Circles Of Sustainability Research Articles

Circles of port sustainability: A novel method combining global comparability and local relatability in performance assessment

Ports are increasingly ‘greening’ operations to protect their ‘license to operate’ by integrating social-environmental considerations into their management and reporting on their sustainability performance. In this research, we develop a novel method for port sustainability performance (PSP) assessment that combines science-based knowledge with place-based contextualisation. Specifically, we address a recognised challenge of combining global (‘top-down’) techno-scientifically oriented indicators with place-based locally relatable (‘bottom-up’) contexts in sustainability performance, in addition to addressing limitations encountered in empirical verification. First, a critical evaluation of the international literature on port sustainability assessments is undertaken to distil commonalities in global performance indicators, and to identify typical frames used in the design of sustainability performance indices. We apply this learning, together with place-based experiential knowledge, to develop a science-based framework for a Port Sustainability Performance (PSP) Index that is explicitly aligned with the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). We then apply a co-design process to demonstrate local customisation of the index to derive place-based quantifiable measures and targets. Further, for easy-to-use empirical verification, a simple spreadsheet is applied to develop a flexible weighted scoring matrix. The matrix uses place-based rating systems for selected measures and associated targets, and aggregates allocated scores into informative outputs. Finally, the concept of Circles of Sustainability is adapted for ports to visually display sustainability performance, in alignment with related SDGs. This research contributes to bridging the science-practice divide in reporting on port sustainability performance.

Circles of sustainability: an activity for visualizing synergies and trade-offs in a systems thinking environment

ABSTRACT In 2015, the United Nations created a framework comprising 17 aspirational goals known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a view toward peace and prosperity by 2030. Green Chemistry (GC) has always been recognized as a pathway to sustainability. However, the best solutions cannot be found if we look at each of these separately, but rather it is important to apply a systems thinking approach and recognize the interconnected nature of the systems being studied. In this paper, we present activities that allow learners to visualize synergies and trade-offs with the SDGs when applying a systems thinking approach compared with a narrower perspective. We applied the approach to an industrial example (Nike) and to concerning chemicals such as bisphenols and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’). We believe this approach can be modified and used widely for various chemical processes in an educational context.

Circles of Coastal Sustainability and Emerald Growth Perspectives for Transitional Waters under Human Stress

Emerald Growth is an overarching sustainable development framework for transitional waters situated between rivers and open sea. The emphasis on connectivity and ecosystem-based management as the underlying principles differentiates Emerald Growth from conventional approaches to managing transitional waters. The study’s primary objective was to conjoin the Emerald Growth concept with the Coastal Circles of Sustainability methodology, an analytical framework to assess indicators of critical processes determining the sustainability of the coastal zone. We hypothesized that applying the CCS is an apt approach to categorizing the Emerald Growth’s aspects using Lake Liepāja, a fresh-to-brackish water lagoon on Latvia’s Baltic Sea coast, as a case study. Based on the document scoping findings on Lake Liepāja’s hydrology, ecology, biodiversity, nature conservation, and management, we addressed the knowledge gaps through the field survey, 4 workshops, and 18 in-depth semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders. The research results show that the challenging socio-economic situation is a crucial obstacle to Emerald Growth in the Lake Liepāja area. Subsistence salary and Housing affordability (Economic Welfare aspect), Population growth and Aging population (Demographic aspect), and Traditional practices (Identity aspect) received the lowest sustainability score (Bad). The results imply that considering the Emerald Growth conditions and drivers for transitional waters worldwide, finding a ‘one-fits-all’ recipe to ensure their sustainability is impossible. The decision-makers, stakeholders, and external experts agreed that for Lake Liepāja, the priority was to bring back to nature part of the polder system, clean the bottom sediments from Soviet-era pollutants, and enhance the transboundary cooperation with Lithuania. These measures would set the right conditions for future Emerald Growth in the area.

