Plants from Urban Parks as Valuable Cosmetic Ingredients: Green Extraction, Chemical Composition and Activity

The research on the possibilities of using biowaste from urban green areas is scarce. In this work, four plants, widely distributed in urban parks in Central Europe (Lotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Knautia arvensis and Plantago major) were extracted using eco-friendly solvents based either on aqueous cyclodextrin solutions (hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin or γ-cyclodextrin) or natural deep eutectic solvents based on glycerol, betaine and glucose. Metal content was determined using total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF). The content of selected metabolites was determined using UV-VIS spectrophotometric methods and HPLC. Skin-related bioactivity was assessed using tyrosinase and elastase inhibition assays. The selected plants contained metals beneficial for skin health, such as zinc and calcium, while having a low content of toxic heavy metals. The extracts contained the bioactive phenolics such as quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and apigenin. L. corniculatus was the most potent tyrosinase inhibitor, while K. arvensis showed the most pronounced elastase inhibitory activity. The employed solvents actively contributed to the observed bioactivity. The results indicate that the biowaste obtained from urban parks represents an ecologically acceptable alternative to conventional cultivation for the preparation of ecologically acceptable, high-value cosmetic products.

Pandemi Sürecinde Konya İlinde Yaşayan Yaşlı Bireylerde Meydana Gelen Sosyal ve Psikolojik Değişimlerin Peyzaj Mimarlığı Açısından Değerlendirilmesi

Covid-19, which affects the whole world and is accepted as a pandemic by the world health organization, caused millions of people to die. The elderly are in the group with the highest risk of losing their lives due to the Covid-19 virus. Stricter restrictive / protective measures have been taken for the elderly in Turkey, as in the whole world. With this research, it is aimed to evaluate the sociological and psychological effects of the "elderly", who are one of the health risk groups of the society, in terms of landscape architecture, during the pandemic days when they had to experience various problems after the outbreak. In the study, face-to-face and online questionnaires were applied to individuals aged 50 and over on a voluntary basis. As a result of the study, it was determined that the implementation of curfews and restrictions for the elderly and the formation of an isolated lifestyle from other age groups caused an increase in loneliness and anxiety levels and negative psychological effects. It has been revealed that the activities that individuals will carry out in the green area, their conversations and socializing with their peers, and walks in the open area have a positive psychological and sociological effect for the elderly. It has been determined that the elderly who become lonely and depressed at home with the restrictions imposed under pandemic conditions want to be in green areas. The sociological and psychological positive effects of being in green areas and spending time, and the changes in the behaviour and emotions of the elderly who have pandemic restrictions paralleled the response of the participants to the questionnaire.

Evaluation of Green Areas of Konya Selçuklu, Bosna-Hersek Neighborhood in Terms of Sufficiency, Management and Usage

Green areas are spaces organized as areas where people can get rid of their monotonous lives and meet their active or passive recreation needs. In order for a society to be physically and mentally healthy, green spaces must fulfil the purposes of establishment. The main material of the research is the green areas of Bosna-Hersek neighbourhood. The questionnaire method was used in the study and the green areas in Konya province Selçuklu district Bosnia and Herzegovina neighbourhood were evaluated in terms of sufficiency, management and usage

Model of Entrepreneurial Inclusive Civil Culture

This research aims to analyze the model of entrepreneurial inclusive civic culture created and developed in the Agro Ecological Park of Zapopan (PAZ). Based on the need to rescue vacant urban land use with the participation of residents residing in the surrounding colonies, social movements, civil society, and local government, they have designed and implemented actions to create PAZ (PEACE) as an area of green innovation. In addition to the cultivation of vegetables, vegetables, medicinal plants, and decoration under relations of cooperation, trust, and community support, the formation of social capital that sustains a culture of peace based on environmental sustainability activities. The results of the implementation of this project, born from bottom of the social and power structures, constitute a significant experience in the regeneration of public spaces and green areas that provides greater economic efficiency in terms of family income, a greater relevance of equity, inclusion and social justice, and improvement of environmental sustainability.

Agro-tourism Structures, SARS-CoV-2: the Role of Water

The agro-tourism environmental sustainability and its circular economy approaches represent the keys for the future development of the sector and in term of tourist presences, thanks to their growing attractivity. Water is one of the most used inputs in agro-tourism structures for internal (drinking, cooking, cleaning, etc.) and outdoor use (for agriculture and green areas management). In the scientific literature, the outdoor water use was more studied with regard the agro-tourism structures. The aim of the present paper is first to check and understand how the water consumption of an agro-tourism structure is managed and to propose solutions for its reduction, all in agreement with circular economy concepts, considering also the SARS-CoV-2 issue. Also, the role of tourists in helping, respect the rules and complying with the proposed solutions will be considered. The results demonstrate that a proper maintenance can be obtained by simply introducing simplified devices. Moreover, a key factor is the tourist information at agro-tourism structures. With a technological effort, water can be managed to favour reuse (e.g. grey water).

