Challenges Of Environmental Issues Research Articles

Mechanical joining in versatile process chains

The use of mechanical joining technologies offers the possibility of joining mixed material structures, which are used in particular in lightweight construction. An integrated securing of the joinability in versatile process chains is currently hardly possible as the number of combinable tool variants as well as variable force- and path-based process parameters is infinite. A versatile process chain, i.e. a sequence of all the processes and process steps required for product manufacturing, enables targeted changes to the semi-finished product, the joint, the component or the joining process that exceed the originally planned extend while still ensuring joinability. In detail, it leads to a unique joint with its own mechanical property profile, which, against the background of the resulting infinite number of combinations, makes it impossible to secure the joinability on the conventional experimentally based approach without extensive safety factors. The Transregional Colaborative Research Center 285 (TCRC285), which also initiated this special issue, is intended to enable mechanical joining technology to be versatile in the sense of high application flexibility. This is to be achieved with a numerical representation of the complete process chain from the incoming semi finished product via the joining part production and the joining process to the property profile of the joint in the operating phase. Thus a predictability of the joinability can be achieved and improvements in the individual life cycles of a joint can be realized by grasping the cause-and-effect relationships. On the basis of this knowledge, new possibilities for intervention in the joining process are to be created for the adaptation of the joining processes. With the aid of the methods developed for this purpose, tools will later be available to the end user to substitute the large number of mechanical joining processes or joining task-specific configurations with a smaller number of adaptable processes. This expands the flexibility in material choices, enabling challenges in environmental issues and sustainability to be overcome.

Animal rights

Most of educational projects are related with challenges of environmental issues and rarely taking under consideration that animals are part of life of land. Animals have a strong effect in our lives, as keep the life cycle balances. That is why in our project we decided to concern ourselves with Animal Rights, all around the world and in Greece. The main problems we are dealing with are: The living conditions of productive animals, the rights of stray animals, the abuse of animals, the torture of equine animals and animals which produce fur, the conduct of experimental medical tests on animals and the protection of endangered animals. In our project we have set some goals as well as the means of meeting them. When it comes to finding a solution to the problems mentioned above, after noticing what our classmates knew about them, we came to the realization that what is needed most of all is better information about these problems that can be found in an easy, fun and interactive platform. As a team, we made various games and activities with which people can learn about animals and the difficult situations they are dealing with.

Challenges of Asian Models and Values for Sustainable Development

Northeast Asia is one of the most dynamic regions in the global economy in its dynamic change in the economic scape as well as in the challenge of environmental issues. In particular, many countries in Asia have experienced transitional challenges from a quantitative, GDP-oriented economic development toward environmental-friendly, sustainable development. The quality of the life became much more important for government policies, also fueled by the demand from the private sector. Nonetheless, these countries are experiencing much more severe and sarcastic skepticism in response to government policies, resulting in a lack of effective governance. The Sustainable Asia Conference (SAC) has promoted the importance of these challenges for 10 years since its inauguration in 2009. The major consensus on sustainable development reached at the conference may come from innovation in the positive-sum game approach to environmentally friendly development and sustainable governance in order for the initial innovation to be put into effect. Moreover, due to the complicated and complex process of solving environmental challenges, the countries in this region should cooperate with strong partnerships as well as open connectivity. Therefore, all the countries should participate in the project not as helpers, but as partners to create and share value through regional cooperation.

Prosperity and environmental challenge in a gaming city: environmental awareness of citizens in the Macao Special Administrative Region, China

This paper discusses the major environmental challenges caused by the post-handover development in Macao, a gaming-dominant city in southern China. Based on data collected in an Environmental Awareness Survey in 2011, the paper examines the city’s emerging challenges in environmental issues. The survey reveals that most Macao citizens are aware of, and concerned about, the environmental problems of the city and the neighbouring region. They are pessimistic about the environmental quality of the city. Citizens hold firm materialist values, and demonstrate differential environmental awareness for different development projects. They hold conflicting views, however, about who should be responsible for protecting the environment. For instance, although most citizens claim that they are willing to pay, or even to change their lifestyle to protect the environment, they blame the government for many of the environmental flaws. Results show that Macao has to determine how to transform itself from a materialist posture to a post-materialist one