Environmental Protection Practices Research Articles

Students' dietary habits, food service satisfaction, and attitude toward school meals enhance meal consumption in school food service.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESThis study aimed to compare student consumption of school meals by school level, to identify the influencing factors of school meal consumption, and to assess improvement needs of school food service among students.SUBJECTS/METHODSA total of 1,441 elementary, middle, and high school students attending 58 schools in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea participated in the survey in 2015. A questionnaire and informed consent forms for students and legal guardians were sent home and completed responses were returned to the researcher.RESULTSApproximately 58% of the students perceived the portion sizes of school meals as appropriate and 76.1% consumed almost all or all of the meals served. More elementary and middle school students than high school students consumed almost all or all of the meals (P < 0.001). A regression analysis revealed that the students with a higher dietary behavior score (P < 0.001), higher satisfaction with food service (P < 0.001), a higher environmental protection practice score (P < 0.05), and more positive attitudes toward school meals (P < 0.01) consumed significantly more meals. The provision of foods that taste good and reflecting student opinions on menus were the most important factors for increasing school meal consumption.CONCLUSIONSTo increase consumption of school meals, food service staff should provide students with quality meals and engage students in school food service. Nutrition education that emphasizes healthy eating behaviors and cafeteria environment modification that applies strategies based on behavioral economics can encourage students to consume more school meals.

THE ROLE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE IN TURKEY

Expanded involvement of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the environmental governance has become further visible in the past few decades. To this end, this study is aimed to examine the role and influenceof NGOs on environmental governance in Turkey through distinct scientific explanatory framework including politicization, public attitudes, policy process, institutional structure, and output-bases.Consensus in policy making and scientific circle indicate that environmental protection is increasingly institutionalized and managed with growing participatory approaches in developing countries. Though some green NGOs continue to maintain hierarchical organization, and to provide their members with limited democratic rights, some have an increasing impact on policy process and environmental protection practices, especially through regular dialogue with policymakers, greater. Therefore, descriptive analysis in the study was conducted based on data provided from comprehensive reports, declaration, white paper and green policy statement of NGOs on their websites. Major findings of the study are that there has been adequate institutionalization capacity and manifold functions of NGOs in environmental governance, not a significant and powerful linkage of environmental NGOs with government and other environmental groups in Turkey.

Da escala do planejamento urbano ao cuidado da casa comum: uma agenda submersa da injustiça ambiental

Crescimento demográfico, mobilidade social impulsionada pelo êxodo rural e acelerado processo de urbanização transformam o meio físico e social das cidades brasileiras. Planos e processos de intervenções urbanas no contexto destas transformações são permeados por relações entre diferentes grupos que atuam nas políticas públicas. Com interesses próprios, estes grupos influenciam o padrão de uso do espaço urbano ao dosar recursos financeiros disponíveis e ao direcionar ações do Estado na alocação espacial de meios de consumo coletivo e de infraestrutura para diferentes segmentos da sociedade. Assim, direcionam onde e como são investidos os recursos públicos, gerando diferentes acessos a diferentes serviços para diferentes pessoas, concretizando desigualdade socioespacial. Este contexto socioeconômico que marca há muito as relações entre Estado e capital imobiliário no Brasil é interpretado como justificativa material e histórica ao compreender como se desenvolve a promoção, ou não, de infraestrutura urbana em assentamentos precários em área de proteção ambiental e de mananciais. Neste contexto, como preconiza a “Carta Encíclica Laudato Si: sobre o cuidado da casa comum” é necessário repensar a relação entre cidade e natureza considerando a questão ambiental urbana como conceito e prática de proteção do meio ambiente num processo de acelerada degradação socioambiental.

