scholarly journals New Dimensions for Circularity on Campus—Framework for the Application of Circular Principles in Campus Development

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit Hopff ◽  
Steffen Nijhuis ◽  
Leendert A. Verhoef
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
University Management ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Integrated Strategy ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Organisational Issue ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Dutch Universities

To what extent can transformation and development processes on a university or other campus fit in with the principles of circularity? This paper builds a bridge between the more theoretical approach of the circular economy and daily practice in campus development, using semi-structured in-depth interviews with a broad range of stakeholders in university management in Dutch universities. The study aims to show possible perspectives and offers insight into which factors are important for the sustainable development of a university or other campus, taking into account the principles of the circular economy. The paper introduces a framework for understanding the various dimensions and scales of campus operations. The aim is to make a practical contribution to the implementation of circular principles in campus development. The main conclusions are that circularity is an organisational issue, complexity must be reduced, and integral policy and specialised knowledge are required. Five recommendations towards an integrated strategy for circularity in campus development are given.

scholarly journals Patterns of Circular Transition: What Is the Circular Economy Maturity of Belgian Ports?

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9269
Author(s):  
Elvira Haezendonck ◽  
Karel Van den Berghe
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Port Authorities ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
New Business ◽  
Lock In ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
New Business Models ◽  
Insight Into

Large seaport hubs in Northwestern Europe are aiming to develop as circular hotspots and are striving to become first movers in the circular economy (CE) transition. In order to facilitate their transition, it is therefore relevant to unravel potential patterns of the circular transition that ports are currently undertaking. In this paper, we explore the CE patterns of five Belgian seaports. Based on recent (strategy) documents from port authorities and on in-depth interviews with local port executives, the circular initiatives of these ports are mapped, based on their spatial characteristics and transition focus. The set of initiatives per port indicates its maturity level in terms of transition towards a circular approach. For most studied seaports, an energy recovery focus based on industrial symbiosis initiatives seems to dominate the first stages in the transition process. Most initiatives are not (yet) financially sustainable, and there is a lack of information on potential new business models that ports can adopt in view of a sustainable transition. The analysis of CE patterns in this paper contributes to how ports lift themselves out of the linear lock-in, as it demonstrates that ports may walk a different path and at a diverging speed in their CE transition, but also that the Belgian ports so far have focused too little on their cargo orchestrating role in that change process. Moreover, it offers a first insight into how integrated and sustainable the ports’ CE initiatives currently are.

scholarly journals Understanding the perspectives and values of midwives, obstetricians and obstetric registrars regarding episiotomy: qualitative interview study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e037536
Author(s):  
Anna Seijmonsbergen-Schermers ◽  
Suzanne Thompson ◽  
Esther Feijen-de Jong ◽  
Marrit Smit ◽  
Marianne Prins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Clinical Expertise ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

ObjectivesInsight into perspectives and values of care providers on episiotomy can be a first step towards reducing variation in its use. We aimed to gain insight into these perspectives and values.SettingMaternity care in the Netherlands.ParticipantsMidwives, obstetricians and obstetric registrars working in primary, secondary or tertiary care, purposively sampled, based on their perceived episiotomy rate and/or region of work.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPerspectives and values of care providers which were explored using semistructured in-depth interviews.ResultsThe following four themes were identified, using the evidence-based practice-model of Satterfield et al as a framework: ‘Care providers’ vision on childbirth’, ‘Discrepancy between restrictive perspective and daily practice’, ‘Clinical expertise versus literature-based practice’ and ‘Involvement of women in the decision’. Perspectives, values and practices regarding episiotomy were strongly influenced by care providers’ underlying visions on childbirth. Although care providers often emphasised the importance of restrictive episiotomy policy, a discrepancy was found between this vision and the large number of varying indications for episiotomy. Although on one hand care providers cited evidence to support their practice, on the other hand, many based their decision-making to a larger extent on clinical experience. Although most care providers considered women’s autonomy to be important, at the moment of deciding on episiotomy, the involvement of women in the decision was perceived as minimal, and real informed consent generally did not take place, neither during labour, nor prenatally. Many care providers belittled episiotomy in their language.ConclusionsCare providers’ underlying vision on episiotomy and childbirth was an important contributor to the large variations in episiotomy usage. Their clinical expertise was a more important component in decision-making on episiotomy than the literature. Women were minimally involved in the decision for performing episiotomy. More research is required to achieve consensus on indications for episiotomy.

