Sustainability: through cross-cultural community garden activities

ABSTRACT

Indigenous people, international students, immigrants, and refugee families are particularly vulnerable populations that experience a lack of sustainability for various reasons, including lack of belonging and networks, low income, mental stress, and discrimination. Following a relational participatory action research (PAR) process, this study explores the concept of sustainability among First Nations, visible minorities, and non-visible minorities through cross-cultural activities, such as dance and music, children’s art activities, anti-racist workshops, traditional story-sharing, land-based learning, and cross-cultural food sharing in a community garden setting. This paper argues that cross-cultural activities among First Nations, visible and non-visible minorities in a community garden can create positive change in an urban environment by empowering communities through cross-cultural bridging. Throughout the last six years of my participation in various cross-cultural activities, I have learned that empowerment through cross-cultural activities adheres to particular forms of agency: interspecies communication, community building, and learning about decolonisation and reconciliation. This study provides valuable insights for educators whose goals include incorporating land-based learning as well as creating a sense of belonging among cross-cultural communities, ultimately leading to community sustainability.     

从理念探索到规划实践——关于“泉城”可持续发展规划的研究与思考

济南历史上是典型的“山水”城市 ,再现泉城特色 ,把济南建设成为“最适宜创业和最适宜居住”的现代化“山水生态城” ,实现城市的可持续发展。要科学把握现代城市发展的生态化、人文化趋势 ,顺时应势 ,发挥得天独厚的自然、人文优势 ,重建山水空间     

HOUSEHOLD WATER USE: TECHNOLOGICAL SHIFTS AND CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS1

ABSTRACT: A study was undertaken to determine the effect of water intensive appliances or activities on household water consumption. Activities included in the study were use of the washing machine, dishwasher, swimming pool, and lawn watering. In the majority of cases these activities increased per capita consumption and were statistically significant. Households included in the study were not familiar with water saving devices available in the retail market. Even if tehse appliances were purchased, private economic benefits to the household would be low due to the inexpensive water charges levied. However, aggregate community benefits could be large if new well drilling cost or increase in storage facilities could be avoided. In order to avoid these increased costs, regulation or subsidy programs may be the most efficient policy alternatives available to the communities. Subsidies and regulation could potentially decrease water use and offer alternatives to increasing the water supply.     

小麦/苜蓿套作对菲污染土壤酶活性的影响

以菲为多环芳烃(PAHs)代表物,采用植物土培和室内培养、分析试验探讨了菲污染土壤小麦/苜蓿套作修复过程中土壤酶活性的动态变化.结果表明,种植植物提高了菲污染土壤蔗糖酶、多酚氧化酶、脲酶和磷酸酯酶的活性,酶活性升高幅度为14.72%～46.52%;却抑制了土壤过氧化氢酶的活性,抑制率为36.13%～94.79%.蔗糖酶和多酚氧化酶活性在第14 d,脲酶和磷酸酯酶活性在第21 d达到最大值;而过氧化氢酶活性在第7 d达到最小值;过氧化氢酶活性达到极值所需时间短,其对菲相对敏感,过氧化氢酶可作为     

浅析海岸带侵蚀

在收集各国海岸带侵蚀现象资料的基础上,主要分析了造成海岸带侵蚀的人类活动,列举由海岸带侵蚀现象带来的一系列环境问题,并针对中国海岸带的环境现状提出了相关防护措施。     

高分辨率监测岩溶地下水NO-3的动态变化及对外界环境的响应

为深入揭示岩溶地下水文系统对外界环境的响应,利用多指标高分辨率在线监测技术对受农业活动影响的重庆青木关地下河水文地球化学变化进行研究.主要的高分辨率监测指标包括水位、电导率(EC)、pH值、降雨和NO 3-.在观测的6场降雨内,地下河水化学特征快速地反映着外界环境的变化.研究区地下水pH值的变化主要受到酸雨的影响,在降雨后都表现出明显的下降趋势,但在农业废水进入地下河系统后,它的变化受到两者的共同影响.EC受到雨水化学、稀释效应及农业活动废水的影响.NO 3-主要是农业活动的产物,受雨水水化学特征的影响较小,它的变化主要受农业废水及稀释效应的影响.在R1降雨影响下,水位上升,EC和NO 3-总体呈相反的快速变化过程而pH值的变化主要受酸雨影响而下降.在R2、R3、R4和R6降雨期,水位受降雨影响而快速的变化,pH值受酸雨影响而下降,EC和NO 3-受稀释效应影响也下降.但随着农业活动废水进入地下河系统,EC和NO 3-浓度在最快5 h最慢仅27 h的时段内同步地急剧升高,pH值也受影响而加速下降.在R5大暴雨期,水位急剧上升,EC和NO 3-受稀释效应影响而急剧下降,pH值先受到酸雨影响而下降,后由于稀释效应...     

