Environmentalism Research Articles

Comparison of Ethanol Production from three Different Tuber Plants (Manihot esculenta, Ipomoea batata and Dioscorea Spp)

In recent years, the annual energy consumption from petroleum sources has increased many folds resulting not only in continuous depletion of limited fossil fuel stocks but also a cause of concern for the safer, better and greener environment. Further, the high prices of fossil fuel have led to an energy crisis in both developing and developed countries that are oil dependent. Following these challenges, there is need to find alternative sources of producing energy. This study aimed at comparison of ethanol production from three different tuber plants (Manihot Esculenta, Ipomoea Batata and Dioscorea SPP). The cassava, sweet potato and yam peels were collected from the market premises of Jalingo Local Government Area, Taraba State. The collected samples were taken to a convenient place where they were sorted. The peels of cassava, sweet potato and yam were separately sorted to have mainly the peels for drying. The drying was carried out in open air which lasted for a week. The well dried samples were then milled using a hammer mill, Mortar and pestle which reduced the cassava, sweet potato and yam peels to very small particle sizes and weighed. To 10 g of the powdered wort, distilled water was added, mashed and filtered. Yeast and malt were added to the filtered wort and allowed to stand for three (3) days for fermentation. After fermentation, the fermented wort was distilled to collect a colourless liquid as the distillate. This distillate was neutral to litmus test, soluble in water and indicated the presence of alcohol by Ester, Sodium Metal, Iodoform and Lucas Tests. The result compared from 3 samples showed that cassava peels produced the highest ethanol concentration (6.25) followed by yam peels (6.13) while the minimum ethanol yield was obtained from sweet potato peels (5.01) at temperature 78.40C and PH 7.2 after 72 hours of fermentation. This work has shown that cassava, sweet potato and yam peels which are considered a non-valuable waste are suitable raw materials and could be efficiently utilized for the production of ethanol.

Evolving trends and driving factors analysis of green development level in Chengdu plain economic zone

Green development is key to promoting high-quality regional development. Chengdu Plain Economic Zone (CPEZ) stands as the primary area for the Chengdu-Chongqing twin-city economic circle. This study constructed an evaluation system for green development level, selecting 33 indicators from three dimensions: green environment, green lifestyle, and green economy. Through the application of the entropy-TOPSIS method, Pearson correlation analysis, and geographic detector, the green development level of the Chengdu Plain Economic Zone urban agglomeration from 2013 to 2022 was evaluated, as well as the coupling and coordination relationship of green development was analyzed, and the driving mechanism affecting the green development of the region was explored. The results show that: (1) The overall level of green development in the research area continues to improve from 2013 to 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 5.11%. There is spatial heterogeneity in the level of green development among cities. (2). The coupling coordinated development degree (CCD) has steadily improved, however, the overall region is still in a low-level stage of coupled coordinated development. Among them, Ziyang, Suining, Mianyang, and Ya’an exceeded the regional average level in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively, entering the stage of primary coupling and coordinated development. (3). The key driving factors for green development level include GDP electricity consumption, per capita length of water supply pipelines, percentage of added value of the secondary and tertiary industries to GDP, per capita water resources, and population density. The spatial differences in these indicators explain over 50% of the level of green development. To promote high-quality development of the CPEZ, three policy recommendations are proposed: Firstly, optimize green environmental governance. The second is to encourage the development of green technology innovation and circular economy. The third is to strengthen the coordinated development of regional economy, optimize the allocation of resource elements, enhance the radiation effect of urban agglomerations, and drive the integrated development of the CPEZ.

Benefits Beyond the Physical: How Urban Green Areas Shape Public Health and Environmental Awareness in Istanbul

Urban densification in Istanbul is progressively limiting access to green spaces, with significant implications for public health and environmental awareness. This study investigates how urban green space use relates to psychological well-being and environmental values by surveying 400 visitors to Belgrad Forest. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five key dimensions of user perception and behavior: (1) personal benefit and well-being, (2) energy and concentration, (3) urban green space experience, (4) use and activities, and (5) environmental concern and value. A strong positive relationship was observed between well-being and energy-related factors, while environmental concern emerged as a distinct construct with limited overlap with recreational behavior. Demographic variables such as age, income, and education level significantly shaped green space perceptions. These findings suggest that while urban green areas support mental and physical health, their role in enhancing environmental awareness follows a separate pathway. The study underscores the importance of incorporating large-scale green infrastructure into urban health and sustainability strategies, particularly in rapidly growing metropolitan regions.

