Living the green city: Freiburg's Solarsiedlung between narratives and practices of sustainable urban development

The solar settlement (Solarsiedlung) in Freiburg, Germany, has been widely hailed as an eco-city or green city neighbourhood and a blueprint for sustainable urban development. However, as there is a noticeable lack of critical analysis of what constitutes Solarsiedlung as an “eco-city”, this paper studies narratives and practices of sustainable urban development. First, we look at Solarsiedlung as a best-practice model – a narrative that was produced and perpetuated by architects, urban planners, investors and academics celebrating this neighbourhood as a technologically leapfrogging, economically sound and socially integrated project. Second, we explore the everyday practices and lived experience of the residents in Solarsiedlung. Bringing together these two perspectives, we contribute to a more comprehensive understanding and critical reading of the interplay between the ecological, economic and social dimensions of sustainable development as seen from different viewpoints. Findings indicate that Solarsiedlung as a best-practice model is embedded in growth-oriented neoliberal strategies that are in conflict with the everyday practices and lived experience of the residents. Our findings put into question the widely assumed transferability of best-practice models in sustainable urban development.     

Conservation impacts of commercial cultivation of endangered and overharvested plants

Overharvesting is one of the greatest threats to species survival. Farming overharvested species is a conservation strategy that can meet growing market demand and conserve wild populations of the target species. This strategy is compatible with the international community's desire to uphold the right of local communities to use biological resources to support their livelihoods. However, studies investigating whether farming can alleviate poaching pressure have focused almost exclusively on animals. To address the shortfall in plant-focused studies, we compiled information on commercial cultivation of threatened plants to assess its conservation benefits. Because China's rising middle class has rapidly intensified demand for wildlife products, we searched the scientific literature published in Chinese (China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Baidu) and in English. We found 32 reports that contained data on 193 internationally or nationally threatened plant species that were under commercial cultivation. These reports showed that cultivations of 82% of the 193 species were sustained by collecting whole plants from the wild periodically or continuously. Although based on a small sample size, species that were maintained in cultivation only through artificial propagation or seeds collected in the wild were likely associated with a reported reduction in wild harvesting of whole plants. Even so, results of correlation analyses suggested that production system, scale, and when a species began being cultivated had little effect on conservation status of the species, either globally or in China. However, species brought into cultivation relatively recently and on a smaller scale were more likely to have undergone a reduction in collecting pressure. Farming of nonmedicinal plants was most problematic for species conservation because wild plants were laundered (i.e., sold as cultivated plants). For effective conservation, policy to guide cultivation operations based on the target species’ biological characteristics, cultural significance, market demand, and conservation status is needed.     

臭氧氧化处理化工污水厂尾水

采用臭氧氧化工艺处理某化工污水厂尾水,考察了臭氧投加量对废水处理效果的影响,并进行了反应动力学研究。实验结果表明,最佳臭氧投加量为67 mg/L,在此条件下,处理后废水的COD去除率为19%,色度去除率为90%,UV254去除率为79%,BOD5/COD为0.11。反应动力学分析结果表明:臭氧氧化去除废水COD的反应适合采用二级反应动力学进行拟合,二级反应动力学方程为y=0.000 1x+0.000 3,相关系数为0.938 5;臭氧氧化去除废水色度的反应更适合采用一级反应动力学进行拟合,一级反应动力学方程为y=0.105 0x-0.018 4,相关系数为0.990 3。     

Recovery of different waste vegetable oils for biodiesel production: A pilot experience in Bahia State,Brazil

In Brazil, and mainly in the State of Bahia, crude vegetable oils are widely used in the preparation of food. Street stalls, restaurants and canteens make a great use of palm oil and soybean oil. There is also some use of castor oil, which is widely cultivated in the Sertão Region (within the State of Bahia), and widely applied in industry. This massive use in food preparation leads to a huge amount of waste oil of different types, which needs either to be properly disposed of, or recovered. At the Laboratorio Energia e Gas-LEN (Energy & Gas lab.) of the Universidade Federal da Bahia, a cycle of experiments were carried out to evaluate the recovery of waste oils for biodiesel production. The experiences were carried out on a laboratory scale and, in a semi-industrial pilot plant using waste oils of different qualities. In the transesterification process, applied waste vegetable oils were reacted with methanol with the support of a basic catalyst, such as NaOH or KOH. The conversion rate settled at between 81% and 85% (in weight). The most suitable molar ratio of waste oils to alcohol was 1:6, and the amount of catalyst required was 0.5% (of the weight of the incoming oil), in the case of NaOH, and 1%, in case of KOH.The quality of the biodiesel produced was tested to determine the final product quality. The parameters analyzed were the acid value, kinematic viscosity, monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, free glycerine, total glycerine, clearness; the conversion yield of the process was also evaluated.     

