Individual Households Research Articles

Navigating Success in Carbon Offset Projects: A Deep Dive into the Determinants Using Topic Modeling

Carbon offset projects play a crucial role in tackling the global challenge of climate change. However, there is limited understanding of the factors contributing to the success of a carbon offset project. In this study, we utilize the latent Dirichlet allocation method to extract topics from the descriptions of carbon offset projects sourced from the Gold Standard Foundation. Our findings reveal that projects encompassing both safety and efficient energy solutions for households command higher prices. These results imply that an effective carbon offset project should mitigate individual household emissions while enhancing safety. Our research carries significant implications for stakeholders involved in carbon offset projects and can serve as a foundation for policy formulation and standard regulations.

Cost-Effective 3D-Printed Bionic Hydrogel Evaporator for Stable Solar Desalination.

Solar desalination using hydrogel evaporators is an eco-friendly, highly efficient means with natural sunlight for sustainable freshwater production. However, it remains challenging to develop a cost-effective and scalable method to prepare salt-resistant hydrogel evaporators for stable desalination. Here, inspired by tree transpiration and hierarchical porous structure, a 3D-printed bionic hydrogel evaporator (3DP-BHE) is designed for long-term solar desalination. Commercialized activated carbon (AC) is introduced into biomass starch skeleton as a solar light absorber to build 3DP-BHE in a cost-effective fashion ($10.14m-2 of total materials cost). The bionic tree leaf layer for 94.01% light absorption and timely vapor diffusion. The bionic tree trunk layer with 3D printed bimodal porous structure for water transfer, thermal isolation, and salt ions convection and diffusion. With the unique bionic structure, the 3DP-BHE achieves a stable evaporation rate of 2.13kgm-2h-1 at ≈90.5% energy efficiency under one sun (1kWm-2). During the 7-day desalination of 10wt.% brine, a steady evaporation rate of 1.98kgm-2h-1 is maintained with a record-high cost-effectiveness (195.3gh-1$-1) manner. This 3DP-BHE will open significant opportunities for affordable solar desalination systems on multiple scales, from individual households to off-grid communities.

After Neoliberalism: Economic Theory and Policy in the Polycrisis1

AbstractMainstream economic theory and policy have struggled to address (and in some cases have made worse) the multiple economic crises since 2008—global financial crash, austerity, stalled productivity, wage stagnation, rising inequality, inflation, climate and environmental breakdown. At the root of this failure is the ‘ontological individualism’ which underpins neoclassical economic theory: the belief that individual households and firms are sovereign actors. It proposes in its place a premise of ‘ontological institutionism’—the view that economic behaviour is primarily influenced by the institutional structures and rules within which it occurs. Commonplace in other social sciences, this view radically changes economic analysis and policy prescription. Based on an explicit ethical definition of policy objectives, the article offers an ‘institutionally pluralist’ view proposing different kinds of institutions for five different spheres of economic life. Arguing that economic policy should be seen as a process of institutional design (not simply making markets more efficient), it offers some illustrative policy proposals in key fields, from climate change to business investment.

An enhanced method for automated end-use classification of household water data

Abstract An accurate estimation of residential end uses of water is helpful in developing efficient water systems. If not obtainable through direct metering, this information can be gathered by disaggregating and classifying household-level water-use data. However, most automated techniques require fine-resolution data (e.g., 1 s) and end-use parameters which may be unavailable to water utilities. To fill the above gap, this study presents a method for the automated disaggregation and classification of indoor water-use data collected at the 1-min temporal resolution, and by exclusively relying on the end-use parameter values available in the literature. Specifically, the features of each water-use event detected at the household level are compared against the most common event features for the selected end-use category. The results obtained by testing the method with real data collected at 14 households in two different countries (Italy and the Netherlands) confirm its potential in disaggregating and classifying water end-use events with an average accuracy higher than 90% and an average (normalized) root-mean-square lower than 0.06 despite the lack of information about end uses in individual households. This demonstrates that end-use detection is possible even with data whose resolution is closer to that of most commercial water meters.