Development of a management-based ranking of beaches

Beach rankings are very frequent on the internet; however, the information provided on how these rankings are made is often unclear and their content is mostly subjective. In addition, the vast majority of these rankings do not take into account the fact that beaches are coastal eco-systems. The aim of the research was to develop an objective framework to rank the quality of beaches worldwide. The framework integrates indicators to assess the socio-ecological system quality and can be used as a basis for effective beach management. The methodology involved the collection, evaluation and grouping of indicators into domains and categories. Moreover, a measurement technique and a 5-point rating score for each indicator was used. Weights were calculated for different beach types using an analytical hierarchical process and the methodology was validated by a focus group of beach management experts. The quality value of each beach was calculated through equations and the results were presented in graphs inspired by the Circles of Sustainability and the Ocean Health Index. The theoretical application was tested on Portuguese beaches. The framework presents a holistic assessment of four domains: Recreation, Protection, Conservation and Sanitary. The resulting Beach Ranking Framework (BRF) is an objective, holistic framework designed to communicate with society, unlike the existing beach quality assessments.

A critical safe, supportive space: a collaborative autoethnography of a woman's academic mentoring circle

PurposeThe study examines the benefits and potential challenges of the mentoring circle as an innovative approach to mentoring among four cisgendered women faculty situated at 4-year universities in various geographic locations in the United States.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing collaborative autoethnography, we ask: How can mentoring circles be beneficial for diverse early- and mid-career faculty women in higher education? Given our varying positionalities and the development of our sustained mentoring relationships, we drew on the concepts of intersectionality and sisterhood as a framework to understand our individual and collective experiences in the circle. Through a collaborative autoethnographic design, we examined data from four 3-h online video reflective discussions as well as relevant documents and communication, such as emails and texts.FindingsThe power dynamics within the circle, fluidity of its borders and how it provided us with a unique ability to read the world contributed to a sense of community and empowerment that were key factors to the circle's success. We created an inclusive space with a defined purpose where trust, authenticity, reciprocity and the expectation for vulnerability served as the solid foundation for relationships. We became sources of holistic support, sharing advice and resources to support our growth as teachers, scholars and community members within our field and beyond.Originality/valueOur mentoring circle disrupts conventional mentoring structures and highlights the power of a sustainable circle among diverse women faculty rooted in adaptive, flexible and responsive relationships.

Re-embedding the circular economy in Circles of Social Life: beyond the self-repairing (and still-rapacious) economy

ABSTRACT Over the last decade, the aspirational rhetoric of circular economics has intensified exponentially. At the same time, the boundaries of projected circular economy outcomes have been tightened around a reductive, often neoliberally framed, inter-relation between the domains of economics and ecology. In this process, questions of politics and culture, including issues of justice and social meaning, have largely been ignored. It is this Janus-faced outlook, with one face turned to aspirational intensification and the other face captured by mechanical techniques within the economics/ecology domains, that helps to explain how the circular economy can be the subject of so much hype and so much critique. This also means that, for all their urgency, the emerging lines of critique have not been able to more than hint at an adequate and holistic re-formulation of a circular economy for living sustainably. To give a sense of the nexus of aspirational intensification and economics-ecology domain tightening, this article begins with a dominant story that is told about development of the circular economy by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation. The article then responds to this ideological discourse by posing a series of considerations for developing an alternative approach. This alternative will need to bring back in politics and culture, but it will also need (á la Karl Polanyi) to re-embed economics and its technical tools in a broader conception of social life. Here we use the “Circles of Sustainability” approach.

Toward sustainable urban development of historical cities: Case study of Fouh City, Egypt

This article aims to propose an approach for preserving and improving urban heritage while maintaining environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability. Heritage conservation seeks to a distinct position. This is partly due to unresolved contradictions that might arise between conservation and sustainability goals. The conclusions are based on study done in Fouh, Egypt, after a study of the definitions and the pillars of sustainable development. The current state of Fouh was determined using a SWOT analysis. The results show the importance of providing an approach for the protection of heritage cities as a lively unit is the incorporation of protection and sustainability purposes, strategies, and tools to guarantee a “historic living city,“ able to develop and progress in a sustainable manner within time according to the principles of sustainable development and circles of sustainability.

