Economic Benefits Research Articles

Memperkuat Komunitas Melalui Program Pengelolaan Sampah untuk Keberlanjutan di Desa Suka Makmur

The village of Suka Makmur faces challenges in waste management, where waste is often not sorted and potentially poses environmental impacts. The Waste Bank programme has been reactivated to address this issue by implementing the 3R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and providing economic benefits to the community. This research employed a participatory approach, involving residents in an initial survey, waste sorting training, and the operation of the Waste Bank. Continuous education was provided to ensure the community understands the importance of waste management and the economic potential of collected waste. The results indicate increased community participation, reduced waste disposal volumes, and economic benefits for residents. The Waste Bank has successfully raised environmental awareness and empowered the community to manage waste sustainably.

Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Understand Ecotourism Behavior: The Role of Human–Land Coordination and Self-Mastery

Ecotourism, which promotes environmental conservation and brings social and economic benefits through conscious and harmonious interactions between humans and nature, has become a principal tool for achieving these objectives. Sustainable tourism can only be supported with tourists realizing the elements of attraction toward ecotourism. This study analyzes the roots of ecotourism behavior using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), specifically determining the roles of ecotourism tendency, attitude, human–land coordination stress, and sense of self-control in influencing tourists’ intention and behavior toward ecotourism. This study used a cross-sectional design, requiring 847 participants to complete a standardized questionnaire assessing their behavior toward ecotourism, attitudes, and perceptions. Reliability testing, descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and factor analysis were used to analyze the datasets to discover major factors relating to ecotourism intention behavior. A consequent outcome is that ecotourism attitude and self-determination are the significant drivers of ecotourism desire, while behavioral norms only impact ecotourism attitude and selflessness. The study concluded that the subjective perception of tourists and their behavior control ability are the ones that affect their ecotourism behavior more than other factors. The findings suggest that enhancing tourists’ ecotourism attitude, sense of self-control, and awareness of human–place coordination can significantly promote ecotourism behaviors. These results highlight the importance of comprehensive regional ecotourism analysis, robust environmental education, and promoting normative behaviors to foster sustainable tourism practices. To validate these findings, further research should focus on longitudinal studies and clinical trials to standardize integrated ecotourism strategies and explore the underlying mechanisms influencing ecotourism behavior.

Elucidating the synergic mechanism of sodium pyrophosphate assisted enzymolysis on the waste activated sludge fermentation enhancement: Insights from organic conversion and metagenomic analysis

Lysozyme has been identified as a promising approach for enhancing waste activated sludge (WAS) anaerobic fermentation. However, the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), functioning as a ‘protective shell’ for microbial cells, hindered the lysozyme transfer and subsequent interaction with cell wall, resulting in excessive dosage and limited efficiency in practical engineering applications. This study innovatively proposed a sodium pyrophosphate (SP) assisted lysozyme treatment, aiming to overcome such limitations and enhance the solubilization and hydrolysis efficiency. As a result, 3583.5 mg COD/L short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and 23.1 % acidification rate were achieved after 2-day anaerobic fermentation within SP-lysozyme treatment. Mechanism investigation revealed that SP facilitated EPS disruption by inducing a loosening of the protein structure, leading to the enhanced solubilization of organic matter within the EPS and microbial cells. Consequently, the release of substantial substrates contributed to the enrichment of functional microbes associated with hydrolysis and acidogenesis, accompanied by the augmentation of corresponding metabolic functions. Besides, the key functional genes analysis demonstrated the amino acid metabolism, glycolysis, pyruvate metabolism and SCFAs transport were facilitated and the methanogenesis was inhibited on the contrary with SP-lysozyme treatment, which was undoubtedly responsible for the superior SCFAs accumulation in anaerobic fermentation process. Considering the carbon resource recovery in SCFAs form, such novel SP-lysozyme treatment exhibited 325.1 CNY /ton SS (45.5 USD / ton SS) economic benefit and avoided 0.12 CO2/ton SS carbon emission, suggesting its promising application potential in future WAS management.

