Resident Evaluation of a Waterside Environments

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Wada ◽  
K. Michioku ◽  
N. Wada

The advance of urbanization has brought rapid and large-scale changes to the landscape. Development has impacted the river basins and water circulation, thereby there are causing various problems due to changes in the volume of water in rivers and water pollution. In Japan, with the greying of society and the expansion of leisure time, people seek “ease of mind” and they are becoming more and more interested in the natural environments close to home. In this research we investigated extensively resident awareness of the waterside environment in City A and studied factors necessary for and important to future improvement of this environment based on analysis of: frequency of waterside utilization; differences in the impact of the waterside environment between those who are satisfied with the current state of the environment and those who are not; and functions people expect from the waterside. As a result, in order to realize a desirable waterside environment, water quality should be improved and rivers should be made cleaner, while facilities to enable residents to safely enjoy riversides should be constructed. To enhance utilization by residents, it is important to publicize those improvement projects that are implemented to make rivers more attractive.

2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 89-95
Author(s):  
J. Pittock ◽  
R. Holland

More than for any other biome, freshwater biodiversity is increasingly imperiled, particularly due to poor stream flow management and increasing demand for water diversions. The adoption by the world's governments of targets to extend water services to the poor and at the same time to conserve biodiversity increase the need to better direct investments in freshwater management. In this paper WWF draws on examples from its work to identify areas where investment can be focused to assure efficient water use and improve stream flow management, namely:• Prioritize and target those river basins and sub-catchments that are most critical for conservation of freshwater biodiversity to maintain stream flows;• Link strategic field, policy and market interventions at different scales in river basins to maximize the impact of interventions;• Implement the World Commission on Dams guidelines to minimize investment in large scale and costly infrastructure projects;• Apply market mechanisms and incentives for more sustainable production of the world's most water consuming crops;• Enhance statutory river basin management organizations to draw on their regulatory and financial powers;• Implement international agreements, such as the Convention on Wetlands;• Integrate environment and development policies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12379
Author(s):  
Raymond Kene ◽  
Thomas Olwal ◽  
Barend J. van Wyk

The future direction of electric vehicle (EV) transportation in relation to the energy demand for charging EVs needs a more sustainable roadmap, compared to the current reliance on the centralised electricity grid system. It is common knowledge that the current state of electricity grids in the biggest economies of the world today suffer a perennial problem of power losses; and were not designed for the uptake and integration of the growing number of large-scale EV charging power demands from the grids. To promote sustainable EV transportation, this study aims to review the current state of research and development around this field. This study is significant to the effect that it accomplishes four major objectives. (1) First, the implication of large-scale EV integration to the electricity grid is assessed by looking at the impact on the distribution network. (2) Secondly, it provides energy management strategies for optimizing plug-in EVs load demand on the electricity distribution network. (3) It provides a clear direction and an overview on sustainable EV charging infrastructure, which is highlighted as one of the key factors that enables the promotion and sustainability of the EV market and transportation sector, re-engineered to support the United Nations Climate Change Agenda. Finally, a conclusion is made with some policy recommendations provided for the promotion of the electric vehicle market and widespread adoption in any economy of the world.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rumi Agarwal ◽  
Shanna L. Burke ◽  
Marlaina Maddux

Abstract The core symptoms and co-morbidities associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect daily living and quality of life. Existing pharmacological interventions are only able to attenuate some related symptoms but are unable to address the underlying etiologies associated with ASD. Anecdotal evidence, which claims benefit from the use of cannabis to treat symptoms among this population, has been gaining popularity as families seek solutions. This paper analyzed recent peer-reviewed literature to identify the current state of evidence regarding cannabis use for the ASD population. Systematic reviews, reports, and experimental studies were assessed to understand the current extent and nature of the evidence on the risks and benefits of cannabis use for ASD. At this time, three large-scale clinical trials are currently at varying stages of progress and publication of results. Only five small studies were identified that have specifically examined cannabis use in ASD. Given the sparse state of evidence directly assessed in this population, studies which examined effects of cannabis on shared pathological symptoms of ASD such as hyperactivity, sleep disorders, self-injury, anxiety, behavioral problems, and communication were also reviewed. Studies revealed mixed and inconclusive findings of cannabis effects for all conditions, except epilepsy. Adverse outcomes were also reported, which included severe psychosis, increased agitation, somnolence, decreased appetite, and irritability. In addition, a wide range of cannabis compositions and dosage were identified within the studies, which impact generalizability. There is currently insufficient evidence for cannabis use in ASD, which creates an urgent need for additional large-scale controlled studies to increase understanding of risks and benefits and also to examine the impact of “entourage effects.” This will support discussions of treatment options between health care providers and ASD patients and their families. Evidence may lead to a desired new line of treatment or prevent adverse outcomes from unsubstantiated use amongst families aiming for symptom reduction.


2020 ◽  
Vol 180 ◽  
pp. 03018
Author(s):  
Ancuta Alexandra Petre ◽  
Florin Nenciu ◽  
Nicoleta Alexandra Vanghele ◽  
Mariana Mădălina Stanciu ◽  
Dumitru Bogdan Mihalache ◽  
...  

