Carbon Footprint Analysis for Baby Strollers

Abstract

The increasing awareness of climate change has led organizations to demand a standard procedure to measure and communicate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to their products or services. The publicly available specification PAS 2050 has been developed in response to broad community and industry desire for a consistent method-carbon footprint for assessing the life cycle GHG emissions of goods and services. Specifically, this paper illustrates the implementation of carbon footprint for a baby stroller in accordance with PAS 2050. A fial value of 321 kg per one stroller including package was calculated. Moreover, the study led to identify raw materials production of the stroller as the main source of GHS emissions where efforts need to focus for emission reduction opportunities. This case study is hoped to be a starting point for organizations to benefit from the increasing application of carbon footprint assessment.     

北京市“十四五”时期大气污染物与温室气体协同控制效果评估研究

面对国家碳达峰、碳中和战略目标,“十四五”时期,北京市提出推进大气污染物和温室气体排放协同控制,因此,开展协同控制效果评估对于持续改善空气质量和减少碳排放具有重要意义 .本研究在减排措施筛选和减排量测算的基础上,分析了主要大气污染物和 CO₂的减排潜力,采用协同控制效应坐标系法、协同控制交叉弹性分析法和协同评估指数法,对减排措施主要大气污染物 SO₂、NO_x、PM₁₀、VOCs 和温室气体CO₂的协同控制效果进行评估 . 结果表明,减排措施对于 SO₂、NO_x的减排潜力均在 20% 以上,对于 CO₂的减排潜力约为 7%. 各项措施对 NO_x、PM₁₀、VOCs和 CO₂排放具有协同控制效果 .从坐标系法和评估指数法分析结果来看,浅山区煤改清洁能源和压减本地火力发电量对 SO₂和 CO₂的协同控制效果较好...     

广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物与温室气体排放趋势研究

居民生活直接能源消费是重要的大气污染物和温室气体排放来源,识别其历史排放趋势是科学制定管控策略的基础.然而目前我国尚缺乏省级尺度居民生活能源消费排放趋势的研究.以广东省为研究对象,通过广泛收集居民生活直接能源消费数据和排放因子,建立了2006—2017年广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体排放清单,并采用情景分析法量化了能源结构变化对居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物与温室气体排放的影响.结果表明：①2006—2017年居民生活直接能源消费排放的大气污染物和温室气体均呈下降趋势,CO、PM_2.5、BC、OC、CH₄、CO₂和N₂O排放量分别下降70%、59%、59%、66%、77%、30%和73%;②城乡贡献上,乡村居民生活直接能源消费是大气 污染物和温室气体排放的主要来源,排放分担率分别在70%和60%以上;③空间分布上,2017年广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体排放主要集中在粤东、粤西传统燃料消费量较高的地区,以及广州、东莞和深圳等人口密度较大的城市地区;④能源结构清洁化所致的2006—2017年广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体减排比例为38%~88%;⑤以2025年为目标年,居民生活能源结构持续清洁化发展能够进一步降低居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体排放,尤其对CO、PM_2.5、BC、CH₄和N₂O的减排比例均在80%以上.     

温室气体对气候环境的影响预测及其不确定性

随着温室气体排放量的增加,联系温室气体特有的保温效应,大气平均气温将升高。在采用气候模式对未来近百年的气候变化做出一定预测的基础上,分析未来可能出现的气候变化所造成的对气候环境方面的影响。详细分析了现阶段预测未来气候环境变化存在的不确定性,正是这些不确定性影响了预测的可信度。     

广东省部分基地蔬菜重金属污染评价

通过对来源于广东省516个蔬菜种植基地18种蔬菜品种1 465个样品中铅、镉含量的检测分析,结果表明：蕹菜品种铅平均含量最高（0.11mg·kg^-1）,西洋菜镉平均含量最高（0.060mg·kg^-1）;总样品铅检测合格率97.0%,镉检测合格率98.9%;所检蔬菜品种的铅、镉平均污染指数均小于0.7。表明广东省各生产基地的蔬菜重金属安全状况总体较好,处于优良水平。     

稻秸沼渣矿化特征及对青菜生长和品质的影响

以稻秸沼渣和商品有机肥为原料,采用室内培养和盆栽实验方法,研究了稻秸沼渣中碳、氮等养分释放特性以及对蔬菜产量和品质的影响.结果表明,稻秸沼渣施入土壤后可明显提高土壤有机碳矿化速率和微生物生物量碳,秸秆发酵半年的沼渣的矿化特性优于发酵一年的秸秆沼渣.秸秆沼渣有机氮的矿化特性主要表现为氮的固定,秸秆厌氧发酵越充分,沼渣矿化时有机氮越不容易被固定.相比商品有机肥,添加稻秸沼渣青菜的产量略低,但显著提高了青菜中维生素C和水溶性糖含量,降低了硝酸盐含量,提高了青菜品质.因此,秸秆沼渣农肥化对提高蔬菜产量和品质有很好的效果.     

