Environmental Friendly Activities Research Articles

The antecedents of green information system and impact on environmental performance

As society becomes more and more aware of the negative impacts of business operations on environment and other aspects of society, companies have started to adopt environmental friendly activities due to the increasing pressures and concerns. How to improve company's environmental performance is the major challenge facing many managers. This study proposes a conceptual framework to study the role of green information system in improving company's environmental performance, and find out the antecedents in helping to create an effective green information system. A conceptual framework is proposed and tested empirically by using the data collected from China. This study contributes to the literature and by providing research direction and real-world practitioners with helpful guideline to build green information system.

A Collection-Distribution Center Location and Allocation Optimization Model in Closed-Loop Supply Chain for Chinese Beer Industry

Recycling waste products is an environmental-friendly activity that can result in manufacturing cost saving and economic efficiency improving. In the beer industry, recycling bottles can reduce manufacturing cost and the industry’s carbon footprint. This paper presents a model for a collection-distribution center location and allocation problem in a closed-loop supply chain for the beer industry under a fuzzy random environment, in which the objectives are to minimize total costs and transportation pollution. Both random and fuzzy uncertainties, for which return rate and disposal rate are considered fuzzy random variables, are jointly handled in this paper to ensure a more practical problem solution. A heuristic algorithm based on priority-based global-local-neighbor particle swarm optimization (pb-glnPSO) is applied to ensure reliable solutions for this NP-hard problem. A beer company case study is given to illustrate the application of the proposed model and to demonstrate the priority-based global-local-neighbor particle swarm optimization.

環境配慮型商店街の形成に向けた地域住民の参加促進要因に関する研究

1. Introduction In recent years, environmental-friendly town planning is required especially in newly developed areas. Meanwhile, environmentally-friendly town development in the existing urban area needs reflection of residents' needs, formation of a regional organization, and so on. Shopping districts organizations that carry out environmentally friendly activities aiming at contributing to the environment and raising the image are appearing nationwide, but still many shopping districts organizations think that revitalization and environmental consideration are not compatible. Our research proposed a framework of environmentally-friendly activities which are effective to activate shopping street. The purpose of this study is to clarify the residents’ participation motivations structure of the activities based on our framework which contribute to environmental effects and activational effects in local shopping streets. 2. Framework and definition of activities of environmental friendly shopping districts In this research, we defined the following as "environmentally friendly shopping district". (1) Environmental consideration activities leading to energy saving at the residences by encouraging to go to the shopping streets, such as holding events, and to staying longer in shopping streets, such as taking breaks by setting benches, and keeping children at shopping time (2) Environmentally conscious activities such as energy saving, resource saving, waste reduction, greening, recycling, etc. conducted at shopping districts and shops 3. Questionnaire survey In this research, we promoted the framework for the two shopping streets organizations by holding regular monthly meetings, and conducted a questionnaire survey for the residents in the surrounding areas of the shopping streets. 4. Questionnaire survey result a. The degree of interest in environmentally conscious shopping districts is influenced by sex, age, number of people in neighborhood association, household composition. b. Motivation to participate in activities such as purchasing refills is high. On the other hand, participation motivation is low with regard to activities with high labor burden and activities with low cost effectiveness. In addition, eco point cards common to shopping districts are important tools to give incentives to users. c. As a result of factor analysis, seven factors were extracted. Covariance structure analysis was conducted based on the results, and the formation factor model of "participation willingness in environmental activities at local shopping street" was obtained. Thereby, it turned out that "willingness of waste recovery" "willingness to participate in the community " "willingness of Environmental friendly purchasing" "willingness to contribute to improvement of the environment" have big influence on formation of "participation willingness in environmental activities at local shopping street". 5. Conclusion In order to disseminate environmentally conscious activities in shopping districts, it is necessary to revitalize local communities, conducting events and other activities in shopping districts, to notice what kind of activities contribute to save energy and resources, to give a lot of chances to buy eco-friendly products which have also economic benefits, and to strengthen regional communities. The framework which we proposed are expected to work well especially in the areas where many elderly people and young children live.