The use of antibiotics in large quantities against the combat of pests in soils, indicates an increased remanence of them, which leads to major environmental risks. After entering in the soil, antibiotics are subjected to a succession of biogeochemical processes under the action of multiple environmental factors: absorption, migration, transformation, degradation or nutritional prosperity of plants. In order to know the current state of the environment and the effects of antibiotics it is essential to discover procedures for improving the degradation and combating the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Research in recent years on the extraction of antibiotics from the soil is based on complex processes, such as: Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic extraction or accelerated solvent extraction. Soil residue was determined using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, being the equipment that provides the highest accuracy in the analysis of polar compounds in very low concentrations. The purpose of the paper is to find an efficient and ecological solution for the elimination of antibiotics from soils and to highlight the evaluation of the contaminated land regarding the antibiotic residues and the impact on the composition of the bacterial community. Information about the effects of antibiotics accumulated in soil, persistence, resistance and sensitivity to chemical and microbiological substances, degradation and results related to soil fertility and crop production are highlighted.


2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 10465-10500 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Yan ◽  
H. Wang ◽  
H. H. Li ◽  
G. Wang ◽  
T. L. Qin ◽  
...  

Abstract. The interbasin long-distance water transfer project is a key support for the reasonable allocation of water resources in a large-scale area, which can optimize the spatiotemporal change of water resources to reinforce the guarantee of the access of water resources. And large-scale water transfer projects have a deep influence on ecosystems; besides, global climate change causes the uncertainty and additive effect of the ecological impact of water transfer projects. Therefore, how to assess the ecological and environmental impact of large-scale water transfer projects in both construction and operation has triggered a lot of attention. The water-output area of the western route of China's South-North Water Transfer Project was taken as the study area of the present article. According to relevant evaluation principles and on the basis of background analysis on the eco-environment of the study area, the influence factors were identified and evaluation indexes were established. The climate-hydrology-ecology coupled simulation model was used to imitate the laws of ecological and environmental change of the water resource area in a changing climate. The emphasis of influence analysis and quantitative evaluation was placed on the reservoir construction and operation scheduling, representative river corridors and wetlands, natural reserves and the water environment of river basins below the dam sites. In the end, an overall influence evaluation of the impact of the project on the water circulation and ecological evolution of the water resource area was conducted. The research results were as follows: the environmental impacts of the western route project in the water resource area were concentrated on two aspects, i.e. the permanent destruction of vegetation during the phase of dam construction and river impoundment, and the significant influence on the hydrological situation of natural river corridor after the implementation of water transfer. Its impact on local climate, vegetation ecology, typical wetlands, natural reserves and the water environment of river basins below the dam sites was small.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 114-124
Author(s):  
В. О. Пашков ◽  
В. І. Правдін

The article deals with the problem of the migration crisis that has hit the EU. Since 2015, there has been a sharp increase in the number of refugees from the region, to which European countries were not ready. By the end of 2019, Europe has already exhausted its economic capacity to receive and accommodate refugees, but their flow is continuing. Over the last 5 years, more than 4 million refugees from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia have come to Europe. In 2015, the flow of migrants was over 1.5 million people, in 2016 - 900 000, in 2017 - 650 000, in 2018 - 600 000, in 2019 - almost 550 000.The main causes of large-scale movement of migrants to Europe have been identified. Among them are wars and conflicts that destabilize the situation in their native countries; demographic outbreak in Africa and the Middle East, deteriorating funding for refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, exacerbation of the 2018-2019 Syrian crisis; the availability of high social guarantees and diaspora relatives in many EU countries.The political, social, cultural consequences of the migration crisis for individual countries and the EU are analyzed. The increasing flow of refugees has exacerbated in European societies the problems of terrorism, the increase in crime rates, the poor cultural compatibility of the local population with refugees, the increased right-wing sentiment and the high social costs of migrant adaptation.The importance of the ideology of multiculturalism for the current migration crisis in the EU is substantiated. The phenomenon of multiculturalism is compared with the phenomena of globalization and shows the impact on the situation in society, which lead to conflict. Multiculturalism has recently been perceived as a means that can mitigate the negative (primarily for traditional cultures, ethnic and religious groups) consequences of globalization, but narrowing the philosophical view of the phenomenon of multiculturalism to the institutional level, modern representatives of the humanities and practices in Europe (political scientists, sociologists, politicians) faced with the fact that the interaction of cultures has not been adequately reflected in theory and held in practice.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1232
Author(s):  
Sheng-Rui Zou ◽  
Si-Xuan Du ◽  
Min Song ◽  
Ming-Xian Li