Identification and validation of qRT-PCR reference genes for analyzing grape infection with gray mold

BackgroundGrapes are highly valued for their nutritional and economic benefits, and have been widely studied for their biological attributes such as fruit development, quality formation, and stress resistance. One significant threat to grape quality is gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea, which can infect the flowers, fruits, leaves, and stems. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), known for its high sensitivity and quantitative accuracy, is an essential tool for analyzing gene expression related to the pathogenesis of gray mold, thereby providing deeper insights into the disease.ResultIn this study, we aim to identify stable internal reference genes crucial for accurate gene expression analysis via qRT-PCR. Utilizing transcriptome data from grapes under various disease stresses, we identified twelve candidate reference genes with consistently high expression levels. The stability of these genes was assessed through delta-CT, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder analyses after establishing the cycling thresholds (Ct) in different grape varieties treated with Botrytis cinerea.ConclusionsOur findings reveal that VIT-17s0000g02750 and VIT-06s0004g04280 exhibit stable expression and are suitable as new reference genes. This foundational work supports further research into the molecular mechanisms of grape biological processes.

One-pot aqueous-phase synthesis of polyimides from typical monomers

One-pot aqueous-phase synthesis of polyimides (PIs) offers great economic and environmental benefits and improves the hydrolytic stability of the precursor (polyamic acid) obviously. However, this method is only suitable for the polymerization of very limited dianhydride and diamine monomers up to now. In this study, the most commonly used dianhydrides and diamines for the preparation of commercially available PI products were selected for one-pot aqueous-phase synthesis of various polyamic acid salts (PAAS). The effects of the structure of monomers, the reaction temperature and the adding process of the organic base on the polymerization reaction were explored by rotational rheology, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The polymerization products obtained via the aqueous-phase route show high molecular weight when the reaction conditions have been optimized. Various PI films prepared by the thermal imidization of corresponding PAAS demonstrate good optical transparency, excellent thermal stability, and outstanding mechanical and electrical properties. This work proposes the reaction mechanism of PAAS via one-pot aqueous-phase route and utilizes this novel polymerization strategy to synthesize high-molecular-weight PIs from typical aromatic dianhydride and diamine monomers.

Low-carbon transition or low-carbon trap? — An instrumental variable regression analysis based on carbon decoupling and energy equity

ABSTRACT Although the low-carbon transition has enormous potential for improving economic and environmental benefits, it may also lead to social equity issues, trapping certain regions in a low-carbon dilemma. Based on panel data from the Yangtze River Economic Belt for the period 2007–2019, this study empirically analyzes the impact of carbon decoupling on energy equity, employing the carbon emission trading policy and natural wetlands as joint instrumental variables. The findings reveal that: (1) from 2007 to 2019, the average level of carbon decoupling in the Yangtze River Economic Belt was recorded at 0.415, maintaining a weak decoupling state overall and nearly forming an “inverted V” shape; (2) in the instrumental variable regression results, for every 1% increase in the level of carbon decoupling, the energy equity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt decreased by an average of 0.095% (p < .01); (3) environmental burden played a partial mediating role between carbon decoupling and energy equity, with the mediation effect value being −0.007 (p < .05); (4) green energy consumption and marketization can variably mitigate the adverse effects of carbon decoupling. Examining the sustainability of the economic-environmental system from the perspective of energy equity contributes to shaping a low-carbon economy that maintains social justice and sustainability, thereby avoiding falling into a low-carbon trap.

Cost breakdown indicates that biochar production from microalgae in Central Europe requires innovative cultivation procedures

In most current academic thinking, the prevailing consensus underscores the potential of algae as a promising biochar feedstock. Nevertheless, a significant gap exists in the literature, as most assertions conducted outside tropical and subtropical regions lack substantiation through comprehensive analyses on a comparison of the economic benefits and the costs associated with the application of algae biochar is mostly missing. This study reports a meticulous breakdown of production costs for algae biochar derived from 6 various cultivation systems via 2 harvesting techniques under the conditions characteristic of central Europe. The findings revealed that the production costs of the algae biochars always greater than 110 €.kg−1that is much higher than the selling prices of the most common biochars on the market including the most expensive biochars made of hard woods. To achieve social acceptability, it is recommended to prefer higher value-added applications for algae and to implement biochar production as the final stage of the refining process.