A study on environmental friendly and revitalization activities of local shopping street

A study on environmental friendly and revitalization activities of local shopping street

Green Government Procurement Practices (GGP) in Malaysian Public Enterprises

Abstract Government procurement may contribute significantly to the sustainability of the economy and the environment as it is the biggest purchaser of a country. The government is in a position to influence the demand of environmental friendly products and encouraging the businesses to involve in environmental friendly activities. Green government procurement (GGP) is one of the initiatives introduced to improve sustainability. The objectives of this study are threefold: (1) to examine the practices of GGP in Malaysian public enterprises; (2) to identify for any significant difference in GGP practices between statutory body and non-statutory body or government-linked companies (GLCs); and (3) to examine the barriers in GGP practices. The respondents of the study consist of 274 procurement officers and the data are obtained through self-developed questionnaire. The findings reveal that purchases that consider local suppliers is the most commonly adopted GGP practice by public enterprises. Meanwhile, the least adopted GGP practices isparticipates in the design of products for recycling or reuse. The results also show a significant difference in several GGP practices between statutory body and GLC practices such as purchases from local suppliers;purchases from small suppliers;ensure that suppliers comply with labour laws;reports the procurement policy as relates to sustainable development;and reports the economic, environmental and social criteria that apply to expenditures and financial commitments. Meanwhile, among the barriers that mostly faced by the organisations are; lack of guidance, no enforcement and costlyimplementation of the GGP.

Green Marketing in Automobile and Ancillary Industry: Issues and Implications

Due to the challenges of global warming, nations and people have high concerns for environment protection at the time demand by consumer groups for environmentally friendly products has also increased which led to the emergence of a ‘new marketing philosophy’, known as ‘green marketing’. An increasing integration of aeconomies and growing concern of customers for environment is resulting into higher environmental performance expectations from the industries even in developing countries. Green marketing can be considered to be contributing towards enhancing the environmental performance of industry and an important element of the evolution of the Indian automobile industry as it responds to challenges of environmental regulations, increasing customer expectations and economic pressures. This research paper is an attempt to understand the green marketing practices of automobile and ancillary industry in and around Pune. It also attempts to study underlying factors (controllable and uncontrollable) and their impact on the implementation of green marketing practices and reasons for their implementation. In addition it attempts to study the challenges in executing green marketing practices in Indian context and solutions devised by industries to these challenges. Based on extensive literature review, a hypothesis was formulated and a detailed questionnaire was prepared and circulated among automobile and ancillary industries. The hypothesis was tested by using Friedman test followed by paired sample t test. The results indicate significant variation in terms of the green marketing practices implementation and underlying reasons for their implementation. Uncontrollable forces like, Government Regulations, ccompetitor's environmental activities forcing firm to change conventional activities into environmental friendly activities. They have more influence in comparison with controllable factors on initiating and implementing green marketing practices.

The Effects of Message Framing and Source Credibility on Green Messages in Hotels

This study used an experimental approach to examine the influence of message framing and source credibility on potential hotel customers’ attitudes, behavioral intentions, attention, and environmentally friendly activities (EFAs) toward messages about protecting the environment. With 386 participants, this study employed a 2 × 2 between-subject design comparing a positive message frame, a negative message frame, a credible source, and a noncredible source. The results reveal that messages from a credible source that are positively framed led to the most positive attitudes toward the messages themselves, visit intention, and EFAs. Even without regard to source credibility, positively framed messages were more effective than those with a negative frame. The implication for hospitality practitioners is to maintain a positive frame for messages that encourage guests to participate in a hotel’s sustainability programs, and to add a credible source for additional message strength.

Pro-Environmental Concern Among Primary School Students

Public awareness on environmental issues is the prerequisite of the behavioural changes towards environmental-friendly activities. People who are concern about preserving the environment for present and future generations are more prone to engage in pro-environment lifestyles. In this study, the modified New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale was used to gauge 348 students’ pro-environmental concern. Based on 1 to 5 Likert scale response, students’ pro-environmental values was found to be high (mean=3.66, SD=0.59). Data analysis showed no difference in students’ belief system across gender and between students in Penang and Perak states. However, there was variation in pro-environmental concern between schools. It was also revealed that students’ science achievement in school is a moderate-effect predictor of their pro-environmental concern.

