The increasing demand and diversification of food consumption among Chinese residents have brought to light the escalating environmental impact. This study seeks to elucidate the correlation between shifts in China's dietary patterns and environmental consequences over the period of 2017-2023. The study represents the systematic assessment-covering 11 food categories across provincial spatial scales and employing the 2017 Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) table-of how nationally recommended healthy dietary guidelines reshape the spatial distribution of environmental pressures within China, identifying key leverage points. In contrast to the prevailing notion in international research that a healthy diet typically alleviates environmental pressure, under the guidance of China's Healthy Diet Guidelines, our research results are as follows: (1) The carbon and water footprints of food consumption among Chinese residents exhibited fluctuations and overall increases, with a spatial distribution characterized by higher levels in the southeast and lower levels in the northwest. (2) In a healthy dietary pattern, compared with food consumption in 2023, the total carbon footprint increased by 234.47 Mt CO₂-eq (21.26%) and the total water footprint increased by 291.49 km³(27.76%), with dairy products as the main contributor. (3) Compared to the actual baseline in 2017, adopting the healthy dietary pattern would increase the transferred carbon footprint by 440.98 Mt CO₂-eq (49.72%) and the water footprint by 486.43 km³ (57.51%). Guangdong, serving as a transfer hub, primarily directed carbon and water footprints to Fujian and received them mainly from Guangxi.

Global climate crisis and waste disposal costs drive the need for circular industrial models. This study investigates whether industrial symbiosis through co-disposal of papermaking waste and blast furnace slag can convert these materials from waste to resources. Using a system expansion Life Cycle Assessment framework, we assessed alkali-activated mortars based on global warming potential, water footprint, and toxic impacts. Results indicate that high-volume waste substitution significantly improves the material's environmental profile, achieving a net-negative Global Warming Potential of - 7.9kg CO2 eq/m³ and a 129% net environmental benefit for human health damage compared to the baseline. These results occur because the avoidance of landfill-related greenhouse gas emissions and primary material production outweigh the impacts of chemical activation. This study outlines a structured approach to decarbonizing construction materials. It shows how technological innovation can strengthen competitiveness within circular economic systems. This work verifies the technical feasibility of regenerative material strategies and identifies activator optimization as a critical factor for advancing next-generation sustainable materials, thereby offering practical guidance to help industrial sectors meet global sustainability requirements.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the associations between five diet quality indices (DQIs) and a comprehensive set of environmental sustainability indicators among Turkish adults. This cross-sectional study assessed dietary intake data from 514 adults (56.6% female, mean age 30.73 ± 11.80 years) using 24-hour dietary recalls. Diet quality was evaluated using Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020), Mediterranean Diet Score (Med), Healthy Plant-Based Diet Index (hPDI), Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Dietary Index (DASH). The carbon footprint (CF), water footprint (WF), land, fertilizer nutrients, and pesticide use were estimated using established databases. Female participants had significantly higher scores for HEI-2020 (p: 0.014), Med (p < 0.001), hPDI (p < 0.001), PHDI (p < 0.001), and DASH (p: 0.006) compared with males. Male participants had significantly higher daily CF, WF, land, fertilizer nutrient, and pesticide use compared with females (p < 0.05 for all). In multivariable energy-adjusted regression models, higher hPDI and PHDI scores were associated with reductions in three sustainability indicators each, whereas HEI-2020, Med, and DASH scores showed mixed associations across environmental outcomes. Higher DQIs were associated with lower environmental impacts; however, the strength and direction of these associations differed.

Disentangling agricultural and non-agricultural drivers of groundwater nitrate contamination using an integrated footprint-statistical approach.

Assessing historical and future spatio-temporal dynamics of water footprints across climatically diverse zones of an agriculturally dominant river basin

Front-of-pack (FOP) environmental labels have long been used to encourage more sustainable food choices. The wide range of sustainability dimensions relevant to food production and consequently food consumption, has led to an increasing number of FOP labels aiming to provide consumers with sufficient sustainability-related information. Consequently, there is currently a discussion about whether subdimensions should be included as part of an overall sustainability label, or if only an overall score should be shown, as it is the case with the Nutri-Score. This study aims to close this research gap. Focussing on water usage in food production this study investigates consumer preferences for water footprint information as a subdimension of an environmental label compared to an environmental label with no subdimensions. A choice experiment was conducted in autumn 2024 with n=998 German consumers, representative of the German population in terms of gender, age and education. The results of the random parameter logit model show that consumers’ marginal utility is highest for an environmental label that includes a low water footprint subdimension. A sole environmental label as well as the environmental label showing a high water footprint have a negative effect on consumers’ purchasing decisions. The study contributes to the scientific discourse on label design and information provision to facilitate sustainable choices. Additionally, practical recommendations can be derived regarding the importance of water footprint information in consumers’ food purchasing process.

Quantifying the climate and water footprint of artificial intelligence in anaesthesia and intensive care.

