Limits of ecodesign: the case for open source product development

Abstract

In pursuit of coping mechanisms for the challenges of sustainable manufacturing, systematic methods have been developed to allow engineers to improve the ratio between products’ utility and environmental impact. These necessary efforts remain however limited if the surrounding production and consumption practices are not called into question at the same time. This article introduces open source product development as a potential approach for unlocking the limits of existing sustainable product design practices and to lead towards alternative and eco-efficient production and consumption practices termed as participative production. First, it discusses the potential advantages of this emerging practice in terms of environmental sustainability. Second, it provides a screened qualitative environmental analysis of 18 exemplary open source hardware products. Specific sustainable design principles implemented by these products are highlighted and discussed in order to identify challenges for further common research in the field of open source and sustainable product development.     

Impact of anthropogenic emissions and open biomass burning on regional carbonaceous aerosols in South China

Carbonaceous aerosols were studied at three background sites in south and southwest China. Hok Tsui in Hong Kong had the highest concentrations of carbonaceous aerosols (OC = 8.7 ± 4.5 μg/m³, EC = 2.5 ± 1.9 μg/m³) among the three sites, and Jianfeng Mountains in Hainan Island (OC = 5.8 ± 2.6 μg/m³, EC = 0.8 ± 0.4 μg/m³) and Tengchong mountain over the east edge of the Tibetan Plateau (OC = 4.8 ± 4.0 μg/m³, EC = 0.5 ± 0.4 μg/m³) showed similar concentration levels. Distinct seasonal patterns with higher concentrations during the winter, and lower concentrations during the summertime were observed, which may be caused by the changes of the regional emissions, and monsoon effects. The industrial and vehicular emissions in East, Southeast and South China, and the regional open biomass burning in the Indo-Myanmar region of Asia were probably the two major potential sources for carbonaceous matters in this region.     

Field controlled experiments of mercury accumulation in crops from air and soil

Field open top chambers (OTCs) and soil mercury (Hg) enriched experiments were employed to study the influence of Hg concentrations in air and soil on the Hg accumulation in the organs of maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Results showed that Hg concentrations in foliages were correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with air Hg concentrations but insignificantly correlated with soil Hg concentrations, indicating that Hg in crop foliages was mainly from air. Hg concentrations in roots were generally correlated with soil Hg concentrations (p < 0.05) but insignificantly correlated with air Hg concentrations, indicating that Hg in crop roots was mainly from soil. No significant correlations were found between Hg concentrations in stems and those in air and soil. However, Hg concentrations in upper stems were usually higher than those in bottom stems, implying air Hg might have stronger influence than soil Hg on stem Hg accumulation.     

Habitat type-based bioaccumulation and risk assessment of metal and As contamination in earthworms, beetles and woodlice

The present study investigated the contribution of environmental factors to the accumulation of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in earthworms, beetles and woodlice, and framed within an exposure assessment of the European hedgehog. Soil and invertebrate samples were collected in three distinct habitat types. Results showed habitat-specific differences in soil and invertebrate metal concentrations and bioaccumulation factors when normalized to soil metal concentration. Further multiple regression analysis showed residual variability (habitat differences) in bioaccumulation that could not be fully explained by differences in soil metal contamination, pH or organic carbon (OC). Therefore, the study demonstrated that in bioaccumulation studies involving terrestrial invertebrates or in risk assessment of metals, it is not sufficient to differentiate habitat types on general soil characteristics such as pH and/or OC alone. Furthermore, simple generic soil risk assessments for Cd and Cu showed that risk characterization was more accurate when performed in a habitat-specific way.     