A Whole Genome Pairwise Comparative and Functional Analysis of Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA

Geobacter species are involved in electricity production, bioremediations, and various environmental friendly activities. Whole genome comparative analyses of Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA, Geobacter bemidjiensis Bem, Geobacter sp. FRC-32, Geobacter lovleyi SZ, Geobacter sp. M21, Geobacter metallireducens GS-15, Geobacter uraniireducens Rf4 have been made to find out similarities and dissimilarities among them. For whole genome comparison of Geobacter species, an in-house tool, Geobacter Comparative Genomics Tool (GCGT) has been developed using BLASTALL program, and these whole genome analyses yielded conserved genes and they are used for functional prediction. The conserved genes identified are about 2184 genes, and these genes are classified into 14 groups based on the pathway information. Functions for 74 hypothetical proteins have been predicted based on the conserved genes. The predicted functions include pilus type proteins, flagellar proteins, ABC transporters, and other proteins which are involved in electron transfer. A phylogenetic tree from 16S rRNA of seven Geobacter species showed that G. sulfurreducens PCA is closely related to G. metallireducens GS-15 and G. lovleyi SZ. For evolutionary study, acetate kinase protein is used, which showed closeness to Pelobacter propionicus, Pelobacter carbinolicus, and Deferribacteraceae family bacterial species. These results will be useful to enhance electricity production by using biotechnological approaches.

The Cycling Potentials of Malaysian Students in UiTM Campus

In the 21century there exists many reasons that encourage cycling as an environmental friendly activity. Cycling not only decreases the problems created by global warming, it also improves the health and well-being of individuals. A quantitative survey was conducted between the students staying at a campus in one of the Malaysian universities to investigate the potentials of cycling habits between these students. It can be concluded from the respondents’ opinion that the use of bicycle is mostly affected by the topography of the university and the weather constraints.

Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to green hotel choice: Testing the effect of environmental friendly activities

The present study proposed and tested Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model to explain the formation of hotel customers' intentions to visit a green hotel. The findings showed the TPB model has a good fit to the data and better predictive power for intention than the Theory of a Reasoned Action model. Based on theoretical support and suggested modification indices, a refined TPB model was developed. Consistent with the theory, the results of a structural equation analysis revealed that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control positively affected intention to stay at a green hotel. Further investigation indicated the paths between these predictors and intention did not statistically differ between customers who actively practice ecofriendly activities and those who are not often engaged in environmentally conscious behaviors in their everyday lives. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Implementation of ISO 14001:2004 (environmental management system standard) for reverse osmosis desalination plants for the first time in Iran

Implementation of ISO 14001:2004 (environmental management system) has been executed for reverse osmosis desalination plants for the first time in Iran at Noor Vijeh Company (N.V. Co), a water and wastewater firm based in Tehran. The scope of work was the activities and product of company's BWRO desalination plant in the city of Qom (3000 m3 per day) and SWRO desalination plant in Assaluyeh, Pars Special Economic and Energy Zone, Iran. The aims of this project were in line with company’s approach to sustainable development and its direction towards conducting environmental friendly activities and production characteristics.Initially the famous PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) was used to identify the aspects and evaluate their effects. The significant aspects of each plant affecting the environment are then identified and preventive control measures and reducing their probabilities of loss are anticipated. These cover the normal activities within each plant and those aspects arising from emergency conditions such as earthquakes, fire, etc.Elements of this system are•Environmental policy and its targets and programmes•Practical methods for environmental management system processes•Executive manuals for implementing special activities•Tables and indexes for environmental aspects for each plant•Organizational charts, positions, qualifications, and necessary trainings for the involved personnel.Environmental aspects are evaluated through their interaction with and effects over, releases to water, emissions to air, land contamination, waste management, energy use, and use of natural resources and raw material.