Green Zone Planning for City Sustainability

: The importance of research has emerged by focusing on sustainable green zone planning to solve the problem of degradation through sustainable strategies, to make green areas determine buildings, not the other way around using GIS, by working on a hypothesis (green areas planning according to an appropriate strategy can sustain cities). The principle of urban planning, urban sustainability, sustainable planning and sustainable cities, as well as urban sustainability and many strategies that support green zone planning and rely on a number of factors for sustainable cities, have been addressed. The research was based on how to plan green areas sustainably, what constraints the planners face in the Dora area south of Baghdad, and the reasons for their deterioration in the urban environment, and after analysing and comparing the changes that occurred over three periods of time (2004 and 2009 and 2019) for 10 residential stores to assess the state of the green areas during that period and how they changed, what problems led to the reduction of areas, increased areas built at their expense, compared to the standards of urban and rural housing in Iraq and the basic plan of the company Paul Servis in 1971, Sustainable planning thus creates a balance in the environment, economy and social values so that these new places meet the work and life needs of the local population and their interests, as one of the indicators of sustainable cities environmental, social and economic, measured by the availability of green and preserved areas relative to population density and coverage, which are one of the most important components of the blocs of urban areas to continue the quality of urban life and environmental and social sustainability, and the ratio of green areas to areas built in a sample of the shop Housing in the study area is very few in most stores and is not in line with international standards, so the current standards need to be adjusted and increased from what they are now, as well as laws in general need to be updated because they are in their current state to achieve the sustainability of green areas in the study area. The most important proposals and solutions that address the problems of green areas (developing a specific strategy, developing some laws on the protection of green areas and setting environmental performance standards for green areas). The research recommended the need to review the planning standard for the individual’s share of green spaces as it does not correspond to the increase in population density, and to guide the pursuit of sustainable strategies within the plans prepared by the long-term municipal departments supporting green areas and work to support environmental performance within municipal circles by presenting the award for outstanding environmental performance on conservation capacity and increasing green spaces, urging a focus on the sustainability of Iraqi cities as they suffer from increased desertification and dredging of green areas and current climate change.

Ecological State Assessment of Urban Green Spaces Based on Remote Sensing Data. The Case of Aktobe City, Kazakhstan

The rapid pace of urban development triggers complex problems mostly related to urban environment pollution, and shortcomings of city’s improvement. The modern city is characterized by the highest man-made pressure on the natural environment, the main problems being overcrowding, lack of open-access green areas, as well as the decrease of vegetation areas, fact that does not create comfortable living conditions for urban residents. At present, remote sensing methods are some of the priority tools used in vegetation state assessment, particularly, the calculation of vegetation index (NDVI). But often, obtaining the necessary information is limited only to the analysis of satellite data, without geobotanical field surveys, which considerably increase the reliability of the detected results. In addition, the definition of dependencies when using an integrated approach of different man-affected surfaces with a different type of overgrowth within the city remains insufficiently studied. The purpose of this study is to assess the ecological condition of the green area (parks and squares) in Aktobe city. A comprehensive processing of satellite images including the calculation of NDVI index, mapping of green areas and data statistical analysis, was carried out. We learned that the average value of NDVI for green spaces in Aktobe ranges from 0,11 µm to 0,47 µm, which allows for the categorization of planted areas by levels of photosynthetic activity, from “unsatisfactory” to “good”, yet, with 59% of them in an unsatisfactory condition. This means that the city is underdeveloped in terms of modern landscape and infrastructure. The obtained results make it possible to assess the current situation, determine the dynamics of urban green spaces and optimize spatial planning measures for green space management.

Rural Regeneration in Egypt: A Review of Existing Typologies in Borderline Areas

Tracking rural areas and studying them may not be an easy task. The concept of whether the area at hand is urban or rural could be simple, but lately rural areas could carry many features that may deviate the definition into one which is unclear. In urbanized rural development, reversing the urbanization spotted may not be the ideal way to go, urban developers often suggest that to go back to the roots is to regenerate the area back into rural, however, regenerating rural areas using rural parameters and definitions may not be what the urban area in hand needs and the changes and challenges that are facing rural communities in Egypt need to be understood before any plan can be deemed as effective or even worthwhile The rapid increase in urbanization and how it affects agriculture land, shorelines, and rural land, has affected badly the rural capacity, and led to a constant threat of overhaul in place of towns, cities, and other urban activities. However, rural areas are the lungs of the planet alongside forests and other green areas and having them diminish substantially will lead to an inevitable catastrophe. Regenerating rural areas should focus on revitalizing and embedding them into the social, cultural, and economic structure of the region, however, it may not always involve turning them back to what is commonly termed as rural.This research attempts to review and discuss the meaning and definitions of rural regeneration with a view to propose a strategic plan to regenerate borderline areas in Egypt.