A method for evaluating transport energy consumption in suburban areas

Urban sprawl is a major issue for sustainable development. It represents a significant contribution to energy consumption of a territory especially due to transportation requirements. However, transport energy consumption is rarely taken into account when the sustainability of suburban structures is studied. In this context, the paper presents a method to estimate transport energy consumption in residential suburban areas. The study aimed, on this basis, at highlighting the most efficient strategies needed to promote awareness and to give practical hints on how to reduce transport energy consumption linked to urban sprawl in existing and future suburban neighborhoods. The method uses data collected by using empirical surveys and GIS. An application of this method is presented concerning the comparison of four suburban districts located in Belgium to demonstrate the advantages of the approach. The influence of several parameters, such as distance to work places and services, use of public transport and performance of the vehicles, are then discussed to allow a range of different development situations to be explored. The results of the case studies highlight that traveled distances, and thus a good mix between activities at the living area scale, are of primordial importance for the energy performance, whereas means of transport used is only of little impact. Improving the performance of the vehicles and favoring home-work give also significant energy savings. The method can be used when planning new areas or retrofitting existing ones, as well as promoting more sustainable lifestyles regarding transport habits.     

ESTIMATION OF POTENTIAL REDUCTIONS IN RECREATIONAL BENEFITS DUE TO SEDIMENTATION1

ABSTRACT: A travel cost model is developed to estimate the potential reductions in recreational benefits from sedimentation in Reelfoot Lake in northwestern Tennessee. In addition to the consumer surplus estimates generated by the model, three other aspects of the study were significant. First, the study applied a relatively untested methodology for deriving the opportunity cost of travel time. The study resulted in a value that is less than one-half of the Water Resource Council's “one-third of the wage rate” rule-of-thumb. Second, water quality perceptions were unsuccessfully incorporated into the model as a demand shifter. This raised questions as to the appropriate manner in which perceptions could be included in a travel cost model. Finally, a simple methodology was outlined by which estimates of the recreational value of Reelfoot Lake could be used to suggest how much cost could be justified for soil erosion control on agricultural land surrounding the lake.     

池州市旅游产品开发探讨

从旅游资源、交通区位、旅游产业基础3个方面分析了池州旅游产品开发条件，指出了池州旅游产品开发存在着旅游产品结构单一、文化内涵挖掘不够、市场营销乏力、旅游产品空间布局不合理等问题，构建了两大品牌、八大系列、六条特色旅游线路的多层次旅游产品体系，最后提出了池州旅游产品开发的思路：规划先行，优化布局；科学定位，错位开发；区域联动，借力开发。     

振动加载下转换型密封电磁继电器的性能退化行为研究

目的研究航空用继电器的失效机理。方法通过对电磁继电器进行振动与工作载荷单独施加以及二者综合加载情况下的试验方法及性能退化行为研究,实时监测继电器内部触点间接触电阻等性能参数的变化趋势,并对不同条件下触点表面的微观形貌进行对比分析。结果发现相比较工作载荷单独施加而言,振动应力的加入使得继电器的寿命大幅度降低,并使得触点表面呈现"雪花"一般的形貌。结论振动环境导致了触点之间电弧的变化,以及触点表面接触压力、接触面积和接触超程等,并通过燃弧时间和超程时间的变化趋势对其进行了验证。     

Local governance of greenhouse gas emissions from air travel

Global greenhouse gas emissions from air travel (GHG-A) are on the rise, and projections point towards a rapid growth in the coming decades. This study aims to examine how local government (cities), addresses GHG-A in their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAP). To fulfil this aim, over 200 SEAPs were analysed focusing on three issues: (1) Treatment of GHG-A in local emissions inventories; (2) Policy initiatives within this domain; and (3) The cities’ perceptions of the conflicts of interests. Results showed that more than half of the cities acknowledge the challenge of GHG-A, around one third include GHG-A in their emissions inventories, and more than one quarter have initiated policy interventions. To categorise these interventions, we have added a mode ‘governing by agenda setting’ to an existing analytical framework, ‘Modes of governing’. With their authority limited to the local setting, this mode of governing is a common channel for cities to push changes at higher levels.     

基于网络团购的民族地区旅行社电子商务发展研究

网络团购已经逐渐发展成为一种新兴的电子商务模式,团购产品的覆盖范围也已非常广泛.揭示了民族地区旅行社电子商务发展与网络团购的内在相关性和作用机理,并探讨了适合民族地区旅行社电子商务发展的网络团购模式,提出了发展民族地区旅行社电子商务的思路与对策.     