Knowledge and perceptions towards organic farming: a case of pineapple farmers in central Uganda

This study examined the knowledge and perceptions as well as factors that influence the knowledge and perceptions of pineapple farmers towards organic farming in Uganda. Through multi-stage sampling procedures, purposive and random techniques were applied at different stages to select participants from both Luwero and Kayunga districts in central Uganda. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. A composite index for knowledge and perceptions was computed for each respondent and subjected to descriptive statistics while the censored Tobit regression model was used to determine factors that influenced farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of organic farming. Results showed that both organic and non-organic farmers had a high level of knowledge and favorable perceptions towards organic farming with no significant difference. Perceived environmental and economic benefits of organic farming did not significantly differ (p > 0.05) among organic and non-organic farmers. However, mean scores for perceived health and nutritional (4.30 vs. 3.94) benefits, and access to markets (4.10 vs. 3.89) differed significantly (p < 0.05) between organic and non-organic farmers. There was a positive and significant relationship between knowledge and perception of organic farming among non-organic farmers while for organic farmers, a significant and negative relationship was observed. Factors that significantly influenced farmers’ knowledge were information sources and farmers’ experiences. Farmer perceptions were influenced by education, information sources, group membership and extension services. Therefore, to enhance the adoption and growth of organic pineapple production in Uganda, policymakers and promoters should consider these factors when designing policy documents and sustainability strategies for the development of organic agriculture.

Environmental tradeoff on integrated carbon capture and in-situ methanation technology

Compared to conventional CO2 removal methods, carbon capture and in-situ conversion using dual function materials avoid compression and transportation of CO2, which is regarded as a promising technology. Although it brings additional economic benefits, the environmental impacts of CO2 capture and conversion remain unclear. A life cycle assessment of an integrated CO2 capture and methanation system using dual function materials is conducted to investigate its feasibility to reduce global warming. Life cycle inventory is obtained through construction, operation, and disposal process of the integrated system. A dynamic model of CO2 capture and methanation is developed to obtain the operating parameters. Results show that the optimal global warming potential is 0.706 kg CO2,eq per kilogram captured CO2, which indicates the advantages of using dual function materials for carbon mitigation. Global warming potential is a minor factor among the overall normalized environmental impacts, only accounting for 0.5 % of the total normalized impact, while the main factor marine aquatic ecotoxicity accounts for around 73 %, and fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity accounts for around 23 %. Global warming potential is the most affected by green hydrogen input, followed by dual function material input. Results reveal that the integrated CO2 capture and conversion using dual function materials is conducive to carbon mitigation but has significant other environmental impacts, such as marine aquatic ecotoxicity, and the main contributors to the environmental impacts are wind electricity, green hydrogen, refrigerator, and dual function material.

Air quality improvement at urban bus stops: Optimal air purification placement using CFD

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels are often elevated near roadways due to vehicle emissions, while sulfur dioxide (SO2) is predominantly found near petrochemical complexes as a result of industrial activities such as oil refining and chemical manufacturing. Considering the detrimental effects of these emissions on the environment and human health, the optimal placement of air purification systems at two bus stops in Ulsan, a heavily industrialized city in South Korea, was investigated in this study to reduce NO2 and SO2 concentrations. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to identify strategic installation locations, resulting in a significant reduction in pollutant levels. The largest impact was noted for the Deokha Market bus stop, whereby the added health risk (AR) decreased by 1.93 % and the exposure reduction effectiveness (ERE), a measure of air purification system efficiency, increased by 13.8 %. Similarly, at the Hyomun Intersection bus stop, placing the system near the sidewalk led to a significant reduction in AR by 1.60 % and an increase in ERE by 11.63 %. Additionally, air purification systems at Ulsan bus stops are expected to reduce NO2 levels by 9.1 ppb, decreasing mortality risk by 1.44 %, saving 7 lives annually, and yielding an economic benefit of 33.06 million USD.