Traditional Plant Harvesting in Contemporary Fragmented and Urban Landscapes

Abstract: Ecosystem fragmentation and destruction can lead to restrictive administration policies on traditional harvesting by indigenous peoples from remaining ecosystem tracts. In New Zealand, concerns about endangered species and governmental policies that focus on species and ecosystem preservation have resulted in severely curtailed traditional harvesting rights. Although provision has been made for limited gathering of traditional plants from government‐administered conservation lands, it is unclear how much harvesting is undertaken on these lands and elsewhere and what this harvest might consist of. We interviewed seven expert Maori elders from the Waikato, New Zealand, to identify plant species they currently harvested and from where. We compared these data with the data we collected on permits issued for plant collecting on conservation lands in the same region. We sought to gain information on indigenous plant harvesting to determine the extent of permitted harvesting from conservation lands in the Waikato and to identify issues that might affect plant harvesting and management. Elders identified 58 species they harvest regularly or consider culturally important; over 50% of these species are harvested for medicinal use. Permit data from 1996 to 2006 indicated no apparent relationship between species of reported cultural significance and the number of permits issued for each of these species. Currently, few plant species are harvested from conservation lands, although some unofficial harvesting occurs. Elders instead reported that medicinal plants are frequently collected from urban and other public areas. They reported that plant species used for dyeing, carving, and weaving are difficult to access. Elders also discussed concerns such as spraying of roadsides, which resulted in the death of medicinal species, and use of commercial hybrids in urban planning. Local government may have an increasingly important role in supporting native traditions through urban planning, which takes account of cultural harvesting needs while potentially reducing future harvesting pressure on conservation lands. We suggest that active participation by the Māori community in the development and management of urban harvesting resources will result in positive outcomes.     

几种植物根亚细胞中菲的分配

以菲为多环芳烃(PAHs)代表物,采用温室水培试验方法,研究了黑麦草、苏丹草、墨西哥玉米、高羊茅、三叶草等5种植物根亚细胞中菲的分配作用.结果表明,经144h培养,随着培养液中菲平衡浓度由0.056mg·L-1增至0.39mg·L-1,黑麦草根、细胞壁、细胞器中菲的含量分别从26.85、20.01和36.19mg·kg-1增大到56.91、49.54和59.77mg·kg-1,富集系数则分别由357.14、479.49和649.25L·kg-1降低到145.92、127.04和153.26L·kg-1.黑麦草根及亚细胞组分中菲的含量大小为细胞器根细胞壁,其中细胞器中菲含量要比细胞壁高21%～163%.水中菲的起始浓度均为1mg·L-1时,144h后,供试5种植物根细胞器中菲的含量(48.64～145.2mg·kg-1)均大于细胞壁(15.86～74.49mg·L-1).5种植物根亚细胞中菲分配的比例大小顺序为细胞器细胞壁可溶部分;其中,根内46%～53%和31%～40%的菲分别分布在细胞器和细胞壁中.     

Evaluating long-term urban resilience through an examination of the history of green spaces in Tokyo

Long-term urban resilience requires urban systems with the capacity to respond to change and disturbance and to enhance the conditions for lasting wellbeing. Over the past century Tokyo has demonstrated impressive resilience, especially a capacity to reorganise and rebuild in response to successive major disturbances. Throughout these recoveries, the city-region maintained a focus on re-establishing, improving and maintaining international competitiveness through industrial development. Green spaces in Tokyo provided a flexible, but gradually disappearing resource. Today, to meet the needs of its ageing and minimally expanding population for enhanced wellbeing, Tokyo requires active transition planning covering many intertwined factors, but the adaptive capacity provided by the green space resource is no longer available. The Tokyo case underscores the risk inherent in the depletion of non-renewable resources (in this instance, green space) to secure immediate recovery and accommodate growth and short-term resilience at the expense of long-term resilience.     