A cross-sectional study to quantify the prevalence of Toxocara canis in dogs in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

Toxocara canis is a globally distributed zoonotic parasite. The parasite has recently become a concern for public health in Vietnam. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify and quantify the risk factors associated with T. canis infection in dogs in Dak Lak province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The risk factors were identified using a mixed-effects logistic regression model and quantified using population attributable fractions. Examination of fecal samples collected from 1455 dogs using the sodium nitrate flotation technique showed 37.32% (95% CI: 34.83-39.86) of dogs infected with T. canis. The factors, including study location, multiple dogs living in a household, dog age, dog breed, and places keeping dogs were associated with a dog's likelihood of being T. canis infection. The household and individual dog levels contributed 17% and 82%, respectively, to the prevalence of T. canis in dogs. The adjusted population attributable fraction for confining dogs and raising an individual dog per household was 52% and 27%, respectively. The result of this study indicated that to minimize the burden of T. canis, intervention measures should target individual dogs and household levels.

Risk factors and associated pathway for rural and urban unmet dental prosthetic needs among older adults in Central India.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the risk factors and associated pathways for unmet dental prosthetic needs among older adult population in Central India. A total of 11,145 randomly selected older adults participated in the study; 4613 from urban region and 6532 form rural region. Oral examinations were conducted at individual households for recording dental caries, periodontal disease, prosthetic status and needs. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to examine relationship between a set of exogenous variables and unmet dental prosthetic needs with variables that remained significant in the adjusted multilevel logistic model. Path coefficients were calculated for all variables with 95% confidence interval. Goodness of fit of the model was assessed by several indices. A total of 8433 (75.7%) participants had never visited a dentist and 9139 (82%) had unmet dental prosthetic needs. Dental caries was observed among 3207 (69.5%) and 4644 (71.1%) study participants from urban and rural regions respectively (p<.05). Low utilization of dental services was associated with high dental prosthetic needs in upper arch and lower arch (PC=-0.05, 0.001) and DMFT was associated with lower utilization of dental services (PC=-0.09, 0.001). DMFT was also associated with age, annual income, level of education, paternal education, type of family, tobacco consumption and CPI score in the hypothesized model. The fit indices used indicated that the model was adequate. Dental prosthetic needs in the proposed pathway model was associated with low utilization of dental services, dental caries, periodontal disease and other socio-demographic factors.

The Efficiency of a Biological Reactor in a Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Operating Based on ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) Material and Recycled PUR (Polyurethane) Foam

The primary objective of this research was to assess the efficacy of a novel solution under conditions closely resembling those of real-world scenarios. Biological beds, or filters, hold significant potential for widespread implementation in individual households, particularly in areas with dispersed housing. The system’s aim was to improve the quality of wastewater treated in on-site domestic biological treatment plants. A pivotal aspect of the project involved developing a prototype research installation for conducting comprehensive testing. Our installation system consisted of several components designed to create a laboratory-scale model for domestic wastewater treatment. The model comprised four biological reactors filled with ABS material and secured by a PUR frame. Additionally, the tested model included a controller for wastewater dosing control, a septic tank as a reservoir, and four tanks for collecting purified wastewater. Through regression analysis using the Generalized Linear Model (GLM), a correlation between CODCr and TSS was revealed. This study presents the research findings concerning the development of a prototype installation that incorporates an advanced reactor or filter. The data derived from this research have the potential to contribute to the creation of products that enhance the performance and efficiency of household wastewater treatment systems.

Identification of Causes of Air Pollution in a Specific Industrial Part of the Czech City of Ostrava in Central Europe

