Damage to black locust leaves (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) by the black locust gall midge (Obolodiplosis robiniae) (Haldeman, 1847) in the Włoszczowa-Jędrzejów Protected Landscape Area - research on strengthening and developing knowledge and awareness in environmental education

The prepared article by the team of authors aims to show research in the field of strengthening and developing knowledge and awareness from environmental education in the community of nature conservation services and the academic community. This paper is the result of research conducted in 2014–2015, in the Włoszczowa-Jędrzejów Protected Landscape Area, in the Świętokrzyskie Province. The material for the study was acacia robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) leaves collected on two research areas, differentiated due to the influence of anthropogenic factors. As a result of the study, 5,000 black locust leaves were collected, 65% of which were found to be damaged. Research stands under the influence of strong anthropopressure were characterised by a higher number of lesions on leaves.

Circulation of Selenium in the Environment

In order to function properly, every living organism must have favourable conditions for its operation, i.e. it must be systematically supplied with the necessary nutrients. On the example of selenium (Se), it can be seen how important is the right balance between providing the right amount of it, without exceeding the level above which it is toxic. The amount of Se in soil is closely correlated with its content in the parent rock; therefore, it differs depending on the soil type and may change even in a small area. Considerable dispersion of the element in the soils of Poland is related to their formation, mainly from dump materials of various glaciations. The problem of maintaining the balance between deficiency and excess of Se in the diet of humans and animals is related primarily to the uneven distribution of this element in nature. In this paper, on the basis of scientific literature, the current issues related to the deficiency and excess of Se in the soil and its possible sources are presented. The relationship between the content in the soil and the supply of Se in plants, animals and humans was also shown. The aim of this study was to summarise the state of knowledge on the complexity of Se occurrence in the environment and its importance in the soil-plant-animals-human system.

Land Use and Land Cover Change for Resilient Environment and Sustainable Development in the Ethiopian Rift Valley Region

Land use and land cover change (LULCC) are the result of different interacting socio-economic and environmental causes and consequences that have been known since the beginning of agriculture. The study intended to explore the implications and drivers of LULCC in the Ethiopian rift valley region of Gidabo river sub basin from 1986 to 2019. The researchers have triangulated the data from Landsat 5 (™), and Landsat 8 (OLI) with data obtained from key informants, focus groups and field observation, which is helpful to determine the interaction between the environment and the community. It is also important to mitigate environmental disaster (erosion, landslides, and climate change) and sustainable utilization of natural resources. The LULCC of the past 33 years implied that about 58.4 % of the area was changed to other Land use land cover (LULC) classes. This refers to the fact that about 14% of agroforestry, 2% of the settlement, 1.1% of the forest, and 1% of bare land were expanded at the expense of 10.3% of shrub/woodland, 6.3 % of grassland, and 1% of cropland classes. Therefore, as a result, the highest land cover (46.7%) was observed on the agroforestry system. Participants in group discussion and informant interviews attributed the expansion of agroforestry to the drivers, such as population density, cultural values (Songo, Babbo), traditional beliefs, land policy, and the insecurity resulting from climate change. Whereas, the drivers related to unproductive land, resettlement, urbanisation, and lack of agricultural inputs were considered as threats that will adversely affect the agroforestry system of the area. The study concluded that the high expansion of the agroforestry system has significant contribution to achieve a resilient environment and sustainable development, which integrates the socio-economic and environmental needs of the community. But greater attention should be given to the changes observed in shrub/woodland, grassland, and bare land to enhance environmental protection.

Reflections on the Mechanisms to Protect Against Formation of Price Bubble in the EU ETS Market

The rapid increases of European Union Allowance (EUA) prices and very high market volatility, resulting mainly from the growing role of speculative entities, can contribute to forming a price bubble. This may cause the market instability and could have a implications on planning future reduction investments by European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) participants. That is why they need some kind of ‘safety valve’, an effective EU ETS instrument, which can be triggered when the situation requires it. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the current legislative rules of the EU ETS protect against sudden EUA price fluctuation and the risk of formation of a price bubble. This paper tries to assess the potential EUA price bubble and to review of existing instruments within the EU ETS, analysing their efficiency using different assumptions and identify channels of possible other market instruments to efficiently prevent the carbon market instability caused by rising EUA prices and market speculation. We argue that the European Commission (EC) does not currently have an appropriate market instrument to respond to the EUA price fluctuation. Moreover, there are some legislative loopholes in the system, which may encourage market speculators to influence EUA prices, and there is need to introduce better market safeguards.

Benefits and Limitations of Methods of Measuring Food Losses and Their Economic and Non-Economic Significance – The Case of Bakery and Confectionery Industry

The urgent challenge of reaching sustainable development goals (including those pertaining to the limitation of food losses and waste) raises social awareness in this area. At the same time, a need arose to conduct studies focusing on the creation of a system of gathering and reporting data on food wastage and procedures helping to reduce its scale. The article presents and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of selected methods of data collection used for estimating of food losses in processing sectors, based on a case of the bakery and confectionery industry (the mass balance method, quantitative studies – questionnaire/survey methods, qualitative research – in-depth interviews, direct measurement). Attention was paid to the importance of methodological, technical, organisational and legal aspects. The starting points were the methods for certain links in the food chain identified in EU legal documents of 2019. Bakery and confectionery businesses make up around 40% of the number of entities operating in the agri-food sector in Poland, holding an important place in the food economy. The sector's losses are around 2.5% of the mass of the manufactured products, with the highest losses attributable to production departments in bakeries. The complexity of manufacturing processes of a wide range of bakery and confectionery products raises numerous problems with regard to measuring losses, especially in the methodological, technical, organisational and legal aspects. The mass balance method should be considered the most recommended for measuring losses in the bakery and confectionery sector. Collected knowledge can be used on a practical level, to create reporting systems about food losses in our country for selected food sectors. Such actions will allow meeting the reporting requirements of the European Commission (EC) and to monitor process of food loss reduction.

