Cost and Environmental Impacts of a Mixed Fleet of Vehicles

Urban parcel delivery is increasingly restricted by regulations limiting access to certain heavy or high emitting vehicles to reduce emissions and noise pollution in cities. Cargo bikes represent an alternative solution that enables deliveries with low environmental impact, but they may represent a higher economic cost and come with constraints like battery autonomy or small loading capacity. As a transport scheme relying on bikes for the last miles with fewer externalities, it is regarded as an environmentally friendly choice, and economic sustainability is assessed. This paper aims to present the environmental and economic aspects of different delivery means of transport in European urban areas. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is selected to analyse the environmental impact of several vehicles, allowing us to quantify the emissions according to the loading factor. The electricity mix is an important parameter and makes the results vary according to the country studied. For the economic aspect, the cost price allows us to quantify the operational cost of each means of transport. A trade-off can thus be made between the two.

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Impacts of vehicle tire on slip resistance and sound pollution in asphalt pavements

Brilliant Engineering ◽

10.36937/ben.2021.003.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 16-21

Author(s):

Saeed Abbassi

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Noise Pollution ◽

Sound Level ◽

Asphalt Pavements ◽

Fine Grained ◽

Sensitive Areas ◽

Slip Resistance ◽

Materials Used ◽

The Cost ◽

Pavement Friction

Noise pollution caused by vehicle traffic is one of the major problems in urban areas with road expansion. Due to the increase in the cost of construction and installation of sound walls to deal with noise pollution, to deal with this problem should look for methods that do not have additional costs and operating costs. Improving the pavement texture is one of the most effective ways to reduce tire noise and pavement and reduce the asphalt surface’s sound. To evaluate the slip resistance of asphalt, the English pendulum test according to ASTM E303-74 standard was performed on wet parts of asphalt in wet conditions. This device is used to examine the fine texture of the pavement. The number of pavement friction with a negative coefficient of 0.1469 has an inverse ratio with the intensity of sound level increases the number of pavement friction aligned with the amount of sound level created decreases. On the other hand, the depth of pavement texture, which is determined as the size of pavement materials, with a coefficient of 0.2810, has a direct ratio with the amount of noise pollution, and the smaller the number of fine-grained materials used will increase the sound level. According to the results of the coefficients estimated from the equation, it can be concluded that the preparation of pavements with an amount of friction can reduce the amount of noise pollution emitted by the movement of vehicles, especially in urban areas and sensitive areas. Therefore, it is recommended that in acoustically sensitive areas, in preparing pavements, arrangements be made to use coarser materials and maintain proper pavement resistance. For this purpose, in this article, the pavement’s texture is examined in the amount of noise created due to the tire’s interaction and the pavement.

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Assessment of the Cost of the Mediterranean Diet in a Low-Income Region: Adherence and Relationship with Available Incomes

10.21203/rs.3.rs-605254/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alessia Rubini ◽

Cristina Vilaplana Prieto ◽

Marta Flor-Alemany ◽

Lorena Yeguas-Rosa ◽

Miriam Hernández-González ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Low Income ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Population Based ◽

Male Population ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Per Capita ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Cost

Abstract BackgroundThe Mediterranean Diet (MD) is recognized as heart-healthy, but the economic cost associated with this type of diet has scarcely been studied.AimThe objective of the present study was to explore the cost and adherence of the low-income region population to the MD and its relationship with available incomes.MethodsA population-based study was carried out on 2,833 subjects between 25 and 79 years of age, 54% women, selected at random from the communities of Vegas Altas, La Siberia and La Serena in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. The average cost of each product included in the MD and monthly expenditure were calculated. The expenditure was related to the degree of adherence to the MD (the Panagiotakos Index) and to the incomes of the participants.ResultsThe monthly median cost was 203.6 euros (IQR 154.04-265.37). Food-related expenditure was higher among the male population (p<0.001) of between 45 and 54 years of age (p<0.013) and living in urban areas (p<0.001). A positive correlation between food-related expenditure and the MD adherence was found. Expenditure represents 15% of total incomes, ranging from 11% for the group with a low MD adherence to 17% for the group with a high MD adherence.Conclusions The monthly cost of the MD was positively correlated with the degree of adherence to this dietary pattern, and is similar to that of other regions of Spain with higher per capita income, which entails a greater expenditure for equal adherence to the MD.