This contribution deals with the assessment of air pollution caused by atmospheric aerosol particulate matter fraction PM10 and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in the urban agglomeration of Ostrava, located in the Czech Republic in Central Europe. The motivation for this research was the need to identify the sources of air pollution in the area, particularly in locations where the contribution of different sources to concentrations of pollutants of concern has not been elucidated yet. In this study, source apportionment in the vicinity of the industrial hot spot was performed by statistically evaluating measured pollutant concentrations as a function of meteorological variables and using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) receptor model. A significant methodological innovation and improvement over previous assessments was the higher monitoring resolution of benzo[a]pyrene, with samples collected at three-hour intervals instead of the standard 24 h collection period. The key findings indicate that in the cold part of the year, secondary particles—specifically sulfates and ammonium nitrates—were responsible for the most significant portion of PM10 air pollution throughout the area of interest. The contribution of these particles ranged from one-third to two-fifths of the total concentration, except at the industrial site of Ostrava–Radvanice (TORE), where they accounted for approximately one-fifth of the measured pollution concentration level. Emissions from individual household heating were identified as the main source of this type of pollution. With regards to benzo[a]pyrene air pollution, this study found that in the whole area of interest, except for the Ostrava–Radvanice site, it mainly originated from individual heating with coal (90%). In contrast, at the Ostrava–Radvanice site, two-thirds of the benzo[a]pyrene pollution came from the premises of Liberty Ostrava a.s., primarily from coke production, and less than one-third came from local domestic heating. This study also determined the spatial extent of the occurrence of extremely high benzo[a]pyrene concentrations (above 5 ng/m3), which are estimated to affect nearly 10,000 inhabitants. The results confirm that the data from the TORE station are only representative of its immediate surroundings and are not applicable to the assessment of air quality and causes of air pollution in the whole city of Ostrava or the urban area of Ostrava–Radvanice as a whole. After years of research, these findings provide the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic and the government with an accurate basis for implementing measures to address the identified pollution sources in the area of interest. The success of this study was made possible by the adoption of a more detailed sampling approach, which involved a resolution of 3 h instead of 24 h. This methodological improvement is a significant finding and will be useful for future source apportionment studies.

Sustaining Universal Health Coverage in Vietnam: Expanding Health Coverage for Informal Economy Workers

As of 2022, Vietnam's health insurance coverage has reached approximately 91% of the population. However, over 5.4 million informal workers have not participated in health insurance due to limited access to health services, insufficient information about health insurance, loose labor contracts, and low income. This article presents solutions to expand health insurance coverage for informal workers and achieve the goal of maintaining universal health coverage. The proposed solution groups: Solution groups for access to medical services, include: Increasing access to high-quality medical examinations and treatments; Enhancing access through investment and upgrading of grassroots healthcare; and reforming payment methods for medical costs. State management solution group, including: Strengthening law enforcement in signing labor contracts; Strengthening propaganda work; Encouraging participation in health insurance by households; Strengthening inspection and supervision of health insurance participation in salaried groups and individual production and business households. Solution group strengthens public policy and supports vocational training, including: Strengthening linkage policies in local economic development; Strengthening training to improve skills for informal workers; and strengthening public policies to increase income for informal workers.

Nowhere Else to Go: Housing Insecurity in a Hispanic‐Majority Rural County During the COVID‐19 Pandemic☆

AbstractNorthern New Mexico was uniquely vulnerable to the COVID‐19 pandemic and its fallout. Its Hispanic majority, aging population, and decreased access to healthcare put many of the communities in this area of the United States at risk. Taos County was particularly at increased risk of impact from COVID‐19. The county was also more vulnerable to the economic consequences of a pandemic due to reliance on tourism; this meant major impacts for individual households. As unemployment and poverty increased—and pandemic relief program rollouts floundered—the consequences meant precarity for many families. One of the most visible impacts of the pandemic was the inability to access affordable housing. This paper, based on 58 in‐depth interviews and 5 months of participant observation, explores experiences of homelessness and housing insecurity among an already vulnerable population during the pandemic, illustrating the ways in which many people struggled. Importantly, this paper explores differences in patterns of housing insecurity among rural White and rural Hispanic participants during the COVID‐19 pandemic. In addition, this paper advocates the importance of looking at nuanced patterns of dealing with housing precarity in the rural setting as the ways in which different populations cope impact the forms of help that are needed when housing becomes a problem.

