Computer and mobile phone waste in urban India: an analysis from the perspectives of public perception,consumption and disposal behaviour

Sustainable management of Electronic waste (E-waste) is a major challenge for contemporary India, an emerging economy burdened with both the domestic generation and illegal import of E-waste. Considering the ever-increasing complexities of E-waste in Indian cities, this paper aims to evaluate the current trends, opportunities and challenges associated with consumption of electronic items (with respect to computers and mobile phones) and disposal of E-waste in urban India. Bangalore, a city popularly known as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’, is considered as a case study in order to evaluate public awareness, household consumption and E-waste disposal behaviours. The city profile of Bangalore indicates that it has a rapidly emerging market for electronics and thus, has the potential to act as a ‘model’ for evaluating the issues concerning E-waste in metropolitan India. Questionnaires were distributed originally among 300 households with an effective response rate of 63.3%. The results indicate that the majority of households (59.3%) still retain their obsolete electronics due to lack of knowledge about proper E-waste management. High awareness about E-waste and high willingness to recycle/repair their E-waste (above 80% in both cases) are yet to be translated into responsible disposal/recycling behaviour as 95.8% of households have no knowledge about the presence of any formal recycling centre. Income, education, age and gender dimensions associated with E-waste disposal behaviour and awareness were also evaluated. Although we found no gender differences for most of the parameters, there have been some interesting correlations in age and income-wise segregation of disposal behaviour. We noted that the city of Bangalore still possesses some typical Indian socio-cultural characteristics, such as considering E-waste as ‘valuables’, changing several hands before final disposal, defying ‘brand’ or ‘looks’ consciousness, etc., which could be directed towards responsible E-waste disposal behaviours. We suggest that establishing appropriate and convenient E-waste collection/recycling facilities, ensuring responsible household disposal behaviour, implementing effective laws and legislation, and organizing mass E-waste awareness campaigns would aid in addressing the current E-waste concerns in the city.     

论生态补偿法律制度的现状与完善

生态补偿在我国有一定的发展历史,但在法律规制方面一直没有形成完整体系.文章认为完善我国生态补偿法律机制首先应厘清其法律内涵,在此基础上通过梳理目前生态补偿法律机制运行的现状,揭示其还存在法律制度方面的缺失、补偿资金来源单一、公民环境意识淡漠等问题,近而提出应从立法方面规范生态补偿法律行为、实施多元化的融资渠道,普及环境意识,推进公共参与制度等方面来完善生态补偿法律机制,达到环境、经济、社会的可持续发展.     

大连市海岛环境意识调查与环境教育对策研究

对大连市长兴岛、大长山岛部分学生进行海岛生态安全环境意识问卷调查,通过定性与定量分析(主成分分析),了解当前海岛生态环境现状及居民环境意识、环境行为和环境意愿,为海岛可持续发展与学校环境教育研究提供重要的理论基础。希望这次问卷调查能为将来环境教育的实施提供一定的理论依据,同时也影响、改善学生的环境行为,促进环境行为和环境意识的协调发展,为提高学生的环境素养和探寻合理的环境教育模式提出建议。     

从广西1994年特大洪灾谈非工程防洪措施

本文根据广西各地１９９４年洪灾的具体情况，深入分析了工程防洪措施的局限性及非工程防洪措施存在的问题，提出了加强广西非工程措施的重点是加强民众水患意识教育，广泛开展洪水多发区的洪水风险评估并加强土地管理，建立先进的洪水预报预警系统及完善的洪水保险业务。     

节水知识、意识和行为的现状评估及系统分析——以北京市中学生为例

节约用水是缓解水资源紧缺的有效途径,涉及社会心理层面认知、意愿的复杂状态。设计问卷对312名北京市中学生的节水知识、意识和行为进行现状评估,系统分析三者相互关系,为推行更为有效的节水管理措施提供支持。结果显示,节水知识、意识和行为问卷的信度指标(Cronbach’sα)值分别为0.82、0.77和0.84。中学生群体缺乏对节水的精确定量认知,难以判别用水的合理程度;电视是当前的主要知识来源。水资源的稀缺性被广泛认同,中学生群体具有一定的敏感度和节水责任感,能够感知水资源条件的变化;但缺乏深入理解,尤其存在"口号化"的倾向。中学生群体在节水行为方面有待改进。通过改变自身用水方式达到节水目的的行为发生频次超过半数,而改变他人用水方式的人际行为发生率较低。节水意识显著影响节水行为,节水知识对节水意识的影响不具统计意义。节水知识除直接影响节水行为外,还通过节水意识的中介效应影响节水行为,两者效果比例大约9∶1。     

开展新形势下环境保护宣传教育工作的几点思考

环境保护事业在发展，宣传教育工作也要与时俱进。环境保护不仅是一门专业，更重要的是一个理念，是新的文明和新的文化形态。宣传这种理念需要一种无私的奉献精神，更需要一种有效的手段。在强化公众的环保意识的同时，更要针对领导干部、企业负责人、消费者等不同群体开展环保教育，建立宣传教育的配套机制，依托多元主体，进行各有侧重的环境保护宣传教育。     

环境意识内涵与环境教育目标

要想有效解决日益严重的环境问题，必须进一步提高公众的环境意识。环境意识的形成，需要通过教育的手段来实现。增强环境意识首先应该正确认识和理解环境意识的内涵。同时，它也是确立环境教育目标的重要依据。文章通过环境意识的基本内涵（认识意识和参与意识）的分析，提出了环境教育应达到的4个目标：知识目标、价值目标、道德目标和行为目标，并为更好地完成这些目标提出了建议。     

太湖流域农村公众环境意识案例研究

环境意识属上层建筑范畴,对环境行为具有指导意义。针对太湖流域日益严重的农业非点源污染,提高农村公众环境意识是控制该区水污染的主要措施之一。首次选取无锡市大浦镇14个行政村2.7万人为抽样框进行农村公众环境意识调查。结果表明：①居民对水环境污染的原因有了初步的认识,但与实际有明显偏差;②浅层次的局部的“日常生活环保型”环境意识依然存在;③居民在环保行为上为“政府依赖型”,整体参与环保意识不强;④居民获取环保信息渠道单一,政府对主要的信息发布渠道重视不足;⑤2003年该镇居民总支付意愿为55.3～98.2万元。     

Improving situational awareness through the design of offshore installations

Maintaining the situational awareness of control room operators on offshore installations contributes to the timely diagnosis of conditions and making appropriate decisions. This is particularly important when dealing with events and incidents. Recent initiatives aimed at reducing operators’ exposure to the hazards of working on offshore installations may have a negative impact upon situational awareness within the control room environment.This paper discusses mitigation of the negative impact through the design and operation of the installation and control system; either by improving the general level of situational awareness or by specifically targeting the areas affected by these initiatives.     

What does ‘safe’ look and feel like?

In this paper, the authors answer the question and help readers to form a view of ‘what does safe look and feel like’? Five important aspects of safety are addressed logically: Safety Culture, Safety Awareness, Safety Function, Processes, and Training. In each part, rather than just address what elements are involved and the importance of every element, this paper also provides general ideas and examples to help improve the level of safety. While safety culture is to a large extent influenced by the leadership; a best-in-class safety culture can be self-perpetuating particularly if the initial journey to best-in-class safety culture embeds the concepts of safety awareness, safety functions, processes and training in the organization. The paper provides an overview of safety related actions, tools, and processes that High Reliability Organizations follow, and should serve as a benchmark for other organizations of all sizes in search of safety improvement.