Material losses in hard-gold plating during rinsing are a costly aspect of printed circuit board (PCB) production and lead to environmental impacts from raw materials that do not end up in the final products. Previously, washing water containing gold was not directly reused in the same process at AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG. The implementation of a membrane distillation (MD) system now allows for the direct recovery of discharged valuables from processing water as a concentrate, facilitating its reintegration into the process and significantly reducing input materials. A life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluated impacts on climate change, terrestrial eutrophication, and resource use and showed a reduction of approximately 25% in the investigated impact categories. Additionally, a water footprint profile demonstrated the potential for water quality regarding acidification and aquatic eutrophication, as well as regional water scarcity. While water scarcity is reduced by 23%, water quality indicators have a reduction of up to over 47%. Overall, the MD system demonstrated potential savings of 23% to over 47%, contributing significantly to sustainability in PCB production through a closed-loop approach.

A novel water footprint monitoring approach using crop modeling and remote sensing data

Integrated evaluation of energy and water use in air-cooled and adiabatic condensers – a case study in an office building

This study quantified water-use metrics under five sustained container capacity (CC) levels (100%, 85%, 70%, 55%, and 40%) during greenhouse production of Petunia milliflora F1 (Picobella Pink) production. Total irrigation input and leachate volumes were measured weekly, and plant growth and quality parameters were measured at harvest. Plant size declined gradually with decreasing CC; however, flower coverage was unaffected. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE; grams of dry biomass per volume of water) increased as CC decreased; highest IWUE was observed at 40%. No leachate was recovered at 55% and 40% throughout the experiment. Irrigation input and leachate volumes were significantly reduced at 70% and 55% while maintaining marketable quality, suggesting a practical balance between water conservation and crop marketability. Although the greatest IWUE occurred at 40% CC, the reduction in plant size at 40% limits the practical application of this irrigation strategy for commercial production.

All water use in the globe is ultimately tied to consumer use. It is so interesting to learn about the precise water requirements of various consumer goods, particularly those that use a lot of water. Every commodity or good need water at some point throughout the manufacturing or distribution process. This data is useful not only for consumers, but also for food processors, retailers, and merchants. This study aims to focus at water footprint of such commodities based on city’s major consumptions. For the purpose city’s overall water footprint based on the usage is studied and the city-based perspective for the researchers is developed to bring about the requirement of incorporating water footprint concept in the conventional water flows. The study also focused on comparison of different states to use water for the same commodity. The states being water scarce and water surplus in nature, and using different irrigation practices and geological conditions have different water footprints of crops, animal products, cotton textile etc. This study will serve as a base for further studies to be done on the water footprint and shall try to bring to the notice of the authorities that there is a huge amount of water consumption that is being neglected by the policy makers.

Brine generated from seawater desalination presents significant environmental challenges due to its high salinity and pollutant content, particularly when discharged without adequate treatment. While advanced brine treatment systems offer opportunities for resource recovery and pollution reduction, they often involve increased energy and material demands, creating trade-offs between environmental benefits and resource consumption. This study integrates Water Footprint Assessment (WFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the freshwater sustainability of circular brine treatment systems under different process configurations. The framework is applied to four treatment scenarios, including variations in precipitation agents (NaOH and Ca(OH)2) and the inclusion of calcination processes, and compared with a reference scenario representing direct brine discharge. The results show that the blue water footprint is primarily driven by indirect water use associated with energy consumption, while pollutant loads influence the grey water footprint. Although advanced scenarios increase gross water demand, significant reductions are achieved through avoided water contributions from resource recovery and internal water reuse. Among the evaluated configurations, Scenario 2 exhibits the highest total water footprint due to elevated energy and pollutant-related impacts, whereas Scenarios 3 and 4 demonstrate improved performance through enhanced recovery efficiency. The water–carbon trade-off analysis highlights that minimizing carbon emissions does not necessarily reduce water consumption, emphasizing the importance of integrated assessment. Overall, the findings demonstrate that sustainable brine treatment design requires balancing water use, pollution control, energy demand, and resource recovery. The proposed WFA–LCA framework provides a robust decision-support tool for optimizing circular brine management systems.

The construction industry is one of the major contributors to global environmental degradation due to its high carbon emissions, excessive resource consumption, and large volumes of construction and demolition waste. In response to this issue, this study explores the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental performance of green concrete incorporating recycled coarse aggregate (RCA). A systematic literature review was conducted to explore the convergence of BIM, LCA, circular economy (CE) principles, and green concrete technologies. Based on the identified research gaps, a BIM-integrated LCA framework was developed to assess environmental indicators—such as global warming potential, water footprint, and resource depletion—under different RCA alternative scenarios. The model was applied to a real administrative building project in Vietnam, where concrete mixes with different RCA contents (0, 30, 60, and 100%) were evaluated using the Tally plugin and the Ecoinvent v3.8 database. The results showed that while the use of RCA can reduce water consumption and some toxicity indicators, it can increase carbon emissions due to the higher cement demand required to maintain compressive strength. These trade-offs highlight the need for cement reduction and material optimization strategies to be incorporated early in the design phase. By embedding environmental indicators into the BIM environment, the approach supports scenario-based, data-driven decision-making in line with CE objectives. These findings demonstrate the potential of accessible and low-cost BIM-LCA tools to increase transparency, enable circular material tracking, and inform sustainable design practices. The model provides a replicable approach to integrating digital workflows and green material choices in construction, contributing to broader carbon reduction and zero waste goals.