Water Conservation and Management Practices at the University of Sharjah to Achieve Sustainability Excellence

The University of Sharjah is a leading educational and research institution in the Gulf region. To stimulate the different aspects of sustainability in education and research as well as to ensure the implementation of sustainability concepts throughout the University campus operations, the concept of sustainability circles is implemented. The University being in hot-arid-zone and mostly surrounded by desert terrain relies on unconventional water conservation programs and initiatives such as the use of innovation & technology, reuse and recycling of water, and awareness campaigns. In line with such programs, the use of potable water is limited for hygiene purposes and wastewater generated within the University is reused after treatment to irrigate the vast green spaces through the most efficient irrigation water application systems. Examples of water conservation practices include use of efficient water devices, reuse of treated greywater for toilet flushing at a selected location, water quality monitoring, preservation to conserve water for its intended use, promoting waterless car wash on the campus grounds etc. On-campus water is also conserved through disseminating knowledge and awareness to the University community and beyond through various sustainability related programs and initiatives organized by Sustainability Office for water conservation and environmental protection.

“Eco-polis”: Environmental Sustainability in Ecotopian Cities

This article analyzes Ernest Callenbach’s 1975 novel “Ecotopia” by focusing on the description of ecologically sustainable features of cities in this fictitious ideal state, although the term “sustainability” is not mentioned once in the original text (except in an afterword in the 2004 anniversary edition) because “sustainability” as an environmentally relevant notion only became widely used after the publication of the so-called Brundtland Report (Commission). Scholarly environmental ethical terminology was neither employed nor intended in the book since the aim of the book was to reach a wider audience and not just academics. The article’s second section analyzes Ecotopian cities’ environmental sustainability with the help of the ecology domain of the “Circles of Sustainability” (circlesofsustainability.org). In doing so, the objective is to screen ecologically sustainable characteristics in Ecotopian cities that may still serve as potential blueprints for environmentally sustainable cities. We focus on the...

Racial inequality and periodontal condition in Brazilian adolescents

Abstract Background Oral health, such as other health conditions, reflects social inequalities. These inequalities are fed back by oral diseases, generating a vicious and sustainable circle. Racial issues play a prominent role, once they are associated with oral diseases as risk markers. Among the different oral diseases, periodontal disease associated with racial inequalities in adolescents is emblematic. Thus, this study aimed to analyse the race differentials associated with the levels of periodontal disease, regardless of other risk factors. Methods Data from the 2010 national epidemiological survey on oral health were used, with 5445 adolescents (15 to 19 years old). Multinomial logistic regression models were used. Dependent variable was the Community Periodontal Index. Independent variable was self-declared race/colour, categorized as white, pardo (mixed-race identity) and preto (black). The effect of race was controlled in the presence of the covariates sex, years of study, decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth (DMFT index), toothache and self-reported need for dental treatment. Odds Ratio (OR) was estimated and sample weights were considered. Results The simple model showed preto with 2.7 (p < 0.05) and 8 (p < 0.05) times more likely to have shallow and deep periodontal pockets, respectively, compared to white. Pardo was 1.5 (p < 0.05) times more likely to have periodontal calculus. In the multiple model, even in the presence of all independent covariates, preto showed association with shallow pockets (OR = 2.51, p < 0.05) and pardo showed association with the presence of calculus (OR = 1.37, p < 0.05). Conclusions Regardless of sex, education, perception of pain and need for treatment and the DMFT index, race/colour was associated with periodontal problems. It should be noted that skin colour is not a biological risk factor for periodontal disease. However, the findings of this study revealed racial inequities regardless of socioeconomic variables. Key messages Raises the need to guarantee health as a resource for social development, with science having a fundamental role in recovering the citizenship of this historically forgotten population. The findings of this study revealed racial inequities regardless of socioeconomic variables.