2000~2020年西南地区植被NDVI对气候变化和人类活动响应特征

研究植被变化及其对气候变化和人类活动的响应机制,对区域生态保护和植被恢复具有重要现实意义.利用MODIS NDVI数据、基于站点的气象数据和土地利用数据,结合Theil-Sen Median趋势分析、Mann-Kendall显著性分析、残差分析、偏相关分析和复相关分析等方法,基于不同地貌单元,分析2000～2020年中国西南地区植被覆盖时空演变特征及其对气候和土地利用变化的响应特征.结果表明,2000～2020年西南地区植被NDVI整体呈波动上升趋势,上升斜率在空间上呈东南高和西北低的分异格局.气候变化和人类活动对西南地区植被NDVI上升均以促进作用为主,且对广西丘陵植被生长的促进作用强于其他地貌单元.2000～2020年间西南地区植被NDVI与气温和降水呈正相关,与相对湿度和日照时数呈负相关,且温度是影响西南地区植被NDVI变化的气候主导因子.城市扩张在一定程度上减少了区域植被覆盖,但得益于适宜的气候条件以及林业生态工程的实施,西南地区整体植被覆盖以上升为主.研究结果可为西南地区生态保护及经济可持续发展提供科学依据.     

旅游活动对四川升钟水库水质的干扰度研究

运用TADI指数研究升钟水库的旅游活动对水体环境的影响,比较了旅游活动中各个环节对水体的影响程度,指数越大,对水质影响越大。结果表明：升钟水库景区旅游人均TN、TP污染物排放量分别为3.57g／d、0.59g／d,升钟水库景区7类旅游接待设施综合干扰指数排序为：住宿类渔家乐T1〉渔家乐餐厅T2〉酒店T3〉餐馆T4〉摊贩T4〉公厕T7〉博物馆T6,住宿类型渔家乐（T1）对水质干扰最大,属高度干扰型;博物馆（T6）对水质干扰最小,属低度干扰型。不同的食宿组合方式中,渔家乐住宿餐饮型的TADI指数最大,对水质的干扰最强,仅在餐馆就餐则TADI指数为最小,对水质干扰也最弱。     

自然保护区人类活动天地一体化监管与评价技术体系

基于遥感监测与实地核查相结合的技术,构建了集目标、内容、指标、流程为一体的自然保护区人类活动天地一体化监管与评价的技术体系,在此基础上提出了自然保护区人类活动影响评价方法和模型.最后,为了验证方法体系的可靠性,以河南董寨国家级自然保护区为例进行了示范研究,结果表明：该自然保护区有工矿用地、旅游用地、采石场、农业用地、居民点、其他人工设施和道路7种人类活动类型,人类活动总面积占保护区总面积的16.60%,以农业用地为主,占自然保护区人类活动总面积的89.41%.人类活动主要分布在实验区,实验区人类活动总面积5554.9hm²、总数量231处,分别占人类活动总面积和总数量的68.65%和58.93%.该自然保护区人类活动影响指数为0.000697,人类活动影响较明显,不利于物种和生态系统的保护.     

Polyphenol contents of five of medicinal plants from Cameroon and effects of their extracts on antioxidant capacities of human breast cancer cells

The aim of the study was to investigate the antiproliferative properties of extracts of five plants on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and their effects on antioxidant activities. The total phenol contents of the extracts were determined to establish a correlation to their antiproliferative effects which were evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide viability assay. Enzymes involved in oxidative stress were also determined. Total polyphenol contents of the five extracts varied from 170 to 440 mg L^?1 of gallic acid per mg of extract with the highest value for the extract of Sida cordifolia. Cell growth inhibition was observed within 24 h, with inhibitory concentration values ranging from 7.3 to 25 mg L^?1 depending on plant extract. At concentrations between 100 and 200 mg L^?1, all the extracts exhibited significant reduction of cell proliferation in time-dependent and linear manner. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase of cells treated for 24 h with the extract of S. cordifolia were 3.5 U per mg protein and 8 mole H₂O₂ consumed per min per mg protein higher than those of cells treated with an extract of Viscum album.