Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Smallholders’ Cropping Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Increased concentration of atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), is of great concern due to its impact on ozone layer depletion leading to climate change. Ozone layer depletion allows penetration of ultraviolet radiations, which are hazardous to human health. Climate change culminates in reduced food productivity. Limited empirical studies have been conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to quantify and understand the dynamics of soil N2O fluxes from smallholder cropping systems. The available literature on soil N2O fluxes in SSA is limited; hence, there is a pressing need to consolidate it to ease mitigation targeting and policy formulation initiatives. We reviewed the state of N2O emissions from selected cropping systems, drivers that significantly influence N2O emissions, and probable soil N2O emissions mitigation options from 30 studies in SSA cropping systems have been elucidated here. The review outcome indicates that coffee, tea, maize, and vegetables emit N2O ranging from 1 to 1.9, 0.4 to 3.9, 0.1 to 4.26, and 48 to 113.4 kg N2O-N ha-1 yr−1, respectively. The yield-scaled and N2O emissions factors ranged between 0.08 and 67 g N2O-N kg−1 and 0.01 and 4.1%, respectively, across cropping systems. Soil characteristics, farm management practices, and climatic and environmental conditions were significant drivers influencing N2O emissions across SSA cropping systems. We found that site-specific soil N2O emissions mitigation measures are required due to high variations in N2O drivers across SSA. We conclude that appropriate fertilizer and organic input management combined with improved soil management practices are potential approaches in N2O emissions mitigation in SSA. We recommend that (i) while formulating soil N2O emissions mitigation approaches, in SSA, policymakers should consider site-specific targeting approaches, and (ii) more empirical studies need to be conducted in diverse agroecological zones of SSA to qualify various mitigation options on N2O emissions, yield-scaled N2O emissions, and N2O emission factors which are essential in improving national and regional GHG inventories.

ANALYTICAL STUDY OF ORGANIC EATERIES

Humans have manipulated nature in every possible way for the sake of benefits. Their activities have resulted in ozone layer depletion, deforestation, drying of seasonal rivers, lands getting barren, ground water levels going down etc. Besides, the environmental point of view, in the search of earning profits, new threats have emerged for humanity in the form of adulteration in essential commodities like milk, vegetables, fruits, spices, pulses etc. There has been a paradigm shift in the methods of infrastructure creation and operation, because people have understood the importance of shifting towards more eco-friendly ways doing things. The use of fertilizers and pesticides increased the vulnerability of humanity towards threatening diseases. The vegetables and fruits now take less time to grow and the taste is not the same as it used to be earlier. It becomes imperative to go in organic way and create awareness for the same in the rural areas.

Exploring Levels of Secondary School Students’ Knowledge: Global Warming, Acid Rain, and Ozone Layer Depletion

The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of secondary school students’ knowledge about three Global Environmental Problems: Global Warming, Acid Rain, and Ozone Layer Depletion. 638 7th grade (N=316) and 8th grade (N=322) students enrolled in five different secondary schools participated in this study. The survey method was used to determine the levels of students’ knowledge of three global environmental problems. In this study, drawings (separate for each topic) and open-ended questions specific to all three topics were used as data collection tools. The data obtained from drawings and open-ended questions were analyzed together and assessed based on three knowledge categories (informed view, transitional view, and naïve view). The results indicated that the levels of secondary school students’ knowledge about three global environmental problems were low. It was also found that they held various misconceptions and their knowledge levels on each topic were close to each other. The results of the Pearson Correlation indicated that there was a significant relationship between the levels of secondary school students’ knowledge about only GW and OLD, but a weak correlation. The results of MANOVA indicated that there was a significant difference in the mean scores of students’ knowledge of GW from 8th to 7th-grade students, while there was a significant difference in favor of 8th-grade students with respect to the topics of AR and OLD.

Exploring Levels of Secondary School Students’ Knowledge: Global Warming, Acid Rain, and Ozone Layer Depletion

The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of secondary school students’ knowledge about three Global Environmental Problems: Global Warming, Acid Rain, and Ozone Layer Depletion. 638 7th grade (N=316) and 8th grade (N=322) students enrolled in five different secondary schools participated in this study. The survey method was used to determine the levels of students’ knowledge of three global environmental problems. In this study, drawings (separate for each topic) and open-ended questions specific to all three topics were used as data collection tools. The data obtained from drawings and open-ended questions were analyzed together and assessed based on three knowledge categories (informed view, transitional view, and naïve view). The results indicated that the levels of secondary school students’ knowledge about three global environmental problems were low. It was also found that they held various misconceptions and their knowledge levels on each topic were close to each other. The results of the Pearson Correlation indicated that there was a significant relationship between the levels of secondary school students’ knowledge about only GW and OLD, but a weak correlation. The results of MANOVA indicated that there was a significant difference in the mean scores of students’ knowledge of GW from 8th to 7th-grade students, while there was a significant difference in favor of 8th-grade students with respect to the topics of AR and OLD.