Agrifood Chains as Complex Systems and the Role of Informality in Their Sustainability in Small Scale Societies

Agrifood chains are complex systems; they encompass biological, economic, social, health and political variables at different scales (e.g., on-farm, local, regional, national and global). Consequently, what enables a food system to achieve ‘sustainability’ is also complex. This is particularly the case in small-scale societies in developing nations which are socially constituted. In this paper we posit that a habitus of informality underpins food systems’ sustainability in these societies. We argue that conventional applications of approaches like the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and Circles of Sustainability (CoS) frameworks fail to assist understanding of sustainability in informal socio-economic systems because they either place too much emphasis on economic growth (TBL) or underplay the strength of socio–cultural obligations and responsibilities (CoS). This is seen in international aid programs that encourage economic growth in the agrifood sector, which is challenging for villages in such societies. We review data from two Pacific Island countries—Tonga and Solomon Islands—to demonstrate the need for a more holistic way to think about sustainability in informal agrifood systems in small-scale developing nations. We demonstrate the value of employing a Hybrid Value Chain Framework for collecting information necessary to understanding how sustainability is constituted in the food systems of small-scale societies.

Circles of Coastal Sustainability: A Framework for Coastal Management

The coastal zone is a space where many social, economic, and political activities intersect with natural processes. In this paper, we present an adaptation of the method of ‘Circles of Sustainability’, used to provide a visual assessment of indicators that define sustainability profiles for cities. It is used as a basis for a ‘Circles of Coastal Sustainability’ (CCS) framework that can be used at multiple spatial scales to assess indicators of critical processes that facilitate/constrain sustainability of the world’s coastal zones. The development of such a framework can support management by identifying key features that influence environmental sustainability and human well-being. CCS presents a holistic assessment of four interdependent boundary domains: Environment and Ecology, Social and Cultural, Economics, and Governance and Policy. This approach improves its utility and usability for decision-makers and researchers. CCS adds to existing assessment frameworks that are often focused on particular themes and/or domains that confine their utility to the context of sustainable development and the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which demand an inherently holistic and integrated evaluation. CCS is a holistic framework designed to assess the boundaries to sustainability for socio-ecological systems at multiple scales for the world’s coasts.

Growth in floor area: the blind spot in cutting carbon

While most efforts to combat climate change are focussed on energy efficiency and substitution of fossil fuels, growth in the built environment remains largely unquestioned. Given the current climate emergency and increasing scarcity of global resources, it is imperative that we address this ‘blind spot’ by finding ways to support required services with less resource consumption.There is now long overdue recognition to greenhouse gas emissions ‘embodied’ in the production of building materials and construction, and its importance in reaching targets of net zero carbon by 2050. However, there is a widespread belief that we can continue to ‘build big’, provided we incorporate energy saving measures and select ‘low carbon materials’ − ignoring the fact that excessive volume and area of buildings may outweigh any carbon savings. This is especially the case with commercial real estate.As the inception and planning phases of projects offer most potential for reduction in both operational and embodied carbon, we must turn our attention to previously overlooked options such as ‘build nothing’ or ‘build less’. This involves challenging the root cause of the need, exploring alternative approaches to meet desired outcomes, and maximising the use of existing assets. If new build is required, this should be designed for adaptability, with increased stewardship, so the building stock of the future will be a more valuable and useable resource.This points to the need for increased understanding and application of the principles of strategic asset management, hitherto largely ignored in sustainability circles, which emphasize a close alignment of assets with the services they support.Arguably, as the built environment consumes more material resources and energy than any other sector, its future configuration may be critical to the future of people and the planet. In this regard, this paper seeks to break new ground for deeper exploration.