桂林市菜地土壤和蔬菜铅含量调查与污染评价

从桂林市采集566个蔬菜样品以及相对应的160个菜地土壤样品,同时还采集了背景土壤样品32个,测试其w(Pb),结合GIS制图和数理统计,对土壤铅空间分布特征、土壤和蔬菜中Pb的含量与富集特征进行了分析. 结果表明:桂林市土壤w(Pb)空间差异大,呈西南低、东部和北部高的特点;桂林市菜地土壤w(Pb)的范围、算术平均值和几何平均值分别为10.14～249.00、43.80和38.62 mg/kg,与背景土壤相比,菜地土壤铅积累显著(P为0.001). 蔬菜(以鲜质量计)中w(Pb)范围、中值和几何平均值分别为0.001～1.425、0.050和0.042 mg/kg,综合超标率为6.71%;叶菜类蔬菜w(Pb)显著高于根茎类和瓜果类,甘蓝、萝卜、西红柿和豆类的抗铅污染能力最强,而辣椒和茼蒿的抗铅污染能力则较差;桂林市居民人均通过蔬菜消费摄入铅的量为13.0 μg/d,不存在明显的健康风险.      

不同水生植物对富营养化水体释放气体的影响

水体反硝化脱N、温室气体排放以及O2释放过程均是水体生态系统中发生的重要生化反应过程。为了明确不同类型水生植物对这些过程的影响程度,采用自主研发的原位收集水体释放气体装置,于2012年7—8月对滇池草海中自然生长的挺水植物〔菖蒲(Acorus calamus)〕、浮叶植物〔睡莲(Nymhaea tetragona)和荷花(Nelumbo nucifera)〕、漂浮植物〔凤眼莲(Eichhornia crassipes)〕、沉水植物〔狐尾藻(Myriophyllum verticillatum)和轮叶黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)〕及对照(无植物)区域内释放的N2、CH4、O2、CO2和N2O的规律进行研究。结果表明,各种水生植物生长区及对照区释放气体主要由N2、CH4和O2组成,其余成分主要是CO2和N2O。沉水植物通过光合作用明显促进了水域内O2释放过程,进而提高了水体释放气体的速率及各气体成分通量值。而睡莲、荷花和凤眼莲由于叶片覆盖水面的影响,降低了水体藻类的光合能力,造成该区域水体释放气体的速率中值低于对照区,且各气体成分释放通量值也较低。各区域释放气体中CH4浓度无显著差异(P0.05),菖蒲区释放的气体中N2浓度显著高于对照区(P0.05)。     

Interrelation of Cd‐lon concentrations and the growth and activities of microorganisms in two growth media†

Partitioning of native or anthropogenic heavy metals in solid and solution phases of soil is a result of network of several physico‐chemical reactions. The attainment of equilibrium between two phases is also regulated by biochemical processes. For practical purposes, the bioavailability of metal present in soil is predominantly regulated by the soil solution phase which is in dynamic equilibrium with the solid phase. The results of a model laboratory and greenhouse growth experiments have been used to investigate the effect of Cd‐ion concentrations (either in soil solution or in nutrient solution) on the growth and activities of microorganisms. The soil solution has been simulated by preparing a suspension of soil with 0.1 M NaNO₃ (1: 2.5) equilibrated for two hours. Important conclusions are as follows:

Increase in Cd‐ion concentration in soil solution or in nutrient solution induces corresponding adverse effect on the growth and activities of microorganisms. Thus, it seems that Cd‐ion concentration is a more sensitive indicator for assessing the effect of metal pollution upon the growth and activities of soil microorganisms in comparison to total Cd contents.

During active microbial growth phase, a large part of the organically bound Cd was released in the soil solution which is largely bioavailable. This process is termed as mobilisation. There was momentary increase of Cd‐ion concentration in soil solution which intoxicated the growing organisms. After this stage, the Cd ions from the solution phase were removed by the newly formed solid phase (nonviable biomass) and were transformed in non‐available form. This process is termed as immobilisation.

The consequences and importance of these results for practical agriculture and in deciding the limits or guidelines on the maximum tolerable metal load in soils are discussed.     

Incorporating greenhouse gas effects to evaluate energy efficiency in China

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions without hampering economic growth is a significant issue for China. Taking into account environmental sustainability principles, this study analysed the energy efficiency of 30 regions of China for the period 2002–2007. By employing a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach, this study included undesirable CO₂ and SO₂ outputs and the desirable GDP output in the model. Empirical outcomes demonstrated that the overall average technical efficiency (TE) of China is 0.843, indicating a 15.70% input inefficiency. Among three geographic areas, the east has the highest technical efficiency, with the highest ability to set up clean-burning power plants based on best technology available. Performance in the west is less good because of much inefficient technology. Finally, the study demonstrates detailed management implications of the BCG matrix. The most important contribution of this paper is a detailed demonstration of an energy performance evaluation mechanism for China. The valuable results and insights gained can be equally effectively applied to studies in other developing countries facing the same gaseous emissions.