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Assessment of the Cost of the Mediterranean Diet in a Low-Income Region: Adherence and Relationship with Available Incomes

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-12433-w ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alessia Rubini ◽

Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto ◽

Marta Flor-Alemany ◽

Lorena Yeguas-Rosa ◽

Miriam Hernández-González ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Low Income ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Population Based ◽

Disposable Income ◽

Median Cost ◽

Monthly Cost ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Cost

Abstract Background The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is recognized as heart-healthy, but the economic cost associated with this type of diet has scarcely been studied. The objective of the present study is to explore the cost and adherence of a low-income region population to the MD and its relationship with income. Methods A population-based study was carried out on 2,833 subjects between 25 and 79 years of age, 54% women, selected at random from the municipalities of Vegas Altas, La Siberia and La Serena in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura (Spain). Average monthly cost of each product included in the MD was computed and related to adherence to the MD using the Panagiotakos Index and average disposable income. Results The monthly median cost was 203.6€ (IQR: 154.04-265.37). Food-related expenditure was higher for men (p<0.001), age cohort between 45 and 54 years (p<0.013) and those living in urban areas (p<0.001). A positive correlation between food-related expenditure and the MD adherence was found. Monthly median cost represents 15% of average disposable income, ranging between 11% for the group with low MD adherence and 17% for the group with high MD adherence. Conclusions The monthly cost of the MD was positively correlated with the degree of adherence to this dietary pattern. Given that the estimated monthly cost is similar to that of other Spanish regions with a higher income level, the economic effort required to be able to afford the Mediterranean diet is higher. This may represent a barrier to access, which should be analyzed in detail by public decision-makers.

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Exploring the Economic, Environmental, and Travel Implications of Changes in Parking Choices due to Driverless Vehicles: An Agent-Based Simulation Approach

10.31224/osf.io/9hqs7 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Corey D. Harper ◽

Chris T. Hendrickson ◽

Constantine Samaras

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Energy Use ◽

Demand Management ◽

Cost Savings ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Order Effects ◽

Agent Based Simulation ◽

Agent Based ◽

Parking Lot ◽

The Cost

Fully driverless automated vehicles (AVs) could considerably alter the proximity value of parking, due to an AV’s ability to drop passengers off at their destination, search for cheaper parking, and return to pick up their occupants when needed. This study estimates the potential impact of privately-owned driverless vehicles on vehicle miles traveled (VMT), energy use, emissions, parking revenue, and daily parking cost savings in the city of Seattle, Washington from changes in parking decisions using an agent-based simulation model. Each AV is assumed to consider the cost to drive to each parking spot, the associated daily parking cost, and the parking availability at each location, and the AV ranks each choice in terms of economic cost. The simulation results indicate at the low penetration rates (5 to 25 percent AV penetration) AVs in downtown Seattle would travel an additional 3.5- 4.0 miles per day on average, and high penetration rates (50 to 100 percent AV penetration) would travel an additional 5.6-8.4 miles per day on average. The results also suggest that as AV penetration rates increase, parking lot revenues decrease significantly and could likely decline to the point where operating a lot is unsustainable economically, if no parking demand management policies are implemented. This could lead to changes in land use as the amount of parking needed in urban areas is reduced and cars move away from the downtown area for cheaper parking. This analysis provides an illustration of the first-order effects of AVs on the built environment and could help inform near and long- term policy and infrastructure decisions during the transition to automation.