Growth in floor area: the blind spot in cutting carbon

While most efforts to combat climate change are focussed on energy efficiency and substitution of fossil fuels, growth in the built environment remains largely unquestioned. Given the current climate emergency and increasing scarcity of global resources, it is imperative that we address this “blind spot” by finding ways to support required services with less resource consumption. There is now long overdue recognition to greenhouse gas emissions “embodied” in the production of building materials and construction, and its importance in reaching targets of net zero carbon by 2050. However, there is a widespread belief that we can continue to “build big”, provided we incorporate energy saving measures and select “low carbon materials” – ignoring the fact that excessive volume and area of buildings may outweigh any carbon savings. This is especially the case with commercial real estate. As the inception and planning phases of projects offer most potential for reduction in both operational and embodied carbon, we must turn our attention to previously overlooked options such as “build nothing” or “build less”. This involves challenging the root cause of the need, exploring alternative approaches to meet desired outcomes, and maximising the use of existing assets. If new build is required, this should be designed for adaptability, with increased stewardship, so the building stock of the future will be a more valuable and useable resource. This points to the need for increased understanding and application of the principles of strategic asset management, hitherto largely ignored in sustainability circles, which emphasize a close alignment of assets with the services they support. Arguably, as the built environment consumes more material resources and energy than any other sector, its future configuration may be critical to the future of people and the planet. In this regard, this paper seeks to break new ground for deeper exploration.

Growth in floor area: the blind spot in cutting carbon

While most efforts to combat climate change are focussed on energy efficiency and substitution of fossil fuels, growth in the built environment remains largely unquestioned. Given the current climate emergency and increasing scarcity of global resources, it is imperative that we address this ‘blind spot’ by finding ways to support required services with less resource consumption.There is now long overdue recognition to greenhouse gas emissions ‘embodied’ in the production of building materials and construction, and its importance in reaching targets of net zero carbon by 2050. However, there is a widespread belief that we can continue to ‘build big’, provided we incorporate energy saving measures and select ‘low carbon materials’ − ignoring the fact that excessive volume and area of buildings may outweigh any carbon savings. This is especially the case with commercial real estate.As the inception and planning phases of projects offer most potential for reduction in both operational and embodied carbon, we must turn our attention to previously overlooked options such as ‘build nothing’ or ‘build less’. This involves challenging the root cause of the need, exploring alternative approaches to meet desired outcomes, and maximising the use of existing assets. If new build is required, this should be designed for adaptability, with increased stewardship, so the building stock of the future will be a more valuable and useable resource.This points to the need for increased understanding and application of the principles of strategic asset management, hitherto largely ignored in sustainability circles, which emphasize a close alignment of assets with the services they support.Arguably, as the built environment consumes more material resources and energy than any other sector, its future configuration may be critical to the future of people and the planet. In this regard, this paper seeks to break new ground for deeper exploration.

Growth in floor area: the blind spot in cutting carbon

While most efforts to combat climate change are focussed on energy efficiency and substitution of fossil fuels, growth in the built environment remains largely unquestioned. Given the current climate emergency and increasing scarcity of global resources, it is imperative that we address this ‘blind spot’ by finding ways to support required services with less resource consumption.There is now long overdue recognition to greenhouse gas emissions ‘embodied’ in the production of building materials and construction, and its importance in reaching targets of net zero carbon by 2050. However, there is a widespread belief that we can continue to ‘build big’, provided we incorporate energy saving measures and select ‘low carbon materials’ − ignoring the fact that excessive volume and area of buildings may outweigh any carbon savings. This is especially the case with commercial real estate.As the inception and planning phases of projects offer most potential for reduction in both operational and embodied carbon, we must turn our attention to previously overlooked options such as ‘build nothing’ or ‘build less’. This involves challenging the root cause of the need, exploring alternative approaches to meet desired outcomes, and maximising the use of existing assets. If new build is required, this should be designed for adaptability, with increased stewardship, so the building stock of the future will be a more valuable and useable resource.This points to the need for increased understanding and application of the principles of strategic asset management, hitherto largely ignored in sustainability circles, which emphasize a close alignment of assets with the services they support.Arguably, as the built environment consumes more material resources and energy than any other sector, its future configuration may be critical to the future of people and the planet. In this regard, this paper seeks to break new ground for deeper exploration.