凤眼莲、稻草和污泥制备生物炭的特性表征与环境影响解析

有机废弃物限氧热解制备生物炭可在减缓温室气体排放的同时改善土壤和水体环境质量,但同时生物炭在环境中的应用具有潜在生态毒理风险.因此,在将生物炭大规模应用于各类环境介质前,对其关键物理-化学性质进行系统分析与评价是极为必要的.本文选择对我国水生生态环境危害最大的入侵植物凤眼莲(Eichhornia crassipes)和我国产量最高的农业废弃物稻草,以及市政污水处理厂剩余污泥3种生物质前体,于250~550℃进行低温慢热解,对所制备生物炭的表面形貌、元素组成、矿物形态和一系列关键化学特性进行了全面表征与比较分析.在此基础上,深入探讨了此3类生物炭应用于土壤改良、重金属污染修复和水体富营养化控制的潜力与风险.结果表明,凤眼莲生物炭中K、Ca、Na、Mg含量最为丰富,指示其对于缓解土壤酸化具有重要应用价值,而其中P主要以AlPO_4晶体态存在,水溶性较低,这有利于降低此类生物炭引起水体富营养化的风险;水稻秸秆生物炭阳离子交换量(CEC)相对较高,达到33.7 cmol·kg~(-1),表明其在提高土壤保肥能力和降低重金属生物有效性方面具有较大潜力;SEM-EDX显示,凤眼莲生物炭和稻草秸秆生物炭均具有发达的束筒结构,可优先考虑用于改善土壤通气性;但是,部分生物炭中水溶性Cd、As含量超出安全阈值,表明对有机质前体和热解产物进行严格检测和筛选是实现生物炭在环境与农业中安全利用的必要环节.     

好氧生化污水处理厂化学品暴露预测模型构建

污水处理厂是化学品进入环境的重要中转站,污水处理厂中的暴露预测是化学品环境风险评估的重要内容.以污水处理厂中最简单的传统活性污泥法为基础工艺,基于我国新化学物质登记要求的基础数据(分子量、吸附/解吸附系数、蒸气压、水溶解度、快速或固有生物降解性)、我国的环境条件(温度=283K、风速=2 m·s~(-1))和污水处理厂典型场景参数(日处理量=3.5万m~3·d~(-1)、进水BOD_5=0.15 g·L~(-1)、进水SS=0.2 kg·m~(-3)、出水SS=0.02 kg·m~(-3)、曝气池BOD_5去除率=90%、污泥密度(dw)=1.6 kg·L~(-3)、污泥有机碳含量为0.18~0.19),根据化学品的线性吸附、一级动力学降解、Whitman双阻力挥发机制以及逸度理论,建立了包含空气、水、悬浮颗粒和沉积污泥9箱质量守恒方程的污水处理厂化学品暴露预测模型CSTP(O),同时确定了快速或固有生物降解性结果外推获得STP降解速率的标准.模型验证结果表明,C-STP(O)模型对已有研究中26种化学品预测准确率为81%,对5种酚类化学品,模型预测与实测去除率绝对差值为2.5%~6.3%,C-STP(O)能准确预测具有快速或固有生物降解性的有机化学品在污水处理厂中挥发、吸附、降解、二级出水的分布比例.所建模型可为研究化学品在STP中的归趋及化学品暴露评估提供技术工具.     

Identification of managerial shaping factors in a petrochemical plant by resilience engineering and data envelopment analysis

Resilience engineering (RE) is a novel approach that is capable of controlling and limiting incidents and accidents. This study identifies managerial shaping factors in a petrochemical plant by RE and data envelopment analysis (DEA). To do this, a standard questionnaire containing resilient factors is completed by managers of a petrochemical plant. Then, the best DEA model is selected based on average efficiency and statistical test. In addition, sensitivity analysis are performed to identify the most important shaping factors. Reporting culture, management commitment, and preparedness are identified as the most important factors in this paper, respectively. Finally, the proposed model is validated and verified through statistical experiment. The proposed approach would help managers to have a comprehensive understanding of the plant with respect to the RE. To the best of our knowledge this is the first paper that examines resilient shaping factors in a petrochemical plant with respect to management and organization by DEA.