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) PENGOLAHAN SAMPAH PROSES TERMAL PADA TEMPAT PEMROSESAN AKHIR (TPA) SUPIT URANG KOTA MALANG

Kota Malang memiliki jumlah penduduk yang ditiap tahun meningkat, menyebabkan jumlah timbulan sampah dihasilkan oleh penduduk maupun fasilitas umum meningkat. Sampah diangkut ke Tempat Pemrosesan Akhir (TPA) sampah Supit Urang berlokasi di Kecamatan Sukun, Kota Malang, saat ini pengolahan masih menggunakan metode Controlled landfill sehingga dibutuhkan lahan yang luas untuk proses penimbunan. Pengambilan data timbulan sampah TPA dengan metode load count analysis. Analisis aspek lingkungan dilakukan dengan metode Life Cycle Assessment, input dan output proses digunakan software SimaPro v.9.0.0.47. Pada analisis aspek teknis serta analisis lingkungan dibutuhkan proyeksi sampah masuk pada TPA Supit Urang yaitu 189.989 ton/tahun pada tahun 2030. Dari hasil analisa aspek teknis dihasilkan, yaitu pengolahan insinerasi jenis sampah tercampur adalah paling baik karena hanya butuhn lahan sedikit yaitu sebesar 1.385m2, menggunakan 1 reaktor dan 14 orang pekerja. Untuk jenis komposisi sampah yang menghasilkan emisi paling rendah adalah jenis sampah organik biowaste. Hasil analisis dampak lingkungan dari pengolahan gasifikasi sampah organik biowaste adalah Global Warming 4,51E8 kg CO2 eq, Ozone layer depletion 1,74E3 CFC-11 eq, Photochemical oxidation 1,11E5 C2H4 eq, Asidifikasi 2,21E6 kg SO2 eq, Eutrofikasi 3,03E6 PO4 eq

Experimental analysis of domestic refrigeration system using nanorefrigerant [CeO2+ZnO+R134a]

At the present scenario, the action of ensuing the philosophy of reducing energy consumption and saving it for longer period without drop off in performance is increased. On the other hand, global warming and ozone layer depletion become foremost challenges. These concerns are takes place in Thermal systems like refrigerator and air conditioning. To resolve the above challenges, the nano refrigerants are used in refrigeration, which has previously got the attention due to its distinctive properties such as thermal conductivity. They also have the potential to improve the heat transfer performance of refrigeration. This project interrogated on the performance of domestic refrigeration system using normal condenser and microchannel condenser with and without nanoparticles. The Cerium oxide and Zinc oxide nanoparticles in the size of about 20-30nm and 30-50nm respectively with R134a domestic refrigerant were used. The experimentation carried out using 2 gm ofCeO2and ZnO nanoparticles in three different ratios [0.5:1.5,1:1 and 1.5:0.5] with R134a refrigerant. Hereby, the result conquered that 33.3% increase in the Actual COP of domestic refrigeration system using normal condenser with 1:1 ratio of nanoparticles when compared with the refrigeration system using microchannel condenser with and without nanoparticles.

Pre-service biology teachers’ perception of global warming, greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion in Lagos State University

The study examined the crux about global warming, greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion among pre-service biology teachers. A survey questionnaire adapted from Kalipit, Yener & Ozkadif (2009); Rye, Ruba & Wiesenmayer (1997) and Boyes, Chambers & Stanisstreet (1995) was administered to 65 pre-service Biology teachers purposively selected from the Department of Science and Technology Education, Lagos State University, Lagos. This was to determine the pre-service biology teachers’ perceptions about global warming, greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that pre-service Biology teachers had misconceptions that the results of thinning of ozone layer will increase greenhouse effect and the function of ozone layer is to protect the earth against excessive heat. Furthermore, majority of the preservice biology teachers had misconceptions on global warming, ozone layer depletion and greenhouse effect. It is imperative, therefore to proffer solutions to these misconceptions held by the pre-service teachers by ensuring that instructors and instructional materials emphasize the importance of these concepts to life ensuring that students have adequate knowledge about the concepts as well as ways of tackling these challenges. Keyword: Global warming, greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, pre-service biology teachers, misconceptions.

Climate change via CO2 drawdown from astrophysically initiated atmospheric ionization?

Motivated by the occurrence of a moderately nearby supernova near the beginning of the Pleistocene, possibly as part of a long-term series beginning in the Miocene, we investigated whether nitrate rainout resulting from the atmospheric ionization of enhanced cosmic ray flux could have, through its fertilizer effect, initiated carbon dioxide drawdown. Such a drawdown could possibly reduce the greenhouse effect and induce the climate change that led to the Pleistocene glaciations. We estimate that the nitrogen flux enhancement onto the surface from an event at 50 pc would be of order 10%, probably too small for dramatic changes. We estimate deposition of iron (another potential fertilizer) and find it is also too small to be significant. There are also competing effects of opposite sign, including muon irradiation and reduction in photosynthetic yield caused by UV increase from stratospheric ozone layer depletion, leading to an ambiguous result. However, if the atmospheric ionization induces a large increase in the frequency of lightning, as argued elsewhere, the amount of nitrate synthesis should be much larger, dominate over the other effects and induce the climate change. More work needs to be done to clarify the effects on lightning frequency.

Assessing the Evolution of Human Settlements with ‘Energy’ as a Determinant

Human settlements have evolved from caves in the Paleolithic Age to high rise buildings and cities in the modern era. Energy is one of the major driving forces in shaping the settlements of today. It is a fundamental of our everyday life and will continue to influence the future generations. It is also responsible for the many major looming threats faced by the world today, like climate change, ozone layer depletion, acid rains and global warming. Hence it is essential to investigate the influence of energy in shaping the settlements of the past, to understand the present, and to develop a vision for the future settlements. This paper is an attempt to study the evolution of human settlements based on the ‘urban form determinants’ framework developed by A.E.J. Morris with ‘energy’ as an additional determinant. The investigation proposes how energy has influenced in shaping the settlements of the past, and the correlation between energy and other urban form determinants. This study will help various stakeholders in developing an understanding on how energy can play a role in shaping a sustainable future, and also in identifying the parameters which influence them.