Water pollution in China has expanded from regions to river basins. It is of great significance to study the behaviors of regulated subjects from the perspective of river basins for protecting the water environment and improving the effectiveness of environmental regulations. This paper constructed a basin spatial regression design to discuss the governance effect and economic effect of water pollution from industry in relation to the central environmental protection goal of China, as well as the response and strategy of local government. Considering the validity of the data, the annual average chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of each monitoring station was adopted as the ambient water quality index, and there was direct evidence that the ambient water quality index influenced water-polluting industries. We found that, if the downstream COD concentration in the last year rose by 1 mg/L, the water-polluting industries reduced their pollution and output value by 1.9% and 0.2%, respectively. After using the upstream COD concentration as the tool variable, the result was still robust. However, the results of local government’s two strategies, which we can call regulatory constraint force and fiscal incentive force, were opposites. Specifically, the governance effect of polluting industries under regulatory constraints was more significant, while fiscal incentives encourage water-polluting industries to create more value. In addition, we estimated the impact of ambient water quality on water-polluting industries in the Yangtze River Basin and the Yellow River Basin, and revealed that the governance effect exceeded the average value of seven river basins. After further distinguishing the relative upstream cities and relative downstream cities, the results show that the response of relative upstream cities to water quality was significantly higher, and the gap between regions expanded further after 2013.


PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11358
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Pendergraft ◽  
Derek J. Grimes ◽  
Sarah N. Giddings ◽  
Falk Feddersen ◽  
Charlotte M. Beall ◽  
...  

Each year, over one hundred million people become ill and tens of thousands die from exposure to viruses and bacteria from sewage transported to the ocean by rivers, estuaries, stormwater, and other coastal discharges. Water activities and seafood consumption have been emphasized as the major exposure pathways to coastal water pollution. In contrast, relatively little is known about the potential for airborne exposure to pollutants and pathogens from contaminated seawater. The Cross Surfzone/Inner-shelf Dye Exchange (CSIDE) study was a large-scale experiment designed to investigate the transport pathways of water pollution along the coast by releasing dye into the surfzone in Imperial Beach, CA. Additionally, we leveraged this ocean-focused study to investigate potential airborne transmission of coastal water pollution by collecting complementary air samples along the coast and inland. Aerial measurements tracked sea surface dye concentrations along 5+ km of coast at 2 m × 2 m resolution. Dye was detected in the air over land for the first 2 days during two of the three dye releases, as far as 668 m inland and 720 m downwind of the ocean. These coordinated water/air measurements, comparing dye concentrations in the air and upwind source waters, provide insights into the factors that lead to the water-to-air transfer of pollutants. These findings show that coastal water pollution can reach people through an airborne pathway and this needs to be taken into account when assessing the full impact of coastal ocean pollution on public health. This study sets the stage for further studies to determine the details and importance of airborne exposure to sewage-based pathogens and toxins in order to fully assess the impact of coastal pollution on public health.


Author(s):  
A. Javadi ◽  
J. Arrieta ◽  
I. Tuval ◽  
M. Polin

The persistent motility of individual constituents in microbial suspensions represents a prime example of the so-called active matter systems. Cells consume energy, exert forces and move, overall releasing the constraints of equilibrium statistical mechanics of passive elements and allowing for complex spatio-temporal patterns to emerge. Moreover, when subject to physico-chemical stimuli their collective behaviour often drives large-scale instabilities of a hydrodynamic nature, with implications for biomixing in natural environments and incipient industrial applications. In turn, our ability to exert external control of these driving stimuli could be used to govern the emerging patterns. Light, being easily manipulable and, at the same time, an important stimulus for a wide variety of microorganisms, is particularly well suited to this end. In this paper, we will discuss the current state, developments and some of the emerging advances in the fundamentals and applications of light-induced bioconvection with a focus on recent experimental realizations and modelling efforts. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Stokes at 200 (part 2)’.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 31-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byron Ioannou ◽  
Lora Nicolaou ◽  
Konstantinos Serraos ◽  
Georgia Spiliopoulou

The article approaches different concepts of Large Urban Developments (LUDs) as products of the notion of a “spatial fix” (Harvey, 2001), which explains why built or natural environments can be deployed in the process of creating opportunities for new investments. Greece and Cyprus are two countries in the south of the European Union that underwent delayed urbanisation and significant land fragmentation in the form of small size private ownerships and with limited experience in comprehensive development. Greece has adopted a well-structured but complex spatial planning system, bureaucratic with limited effectiveness, adaptability or flexibility of delivery processes. On the other hand, Cyprus has a flexible but centralized system, effective in processing change but problematic in regulating quality in the built environment. Both countries recently experienced major financial crises. In the early 2010s, both governments promoted, as part of an economic recovery policy, extensive real estate development on public or privately-owned land with emphasis on LUDs as ways of addressing economic shortfalls. Inappropriately, LUDs have been primarily “conceived” as opportunities to attract foreign investments rather than a means of tackling crucial current deficiencies. New spatial planning frameworks merely add greater “flexibility” to the system in order to accelerate large private real estate investment. The article attempts to reveal, through case studies’ reviews, the impact of LUDs in countries with no infrastructure or experience in accommodating large-scale investment. It explores how the experience in Greece and Cyprus differs in terms of the relevant legislation adopted, the effectiveness in fulfilling its primary objective in attracting investment, and what are the possible social and environmental consequences on the planning acquis.


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