Proposed Program for Green Governance and Environmental Reforms in Urban and County Areas at Guangdong Province, China

As urbanization accelerates, the pressure on local governments to manage environmental resources efficiently has increased. Qingyuan, with its blend of urban centers and rural counties, faces unique challenges in balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability. This has driven the need for public institutions to adopt governance models that integrate environmental priorities at the heart of policy-making processes. A key driver for these reforms is the rising concern over pollution, particularly air and water quality issues. Guangdong Province has seen significant industrialization, which has contributed to rapid economic growth but also caused environmental degradation. In Qingyuan, both the urban and rural areas are affected by emissions from factories, transportation, and construction activities. To address this, local governments are reforming institutions to ensure stricter enforcement of environmental regulations, focusing on areas such as pollution control, waste management, and emissions monitoring. Another pressing issue is solid waste management. With increasing urban populations and industrial activities, public institutions in Qingyuan are under pressure to develop sustainable waste disposal and recycling systems. This requires not only technological innovation but also institutional reforms that encourage inter-agency coordination and partnerships with private sector actors. Policies promoting circular economies and community involvement in waste segregation are emerging as essential strategies to enhance environmental governance.

The impact of eco-friendly car characteristics and eco-friendly factors on perceived value, trust, and purchase intention

As global awareness of environmental protection has grown since the 1990s, eco-friendly vehicles have emerged as a critical focus in the automobile industry. The depletion of oil resources and rising fuel prices have further catalyzed interest in sustainable transportation options. This study aims to investigate how eco-friendly car characteristics (safety, price, technological advancement, and brand) and environmental factors (carbon neutrality and green ecological environment) influence consumers' perceived value, trust, and purchase intention. Using quantitative methodology, we conducted an online survey with questions adapted from previous research and analyzed data using SPSS 27.0 and Smart PLS 4.0. Our findings reveal that safety, price, and technological advancement significantly impact perceived value, while safety, price, and brand significantly affect trust. Regarding environmental factors, carbon neutrality influences perceived value, while both carbon neutrality and green ecological environment significantly impact trust. Furthermore, perceived value positively influences trust, and both significantly affect purchase intention. These results provide valuable insights for automobile manufacturers, policymakers, and marketers to better understand consumer preferences in the eco-friendly vehicle market, supporting the transition to sustainable transportation as consumers increasingly diversify their decision-making processes toward environmentally conscious choices.

Assessing the Health Promotion Policies and Practices at Dutch Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Locations: A Quantitative Study among ECEC Staff

ABSTRACT The early childhood environment plays a pivotal role in a child's health, development, and opportunities in the later stages of their lives. Therefore, the early childhood education and care (ECEC) setting could be essential to health promotion interventions. This study explored the current health promotion policies and practices within the Dutch ECEC setting, as well as the differences in policies and practices over time. A quantitative study was conducted in South Limburg, a region in southern Netherlands, with survey data collected in 2020 and 2022 among pedagogical staff members. The online questionnaire evaluated health promotion policies and practices related to nutrition, physical activity, media use and green environments, and was filled in by staff from 123 ECEC locations in 2020 and 141 ECEC locations in 2022. Descriptive statistics were calculated and Pearson Chi-Square tests were performed to assess the differences between 2020 and 2022. Results showed that policies and practices within the ECEC setting mainly focused on nutrition and physical activity, while media use and green environment received less attention. Notably, there was a significant increase over time in the implementation of various nutrition and physical activity practices. This change may be attributed to the enhanced adoption of health promotion and obesity prevention interventions in ECEC settings within the region. More research is needed on the use and implementation of policies, practices and interventions regarding other health promotion topics within the Dutch ECEC setting.