THE ACTUAL QUESTIONS OF LEGAL PROTECTION OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR FROM THE POLLUTING SUBSTANCES IN DRIVEN GAS VEHICLES

Purpose: the actual queistions of legal protection of atmospheric air from the polluting substances in driven gas vehicles were considered. The main disadvantages of the national laws, which need to be improved and adapted to EU legislation, were foud out. The possible ways of it’s elimination were determined. Methods: a set of general and special methods of scientific knowledge – the terminology, logical-semantic, functional, system-structural, logical and normative. Results: the analysis of the current situation of the bringing of national environmental protection practices in a field of atmospheric air protection in accordance with the standards of the European Union was conducted. It’s shows the complexity of the problem and the absence of the developed mechanisms for controlling the environmental state of the air. Such mechanisms would ensure it’s predicted quality and the observance of environmental standards. These facts create the barriers for the harmonization of environmental legislation, and establishe non-compliance with the requirements of the European Environmental Protection Law. It’s necessary to improve legislation by implementing the EU Directives and to reform the relevant monitoring system. Discussion: a number of inconsistencies in approaches and standards for the protection of atmospheric air by the EU and Ukraine, and the shortcomings of the national legislative and normative acts, that need to be improved and adapted to EU legislation, and the ways of it’s elimination. Thus, the analysis of the current situation of the bringing of national environmental protection practices in a field of atmospheric air protection in accordance with the standards of the European Union was conducted. It’s shows the complexity of the problem and the absence of the developed mechanisms for controlling the environmental state of the air. Such mechanisms would ensure it’s predicted quality and the observance of environmental standards. These facts create the barriers for the harmonization of environmental legislation, and establishe non-compliance with the requirements of the European Environmental Protection Law. It’s necessary to improve legislation by implementing the EU Directives and to reform the relevant monitoring system.

Outdoor manufacture of UV-Cured plastic linings for storm water culvert repair: Chemical emissions and residual

Storm water culverts are integral for U.S. public safety and welfare, and their mechanical failure can cause roadways to collapse. To repair these buried assets, ultraviolet (UV) light cured-in-place-pipes (CIPP) are being installed. Chemical emission and residual material left behind from the installation process was investigated in New York and Virginia, USA. Samples of an uncured resin tube and field-cured styrene-based resin CIPPs were collected and analyzed. Also collected were air and water samples before, during, and after installations. Chemicals were emitted into air because of the installation and curing processes. Particulates emitted into the air, water, and soil contained fiberglass, polymer, and contaminants, some of which are regulated by state-level water quality standards. The uncured resin tube contained more than 70 chemical compounds, and 19 were confirmed with analytical standards. Compounds included known and suspected carcinogens, endocrine disrupting compounds, hazardous air pollutants, and other compounds with little aquatic toxicity data available. Compounds (14 of 19 confirmed) were extracted from the newly installed CIPPs, and 11 were found in water samples. Aqueous styrene (2.31 mg/L), dibutyl phthalate (12.5 μg/L), and phenol (16.7 μg/L) levels exceeded the most stringent state water quality standards chosen in this study. Styrene was the only compound that was found to have exceed a 48 h aquatic toxicity threshold. Newly installed CIPPs contained a significant amount volatile material (1.0 to > 9.0 wt%). Recommendations provided can reduce chemical emission, as well as improve worksite and environmental protection practices. Recommended future research is also described.

Odour impact assessment of a large municipal solid waste landfill under different working phases

&lt;p&gt;Odours are among the main causes of complaints in regards to environmental issues for a variety of plants, including landfills. The emissions from landfills can affect the quality of life and negatively influence the area nearby. To protect people living in the surroundings from excessive odour exposures, different environmental protection practices may be implemented. In order to optimize technical and economic aspects, various configurations should be taken into account. In this view, the odour dispersion modelling represents a suitable tool to simulate different scenarios. In the present study, the odour impact from a large landfill located in Borgo Montello (Lazio Region, Italy) has been assessed by a dispersion model. Different operating conditions were simulated, in view of minimizing the odour annoyance during the phase of temporary closure of an area of the investigated plant. The Calpuff model was selected as it is well recognized among the preferred models for assessing the long range transport of pollutants. The Odour Emission Rates, inputs to the model, were calculated based on the results of dynamic olfactometry. The outputs from the dispersion model were investigated to define the best measures for the control of the odour emissions during the most impactful operations.&lt;/p&gt;