煤矸石山自然发火数学模型在红阳三矿新矸石山自燃防治中的应用

煤矿矸石山自燃现象普遍存在 ,对环境污染及危害极大 ,防治矸石山自燃是矿区环境修复的重点研究内容。笔者利用宏观的连续介质研究方法 ,以多孔介质流体动力学理论为指导 ,建立了煤矿矸石山自然发火数学模型 ,从数学上揭示了矸石山自燃的动态演变过程。通过分析矸石山内的渗流场明确了自然发火的影响因素及内在联系 ,针对红阳三矿新矸石山的自燃预防问题 ,提出了碾压、覆盖和边界注浆相结合的综合防治施工方案。该技术在红阳三矿新矸石山的现场应用表明 ,治理方案科学、经济、合理 ,实施效果良好。研究结果对预防矸石山自燃具有理论指导意义与实际应用价值。     

西昌-攀枝花高速公路弃土场土壤侵蚀预报

为探讨高速公路施工期弃土场边坡的水土流失规律,对西昌—攀枝花高速公路一弃土场边坡进行了天然降雨条件下水土流失观测试验,结果表明,弃土场边坡的主要侵蚀形式是沟蚀,主要侵蚀因子是次降雨量和汇水平台宽度。最后提出了预测西昌—攀枝花高速公路弃土场边坡土壤侵蚀量的土壤侵蚀模型。     

三维点云基础上排土场垮塌影响范围研究

高台阶排土场下游常分布有居民区、厂房等,一旦垮塌,后果严重,因此完善的防治与应急准备工作十分关键,而排土场垮塌影响范围的预测是这些工作的重要前提依据。为提升高台阶排土场垮塌影响范围的预测准确性,需要获取准确的地形边界基础数据。通过利用三维激光扫描仪对新建排土场及其下游地形精细扫描,对获取的三维点云数据去噪、拼接、建模等处理,生成精度更高的数字高程模型与三维实体模型。在此基础上,结合新建高台阶排土场地质勘查与设计资料,建立颗粒离散元数值模型,利用PFC3D计算高台阶排土场垮塌影响范围,并与经验公式法计算结果对比分析,结果表明排土场颗粒离散元数值模型精度符合要求,可快速、准确地计算影响范围,从而为相关部门提供科学决策依据。     

Economic growth,international trade,and the depletion or conservation of renewable natural resources

Conservation of renewable natural resources and promotion of economic growth are both sustainable development goals. Here, we study the interdependency between economic growth, international trade, and the use of renewable natural resources—under alternative institutional settings of either open access or full property rights—in an endogenous growth model. We find that if the resource is depleted over time, consumption growth is reduced. Economic growth and international trade only impact resource use when the resource is harvested under full property rights. Then, widening international trade can lead countries to shift from conservation to depletion. Changes in the institutional setting of resource use in one country may have repercussions on trading partners. Our results indicate potential trade-offs between the sustainable development goals and imply that policies focusing on resource use or trade (e.g., international trade bans or certified trade) are not sufficient to prevent resource depletion.     

高寒地区露天矿排土场稳定性分析研究*

为分析高寒地区露天排土场稳定性,以乌努格吐山铜钼矿排土场为工程背景,结合室内试验并利用GeoStudio及FLAC3D软件对边坡进行模拟计算分析,给出边坡治理有效措施。结果表明:前3次冻融循环对散体物料的抗剪强度影响显著,后期影响则趋于稳定;6个剖面的安全系数普遍大于1.2,在地下水的干扰下,各剖面安全系数普遍下降,尤其是剖面E-E,其安全系数低于1,存在滑坡风险;水对边坡的安全性影响较大,其次提出削坡治理及布置抗滑桩措施,当边坡角度削减至31°时,边坡的安全系数增至为1.383;抗滑桩增至8根时,安全系数增加至1.296,这些措施对边坡的治理皆起到积极作用。研究结果可为高寒地区矿山安全开采提供技术支持。     

高海拔排土场边坡安全稳定性SBAS-InSAR监测

为解决高海拔排土场边坡安全稳定性监测中常规监测仪器布置和人员值守的高投入、高风险问题,分析西藏山南桑日县某排土场边坡25景Sentinel-1A数据,利用短基线集合成孔径雷达干涉测量(SBAS-InSAR)技术监测终了排土场边坡从2018年11月4日-2020年12月23日期间的地表形变,采用基线估计状态空间模型、自适...