Analysis of Changes in Shopping Habits and Causes of Food Waste Among Consumers Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

Food waste is a worldwide phenomenon that needs to be reduced. The causes of this problem vary widely. The study used the Computer-Assisted Web Interview method. There were 500 respondents from all over the country and among them 60% women and 40% men. The sample selection was purposeful. Before the pandemic began, the highest percentage of consumers shopped two to three times a week. As of March 2020, the frequency of this activity has decreased for every fourth respondent. Also during this period, an increase in the frequency of shopping alone was observed, as well as an increase in the number of people who outsource their shopping list to others. Nowadays, the vast majority of respondents usually create a shopping list before doing it and follow it. Before the pandemic, this was the case for only 46% of respondents, while during the pandemic it was the case for 81%. Exceeding the expiration date was the most common reason for throwing products in the trash before as well as during the pandemic. Over-shopping as a cause of food waste increased almost fourfold during the pandemic. A positive aspect is noticeable for the ‘I don’t throw food away’ response. The percentage of respondents increased from 16% to 21%. During both survey periods, respondents most often indicated that they throw away fruits, vegetables, bread, and dairy products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers’ shopping behaviour changed. They attended grocery stores far less frequently, mostly on their own, and purchased larger quantities of products. Nonetheless, consumers planned their purchases and checked expiration dates before putting food in their shopping carts. Households were thus forced to respond quickly, adjusting their shopping behaviour. These behaviours have implications for the subsequent activities of retail merchants.

Assessment of the Impact of the Functioning of the FIFO on the Occurrence of Organic Products with an Exceeded Use-By Date

Food waste is a global problem with 5% of the European Union's (EU's) retail sector responsible. The reasons cited for food waste at retail level among others: undesirable customer behaviour, inadequate packaging, irregular demand, overestimated deliveries, small store area and warehouse space, inappropriate replenishment policies in shops and increased product quality requirements. The requirement to keep shelves full in stores and inappropriate storage logistics lead to overstocking of products, the arrangement of which disregards the first in-first out (FIFO) principle. It contributes to the amplification of food take-offs and may lead to the occurrence of products with exceeded use-by dates, which is the most common cause of food wastage [Federacja Polskich Banków Żywności 2020]. The aim of the study was to evaluate the functioning of the FIFO system in specialist stores, discount stores and large-format stores that have organic food on offer. To evaluate the FIFO system, unannounced inspections were conducted in the stores. During the inspections, errors in the arrangement of products according to the FIFO system were detected. The items found to be out of order were both long and short-dated products, stored in refrigerated as well as on regular shelves, indicating that stores have a problem with storage logistics in all departments. Improving solutions and implementing appropriate measures in this area could reduce food wastage at the retail level.

Ethical Consumption as the Basis for Counteracting Food Waste

The objective of the article is to present the concept of practical consumer ethics, which may constitute the axiological basis of sustainable consumption and such an attitude of the consumer that will prevent the negative impact of food consumption on the natural and social environment and will counteract the food waste. The authors consider ethical consumption against the background of the normative pattern of sustainable consumption, which is the practical operationalisation of the concept of sustainable development. This pattern implies, on the one hand, consumer ethics and, on the other hand, an environmentally and socially responsible lifestyle. Against this background, the authors postulate the concept of frugalism as a practical ethics of consumption, based on aretological assumptions and the values of Henryk Skolimowski's ecological ethics. Frugalism, in its normative assumptions, contributes to deconsumption by changing the system of values, attitudes and preferences of a consumer, who voluntarily decides to limit the amount of purchased products, preferring those that are recycled and more sustainable. The authors present comparative statements of the features of the consumerist and frugalistic attitudes.

The resilience of Rubiaceae to anthropogenic factors: a case study from the Himalayan range of Western Bhutan

The study about the resilience of Rubiaceae to the influence of anthropogenic factors was conducted along the altitudinal gradient of 300–3900 m asl. in Western Bhutan. The survey covered three types of forest, categorized based on the prevalence of anthropogenic disturbances and assessed the diversity of Rubiaceae species in each forest type. The study recorded a total of 54 Rubiaceae species belonging to 41 genera from the study sites. The high diversity of Rubiaceae in the intermediately disturbed forest as revealed by Simpson and Shannon-Wiener diversity analysis and further strengthened by a between-group one-way ANOVA analysis contradicts the presumed description of Rubiaceae as ecologically sensitive. The wider adaptability range exhibited by Ceriscoides (Hook.f.) Tirvendadum, Himalrandia Yamazaki, Uncaria Schreber, and Leptodermis Wall. showing presence in all the forest categories indicates a higher survival rate of these genera. On the contrary, the species showing a higher rate of confinement to a specific habitat bears higher risk of extinction due to ever-rising anthropogenic disturbances. As such, an exhaustive research assessing the impact of different categories of anthropogenic factors on different species of Rubiaceae is required to understand the overall resilience of the family to the anthropogenic disturbances.

Stakeholders’ Perceptions of the EU ETS Revision and Development

The European Green Deal (EGD) communication supports strengthening and expansion of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Possible linkages with other carbon markets worldwide are also subject to both experts’ and policy-makers’ discussions. Results of the survey on the state and expectations concerning the development of the EU climate policy measures, in particular, the EU ETS, are presented in this article. The survey was done online. There is a group of questions dealing with the EU ETS performance and future development, and another concerning available information assessment and individual self-assessment in terms of relevant knowledge.