Climate change, regulatory policies and regional cooperation in South Asia

Purpose With climate change and environmental degradation being major issues in the world today, it is imperative for governments within a regional setting to collaborate on initiatives, harmonize their policies and develop strategies to counter threats. In South Asia, several attempts have been made to create a common framework for action in implementing synchronized policies. However, both political and technical deterrents have thwarted moves to accommodate priorities and interests of collaborating states. The purpose of this paper is to assess these issues and existing policies/strategies in selected South Asian countries and evaluate integrated plans of action based on collaborative partnerships. Design/methodology/approach Using a broad exploratory and interpretive approach, this paper evaluates how harmonization of environmental principles and synergies among countries can help reduce the effect of climate change and environmental hazards. Based on a review of ideas and concepts as well as both primary and secondary sources, including official records, legislation, inter-state and regional agreements, evaluation reports, impact studies (social, economic and ecological), and commentaries, it highlights several initiatives and processes geared to creating environmental protection standards and practices for the South Asian region. Findings Climate change has resulted in devastating impacts on people. It contributed to the proliferation of climate refugees and high incidence of poverty in South Asia. The region faces both political and technical obstacles in developing a sustainable approach to combat climate change. This is exacerbated by non-availability of information as well as reluctance to acknowledge the problem by key actors. The best strategy will be to integrate policies and regulations in the various countries of the region to develop strategic plans. The approach of prevention and protection should replace the existing emphasis on relief and rehabilitation. Originality/value The paper provides a critical overview of the climatic and environmental problems encountered in the South Asian region and provides pointers to resolving shared problems through the use of policy instruments for regulating the problems within the gamut of regional environmental governance. It attempts to identify solutions to offset regulatory and institutional barriers in achieving preferred results by emphasizing the need for redesigning regulatory structures and policy approaches for ecological well-being.

Factors Affecting the Willingness of Farmers to Accept Eco-Compensation in the Qianxi Chestnut Agroforestry System, Hebei

Abstract: Ecological compensation plays an important role in promoting ecological protection. Identifying factors affecting the willingness of farmers to accept eco-compensation has become a focus of ecological economics. The Qianxi traditional chestnut agricultural heritage system is a typical agroforestry system in China and adapts the local environment well. However, local farmers concentrate on chestnut monocultures, driven by short-term profits. The local ecological environment is very fragile. We surveyed 100 local rural households. Based on face-to-face interviews and questionnaires and model assessment, we analyzed factors affecting the willingness of farmers to accept eco-compensation in the Qianxi chestnut agroforestry system of Hebei. We found that many factors influence farmer willingness to accept, including education level, household income, environmental awareness, environmental protection practices and knowledge of ecological compensation. This research provides helps clarify the mechanism...

Measuring Consumers’ Understanding of Green Marketing Objective and Concept in Relation to Environmental Protection

Green marketing has been an increasingly important element toward the practice of environmental protection. A term coined by marketing gurus, it is a structured topic, essentially offered in academic institutions. However, not every consumer enrols in such courses during their academic years. While some may gain their knowledge academically, others may acquire it through daily interactions with family members, friends, colleagues, business associations, or through the mass or social media. It is believed that the meaning and purpose of green marketing did not reach the general public, questioning the capability of green marketing in becoming a key factor in encouraging consumers to protect the environment. The lack of understanding the objective and concept of green marketing among consumers clearly reflect the unfavourable behaviour and support towards environmental protection. Due to this limitation, the intent of this study is to investigate the level of consumers’ understanding of green marketing objective and concepts through green marketing tools, as well as identify the common medium that contribute to their understanding. This study is also conducted to confirm the measurement items used to examine consumers’ understanding of green marketing particularly its objective and concepts, and tools. Self-constructed survey questionnaire was distributed to consumers, and analysed using a descriptive statistical and factor analysis. As expected, results indicated that consumers’ understanding about protecting the environment is not driven by green marketing objective and concept, but rather from daily interactions with their family members and within the society they are in.

