Co-creating an alternative: the moral economy of participating in farmers’ markets

Growing dissatisfaction with the globalised food system, articulated on the behalf of both producers and consumers, has caused a variety of public debates surrounding the ethics of food production and consumption to become increasingly visible in society over the last two decades. Simultaneously, farmers’ markets (FMs) and other forms of direct marketing have experienced a noteworthy increase in participants, indicating an emerging demand for an alternative to conventional food networks, alternatives that are often perceived as providing a more just and moral relationship to food production and consumption. This study examines consumer and producer motivations for participation in FMs and opinions towards conventional and alternative agriculture in order to elucidate what (if any) values and morals are shared among producers and consumers. This study draws upon the theoretical framework of moral economy to understand whether these shared values suggest FM participants are working to co-create an alternative economy based on “moral” principles such as fairness, justice, and reciprocity. This mixed-methods study consists of consumer surveys (N?=?377) and semi-structured interviews with producers (N?=?17) from five FMs in the state of Delaware. The results suggest that producer and consumer motivations to participate in FMs, particularly a shared emphasis on social value, are indicative of a sense of moral economy. However, this moral economy is complicated by tension towards consumers and the alternative food movement more generally expressed on behalf of producers.     

Design of indicators for measuring product performance in the circular economy

Abstract

This paper explores measurement of product performance with respect to circular economy (CE) principles. Potential indicators are assessed with special attention given to questions such as: the variables that should be measured; how these variables should be assessed; and in which format they should be presented. The resulting considerations are used to develop a prototype whose design is informed through feedback from CE experts. The prototype uses a points-based questionnaire which converges into a simple final result with minimum and maximum limits. The selected approach is critically appraised, and its utility for decision-making discussed. The prototype is tested against a product in the chemical processing industry. The strengths include: ease of use; simplicity; speed; and an effective metaphor for the diffusion of CE principles. The limitations include: the opaque and potentially misleading nature of a single metric; superficial engagement with decision-making; and the reliance on context-specific assumptions. Future developments could include refining the approach to encourage deeper reflection, and generalisation of the approach to different industry sectors or sustainability frameworks.     

论传统服务业的生态化建设

发展循环型服务业应首先从服务行业本身实施生态化转型开始,重点对生产型和非生产型中资源消耗较大、环境影响较重的传统服务业进行生态化建设,以低消耗、低污染、产业发展与生态环境协调为目标,通过实施服务主体生态化、服务途径清洁化、消费模式绿色化及与其他产业生态化耦合等措施,把“3R”原则和生态理念融入到“提供服务”、“实施服务”、“享用服务”的服务业产业系统结构中去。     

化工资源回收利用与废水综合治理

武汉市某化工厂生产废水毒性大、污染物浓度高、盐度高、可生化性差,传统的工业废水处理工艺难以实现达标治理。本着循环经济的发展思路,通过废水现场调研和物料衡算,分析废水中的可资源化利用物质,对废水进行清污分流和污染物(DMF)资源化利用。经济分析表明,资源回收利用与污水综合治理相结合的方案不但可以实现废水的达标排放,还可以产生一定的经济效益。     

产业生态链构建研究 --以大连市旅顺口区为例

旅顺口区是大连中心城区的重要组成部分,如何构建旅顺口区的产业生态链,合理安排其产业结构,是“大大连”建设的一个至关重要的组成部分。文章首先对生态产业链概念、层次及其构建原则进行阐明和论述,在此基础上,应用产业生态学的理论与方法,分析大连市旅顺口区产业现状,并构建旅顺口区产业生态链,为大连市旅顺口区的生态工业园建设提供理论依据,为大连市的循环经济建设提供参考。     

典型外向型经济地区农村固体废弃物污染处置状况与管理对策

外向型经济地区经济发达、城镇化水平高、外来人口众多,使得农村环境问题日益突出。通过对典型外向型经济地区昆山市全部行政村发放调查表并结合经验系数法,调查和统计了外向型经济地区农村固废的产生种类、产生量和处置状况。统计分析结果显示,外向型经济地区农村的主要固体废弃物为生活垃圾、农业固废、禽畜粪便和农村企业固废。根据这些污染状况,提出了农村固废处置的管理对策。     

乌昌地区废物资源化现状与规划措施分析

乌昌地区经济总量占全疆的五分之一,财政收入占全疆的三分之一。乌昌经济一体化战略的实施,将在两地经济蓬勃发展的基础上,充分发挥两地优势,把乌昌地区建成全疆最重要的城市集群和最重要的人居生态区。本文通过对乌昌地区废物资源化现状的分析,提出了废物资源化的规划措施,有利于加强两地废物资源化工作,保护城市区域环境,节约资源,发展乌昌地区循环经济。     

核主成分分析法在生态经济可持续发展评价中应用

文章给出了一种非线性主成分评价模型:核主成分分析(KPCA),它将原变量空间通过一个非线性变换映射到高维特征空间F中,在F中进行线性主成分分析,通过核技巧,它只需在原空间进行点积运算,而不必知道映射的具体形式,只要选取适当的核函数和参数,可以使第一主成分的贡献率达到90%,结合安徽省生态经济可持续发展度为例,说明了KPCA应用,计算结果与现实相符,KPCA方法具有实际的应用价值。     

Cost–benefit analysis of beach-cast harvest: Closing land-marine nutrient loops in the Baltic Sea region

Harvesting beach-cast can help mitigate marine eutrophication by closing land-marine nutrient loops and provide a blue biomass raw material for the bioeconomy. Cost–benefit analysis was applied to harvest activities during 2009–2018 on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, highlighting benefits such as nutrient removal from the marine system and improved recreational opportunities as well as costs of using inputs necessary for harvest. The results indicate that the activities entailed a net gain to society, lending substance to continued funding for harvests on Gotland and assessments of upscaling of harvest activities to other areas in Sweden and elsewhere. The lessons learnt from the considerable harvest experience on Gotland should be utilized for developing concrete guidelines for carrying out sustainable harvest practice, paying due attention to local conditions but also to what can be generalized to a wider national and international context.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01641-8.     

低碳经济与农业发展思考

大气中碳浓度的升高是导致全球气候变化的主要原因.以低能耗、低排放、低污染为特征的低碳经济是目前人类应对全球气候变化,减缓温室气体排放的根本出路.农业生产与全球气候变化息息相关,农业是温室气体的第二大重要来源,如何减少农业温室气体排放量并探寻减排方法已经成为当务之急.从低碳经济这一热点问题谈起,论述了农业生产与全球气候变化的关系,以及当前农业面临的问题和挑战,提出了发展低碳农业的对策以及具体措施,旨在为呼应低碳经济,应对全球气候变化提供科学决策,促进现代农业由高碳经济向低碳经济转型,实现农业的可持续发展.