Energy, environmental footprints and economic benefit of substituting inorganic fertilizer with organic manure for winter wheat in Huanghuaihai Plain

Manure substitution shows promise for nitrogen (N) management, food security, energy balance and environmental costs reduction. However, there is limited research on this practice in the Huanghuaihai Plain. This study aimed to investigate the energy use efficiency, economic benefits, carbon and nitrogen footprint under two types of N fertilizer (U, urea and M, organic manure), two application rates of N (180 kg N ha−1, U1 for 100 % urea and M1 for 100 % organic manure; 90 kg N ha−1, U2 for 50 % urea and M2 for 50 % organic manure) and no fertilizer application treatment (CK) for winter wheat from 2017 to 2019. Results showed that grain yield and agricultural input cost under N application rate of 90 kg N ha−1 was 15.5 % and 7.8 % lower than that of 180 kg N ha−1, respectively, leading to a significant decrease in economic benefit. Under the same N rate, M1 obtained higher grain yield than U1, grain yield of M2 did no differ in that of U2. Total energy inputs and agricultural input costs of M were 9.5 % and 3.6 % lower than U, resulting in higher energy use efficiency and economic benefit. The reduced agricultural input for M was primarily due to a decrease in the application of inorganic fertilizer. Compared with other treatments, U2+M2 obtained higher grain yield, energy use efficiency, and economic benefit. The carbon and nitrogen footprint on unit grain yield of U1 was increased by 13.7 %-24.1 % and 3.9 %-19.6 %, which was attributed to the increase in direct N2O emissions, indirect carbon emission and losses of reactive N from agricultural inputs. Overall, U2+M2 sustained high productivity and reduced the environmental impact. Substituting inorganic fertilizer with organic manure was a promising strategy to improve agricultural production with less agricultural inputs and environmental footprints in the Huanghuaihai Plain.

Comparative Analysis of Performance and Exhaust Emissions from Jet A1 Blends with Various Aviation Biofuels

The aviation industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Given the growing demand for air travel and the unsustainable use of fossil fuels, it is crucial to develop and commercialize renewable fuels to reduce these emissions. Conventional jet fuels like Jet A1 release harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere. In contrast, biofuels offer a renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic alternative that emits fewer pollutants, excluding NOx, and is easier to treat than fossil fuels. Due to their eco-friendly characteristics, biofuels have garnered attention in recent years. This study focuses on producing biofuels from jatropha oil and waste cooking oil. Jatropha oil, aside from its medicinal benefits such as antimicrobial and anticancer properties, can be effectively used in industrial applications, particularly for biofuel production. The production of biofuels from jatropha and waste cooking oil is of growing interest due to their environmental and economic benefits. The study investigates the production of these biofuels using appropriate catalysts under controlled experimental conditions, followed by blending the biofuels with Jet A1 fuel to achieve similar engine performance while mitigating the environmental impact of greenhouse gases from petroleum-based fuels.

Optimizing Nitrogen Input Increased Yield and Efficiency in Maize-Soybean Strip Intercropping System

Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilizer combination is a crucial measure to maximize yield and production efficiency in a maize-soybean strip intercropping system (MSSI). In this field experiment, six maize/soybean N input combinations (0 kg ha−1, F0; 255/30 kg ha−1, F1; 255/45 kg ha−1, F2; 255/60 kg ha−1, F3; 210/45 kg ha−1, F4; 300/45 kg ha−1, F5) were set in 2022 and 2023. The results indicated that optimizing N combination (maize/soybean, 255/45 kg ha−1) could synergistically increase yield and economic benefits. Path analysis results showed that the grain numbers in maize and soybean emerged as the most critical yield-affecting factors. Compared with F0, F5 showed the highest grain yield during the 2-year experiment, and the net return increased by 86.1% (F1), 133.3% (F2), 87.4% (F3), 104.7% (F4), and 128.3% (F5), respectively. Optimizing N input under F2 and F5 notably enhanced the leaf area index (LAI) of maize at the milk stage (R3) and soybean at the full pod stage (R4). Additionally, optimization of N distribution in maize stems at the tassel stage (VT) and soybean leaves at the initial flowering stage (R1) facilitated increased dry matter and N accumulation at the maturity stage, resulting in final land equivalent ratios (LER) of 1.44 and 1.55, respectively. Our results provide a more valuable field N combination for summer maize planting areas (sandy soil areas) in Huang-Huai-Hai and southern China, thus promoting the wider application of MSSI.

Key influences on residential photovoltaic solar panel adoption in the United States

ABSTRACT The prevalence of low-density residential development to host solar PV, the ubiquity of solar irradiation, and incentivizing policies have created substantial opportunities for homeowners in the United States. Federal, state, and municipal governments implement regulatory policies and financial incentives to promote photovoltaic solar systems in residential buildings with limited resources. Thus, understanding the main factors and their spatial variations is vital for expanding the accessibility of renewable energy benefits to specific socio-economic groups and submarkets. Our research includes linear regression, principal component regression, and spatial error models to provide empirical evidence for the relationship between the adoption rates and socio-economic, geographical, and technical factors while identifying characteristics of adopter groups. The results suggest that the relative advantage factors – electricity prices and solar irradiation – play the most significant role across all regions and market segmentations. Statewide policy indicators are the second most significant factor, followed by socio-economic variables on employment status, remote working, car ownership, and property value. Our results indicate that homeowners do not only differ in their circumstances but also in their motivations. This highlights a need for policy-makers and the solar industry to place greater emphasis on distinct characteristics of consumers motivated by ideology and consumers motivated by economic benefits.

Marsh restoration in front of seawalls is an economically justified nature-based solution for coastal protection

A marsh-fronted seawall is a hybrid nature-based coastal protection solution because it attenuates wave energy, reduces erosion, and provides ecosystem services. However, we still have a limited understanding of how to quantify the marsh wave attenuation benefits for economic analysis. Here, we incorporate a prediction of wave attenuation that accounts for species-specific morphology and structural stiffness into a 1-D wave model and validate it with field measurements. Our results show that the wave attenuation varies by a factor of two across different vegetation species. Further, we performed a benefit-cost analysis, in which the economic benefits represent the environmental services value and avoided seawall heightening cost that would otherwise be required to deliver the same overtopping rate without vegetation. We applied the model to a real-world, marsh-fronted seawall design at Juniper Cove, Massachusetts. Although the benefit of marsh-fronted seawalls is sensitive to discount rate, they have benefit-cost ratios greater than one, indicating that it is an economically justified nature-based solution. Further, we found that wave attenuation and benefit-cost ratio are more sensitive to water depth than wave height. Our study demonstrates the importance of considering the coastal protection of marshes and economic benefits in one framework.

Determinants of Small and Rural Local Governments’ Renewable Energy Program Adoption in Cascadia

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the determinants of renewable energy policy adoption by small and rural local governments in Cascadia. Background: Small and rural local governments currently face many ongoing and numerous new challenges that complicate their task of sustaining current public services and programs. How government officials adapt to these changes can affect the long-term viability of local governments in both the U.S. and Canadian contexts. Objective: This study has examined the presence or absence of renewable energy programs in small and rural local governments in the “Cascadia” region of Canada and the U.S. (British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington). Methods: Using surveys and interviews of Cascadia local government leaders during the summer and fall of 2023, correlates of renewable energy policy adoption have been examined, including cultural, demographic, economic, and political factors. Results: Key findings have indicated cities, experiencing population growth, and those with a progressive political orientation to be more inclined to adopt renewable energy policies. Conversely, remote communities have demonstrated a lower propensity for such adoption. Financial constraints, evidenced by the impact of inflation and the necessity for service cutbacks, have been found to negatively correlate with the consideration of renewable energy policies. Conclusion: This study has indicated renewable energy projects to be more often found or contemplated in areas being politically liberal, densely populated, and not predominantly rural. It could be beneficial in shifting the perception of renewable energy from being predominantly an environmental concern to being recognized for its economic benefits.