To examine and synthesise data on the environmental impact of diet in Latin America. A systematic review was conducted in April 2024, using Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus databases, and updated in March 2025. We synthesised the evidence on the most reported environmental impact indicators. Meta-analysis was conducted to derive pooled estimates for individual countries of the mean dietary carbon and water footprints per person/per day; crude and energy-standardised (to 8368 kJ (2000 kcal)) values and stratified by dietary assessment method and sociodemographic variables. Latin America. Latin American populations. Of the 2766 studies screened, 31 were included. Data on environmental impact of diet were reported for eight Latin American countries, with most coming from Brazil. Dietary water footprint ranged from 2078 in Chile to 3215 L/person/day/8368 kJ in Brazil. Dietary carbon footprint ranged from 2·1 to 7·3 kgCO2-equivalents/person/day/8368 kJ, in Peru and Argentina, respectively. The pooled standardised carbon footprint mean was 4·1 (95 % CI 2·6, 5·5, I2 = 100 %) kgCO2-equivalents/person/day/8368 kJ with no significant differences between dietary assessment method (P = 0·86). A higher carbon footprint was observed in individuals with higher education level and urban residence (P < 0·05). The available evidence suggested a wide variation in dietary environmental impact between Latin American countries, but a paucity of studies conducted in countries other than Brazil. Standardised approach to estimate the environmental impact of diet across the region and analytical perspectives in further research would support the development of country-relevant evidence-based public policies for sustainable diets in Latin America.

Non-flooding irrigation is widely promoted as a carbon–water co-benefit strategy in paddy rice, but field-scale trials overlook return flow compensation within irrigation districts and therefore overstate water-saving potential. To reconcile this scale mismatch, we developed a semi-distributed multi-scale water balance model coupled with a carbon footprint and full-component blue–green–grey water footprint framework and applied it across field, district, and provincial scales in Heilongjiang Province—a leading cold-region japonica rice region in Northeast China—using the Qinglongshan Irrigation District on the Sanjiang Plain as the focal case, supported by two growing seasons of field observations and 35 years of provincial records. Under alternate wetting and drying, apparent field-level water savings of 50–60% converge to 33% after return flow correction, implying that field-based indicators overestimate savings by 40–50%. Carbon mitigation is decoupled from water volume: CH4 suppression dominates total abatement and is governed by drying frequency rather than water saved. At the provincial scale, the water footprint has shifted from grey- to blue-water dominance, suggesting that blue-water efficiency now represents a principal remaining lever for further cold-region carbon–water co-benefits. Two-season coverage and fixed parameter assumptions affect magnitudes but not directions. Water-saving irrigation in cold-region paddy systems should therefore be evaluated at the district scale where data permit, rather than relying solely on field-scale indicators.

Global data-water symbiosis reduces AI infrastructure's carbon and water footprint.

Green AI architectures: Navigating the security-sustainability paradox in critical infrastructure protection.

Association of planetary health diet indices with diet composition, nutritional quality and environmental impacts in Italian adults.

Increasing temperatures and reduced rainfall are intensifying water limitations in many fruit production systems, particularly for water-deficit, stress-sensitive crops such as southern highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids). Grafting onto rootstocks with robust and well-adapted root systems can enhance plant performance during water-deficit stress. Sparkleberry ( Vaccinium arboreum Marsh.) is a woody perennial tree species native to the southeastern United States. It has been studied as a potential rootstock for blueberry production because of its deep and expansive root systems. We compared the drought responses of own-rooted blueberry plants and blueberry plants grafted onto sparkleberry rootstocks. We hypothesized that grafted blueberry plants would exhibit better fitness than own-rooted plants in water-limiting conditions. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the physiological and metabolic responses of grafted and own-rooted plants during predrought, drought, and rehydration periods. Grafted plants maintained greater stem water potential, stomatal conductance, and assimilation during water deficit compared with own-rooted plants. Stomatal morphology and leaf osmolyte concentrations were similar in both plant types. Destructive root sampling confirmed that grafted plants developed deeper root systems. Our findings suggest that sparkleberry rootstocks allow grafted plants to take up water from deeper soil strata, avoiding water-deficit stress and promoting primary productivity. Grafting might be useful to expand blueberry cultivation to new areas and to reduce the water footprint of blueberry farming.