A Yin‐Yang approach to education policy regarding health and the environment: early‐careerists' image of the future and priority programmes

Since the inception of sustainable development (SD), there has been a somewhat ignored contradiction between paradigms that are ecosystem‐based and paradigms that are human‐based or purely economic. We suggest that this contradiction can be unified through a balance of the two. The Chinese Yin‐Yang philosophy is applied as a tool or approach to seeking balance between these ecocentric and anthropocentric paradigms. Priority education policy design for the merging of ecology and health are projected through an Ecohealth lens in response to increasing SD challenges and the intention of the international Ecohealth organization to contribute to SD goals. Meeting SD goals along the nexus of health and environment is further considered through early‐careerist cultural assessments and projections. The groups considered for their professional image of the future are: members of the Ecohealth Association Student Section and Chinese early‐careerists participating in a related conference. In response to SD goals, a problem‐based learning design is suggested as an education policy priority. Rather than approaching SD as a boolean concept, for example, by either focusing on ecosystem sustainability or economic development, we suggest education policy for programmes and curriculums that will help emerging professionals balance these paradigms, so as to best address national and global challenges.     

成都市区夏季大气污染物浓度时空变化特征分析

为了解成都市区大气污染物浓度水平及其变化规律,统计分析了2013年6月1日—8月31日3个市区站点(十里店、梁家巷和草堂寺)SO2、NO2、O3、PM2.5、PM10和CO逐时观测资料.结果表明,观测期间O3污染严重,上述3个站点小时均值超标率分别达22%、37%和42%.大气颗粒物污染也较为严重,上述3个站点PM10日均浓度超标率分别为13%、8%和3%,而PM2.5日均值超标率分别高达34%、27%和26%.NO2和CO早晚的浓度高峰主要与机动车流量增加和混合层高度降低有关.由于紫外辐射影响,O3浓度在正午出现峰值.受机动车流量高峰和气象条件的影响,PM2.5和PM10最大值和最小值分别出现在上午和下午.通过对污染物"周末效应"的分析,发现周末O3、PM2.5和PM10的浓度显著高于工作日,SO2、NO2和CO反之.成都市区大气污染受局地排放和外源输送共同影响,其中PM10和NO2主要受局地源控制,而PM2.5、SO2和O3受外输送影响较大.     

Insights into community vulnerability and resilience following natural disasters: perspectives with food retailers in Northern NSW,Australia

The resilience of Australia's food-supply chain following natural disasters has been brought into question, following the significant flooding and cyclone events of 2010/2011. How this manifests at the community level, in both rural and urban locations, has been examined through the lens of large and small food retailers in northern NSW. These interviews reveal the fragility of both the long and short supply chain where transport systems are compromised. Self-imposed standards severely restricted the ability of supermarkets to acquire fresh food, in the face of transport disruptions. Similarly, the precarious position of rural food retailers, exposed to continual fuel and electricity price increases, is compounded by the impact of extreme weather events. The insights captured through this study suggest interception points, or policy entry points, to address the resilience of the food-supply chain.     

微量金属强化餐厨垃圾厌氧消化优化条件研究

采用L9(34)正交试验,研究了CoCl2·6H2O、FeCl2 ·4H2O及NiCl2·6H2O投加量对餐厨垃圾厌氧消化总固体(TS)、挥发性固体(VS)和COD减量及累积产气量的影响,确定了三因素的主次顺序及最优工艺条件.结果表明,当CoCl2·6H2O、FeCl2·4H2O及NiCl2·6H2O的投加量分别为0.1 mg/(L·d)、1 mg/(L·d)和0.4 mg/(L·d)时,餐厨垃圾厌氧消化减量及产气效果均最优.在此条件下,经过25 d单相厌氧消化,餐厨垃圾厌氧消化TS、VS、COD的去除率及累积产气量分别达到46.04％、61.02％、58.24％和27 433 mL/L,比不投加微量金属的处理分别高16.98％、28.12％、27.84％和48.63％.Co、Fe和Ni的投加量对餐厨垃圾厌氧消化TS、VS和COD去除率及累积产气量均有显著影响,其中Co的影响达到极显著水平;Co、Fe和Ni对餐厨垃圾厌氧消化减量及产气效率影响的主次顺序及显著性从大到小均为Co、Ni、Fe.     

厌氧发酵连续运行中有机负荷与工艺参数相互作用研究

以餐厨垃圾为研究对象,在高温(55±1)℃条件下,采用连续湿式厌氧发酵技术研究发酵过程中进料有机负荷、日产气量、pH值、挥发性有机酸(VFA)质量浓度等参数的变化情况及相互作用关系.结果表明:厌氧消化过程中出现了4个阶段,即适应阶段、提高阶段、稳定阶段和超负荷阶段;反应达到稳定阶段时,反应器运行有机负荷为3.9 kg/(m3·d),系统pH值稳定在7.8左右,平均产气速率达到5.26L/d;负荷达到4.2 kg/(m3·d)时,对系统产生明显抑制作用.     

