data that aggressive driving is not uncommon and very risky. However, little is known about the opinions and practices of drivers. The purpose of this study was to help bridge these gaps. METHODS: The data were gathered by means of a public opinion poll among a representative sample of 1,201 Canadian drivers. Univariate frequency distributions and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and logistic regression and generalized linear latent models were used to summarize the data. RESULTS: It was found that the issue of aggressive driving is a significant one as a considerable percentage of drivers admits to it. The results coming from the logistic regression and the generalized linear latent model suggest that male and younger drivers are more likely to behave aggressively in traffic and that behaving more aggressively is associated with a history of traffic tickets. DISCUSSION: When gauging people's attitudes, opinions, and behaviors, it becomes clear that aggressive driving is a considerable problem. There also seems to be a need for a better understanding of which specific behaviors respondents associate with the generic term "aggressive driving." IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Results from this study further emphasize the need of increasing the aggressive driving knowledge base.     

浅析物联网技术在“蓝天保卫战”中的应用

大气污染防治工作事关民生和发展，打赢“蓝天保卫战”离不开物联网技术的应用。本文根据笔者对物联网技术的学习与理解，结合生活中观察引发的思考，以及相关文献资料检索，提出了自己对于物联网技术在“蓝天保卫战”中应用的构思。研究结果表明，运用物联网技术作为工具，构建大气污染的防控体系，国家层面与全民参与双管齐下，能够实现对污染要素的感知、监控和治理。物联网技术在控制大气污染方面有着非常好的前景，如果将物联网技术应用得当，能够对整个生态环境事业起到非常积极的作用。