Effects of Organizational Support for Green Environment Practices Implementation on Hotel Performance in Uganda’s Conservation Areas

The study sought to determine the effect of organisational support (OS) for energy-saving, water conservation, and waste management practices implementation on hotel performance (HP) in conservation areas in Uganda. The study used a correlational research design with quantitative methods about OS and HP. Krejcie and Morgan's 1970 sample size determination table was applied in selecting 265 participants from a population of 851 employees in 19-star-rated hotels from the study area. These participants were selected using multistage sampling consisting of stratified, proportional, and simple random sampling. Data was collected via self-administered questionnaires distributed with the help of trained research assistants. Construct validity was evaluated through factor analysis, using both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Data was subjected to descriptive and factor analysis in SPSS 25 and partial least structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS4 for modelling and hypothesis testing. The results indicate that the OS accounts for 54.4% (R2 =0.538) of the variation in hotel performance. Specifically, the results show that OS (P<0.05), had a direct significant effect on hotel performance in conservation areas in Uganda. The blindfolding results confirm adequate predictive relevance, with the lowest Q² value at 0.538. The results show that all of the Q2 predicted statistics for the endogenous latent variable and the measurement variables of the endogenous construct are greater than 0. The study concluded that organizational support mechanisms for green environment practices implementation are essential, and have a significant effect on hotel performance in conservation areas in Uganda. The results of this study are useful to policymakers and industry practitioners by providing relevant insights in guiding decision-making to improve hotel performance. It also adds to the existing body of knowledge on the discussions relating to organizational support and hotel performance.

Integrated one-pot green fractionation of Madhuca indica seed: Green fractionation of lignocellulosic macromolecules into value-added products.

Integrated one-pot green fractionation of Madhuca indica seed: Green fractionation of lignocellulosic macromolecules into value-added products.

International Legal Initiatives and Mechanisms for Promoting Cross-Border Contract in the Green Economy and Sustainable Development

This article examines the main international programs and legislative frameworks that contribute to the development of a green economy. The UN, EU, World Bank, and other key institutions are prioritized. This article discusses worldwide legal and institutional cooperation that affects green and sustainable growth. Improved implementation, legislative improvements, and a transition to a low-carbon, resource-intensive economy are examples. In addition, the article analyzes the specific features of international agreements and conventions, such as the Paris Agreement, Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, the Kyoto Protocol, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Their impact on the green economy is studied. This paper highlights how the United Nations, the European Union, and other international financial institutions help create a thorough and consistent framework for defining mandatory green economy and environment criteria. The results demonstrate the need for broad legal frameworks that improve environmental governance and accountability at all decision-making levels.

Economic Activities Of Rumah Herbal Alam Lestari Kampung Herbal As A Source Of Social Studies Learning

The implementation of economic activities cannot be separated from the concept of the environment. In relation to the integration of contextual content in social studies learning, teachers can take advantage of economic activities at the Rumah Herbal Alam Lestari. Rumah Herbal Alam Lestari is a house located in Komplek Bukit Permata Indah (herbal Village) Banjarbaru, there sells various herbal needs, from finished herbal medicinal products to herbal plants directlyin various types. The article aims to describe the economic activities at Rumah Herbal Alam Lestari that use the environment to grow herbal plants which can be used to improve people’s lves by selling them, in addition to other benefits for the health of the body and the surrounding green environment. This research methods with techniques to obtain data through observation, interviews, and documentation. The data obtained is reduced, presented in a narrative form eccompainied by a picture and a table of material analysis which then draws conclusions. The validity of data through triangulation of time, sources, and techniques. The research result describe the economic activity of Rumah Herbal Alam Lestari which produced two kinds of products, namely herbal medicine and direct plant of large and small sizes, distributed and consumers or used by the community, with this economic activities it can be integrated as a social learning resource in grade VII on economic activity (production, distribution, and consumtion) with an environmental concept.