An integrated model for solving problems in green supplier selection and order allocation

Abstract Green purchasing is a critical factor in sustainable enterprise development, and it often affects a company's business performance and environmental protection practices. An enterprise must have an appropriate assessment model to address the complexities of green purchasing. Most green purchasing studies have focused on the use of green criteria in the selection of suppliers to develop sustainable operations. By contrast, there have been few articles on green supply chain management discussing both green supplier evaluation and order allocation. This study proposes a novel model that integrates the best–worst method (BWM), modified fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), and fuzzy multi-objective linear programming (FMOLP) to solve problems in green supplier selection and order allocation. We demonstrated the proposed method using actual data provided by an electronics company. The results indicate that this model can effectively evaluate the performance of green suppliers and can also optimize order allocation for qualified suppliers.

Aesthetic Experience as an Essential Factor to Trigger Positive Environmental Consciousness

The current environmental attitude models are primarily composed of environmental knowledge, value, and intention. However, environmental aestheticians have maintained that aesthetic experience triggered by nature is the cornerstone of promoting environmental ethics. To verify this belief, this study proposes a new framework, which integrates the rational and emotional approaches, to describe the environmental attitudes of the public. Questionnaires are used to collect data from college students in Taiwan, and a total of 275 valid responses are received. The collected data are analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results support the proposed hypotheses. In addition to reconfirming the importance of environmental knowledge in the traditional models, this study confirms that aesthetic experience is also a determining dimension. The findings show that rational cognition and aesthetic perception complement and interact with each other and can strengthen environmental ethics, thereby enhancing the intention of pro-environmental behavior. The results of this study can serve as a reference for environmental protection or environmental education practice.

Development of environmental protection infrastructure in a rural commune after Poland’s accession to the European Union – case study

Abstract The process of European integration required the harmonization of the Polish law with EU legislation and the physical implementation of the new regulations. One of the areas in which these activities were carried out was environmental protection. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the Europeanisation process on environmental investment, ecology policy and the practice of environmental protection in rural communes using the example of the Wysokie Mazowieckie rural commune. The study have shown that the impact of the EU integration process was significant. This influence can be most clearly observed in the following two areas: the growing importance of environmental protection in commune policy and the acquisition of external financial resources for pro-ecological investments. Thanks to this, it was possible to solve many important environmental problems in the commune, especially regarding water and wastewater management as well as waste management.

Assessment of Energy-Saving Practices of the Hospitality Industry in Macau

Macau is building a world tourism and leisure center. In the context of flourishing hospitality development, energy issues have attracted more and more attention in recent years. On the basis of the field survey of 28 hotels, an evaluation index system is built to assess the status of energy-saving and environmental protection practices in the hospitality industry in Macau. This system is built by selecting some credits from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and adding several new indices according to the social and economic characteristics of Macau. The results show that the hotels have made significant efforts to improve the energy efficiency in recent years. A total of 71.4% of the hotels have formulated and implemented the energy-saving and environmental protection programs. However, there is an apparent gap in energy and environmental performance between different star-level hotels. The higher is the star-level of a hotel, the higher enthusiasm on energy-saving a hotel has, e.g., 63.6% of the 5-star hotels carried out the carbon auditing and energy management measures, but there is no 2-star hotel that adopted them. The energy-saving performance can be great improved if more efforts are made in the future, especially for the 2-star hotels. Finally, we put forward some suggestions for how to bridge this gap and present a possible roadmap for the further improvement of energy efficiency of the hotel industry in Macau. The results from this work are useful to help the government and hotel managers to take actions for improving the energy utilization and efficiency of the hospitality industry in Macau.