Contaminated Water and an Indication of Risk: Examining Microbial Contamination in the Water Used by Consumers and Commercial Growers in Fresh Produce Systems in Nepal

There has been limited research and understanding of the water quality in developing countries. Fresh produce consumed raw is nutrient-dense but is more susceptible to causing foodborne illness when contaminated water is used in production and consumption. There have been increasing reported incidences of foodborne outbreaks in Nepal linked to fresh produce contamination. However, water used in washing fresh produce by consumers and water used by growers or vendors is rarely tested. This research examines the source water used by consumers and growers in fresh produce systems in Nepal. To examine Escherichia coli (E. coli) detection as an indicator of contamination risk in water, we selected five major metropolitan cities for consumer households and ten districts representing commercial growers of vegetable growing areas of all seven provinces of Nepal. Altogether, we collected 394 water samples from randomly selected individual households: 156 from consumer households and 238 from growers or vendors. Results suggest that 59% of the water used in fresh produce systems is contaminated with E. coli in Nepal. On the water source used by consumers to wash fresh produce before consumption, we found that the dominant sources are the stored water in tanks or containers (46%) and municipal or communal supply water (39%)—which have E. coli prevalence rate of 66% and 57%, respectively. On the dominant sources of water used in fresh produce by growers or vendors, we found up to 88% of E. coli prevalence in the water they use. We also discussed the location or regional differences in contamination risks. This nationally represented study has implications for intervention policies and programs for safer food production and consumption practices in countries like Nepal where food safety is an emerging priority.

Nonintrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) Using a Deep Learning Model with a Transformer-Based Attention Mechanism and Temporal Pooling

Nonintrusive load monitoring (NILM) is an important technique for energy management and conservation. In this paper, a deep learning model based on an attention mechanism, temporal pooling, residual connections, and transformers is proposed. This article presents a novel approach for NILM to accurately discern energy consumption patterns of individual household appliances. The proposed method entails a sequence of layers, including encoders, transformers, attention, temporal pooling, and residual connections, offering a comprehensive solution for NILM while effectively capturing appliance-specific energy usage in a household. The proposed model was evaluated using UK-DALE, REDD, and REFIT datasets in both seen and unseen cases. It shows that the proposed model in this paper performs better than other methods stated in other papers in terms of F1-score and total error of the results (in terms of SAE). This model achieved an F1-score equal to 92.96 as well as a total SAE equal to −0.036, which shows its effectiveness in accurately diagnosing and estimating the energy consumption of individual home appliances. The findings of this research show that the proposed model can be a tool for energy management in residential and commercial buildings.

Proto-urban hillfort at 10 microns: integrated geoarchaeological research at Pungrt (central Slovenia)

AbstractGeoarchaeological analysis of settlement stratigraphy is key to understanding continuity and change in economic, social and cultural spaces within complex (proto-)urban sites. Here, preliminary micromorphological and micro-refuse data from the Pungrt hillfort demonstrate the potential of a fine-scaled geoarchaeology-based approach for understanding the structuring and reuse of space, not just within settlements but within individual households, through time.

The Evolution Path and Impact Mechanism of the Vulnerability of Rural Human Settlements in China under the Background of Globalization

Development in the rural environment is a key pillar motivating international organizations' functions and operations. The development in this area falls under the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development of the UN. Rural development and factors such as culture might be utilized to achieve such agenda and improve populations living in conditions. The current study was literature systemic reviewing the evolution path and the impact mechanism on the issue of rural human settlement. Results in the current study showed that natural ecosystems, socioeconomic systems, facilities, and service systems all follow one of seven general evolution paths. Terrain and ecology, climate change and catastrophe, the agricultural and rural economy, population increase, and other factors all contribute to disruption. Policy, technology, and the habits of individual households inform the development of action plans. Every evolutionary outcome has both fragile and hardy features. The government and individual families took measures to lower vulnerability and increase resilience by concentrating on the actual problem of the rural human settlements system. Further, the study observed that the effects of rural human settlements on rural development occur in a systematic way. These changes, most obviously seen in the form of new and improved rural human settlement projects, have the potential to affect many facets of the human settlement system as a whole, making it cleaner, more practical, more harmonic, and generally more pleasant places to live. These benefits will have a multiplicative impact on the health, wealth, and happiness of rural residents; the efficiency, modernity, and prosperity of rural businesses; and the quality of life in rural areas.

