A Thermodynamic Measure of Sustainability

A novel thermodynamic approach to the quantification of the “degree of sustainability” is proposed and discussed. The method includes a rigorous -and innovative- conversion procedure of the so-called externalities that leads to their expression in terms of the exergy of their equivalent primary resources consumption. Such a thermodynamic approach suggests a detailed re-evaluation of the concept of sustainability because it is well-known that the Second Law strictly negates the possibility for any open and evolving system to maintain itself in a “sustainable” state without availing itself of a continuous supply of low-entropy (i.e., high specific exergy) input. If a human society is modeled as an open system, its capacity to “grow sustainably” depends not only on how it uses non-renewable resources, but also on the rate at which it exploits the renewable ones. The necessary inclusion of different forms of energy- and material flows in such an analysis constitutes per se an argument in favor of a resource-based exergy metrics. While it is true that the thermodynamically oriented approach proposed here neglects all of the non-thermodynamic attributes of a “sustainable system” (in the Bruntland sense), it is also clear that it constitutes a rigorous basis on which different physically possible scenarios can be rigorously evaluated. Non-thermodynamic indicators can be still used at a “second level analysis” and maintain their usefulness to indicate which one of the “thermodynamically least unsustainable” scenarios is most convenient from an ethical or socio-economic perspective for the considered community or for the society as a whole. The proposed indicator is known as “Exergy Footprint,” and the advantages of its systematic application to the identification of “sustainable growth paths” is discussed in the Conclusions.

Managing Knowledge sebagai Sumber Daya untuk Kinerja Berkelanjutan melalui Innovation Capability di Masa Pandemic

The ability to diversify the business for cooperatives according to the needs of members is a challenge. The goals of this research is to analyze knowledge management, innovation capability as a resource to build cooperative performance. The research method uses a quantitative approach to test the research hypothesis with data obtained through a survey of 230 cooperatives in Jakarta. The unit of observation is the employees and the members of the cooperative. Data analysis using SEM (structuration equation modeling). The results of the study confirm the importance of knowledge management and innovation capability to build performance. Transfer of knowledge to encourage innovation capability as one of the keys in knowledge management that leads cooperatives to sustainable performance. The theoretical implication is the development of the concept of a knowledge-sharing culture in a knowledge management system to realize performance. For cooperative managers, it is the development of knowledge management as a sustainable system and a culture of sharing to build superior cooperative performance. The research contribution is the development of the concept of knowledge as a resource to build performance excellence based on a sustainable perspective (RBV).

High-Efficiency Multi-Sensor System for Chair Usage Detection

Recognizing Activities of Daily Living (ADL) or detecting falls in domestic environments require monitoring the movements and positions of a person. Several approaches use wearable devices or cameras, especially for fall detection, but they are considered intrusive by many users. To support such activities in an unobtrusive way, ambient-based solutions are available (e.g., based on PIRs, contact sensors, etc.). In this paper, we focus on the problem of sitting detection exploiting only unobtrusive sensors. In fact, sitting detection can be useful to understand the position of the user in many activities of the daily routines. While identifying sitting/lying on a sofa or bed is reasonably simple with pressure sensors, detecting whether a person is sitting on a chair is an open problem due to the natural chair position volatility. This paper proposes a reliable, not invasive and energetically sustainable system that can be used on chairs already present in the home. In particular, the proposed solution fuses the data of an accelerometer and a capacitive coupling sensor to understand if a person is sitting or not, discriminating the case of objects left on the chair. The results obtained in a real environment setting show an accuracy of 98.6% and a precision of 95%.

The effects of tea plants-soybean intercropping on the secondary metabolites of tea plants by metabolomics analysis

Background Intercropping, especially with legumes, as a productive and sustainable system, can promote plants growth and improves the soil quality than the sole crop, is an essential cultivation pattern in modern agricultural systems. However, the metabolic changes of secondary metabolites and the growth in tea plants during the processing of intercropping with soybean have not been fully analyzed. Results The secondary metabolomic of the tea plants were significant influence with intercropping soybean during the different growth stages. Especially in the profuse flowering stage of intercropping soybean, the biosynthesis of amino acids was significantly impacted, and the flavonoid biosynthesis, the flavone and flavonol biosynthesis also were changed. And the expression of metabolites associated with amino acids metabolism, particularly glutamate, glutamine, lysine and arginine were up-regulated, while the expression of the sucrose and D-Glucose-6P were down-regulated. Furthermore, the chlorophyll photosynthetic parameters and the photosynthetic activity of tea plants were higher in the tea plants-soybean intercropping system. Conclusions These results strengthen our understanding of the metabolic mechanisms in tea plant’s secondary metabolites under the tea plants-soybean intercropping system and demonstrate that the intercropping system of leguminous crops is greatly potential to improve tea quality. These may provide the basis for reducing the application of nitrogen fertilizer and improve the ecosystem in tea plantations.

Direct and indirect effects of resilient pastures at farm scale

I farm a 550-ha property at coastal Whangarei Heads, Northland, in partnership with my wife Helen. While some land has been in family ownership since the 1850s, our farm has grown over the years through land and farm acquisitions. The farm consists of a dairy platform of 220 ha and 330 ha of dairy beef and dairy support. The farm is kikuyu dominant and summer dry with rainfall varying between 650 and 1100 mm per annum. Summer cropping, in-shed meal feeding, sowing Italian ryegrass and kikuyu mulching are all practices used with the aim of running a sustainable system. Perennial ryegrass pastures have limited persistence and are no longer a focus as more resilient pasture species and varieties are sown.

NEW CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY IN “OPEN CITIES”

‘Open city’ is a new term that was coined after the cultural policies of European cities had been established. This phrase reflects the need for citizens to participate in the establishment of the city’s cultural policy, which is part of a new sustainable system that involves a digital approach to cultural goods. Most European cities base their cultural policy on four key principles: cultural identity, cultural diversity – interculturality, creativity, and citizens’ participation in cultural life. Cultural development strategy must ensure that these principles are observed by and intertwined with all public policies. This approach indicates the development of artistic disciplines in all contemporary directions and should have a direct influence on local governments and those in charge of the cultural sector. Cultural tourism greatly increases residents’ participation in cultural projects.

NOVA ODRŽIVOST KULTURE U „OTVORENIM GRADOVIMA”

‘Open city’ is a new term that was coined after the cultural policies of European cities had been established. This phrase reflects the need for citizens to participate in the establishment of the city’s cultural policy, which is part of a new sustainable system that involves a digital approach to cultural goods. Most European cities base their cultural policy on four key principles: cultural identity, cultural diversity – interculturality, creativity, and citizens’ participation in cultural life. Cultural development strategy must ensure that these principles are observed by and intertwined with all public policies. This approach indicates the development of artistic disciplines in all contemporary directions and should have a direct influence on local governments and those in charge of the cultural sector. Cultural tourism greatly increases residents’ participation in cultural projects.