Making hotels more energy efficient: the managerial perception

The boom of the tourism industry has led to a huge interest in investing largely in hotel lodgings. Tourists have become aware and started considering new and far from ordinary tourist issues, like environmental protection, waste treatment measures, energy efficiency, renewable energy, green-house gas emissions, etc. The aims of the study are three-fold: (i) to assess the application of energy efficiency practices in the hotel industry; (ii) to explore the determinants of energy consumption; and (iii) to pose valuable recommendations for boosting development of eco-friendly hotels. The research was conducted in Macedonia for the purpose of identifying the impacts of several factors of managing environmental protection practices, in the first line by measuring their current level of influence. The data were obtained by an online survey conducted among managers of three-, four- and five-star hotels and processed by descriptive statistics. The results showed that managers have high positive perceptions on environmental protection issues and pose high awareness of the benefits produced by this concept, thus supporting the European environmental impact assessment regulation. The study recommends new approaches in challenging the hotel industry to decrease the operating costs and suggests that managers are in need for better understanding of the importance of energy efficiency.

WASTE AUDIT IN UMT CAMPUS : GENERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WASTE IN CAFETERIA AND FOOD KIOSK

Waste Management problem became the most challenging issues with the increasing of global population. Universities as higher educational institution should create knowledge, take a lead on environmental protection and sustainability practices for promoting public awareness on adapting the concept of sustainability for a better quality of living as well as integrate sustainability in their educational and research programs. In the aspect of solid waste management, solid waste audit need to be conducted for the determination of the total amount of waste generation, the current practise of waste management and waste characterization hence specific improvement can be identified and implemented. Cafeterias have been known to generate multiple waste such as biodegradable waste, recyclable waste and non-recyclable waste. Therefore this study was conducted to determine the generation, characterization and current management practices of waste produced within cafeterias and food kioks currently operating within Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). The study involves distribution of questionnaires to 370 respondents, representative numbers based on UMT population of UMT that has reached 10900 and characterization of solid waste produced by the respected cafeterias and food kiosks for the duration of two weeks. The results found that the total generation of solid waste was 1753kg with average 125kg generation per day. Waste classification were 59% (food waste), 21 % (papers), 13% (plastics), 4 % (tin/aluminium), 1.3% (polystyrene), 1.2%Â (Glass) and 0.02% (Others). Estimation of the average waste generation was determined through weighted process using scale machine. The weighted waste were segregated according to their type and categories. The survey conducted found that majority of respondent have knowledge about solid waste management (&gt;80%) but still lack of awareness towards solid waste management in cafeteria and food kiosk whether simply by recycling and separating. The survey also suggests that UMT community to bring their own containers for take away and to participate more in solid waste awareness programme. The high proportion of organic waste more than 60% exceeding the typical 40% national generation indicated a strong urge to place organic waste compost bin in cafeteria so that the highly generated organic waste can be utilized and converted into compost whilst reduce waste disposal cost.Â

Analysis of the Ethical Responsibility of Engineers

Scientific and technological progress have not only promoted China’s economic development, but also exerted a far-reaching and extensive impact on China’s engineering construction. Engineers, who are core of engineering activities, play a key role as well as assume a major responsibility in the process of innovation and application of new technology. This paper points out that in the complex engineering situations, when engineers are facing the moral conflict, conflicts of interests, ethics contradiction, they should know how to be answerable to people’s safety, health and welfare, how to effectively regulate the conflict of interests between engineering communities, and how to settle down the contradiction between the practice of engineering and environmental protection. It argues that if engineers are to fulfill the ethical responsibility, such things must be done as the reconstruction of the relationship between them and employers, society, as well as nature.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN SMES: ORGANIZATIONAL AND SECTORAL DETERMINANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF AN OUTERMOST EUROPEAN REGION

This paper evaluates the environmental behavior of smes in the Canary Islands (Spain), one of the Outermost European Regions. The islands’ fragile socioeconomic systems and scarce resources noticeably condition the competitiveness of their firms. An empirical analysis ranks environmental protection practices in smes and identifies differences on the basis of size and business sector. In addition, groups of firms with different environmental behavior are identified to facilitate the design of environmental policies, improve effectiveness in decision making and the more efficient use of resources. From a theoretical perspective, this paper contributes to the gap identified by the precursors of the Natural Resource-Based View of the firm by analyzing specific resource combinations that each firm can use to improve its environmental performance and achieve competitive advantages. The firms best positioned to develop the dynamic capabilities needed are identified not only considering the physical environment, but also the socio-economic one and key intangible resources are measured that shape firms’ environmental strategy.