Building Resilient and Meaningful Enterprises with the Sustainability Lens

The Sustainability Lens is a paradigm that combines indigenous knowledge, permaculture, solidarity economy and Circles of Sustainability into a four-quadrant tool that works with the Business Model Canvas to build more fun and sustainable solutions into every aspect of one’s enterprise – from start-ups to seasoned industry. It highlights the supply chain, human resource function, product development, marketing and customer relations and compliments approaches such as Lean Launchpad for innovation and Blue Ocean Canvas for value creation.

Servitization in Support of Sustainable Cities: What Are Steel’s Contributions and Challenges?

In the pursuit of eco-efficiency, resilience, and self-sufficiency, sustainable cities focus on long-term environmental goals instead of only short-term economic ones. To do so, many of them rely on servitization, the practice of replacing tangible solutions for intangible ones. Considering steel’s wide range of applications and its pervasive presence, this article’s goal was twofold: Not only to understand how servitization helps sustainable cities, but also the contributions and challenges of the steel present in service-providing. To do so, the criteria of sustainable urban metabolism and circles of sustainability were used to analyze three case studies of servitization: energy, housing, and mobility. The results showed that servitization can provide significant benefits to sustainable cities, while also being able to substantially alter the supply-side dynamics of steelmaking by affecting, most notably, demand. This brought to light how important it is for steelmakers to pay close attention to the service-providing initiatives that may concern their clients and products. Nevertheless, further research is necessary to fully understand all of the effects that servitization can have on all of the commodities involved in its implementation.

Growth strategies for a commercial farm: the AgroPastoril Campanelli case study

At 2017, Victor Campanelli remembered the history of his family’s business – the AgroPastoril Campanelli farm. His thoughts were back to the challenges that his father had faced, including the investments on an integrated production system that contributed to the family’s business growth. The production of cattle, sugarcane, and corn are all part of this integration system that has helped the Campanelli family to develop a successful business model. Currently, AgroPastoril Campanelli has three main production activities: beef, sugarcane, and corn. With these activities, a sustainable circle was created to guarantee more efficiency in economic, environmental and social terms. As Victor Campanelli says, ‘there is a perfect synergy between sugarcane, moisture, corn, and cattle. Not just because of the better land and labor use, but also because of the inputs economy and the productivity improvement, both in agriculture and livestock’. However, the present time requires a new investment cycle, leading the whole family to consider new market opportunities, especially regarding farmer’s new demands. What should we do and where should we invest? Should we improve efficiency or open new areas? Should we invest in new agriculture enterprises or start new business outside agricultural market? Those and other crucial questions were posed by Victor Campanelli thinking on potential growth strategies for AgroPastoril Campanelli.

Social aspects of automation: Some critical insights

Sustainable development has been recognized globally as one of the major driving forces towards the current technological innovations. To achieve sustainable development and attain its associated goals, it is very important to properly address its concerns in different aspects of technological innovations. Several industrial sectors have enjoyed productivity and economic gains due to advent of automation technology. It is important to characterize sustainability for the automation technology. Sustainability is key factor that will determine the future of our neighbours in time and it must be tightly wrapped around the double-edged sword of technology. In this study, different impacts of automation have been addressed using the ‘Circles of Sustainability’ approach as a framework, covering economic, political, cultural and ecological aspects and their implications. A systematic literature review of automation technology from its inception is outlined and plotted against its many outcomes covering a broad spectrum. The study is more focused towards the social aspects of the automation technology. The study also reviews literature to analyse the employment deficiency as one end of the social impact spectrum. On the other end of the spectrum, benefits to society through technological advancements, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) coupled with automation are presented.