Ecoenzym: Inovasi Pengelolaan Sampah Organik di Ma’had Tafaqquh

Eco-enzyme is an environmentally friendly product made from fruit peels, vegetables, and sugar, which are fermented with water for three months. It can be used for cleaning, deodorizing, pest control, soil improvement, and water conservation. Eco-enzyme has various benefits, particularly in the production of disinfectants. It can also serve as an alternative to chemical substances that are harmful to the environment and human health. The raw materials for eco-enzyme come from organic waste that is no longer utilized and is often considered useless. Organic materials such as fruit peels or vegetable scraps can be used as raw materials in the production of eco-enzyme. The practice of producing and utilizing eco-enzyme in Islamic boarding schools, particularly at Ma’had Tafaqquh, is still not widely known or thoroughly studied. Therefore, this community service project aims to empower students by organizing training or workshops on the process of making eco-enzyme as a natural disinfectant. This community service activity is expected to contribute to the greenery and cleanliness of the pesantren environment while educating students about environmental awareness programs in society, particularly within Islamic boarding schools. Following the implementation of the community service activity, it was observed that the students were highly enthusiastic about participating in the training and workshop. Ma’had Tafaqquh is committed to maintaining a green and clean pesantren environment through proper waste management.

Green Environments for Sustainable Brains: Parameters Shaping Adaptive Neuroplasticity and Lifespan Neurosustainability—A Systematic Review and Future Directions

As global urbanisation is rising and public health challenges intensify, this systematic review is conducted at a critical time to explore and explain the associations between the parameters of green environments and nuanced adaptive neuroplasticity in the human brain to advance the development of health-focused sustainable cities and buildings in line with the concept of neurosustainability. This review includes studies involving participants of all ages and genders, with no restrictions on health conditions, exposed to green environments regardless of built environment comparisons. A systematic search of Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science identified relevant studies published up to November 2024. The risk of bias was assessed using the PEDro scale and ROBINS-I domains, and data were analysed narratively due to heterogeneity. Twenty-three studies were included, conducted across the USA, UK, Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea. Findings reveal that green environments are associated with positive, region-specific brain changes across the lifespan, surprisingly from before birth to late adulthood. While forests showed more significant effects than blue spaces or urban green spaces, residential greenness emerged as a consistently effective exposure, especially within a 300–500 m buffer around home addresses, provided that sky visibility is present. Notably, no studies have examined green architecture or biophilic interiors, although they are more proximal, are associated with greater exposure time, have antagonistic effects, and may potentially limit sky visibility, highlighting a key gap for future research. Limitations include heterogeneity in exposure definitions, methodologies, and targeted brain regions. Still, this review offers a novel synthesis, providing insight into how greening the built environment may sustain not only the planet but also the plasticity of the brain. This review is registered with INPLASY (INPLASY2024110103) and forms part of a doctoral research project funded by the Cambridge Trust in partnership with the Jameel Education Foundation.

A qualitative study exploring how local politicians influence healthy local planning policies

ABSTRACT The built and green environment influences population health and wellbeing. Urban development is complex, with many stakeholders and issues influencing decision-making. An important element is planning policy which informs planning applications for new urban development. This study explores how local politicians influenced the creation of local planning policies in an urban local planning authority in England. Observations were conducted of 18 closed meetings with a group of local politicians, and local government officers. Field notes were collected and later analysed using deductive and inductive coding, with thematic analysis. The study identifies that while local politicians can have high ambitions for healthy urban development, health impacts are rarely explicitly considered, and policy compromises are likely due to national government house building targets, resulting in discussions being dominated by housing numbers and locations. Public opinion and financial viability also influence policy development. There may be trade-offs between quantity- and quality-related local housing policies. The group was a safe space for local politicians to have challenging conversations. This helped to turn emotive issues into governance decisions and build cross-party support for policies. Understanding the influence of local politicians, and the limitations on their influence, can help to inform interventions for healthier urban development.