Clustering enterprises into eco-industrial parks: Can interfirm alliances help small and medium-sized enterprises?

Eco-Industrial Parks are a proven approach that balances environmental protection practices and regional industrial development. However, it is a challenge to relocate small and medium-sized enterprises into industrial parks. Recently in China, there is a new phenomenon where interfirm alliances have started to facilitate local government in promoting the relocation of small enterprises to industrial parks. In this paper, we attempt to identify the role that these interfirm alliances can play. This study uses a survey method to investigate this question in Jieyang City, and 598 valid questionnaires were collected. The validity and reliability of the relevant factors were tested using factor analysis, and ordered logit-regression was adopted to quantitatively assess the effect of the extracted factors on the dependent variable. The results highlight five key influencing factors in alliances: policy, market, managerial, financial, and technical. All factors significantly affect the relocation decisions of small enterprises according to various firm characteristics. Among these factors, the financial factor has the strongest influence on alliances among manufacturing firms. Policy and managerial aspects of alliances are critical to encouraging small enterprises to move into industrial parks while larger enterprises consider financial and technical effects to be more important. The market factor of alliances affects family-owned SMEs much more than it does for other enterprises. In summary, interfirm alliances are an essential policy implementation tool that has the potential to help local government in promoting the relocation of enterprises into eco-industrial parks and to improve industrial environmental performance.

Urban, agricultural, and environmental protection practices for sustainable water quality

Sustainable water management often emphasizes water resource quantity, with focus on availability and use practices. However, only a subset of the available water may be usable when also considering water quality. Water quality management is examined within three broad sectors—urban, agriculture, and environmental systems—to investigate how water quality sustainability (WQS) is defined by each and across the three sectors. The definitions determined for both urban and agricultural WQS mention downstream human and ecosystem use; however, regulatory policy does not always support these definitions. This challenge of managing water quality locally and downstream, coupled with interactions across multiple sectors, has led to a fragmented approach to water quality management. Legislation typically divides water quality management into compartments without considering the entire system. Within the United States, there is an uneven distribution of responsibility regarding water quality protection, and notable policies which counteract efforts to improve water quality. The review suggests that despite a growing intention to use a single system approach where water is considered as a limited resource that must supply all competing interests, one does not yet exist and is even hindered by current policies and regulations. Recent policy is signaling a shift toward increasing interagency coordination; however, the basic definitions of WQS remain disconnected across sectors. It is the conclusion of this review that sustainable water quality is not currently practiced in the United States. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1229. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1229This article is categorized under: Engineering Water &gt; Planning Water Human Water &gt; Water Governance Science of Water &gt; Water Quality

Environmental Protection Versus Foundry Engineering Practice

Abstract • Theory and practice of environmental protection in the case of foundries in Europe and Asia • Experience resulting from the cooperation with the foundries in a few European countries, China and India • Phenomena and factors affecting the pollution of the natural environment and the implementation of measures aiming at the environmental protection. Every specialist dealing with foundry processes and their impact on environmental pollution must have encountered in their professional careers numerous situations in which the theory of environmental protection confronts the stark reality. The discrepancy between theory and practice can particularly be noticed in foundry engineering in developing countries where the contrasts between different countries and casting plants are extremely striking. The comparison of working conditions in European and Asian foundries provides a vast scope for further observations and analyses. Environmental protection seems not only a concern of manufacturers of castings, but also of their customers whose opinion exerts a significant influence on both the acceptability of working conditions and on the approach to environmental pollution adopted in metal casting industry. The article presents a number of examples of various outlooks on environmental issues in foundries manufacturing a wide range of cast steel and cast iron castings, where different technologies and production processes are applied.