HEAVY METALS ACCUMULATION IN BELL PEPPER (CAPSICUM L.) FROM PRIVATE GARDENS IN COPȘA MICĂ AREA

There are many studies that reported high levels of metals (Cd, Pb, Zn) content in soils and vegetation from area affected by historical contamination in Copșa Mică area. In the period 2019-2021, a study was carried out in order to assess the accumulation of heavy metals in bell pepper cultivated in private gardens from a contaminated area. During this study 62 individual households were visited and 124 samples (62 soil samples and 62 bell peppers samples) were collected from these gardens, located in the Copșa Mică contaminated area. The results reveal that the accumulation of metals in edible parts of belly pepper had the following hierarchical pattern: Zn ˃ Cu ˃ Cd ˃ Pb. Zinc (Zn) was the metal with the highest content identified in the edible part of pepper samples, ranging between 1.4 mg / kg f.w. and 7.0 mg / kg f.w.., while for cadmium (Cd) the content values ranged between 0.005 mg / kg - 0.162 mg / kg. The metals contents in bell peppers were positively correlated to total contents of metals in soil. The highest values of correlation coefficients were obtained for the regression curves established for the estimation of Cu, Cd and Zn accumulation in bell pepper (r = 0.443 for Cu, r = 0.399 for Cd, and r = 0.376 for Zn). In the case of lead the linear correlation coefficient is relatively low (r = 0.299). The results of this study are important to estimate the metals accumulation in vegetables from individual gardens, while also improving the safety of foodstuff produced in contaminated areas.

Households’ energy conservation and efficiency awareness practices in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana

AbstractThermal power generation is the main source of power in the energy mix of the country. Erratic rainfall patterns, the high cost of fossil fuel for thermal generation, and increase electricity demand have contributed to rampant power outages in the recent past. This paper examined energy conservation and efficiency awareness practices of households in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. It assessed the level and variability in energy conservation practices and the level of energy-savings awareness education among households. Three hundred and ninety-six households were randomly selected from nine communities using stratified sampling techniques. Five stakeholders from the electricity sector were purposively sampled for in-depth interviews. The data sets were modeled using the utility maximization framework to econometrically estimate socioeconomic factors influencing the energy conservation behaviour of households. The findings reveal that years spent in school by household heads, income levels, expenditure, age of households, and the number of times electricity power triples off daily were among the key factors influencing individual households’ choice of energy-efficient appliances. There was significant variability between existing social strata in terms of income and use of electrical appliances among households that warrants policy direction. Based on the findings, this study recommends a robust energy literacy program to improve households’ energy efficiency practices awareness, and to ensure energy cost savings, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation that will enhance the drive towards achieving sustainable development goals seven.

Evaluation of economic feasibility of rooftop solar energy systems under multiple variables

&lt;p&gt;Rooftop harvesting of solar energy is a promising method to provide a great portion of household energy requirements in many parts of the world. However, the cost of solar energy systems sometimes makes the exploration of rooftop solar energy systems not attractive to property owners. This study evaluates the economic factors that could affect the decision on whether to consider the installation of solar energy systems using the estimated time that the cumulative solar savings would become positive. The economic implication of increasing the micro-generation capacity of individual households, and the impact of varied interest rates, and subsidies were also evaluated. Among the three factors that were presented, the result showed that increasing the amount of electricity that is allowed to be generated from individual rooftops will result in the highest economic attractiveness for end-users. This is also expected to move the world closer to the goal of sustainable management of non-renewable resources for present and future generations. Increasing the micro-generation capacity of electricity from photovoltaic (PV) rooftops by individual households without increasing the electricity distribution fees results in a reduction of the time to reach positive solar savings. In addition, increasing the micro-generation capacity of electricity from PV rooftops is expected to contribute to a reduction in the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the electricity grid for the entire community. This study recommends the encouragement of policies that allow for the maximization of electricity generation potential from rooftops of residential and industrial buildings.&lt;/p&gt;