Ecological Nature in Rural Architecture in Xi'an

Exploring the ecological nature of rural architecture is significant for promoting sustainable development in rural areas. By studying the ecological nature of rural architecture, it can drive the development of rural buildings towards environmental protection, energy conservation, and resource recycling, reducing negative impacts on the environment and improving the quality of rural life. Taking Nandoujiao Village in Xi'an as an example, this article investigates the ecological nature of rural housing in Xi'an and its surrounding areas through field research, literature review, comparative analysis, case study, historical analysis and deduction. At the architectural design level, the buildings exhibit strong defensive and inward characteristics, with their layouts largely following the traditional style of rural housing in the Guanzhong region. Technologically, rammed earth walls are used, which have environmentally friendly, durable, and good thermal insulation properties, employing an ancient construction technique that involves compacting soil and stones. In terms of plant cultivation, a wide variety of plants are chosen for greening the residential courtyards, with the selection of plant species adapted to the local climate and a preference for fruit-bearing trees. The choice of plant species and planting methods also align with the residents' needs and habits, while also incorporating sun shading and courtyard ventilation in the summer, creating a comfortable green environment. In terms of water utilization, the buildings enhance drainage through roof water collection, eaves components for water diversion, and drainage channels. Water storage is increased through the use of water jars, water wells, and ecological flood pools, while water consumption is increased. Ecological water circulation is enhanced through permeable ground paving, moisture-proof ecological wall surfaces, and landscape flower ponds.

Impact of Green Practices on Operations Strategies in Business

Sustainability has emerged as the key focus for manufacturing industry, driven through increasing consumer demand, environmental concerns and regulatory requirements for practices related to eco-friendliness. Green practices like eco-design, waste reduction, energy efficiency and sustainable sourcing are transforming how manufacturers operate. These practices are enable the business to get align with the goals of global sustainability while simultaneously reducing costs and improving operational efficiency. This paper examines the influences of green practices on strategies of operations in manufacturing industry through analysing its long-term benefits and challenges implications. Through integrating sustainability in the operation of business it achieves cost cost-saving dynamic, enhancing the reputation of the brand and compliance with regulations. The aim of this study is to investigate how green practices affect business operations strategies and how they support sustainability and competitive advantage. Green operations practices contain many useful practices that are responsible for enhancing the operations environmental performance of the organization. The study has mentioned the importance of green practice and the ways that can assist the firm in enhancing operations strategies at the firm. Both implementation as well as operation of a green environment assist in business expenditure and are also helpful in accurately fostering the new market possibilities for the companies. Additionally, the study has also mentioned the importance of employee training that can help to enhance awareness among the employees and the firm can get better outcomes in the business. For support this, a secondary qualitative data collection method is used to gather information about how green practices affect business operations strategies. However challenges like technological barriers, resistance and high initial investments to change pose obstacles. The study shed light on how the adaptation of green practices are influences the key aspects of manufacturing strategies like product lifecycle management, supply chains and production processes. It further also discusses how sustainability drives competitive and innovation advantage in business. The finding of the study also emphasised the need for businesses to hold sustainable strategies to meet the expectations of stakeholders, contribute towards a greener future and remain in competition. Sustainability innovations offer brands a chance to stand out in crowded marketplaces. By addressing environmental issues and demonstrating their commitment to sustainable practices, businesses can attract clients who value eco-friendly products and services.

Green environments and cardiometabolic health: exploring incidence and progression through multi-state analysis

It is unknown how greenness affects the development, progression and prognosis of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM). We aimed to evaluate the role of greenness on trajectories of CMM, particularly the transitions from healthy to first cardiometabolic disease (FCMD), then to CMM and followed by death. We used Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as the exposure indicator. CMM was defined as the presence of more than one cardiometabolic diseases, namely ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. As a result, among 454,777 participants, 5889 FCMD cases, 6607 CMM cases, and 25,666 death events were observed after a median follow-up of 12.1 years. We found greenness significantly associated with transitions from baseline to FCMD, baseline to death, FCMD to CMM, as well as FCMD to death. When further specifying FCMDs, the effect varied across disease-specific transitions. In conclusion, residential greenness may have an impact on the occurrence, progression and prognosis of CMM.