Greener growing: assessing the influence of gardening practices on the ecological viability of community gardens in South East Queensland,Australia

While claims about the environmental benefits of community gardens abound, few researchers have systematically assessed the ecological integrity of gardening practices. This study investigated gardening practices in 50 community gardens in Brisbane and Gold Coast cities, Australia. The study aimed to better understand how gardening practices might affect the ecological viability of community gardens. Factors investigated included: garden bio-physical characteristics, operators’ motivations, gardeners’ socio-demographic backgrounds, garden facilities and types of plants grown. Two broad types of gardens were identified: permaculture (21 gardens) and non-permaculture (29 gardens). Permaculture gardens used lower-impact gardening practices. Findings have policy implications for environmental planning and management.     

中国城市饮用水法的历史发展及其启示

近年来中国城市饮用水事件频发,威胁着城市饮用水安全,直接关系着公民的生命权和健康权.然而,中国有关城市饮用水的规定散见于相关法律、行政法规及环境、水利、卫生、建设等部门制定的规章中,还没有一部完整意义上的城市饮用水法.城市饮用水法历经四个历史阶段的发展,仍然只关注于城市饮用水某个阶段的发展.因此,城市饮用水法应加强城市饮用水各个阶段的管理,建立城市饮用水全过程控制法律制度.     

A comparative study on the alternating mesophilic and thermophilic two-stage anaerobic digestion of food waste

An alternating mesophilic and thermophilic two stage anaerobic digestion(AD) process was conducted. The temperature of the acidogenic(A) and methanogenic(M) reactors was controlled as follows: System 1(S1) mesophilic A-mesophilic M;(S2) mesophilic A-thermophilic M; and(S3)thermophilic A-mesophilic M. Initially, the AD reactor was acclimatized and inoculated with digester sludge. Food waste was added with the soluble chemical oxygen demand(SCOD) concentrations of41.4–47.0 g/L and volatile fatty acids of 2.0–3.2 g/L. Based on the results, the highest total chemical oxygen demand removal(86.6%) was recorded in S2 while S3 exhibited the highest SCOD removal(96.6%). Comparing S1 with S2, total solids removal increased by 0.5%; S3 on the other hand decreased by 0.1 % as compared to S1. However, volatile solids(VS) removal in S1, S2, and S3was 78.5%, 81.7%, and 79.2%, respectively. S2 also exhibited the highest CH4 content, yield, and production rate of 70.7%, 0.44 L CH4/g VSadded, and 1.23 L CH4/(L·day), respectively. Bacterial community structure revealed that the richness, diversity, evenness, and dominance of S2 were high except for the archaeal community. The terminal restriction fragments dendrogram also revealed that the microbial community of the acidogenic and methanogenic reactors in S2 was distinct. Therefore,S2 was the best among the systems for the operation of two-stage AD of food waste in terms of CH4production, nutrient removal, and microbial community structure.     

Confronting limitations: new solutions required for urban water management in Kunming City

Despite continuous investment and various efforts to control pollution, urban water environments are worsening in large parts of the developing world. In order to reveal potential constraints and limitations of current practices of urban water management and to stimulate proactive intervention, we conducted a material flow analysis of the urban water system in Kunming City. The results demonstrate that the current efficiency of wastewater treatment is only around 25% and the emission of total phosphorous from the city into its receiving water, Dianchi Lake, is more than 25 times higher than its estimated tolerance. With regard to the crisis of water quantity and quality, the goal of a sustainable urban water environment cannot be attained with the current problem-solving approach in the region due to the technical limitations of the conventional urban drainage and treatment systems. A set of strategies is therefore proposed. The urban drainage system in Zurich is used as a reference for a potential best-available technology for conventional urban water management (BAT) scenario in terms of its low combined frequency of sewer overflow.     

Risk factors in urban road traffic accidents

INTRODUCTION: The urban road traffic accident (RTA) risks for the city of Zagreb, Croatia, from 1999 through 2000 were analyzed with the aim of reducing the increasing injury incidence. METHOD: Simple and bivariate analysis using chi(2), odds ratio, and confidence interval of 95% was used to determine risks in three outcome groups: killed, severely, and mildly injured. RESULTS: There were 528 RTA victims consisting of 260 severely, 213 mildly injured, and 55 killed at the scene of an accident and during transportation. More fatal accidents occurred during night hours (OR=3.78; 95% CI, 2.08-6.85), on urban road links (OR=2.33; 95% CI, 1.30-4.19), and at exceeding speed limit (OR=2.56; 95% CI, 1.43-4.61). More people were injured than killed on urban junctions (OR=5.27; 95% CI, 2.21-12.57). The highest combined risk of dying or being severely injured was found in males, driving at excessive speed, on urban links, and during bad visibility (OR=16.15; 95% CI, 3.901-66.881). CONCLUSION: These results will influence the urban traffic police enforcement measures, which will change inappropriate behavior of drivers and protect the least experienced road users.