Unmanned Ground Vehicles for Continuous Crop Monitoring in Agriculture: Assessing the Readiness of Current ICT Technology

Continuous crop monitoring enables the early detection of field emergencies such as pests, diseases, and nutritional deficits, allowing for less invasive interventions and yielding economic, environmental, and health benefits. The work organization of modern agriculture, however, is not compatible with continuous human monitoring. ICT can facilitate this process using autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) to navigate crops, detect issues, georeference them, and report to human experts in real time. This review evaluates the current state of ICT technology to determine if it supports autonomous, continuous crop monitoring. The focus is on shifting from traditional cloud-based approaches, where data are sent to remote computers for deferred processing, to a hybrid design emphasizing edge computing for real-time analysis in the field. Key aspects considered include algorithms for in-field navigation, AIoT models for detecting agricultural emergencies, and advanced edge devices that are capable of managing sensors, collecting data, performing real-time deep learning inference, ensuring precise mapping and navigation, and sending alert reports with minimal human intervention. State-of-the-art research and development in this field suggest that general, not necessarily crop-specific, prototypes of fully autonomous UGVs for continuous monitoring are now at hand. Additionally, the demand for low-power consumption and affordable solutions can be practically addressed.

Operationalizing critical success factors of employee ownership using principles of learning management

ABSTRACT The importance of employee-owned (EO) organizations around the world is increasing. Countries, communities and organizations are realizing that passing profits to workers increases wealth at all levels of society. The benefits, widely known, include personal prosperity, organizational profitability and stability, and a host of economic benefits for communities in which EO companies operate. Selling a company to employees, or starting a cooperative organization containing worker owners, is not without risk. New skills are required for the company to reap the rewards inherent in EO organizations, but the method of creating this change varies significantly from one organization to another. Each is unique, but there are some factors that are common to most EO organizations that have achieved a dynamic organizational culture. These factors, which are critical for success, can be isolated using structured research, organized through a lens of general systems theory and operationalized using principles of Learning Management (LM). The result is an organized knowledge transfer plan that maximizes resources and provides the highest probability of a successful transition to a uniquely profitable EO company.

Economic benefits of reducing childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity in Australia

Economic benefits of reducing childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity in Australia

Assessing the Impacts of Nature-Based Solutions on Ecosystem Services: A Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus Approach in the Nima River Sub-Basin (Colombia)

Forest ecosystem services are critical for maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being from different perspectives. However, rapid land use changes driven by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and industrial activities have significantly altered forest ecosystems, degrading the services they provide. We here conduct an ecosystem service assessment through biophysical and economic estimates for a multipurpose Andean water sub-basin in western Colombia. We compare a business as usual (BAU) with a forest nature-based solution (NbS) scenario focused on forest landscape restoration. The research employed participatory methods for the NbS selection and economic valuation techniques to evaluate water flow regulation, water provisioning, water purification, and food provisioning services. Results show that the NbS scenario yielded a net positive economic impact across most evaluated ecosystem services, with notable trade-offs. Specifically, the NbS scenario increased water retention by 2.9% compared to BAU. Water flow regulation demonstrated the most substantial economic benefit, increasing by EUR 11.39 million/year in the NbS scenario. On the other hand, the food provisioning service presented a reduction of EUR 3.2 million/year in the NbS scenario. These findings highlight the potential of forest-based NbS to address the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus challenges. The study’s outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, supporting the development of Payment for Ecosystem Services schemes and integrating ecosystem service valuation into land use planning and decision-making processes.