Embodied energy and emergy evaluation of a typical biodiesel production chain in China

Biodiesel from non-grain feedstock has been considered as one of the proper substitutes for fossil fuels associated with a series of activities emerging in China in order to meet the resource shortage and develop the energy crops. This paper presents an ecological accounting framework based on embodied energy, emergy, and CO₂ emission for the whole production chain of biodiesel made from Jatropha curcas L. (JCL) oil. The energy and materials invested in and CO₂ emission from the whole process, including cropping, transportation, extraction, and production, are accounted and calculated. Also, E_mCO₂, the ratio of real CO₂ released to the emergy-based sustainability indicator per joule biodiesel, is proposed in this paper to present a new goal function for low-carbon system optimization. Finally, the results are compared with those of the bioethanol (wheat) production in Henan Province, China, and bioethanol (corn) production in Italy in view of the indices of embodied energy, emergy and CO₂ emissions and E_mCO₂.     

Overview of motorcycling in the United States: a national telephone survey

Objectives

Motorcycle registrations have risen in recent years. Although motorcyclist crash fatalities in 2009 were 16% lower than in 2008, they were double the number of deaths in 1997. The present study examined current motorcyclists’ travel patterns and views of motorcycle helmets and other safety topics.

Methods

Motorcycle drivers were interviewed in a national telephone survey conducted in 2009. A weighted sample of 1,606 motorcyclists resulted from adjusting for the oversampling of those younger than 40 and those in the three states without a motorcycle helmet use law (Illinois, Iowa, New Hampshire). All analyses were based on the weighted sample, which was intended to result in a nationally representative sample of motorcyclists.

Results

About one-quarter of respondents said they did not always wear helmets. Of these respondents, 57% said a law requiring helmet use would persuade them to do so, and 27% said nothing would. Ninety-four percent of respondents in states with universal helmet laws said they always ride helmeted, compared with about half of respondents in other states. About half of all respondents favored these laws. About three-quarters said they believe helmets keep riders safer, including two-thirds of respondents who oppose universal laws and almost half of drivers who rarely/never wear helmets. Drivers ages 18–29 and drivers of sport/unclad sport, sport touring, and super sport motorcycles were more likely to always wear helmets, support universal helmet laws, and believe helmets keep riders safer. About half of respondents said antilock braking systems (ABS) enhance safety and that they would get ABS on their next motorcycle. Less than one-quarter thought an airbag would protect a motorcyclist in a crash, and even fewer would consider getting one on their next motorcycle. Forty-three percent of motorcyclists said they had crashed at least once; 62% of the most recent crashes involved no vehicles besides the motorcycle. Respondents reported riding their motorcycles about 5,400 miles, on average, during the past year. Drivers ages 18–29 reported riding fewer miles, on average, than older drivers and more often rode at night and to/from work or school. Drivers of touring and sport touring motorcycles traveled more miles and took more long trips.

Conclusions

Motorcyclists’ travel patterns and views vary widely, but there are distinct patterns by driver age and motorcycle type. Drivers who believe helmets keep riders safer are more likely to always wear them, but this belief appears insufficient to motivate some drivers to wear them. However, universal helmet laws appear effective in increasing helmet use. Many drivers are receptive to purchasing ABS on their next motorcycle.

Impact on industry

States should be encouraged to enact universal helmet laws, and motorcycle manufacturers should be encouraged to offer ABS.     

不同区域古村镇消防行车时间统计特征研究

消防队介入时间是减少火灾损失、提高灭火成功概率的关键,作为消防队介入时间的重要部分,行车时间受到路况、天气等因素的影响,具有很大的不确定性.以位于远郊区和城市中心区域的两个典型古建筑群灭火救援的消防行车时间为研究对象,采用基于电子地图模拟导航的方法实时获取不同时刻消防站到古建筑群的行车时间,结合数据统计对比分析结果表明...     

低碳经济背景下地方政府环境政策执行力调控研究

环境政策执行力与低碳经济发展之间相互促进、相互推动。目前我国已形成较完整的环境政策体系,但在实际执行中并未取得应有的成效。参考国内外已有的地方政府环境政策执行力调控经验,分析环境政策执行力影响因素,从管理体制、诱导制度、监督制度、执行主体自身建设等多个角度提出在低碳经济背景下我国地方政府环境政策执行力调控策略。