Environment from A to Z, from Air to Zero waste

Abstract

First and foremost, I would like to thank all supporters of the journal, that is, all authors who submit and publish their contributions in CLEAN – Soil, Air, Water, all reviewers who invest time and put submitted articles through their paces, and, of course, all readers who make contributions really come alive. Thank you all for helping to shape the journal. Today I start with this editorial a small series “Environment from A to Z, from Air to Zero waste”. The world we live in is unique as far as we know and so we should strive to preserve this one world. In this journal we will find articles that 1) look at data on air, soil, and water quality and 2) offer solutions for a cleaner environment. Everything from A to Z. A for Air, which we need to live. Air that we breathe and that should be free of pollutants so that we stay healthy. On the one hand, we have to monitor the air quality to know how clean the air is that surrounds us. On the other hand, we then need to use that knowledge to take the necessary actions to ensure that the air is kept clean. B for Biofuels, which is obtained from processed or refined biomass. Combustion of biofuels produces CO2, which is in turn absorbed and stored by plants, thus restarting the cycle of biomass production and use. C for Climate change, which is already being discussed publicly. We are already seeing some of the effects with extreme weather, forest fires, thawing permafrost, and so on. How can we mitigate overheating in cities or channel or use rainwater/stormwater better, what form of land use is promising, what are the possibilities for CO2 fixation, and many other questions we have to ask ourselves and find answers for. D as in Drinking water, the gold of tomorrow, an elixir of life without which we cannot exist. Keeping drinking water clean and, above all, supplying it to people, animals and plants is a Herculean task. Extreme weather conditions in all regions of the world sometimes present us with almost unsolvable problems: Inputs of pollutants through flooding or salinization of soils and thus also of water during prolonged periods of drought. E for E-waste. Electrical devices that are no longer used, whether broken or functional but technically outdated, accumulate by the ton every year. A plague, if you will. But we can also view this scrap as a resource and find new ways to obtain valuable materials such as precious metals. CLEAN covers all aspects of sustainability and environmental safety including those mentioned here under the first five letters of the alphabet. Do you have submissions that address environmental sustainability issues such as air pollution, waste management, water cycle and environmental protection? I look forward to receiving your submission in CLEAN. More on the letters F through I/J in the next editorial. I wish you a good and successful 2023. Stay healthy. Yours sincerely, phenheik@wiley.com