Young Adults’ Contextualization of Environmental and Sustainability Issues: A Critical Issue for Environmental Education Intervention

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony KOLA-OLUSANYA
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

As soon as decision makers are expected to make differences towards sustainable future, young adults’ ability to make informed and sound decisions is considered essential towards securing our planet. This study provides an insight into young adults’ knowledge of key environment and sustainability issues. To answer the key research questions, data were obtained using a qualitative phenomenographic research approach and collected through 18 face-to-face in-depth interviews with research participants. The findings of this study suggest that young adults lived experiences that play a huge role in their level of awareness of topical environmental and sustainability issues critical to humanity’s future on earth. 

Assessment of wood industrial pollutants based on emission coefficients in China

Holzforschung ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 1071-1078
Author(s):  
Jie Chu ◽  
Anuj Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Industrial Waste ◽  
Water Discharge ◽  
Medium Density Fiberboard ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Waste Gas ◽  
Industrial Gases

AbstractThe implementation of circular economy in wood industries is an effective way for future sustainable development. The wood industries in China are not in the direction of circular economy approach due to less availability of assessment/calculation data of pollutants as per life cycle assessment (LCA) criteria. The present study focuses on the calculation of emission and pollutants from wood industries as per LCA; the emission and pollution data were collected from fiberboard Medium-density fiberboard (MDF), plywood and particleboard (PB) production. The comparative analysis of dust emissions, industrial waste gases and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were performed among three wood industries. The results revealed that the fiberboard industry was the highest emitter of dust, industrial waste gas and COD; and particleboard industry was the least emitter. Further, results indicated that pollutant index of wood industries were significantly changed between 2015 and 2017; the industrial waste water discharge increased five folds and the COD, dust and industrial gases increased two times. This study provides with the emission and pollutants data of wood industries as per LCA to promote the sustainable development for circular and low carbon economics.

The practice of envelope journalism in the Republic of the Congo

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-126
Author(s):  
Cleves Nkie Mongo
Keyword(s):  
Journalism Ethics ◽  
Financial Situation ◽  
Financial Difficulties ◽  
News Organizations ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Congo Brazzaville ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

This article provides insight into the “brown envelope journalism” in the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville). Through in-depth interviews with journalists from four major Congolese news outlets, this research reveals how financial difficulties result in reporters justifying their violations of journalism ethics and standards. While two news outlets accept bribes to compensate for their precarious financial situation, two other news organizations pretend that they oppose envelope journalism although this research shows that their reporters also secretly accept bribes.

scholarly journals Introducing a Degrowth Approach to the Circular Economy Policies of Food Production, and Food Loss and Waste Management: Towards a Circular Bioeconomy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hoehn ◽  
Jara Laso ◽  
María Margallo ◽  
Israel Ruiz-Salmón ◽  
Francisco José Amo-Setién ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Food Production ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Food Loss ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
New Policies

There is a growing debate surrounding the contradiction between an unremitting increase in the use of resources and the search for environmental sustainability. Therefore, the concept of sustainable degrowth is emerging aiming to introduce in our societies new social values and new policies, capable of satisfying human requirements whilst reducing environmental impacts and consumption of resources. In this framework, circular economy strategies for food production and food loss and waste management systems, following the Sustainable Development Goals agenda, are being developed based on a search for circularity, but without setting limits to the continual increase in environmental impacts and resource use. This work presents a methodology for determining the percentage of degrowth needed in any food supply chain, by analyzing four scenarios in a life cycle assessment approach over time between 2020 and 2040. Results for the Spanish case study suggested a degrowth need of 26.8% in 2015 and 58.9% in 2040 in order to achieve compliance with the Paris Agreement targets, highlighting the reduction of meat and fish and seafood consumption as the most useful path.

scholarly journals Towards Sustainable Mobility? The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Romanian Mobile Citizens in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 4023
Author(s):  
Silvia Marcu
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Sustainable Mobility ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
New Models ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Depth Interviews

Using the case study of Romanians in Spain, this article highlights how the COVID-19 crisis presents both challenges and opportunities when it comes to human mobility and sustainability. Drawing on in-depth interviews with mobile people during the period of lockdown and circulation restrictions, and in accordance with the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the paper advances and contributes to the relevance of sustainability and its impact on people’s mobility in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. I argue that even in the midst of the crisis, sustainable ways may be found to promote and protect human mobility. The paper raises the way sustainability acts as a driver, gains relevance and influence, and contributes to the creation of new models of resilient mobility in times of crisis. The conclusions defend the respect for the SDGs regarding human mobility and emphasise the role of people on the move as sustainable actors learning to overcome distance and the barriers to their mobility during the pandemic.