ЕНЕРГОЕФЕКТИВНІСТЬ НА МІКРО- ТА МАКРОРІВНЯХ УПРАВЛІННЯ: ЕКОНОМІЧНИЙ АСПЕКТ

The article analyzes approaches to ensuring the energy efficiency of systems of different levels of integration: from the micro to the macro level. It is shown that depending on the level of the system under consideration, it may vary in the performance indicators they exhibit. Therefore, efforts to increase energy efficiency must differ in how they aggregate qualitatively different levels of energy consumption. It is illustrated that there is a difference of views and approaches between researchers who specialize in the issue of energy efficiency. In particular, representatives of exact sciences focus attention on the quality of input and output energy, while the economic perspective allows taking into account the levels of other costs as well and indicates economic efficiency, maximization of benefits and the efficiency with which energy resources are used. Arguments are presented in favor of the presence of a significant gap between the actual efficiency of energy consumption within the defined research objects and the efficiency that can be achieved taking into account the identified potential. As a result, individual households and enterprises do not invest in cost-effective energy-efficient technologies compared to what is optimal for achieving private or social effects. It is indicated that the achievement of this effect requires the coordination of efforts of various stakeholders (governments, businesses, researchers) and the development of joint approaches regarding the indicators of the success of the implemented changes. It is shown that several approaches have been developed in recent decades to implement policies to increase energy efficiency and stimulate energy-saving measures. Predictably, these approaches differ depending on the country and macro-region. They can provide for measures of a stimulating nature (with the involvement of the entire instrument of state regulation), and be based on the maximum freedom of choice of the consumer. It was determined that the interdependence and partial interchangeability of various factors of production, the numerous possible solutions to the problem of increasing the energy efficiency of systems of different levels of integration require the use of an interdisciplinary approach.

Disponibilidade domiciliar e fontes de carotenoides importantes na saúde nos centro urbanos brasileiros segundo a renda em 2017/2018

ABSTRACT Objective Low carotenoid intake is associated with the incidence of chronic noncommunicable diseases. Given the large diversity and specificity of chemical structures and functions, along with the wide Brazilian geodiversity, it should be important for health to examine the cross-sectional distribution of carotenoid availability. Considering family incomes, the authors have calculated and analyzed the individual household availability of α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin according to income in the eleven largest Brazilian urban centers in 2017-2018. Methods Data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics’ latest Family Budget Survey on monetary food acquisitions and food composition tables were used to calculate the individual carotenoid contents of both vegetable and animal food sources. Results The family acquisitions of carotenogenic foods showed to be insufficient for most families living in these urban centers, except Salvador, Belem, Belo Horizonte, and Porto Alegre, where certain key-carotenoid sources did reach the higher income groups. The main foods identified that contributed to the supply of carotenoids were carrot and common squash (α-carotene), common squash, carrot, scallion/parsley, mango, and tomato (β-carotene), papaya, orange, and tangerine (β-cryptoxanthin), tomato sauce, tomato paste, guava, watermelon and papaya (lycopene) and scallion/parsley, kale, egg, corn meal and corn flakes (lutein/zeaxanthin). Conclusion Based on the home availability of specific carotenoids estimated in the present study, it is concluded that the population was not reasonably well protected against chronic diseases given the low acquisition of key carotenoid sources in these urban centers, especially among the lower-income class.

Women, Agriculture and Socio-Economic Development of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria (2010-2023)

The article examined the nexus between women’s activities in agriculture and the socio-economic development of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Notwithstanding the proportion of women that engage in agriculture, the gender gap has impaired women from having praise and accolades and the fact that food sufficiency and security are farfetched. Both the survey method where a total of 475 women were given questionnaires to respond to, and the historical/descriptive methods were used in eliciting data for the paper. The theory adopted for analysis was the 1953 dualism theory proposed by Julius Herman Bocke of the modernization school. Amongst others, the paper revealed the importance of agriculture to society, the contribution of women to socio-economic development in the areas of employment generation, income and revenues to individual households and governments, the provision of a platform for processing and marketing of agricultural products, and raw materials for industries. However, several challenges such as the gender gap, challenges of access to land, funding, inadequate agricultural infrastructure and productive resources constrain the activities of women in agriculture. Arising from the findings, the paper recommended: a review of land policy to give women more access to land, increase in budgetary allocation and release for agricultural activities, increase investment in R &amp; D and enlightenment of the agro-preneurs through regular information dissemination.