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A METHODOLOGY TO SUPPORT COMPANIES IN THE FIRST STEPS TOWARDS DE-MANUFACTURING

Proceedings of the Design Society ◽

10.1017/pds.2021.14 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 131-140

Author(s):

Federica Cappelletti ◽

Marta Rossi ◽

Michele Germani ◽

Mohammad Shadman Hanif

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impact ◽

End Of Life ◽

Design Stage ◽

Life Strategies ◽

Disassembly Sequence ◽

The Status ◽

The Cost ◽

Technical Solutions ◽

First Time ◽

Complex Activities

AbstractDe-manufacturing and re-manufacturing are fundamental technical solutions to efficiently recover value from post-use products. Disassembly in one of the most complex activities in de-manufacturing because i) the more manual it is the higher is its cost, ii) disassembly times are variable due to uncertainty of conditions of products reaching their EoL, and iii) because it is necessary to know which components to disassemble to balance the cost of disassembly. The paper proposes a methodology that finds ways of applications: it can be applied at the design stage to detect space for product design improvements, and it also represents a baseline from organizations approaching de-manufacturing for the first time. The methodology consists of four main steps, in which firstly targets components are identified, according to their environmental impact; secondly their disassembly sequence is qualitatively evaluated, and successively it is quantitatively determined via disassembly times, predicting also the status of the component at their End of Life. The aim of the methodology is reached at the fourth phase when alternative, eco-friendlier End of Life strategies are proposed, verified, and chosen.

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The Cost of Being ‘Backward’ in India: Socio-religious Discrimination in the Labour Market

Indian Journal of Human Development ◽

10.1177/09737030211029634 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 097370302110296

Author(s):

Soumyajit Chakraborty ◽

Alok K. Bohara

Keyword(s):

Labour Market ◽

Economic Cost ◽

National Sample ◽

Sample Survey ◽

Religious Discrimination ◽

Capital Endowment ◽

Scheduled Castes ◽

Sample Survey Data ◽

The Cost ◽

Human Capital Endowment

Being from backward castes, classes and Muslims in India has an economic cost associated with the nature of institutional discrimination. Using the 2011–2012 National Sample Survey data, this study identifies that caste and religion still rule the modern Indian labour market. We find that discrimination is evident in the socio-religious earnings gaps. While the parametric decompositions suggest that most of these gaps are due to differential human capital endowment, the nonparametric method almost evenly attributes inequality to discrimination and endowment. The results presented in this study suggest that discrimination against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Muslims and Other Backward Classes should be included in policy designs to promote equity in the Indian labour market.

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Cost of Management of Diabetes Mellitus: A Pan India Study

Annals of Neurosciences ◽

10.1177/0972753121998496 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 097275312199849

Author(s):

Raghuram Nagarathna ◽

M Madhava ◽

Suchitra S Patil ◽

Amit Singh ◽

K. Perumal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Noncommunicable Disease ◽

Cost Of Treatment ◽

Rural And Urban Areas ◽

Cost Of Disease ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Cost ◽

Prevalence Of Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a major noncommunicable disease. While mortality rates are increasing, the costs of managing the disease are also increasing. The all-India average monthly expenditure per person (pppm) is reported to be ₹ 1,098.25, which translates to an annual expenditure of ₹13,179 per person. Purpose: While a number of studies have gone into the aspect of the cost of disease management, we do not find any study which has pan-India reach. We also do not find studies that focus on differences (if any) between rural and urban areas, age or on the basis of gender. We planned to report the cost of illness (COI) in diabetes individuals as compared to others from the data of a pan-India trial. Methods: Government of India commissioned the Indian Yoga Association to study the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in India in 2017. As part of the questionnaire, the cost of treatment was also captured. Data collected from 25 states and union territories were analyzed using the analysis of covriance (ANCOVA) test on SPSS version 21. Results: There was a significant difference ( P < .05) between the average expenses per person per month (pppm) of individuals with self-reported known diabetes (₹1,357.65 pppm) and others (unknown and/or nondiabetes individuals–₹ 999.91 pppm). Similarly, there was a significant difference between rural (₹2,893 pppm) and urban (₹4,162 pppm) participants and between those below (₹1,996 pppm) and above 40 years (₹5,059 pppm) of age. Conclusion: This preliminary report has shown that the COI because of diabetes is significantly higher than others pointing to an urgent need to promote disease-preventive measures.