scholarly journals The Role of Simulation and Serious Games in Teaching Concepts on Circular Economy and Sustainable Energy

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1138
Author(s):  
Rocio de la Torre ◽  
Bhakti S. Onggo ◽  
Canan G. Corlu ◽  
Maria Nogal ◽  
Angel A. Juan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
University Management ◽  
Teaching Methodologies ◽  
The Will

The prevailing need for a more sustainable management of natural resources depends not only on the decisions made by governments and the will of the population, but also on the knowledge of the role of energy in our society and the relevance of preserving natural resources. In this sense, critical work is being done to instill key concepts—such as the circular economy and sustainable energy—in higher education institutions. In this way, it is expected that future professionals and managers will be aware of the importance of energy optimization, and will learn a series of computational methods that can support the decision-making process. In the context of higher education, this paper reviews the main trends and challenges related to the concepts of circular economy and sustainable energy. Besides, we analyze the role of simulation and serious games as a learning tool for the aforementioned concepts. Finally, the paper provides insights and discusses open research opportunities regarding the use of these computational tools to incorporate circular economy concepts in higher education degrees. Our findings show that, while efforts are being made to include these concepts in current programs, there is still much work to be done, especially from the point of view of university management. In addition, the analysis of the teaching methodologies analyzed shows that, although their implementation has been successful in favoring the active learning of students, their use (especially that of serious games) is not yet widespread.

scholarly journals Detecting Convergence Trends among EU Universities

Economies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Maria Adamakou ◽  
Dimitris Kallioras ◽  
George Petrakos
Keyword(s):  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
University Ranking ◽  
Convergence Clubs ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Empirical Analysis ◽  
Insight Into

Universities are emerging growth determinants. This is so as, in addition to the fulfillment of their traditional role in teaching and (basic) research, universities, as aptly described within the helix framework, are expected to engage in regional development processes. The paper aims to detect trends of convergence among EU universities in terms of performance. To the best of our knowledge, this topic has not hitherto been examined. The empirical analysis of the paper covers the period 2014–2021, utilizes data obtained from URAP (University Ranking by Academic Performance), and employs the methodological approach of convergence clubs. The findings of the paper provide valuable insight into both theory and policy-making. We conclude that despite the unification of EU educational space, trends of divergence among EU universities are still present, and notable divisions still remain. Consequently, this indicates that the impact of EU universities on the formation of spatial disparities across EU space is not neutral.

scholarly journals Armed, Prohibited and Violent at Home: Implementation and Enforcement of Restrictions on Gun Possession by Domestic Violence Offenders in Four U.S. Localities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Frattaroli ◽  
April M. Zeoli ◽  
Daniel W. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Violence Prevention ◽  
Intimate Partner Homicide ◽  
State Laws ◽  
Protective Orders ◽  
Implementation Models ◽  
Domestic Violence Prevention ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractFirearms increase the risk of lethality in violent intimate relationships. Policies that restrict access to firearms by respondents to civil domestic violence protective orders (DVROs) are associated with reductions in intimate partner homicide, yet there is scant literature about how such prohibitions are implemented. We document how four localities are implementing gun possession prohibitions that result from civil and criminal restraining orders and domestic violence misdemeanor convictions; and assess the findings in the context of Kingdon’s agenda setting framework. We identified four jurisdictions where gun dispossession of prohibited domestic violence offenders was underway and collected data through in-depth interviews, site visits, and documents. We coded the data, identified explanatory themes, and compared the findings to Kingdon’s framework. The four jurisdictions have policies ranging from no state laws restricting domestic violence offenders’ access to guns to comprehensive state laws. We describe implementation initiatives to dispossess prohibited people of their guns in the four jurisdictions, two distinct implementation models through which gun dispossession occurs, and an expanded application of Kingdon’s model. In each jurisdiction, we identified one or more individuals who championed implementation. Policies that prohibit domestic violence offenders from possessing guns are promising, and possible in diverse settings and jurisdictions. Here we provide insight into implementation efforts in four jurisdictions, emphasize the role of individuals in prioritizing implementation, and highlight the potential to realize these restrictions across states with different laws. Focusing on implementation is a much-needed paradigm shift that complements the traditional focus on passing domestic violence prevention laws.

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