The Role of the Green Economy Approach in Developing Teaching and Learning for Sustainable Development Among Egyptian STEM Candidate Teachers

With the growing concern over major environmental issues, higher education institutions have increasingly focused on equipping students with the knowledge and skills to address these challenges. One effective approach is the integration of the green economy into education, which can contribute to reducing environmental problems. This study aims to identify the extent to which the green economy approach is applied in sustainable development within the Faculty of Education at Assiut University and its significance in developing teaching and learning processes in university education. A mixed-method approach was employed, utilising both a questionnaire and interviews administered to a sample of 126 STEM student teachers and nine faculty staff members. The findings reveal that students' perceptions of the role of the green economy in sustainable development were highly positive, with a mean score of 2.271 and a standard deviation of 0.512. This shows that integrating this approach can support the university in fostering a green educational environment, promoting green thinking and training, and strengthening green community engagement. Additionally, faculty members emphasised the necessity of establishing new policies for university teaching and learning to facilitate the transition to a green economy, ensuring the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Evaluating Green Campus Environments in Chinese Universities from Subjective Perceptions: A Textual Semantic and Importance–Performance Analysis Through a Satisfaction Survey

University campuses play a crucial role in sustainable development; however, the current green campus evaluation systems tend to focus primarily on the physical environment and building technology, often overlooking user perception and the impact of these factors on the execution of green campus strategies. Starting with an examination of the connotation and evolution of green campuses, we derived relevant indicators of campus subjective perceptions from both domestic and international green campus evaluation systems. We collected user feedback through satisfaction questionnaires and text data on the green campuses of nine representative Chinese universities. Factor analysis was used to establish the correlations between campus planning and subjective perceptions across six key areas. This research applied importance–performance analysis (IPA) to assess the prioritization of each green campus indicator, integrating it with textual semantic analysis to better understand the perceptions and attitudes of campus users toward green campus development. The findings suggest that the objectives of a green campus cannot be fully achieved using only technical or physical evaluation criteria. Instead, combining subjective feedback with quantitative indicators forms the foundation for effective strategy development. This study also found that users were more concerned about the design of details related to learning, living, entertainment, and recreation than the broader green campus planning decisions made by planners and decision-makers. Focusing on user perception and balancing scientific planning with public participation can help achieve the ultimate goal of green campus planning and design, adhering to a human-centered approach.

Minimizing Makespan Scheduling on a Single Machine with General Positional Deterioration Effects

This work studies single-machine scheduling with general position-dependent deterioration, where job processing times are general non-decreasing functions dependent on their positions in a sequence. The goal is to find a job sequence such that makespan is minimized. The problem can be extended to deal with green scheduling environment where processing time increases due to additional carbon-reduction procedure. Under some optimal properties, we prove that the problem is solved by the largest processing time (denoted by LPT) first rule.

Investigation of lightweight pumice epoxy core woven banana fiber sandwich composites

AbstractSubstantial agricultural biomass possessing inherent potential for lignocellulosic fiber is discarded as waste post‐harvest in developing nations. Natural fibers are the right candidate to replace the synthetic ones to promote a sustainable economy and green environment. The present study concentrates on the fabrication of a core of lightweight pumice particles interspersed among woven banana fiber composites. Epoxy cores were produced by altering the quantity of pumice content (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt.%) while maintaining a constant woven banana fiber content of 40 wt.%. Composites were processed via the hand layup method. The objective of the effort is to improve the performance of composites by utilizing the distinct qualities of pumice, hence customizing the characteristics of the composite material to satisfy particular application demands. The tensile and flexural qualities improve with an increase in pumice content in the core, suggesting the advantageous effects of reinforcing pumice to boost the properties. The scanning electron micrographs are analyzed to comprehend the microstructure and its influence on the characteristics. The numerical simulation results are employed to corroborate the study's conclusions. The numerical results align well with experimental observations, exhibiting a 3% reduction in accuracy.Highlights Sandwich composites fabricated with pumice/epoxy core and woven banana fibers. Tensile and flexural characteristics are examined and simulated. Pumice affects the flexural and tensile characteristics of composites. Flexural modulus and strength exhibit considerable improvement with an increase in pumice content.