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Comprehensive Performance Evaluation of Green Infrastructure Practices for Urban Watersheds Using an Engineering–Environmental–Economic (3E) Model

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13094678 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 4678

Author(s):

Yi-Jia Xing ◽

Tse-Lun Chen ◽

Meng-Yao Gao ◽

Si-Lu Pei ◽

Wei-Bin Pan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Performance Evaluation ◽

Environmental Economic ◽

Environmental Impact ◽

Pollution Control ◽

Green Infrastructure ◽

Stormwater Management ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Urban Watersheds ◽

Comprehensive Performance ◽

Detention Basins

Green infrastructure practices could provide innovative solutions for on-site stormwater management and runoff pollution control, which could relieve the stress of nonpoint pollution resulting from heavy rainfall events. In this study, the performance and cost-effectiveness of six green infrastructure practices, namely, green roofs, rain gardens, pervious surfaces, swales, detention basins, and constructed wetlands, were investigated. The comprehensive performance evaluation in terms of the engineering performance, environmental impact, and economic cost was determined in the proposed engineering–environmental–economic (3E) triangle model. The results revealed that these green infrastructure practices were effective for stormwater management in terms of runoff attenuation, peak flow reduction and delay, and pollutant attenuation. It was suggested that for pollution control, detention basins can efficiently reduce the total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and lead. The implementation of detention basins is highly recommended due to their higher engineering performance and lower environmental impact and economic cost. A case study of a preliminary cost–benefit analysis of green infrastructure practice exemplified by the Pearl River Delta in China was addressed. It suggested that green infrastructure was cost-effective in stormwater management in this area, which would be helpful for sustaining healthy urban watersheds.

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Cost of groundwater protection: major groundwater basin protection zones in Poland

International Environmental Agreements Politics Law and Economics ◽

10.1007/s10784-021-09525-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ewa Krogulec ◽

Jacek Gurwin ◽

Mirosław Wąsik

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Groundwater Protection ◽

Social Economy ◽

Land Development ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Legal Analysis ◽

Protection Zones ◽

Groundwater Basins ◽

The Cost

AbstractThis paper describes the complex hydrogeological, legal framework and socioeconomic costs of the groundwater protection in major groundwater basins (MGBs) in Poland in accordance with European directives. The hydrogeological criteria developed in Poland for establishing MGBs and the principles of their protection provide more details to the directives that are in force in Europe, which define the general principles for groundwater protection. The procedure of establishing MGB protection zones is connected with a change in local plans and land development and requires an analysis of the cost–benefit relationship in the sphere of social economy in the sector of public economics. The cost assessment was performed on the basis of data from hydrogeological documentations, and the aggregation of subareas to which the same existing and planned development can be attributed. A legal analysis of bans, orders and restrictions together with the identification of the risk of claims in specific hydrogeological and development conditions was a fundamental issue of research. These costs depend on the acreage and land use of the protected area. The unit costs of MGB protection, calculated per 1 km2 of the protection area, for six sample basins were estimated at €120 to €208,000/2 years/1 km2. The highest costs are generated by establishing protection in urban areas, while the lowest costs are generated in forest areas.

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Annoyance evaluation of noise emitted by urban substation

Journal of Low Frequency Noise Vibration and Active Control ◽

10.1177/14613484211014324 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 146134842110143

Author(s):

Li Jun ◽

Li Li ◽

Zhang Yongxiang ◽

Chu Zhigang ◽

Fan Xiaopeng

Keyword(s):

Regression Model ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Subjective Evaluation ◽

Noise Pollution ◽

Objective Evaluation ◽

Semantic Differential ◽

Differential Method ◽

Practical Application ◽

Noise Evaluation ◽

Objective And Subjective Evaluation

In China, noise pollution from substations in urban areas is becoming more and more serious. An annoyance evaluation of the noise emitted by urban substations is presented. First, the subjective evaluation is conducted on the noise samples from urban substations via the semantic differential method. Subsequently, according to the typical characteristics of urban substation noise, 14 acoustical metrics are used to describe the noise samples for objective evaluation. Then the correlation analysis and regression analysis between the objective and subjective evaluation results are carried out. Finally, a regression model for urban substation noise evaluation is established. Practical application shows that the regression model can correctly predict the subjective annoyance of urban substation noise.

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