Article
Environmental Sciences
Dafne Crutchik, Javiera Barboza, Jose Ramon Vazquez-Padin, Alba Pedrouso, Angeles Val del Rio, Anuska Mosquera-Corral, Jose Luis Campos
Summary: Food waste is a major component of municipal solid waste and its sustainable management is a global challenge. Co-treatment of food waste and urban wastewater in wastewater treatment plants can reduce landfill disposal while converting organic waste into biogas. However, this co-treatment can increase capital and operating costs due to the higher sludge production. This study analyzed different scenarios for co-treatment of food waste and wastewater from economic and environmental perspectives, and found that its feasibility depends on the ratio of management costs between municipal solid waste and sewage sludge.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Henrik B. Moller, Peter Sorensen, Jorgen E. Olesen, Soren O. Petersen, Tavs Nyord, Sven G. Sommer
Summary: Anaerobic digestion can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock manure and produce biogas as a substitute for fossil energy. Different scenarios show reductions in GHG emissions ranging from 65 to 105 kg CO2-eq ton(-1) biomass.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yi-Chen Lan, Vivian Wy Tam, Weiqi Xing, Rina Datt, Zhonghua Chan
Summary: There is a lack of research on the environmental impacts of cut flowers from growing facilities to end consumers, and no review has been conducted on this topic. Current studies on life cycle assessment (LCA) of cut flowers show inconsistencies in the choice of functional unit and a focus on carbon footprint and energy consumption. The various flower species and cultivation methods make it challenging to compare environmental performance. To enhance environmental sustainability, suggestions include improving greenhouse technology, implementing integrated nutrient and pest management, introducing certification and labeling for cut flowers, developing sea transport with refrigerated containers, and increasing consumer awareness of environmental impact. There is still room for improvement in LCA of cut flowers, particularly in terms of allocation, waste treatment, and uncertainty analysis.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Luz Selene Buller, Larissa Castro Ampese, Josiel Martins Costa, Tania Forster-Carneiro
Summary: Brazil is the leading producer and exporter of orange juice, and orange peel, a major by-product, is usually used for animal feed. Through anaerobic digestion, renewable energy can be generated from orange peel. Research shows that anaerobic digestion can meet the energy demand of the orange juice production chain, and it also has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve energy savings.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Seyedehhoma Ghavam, M. Caroline Taylor, Peter Styring
Summary: A new sustainability-driven waste-based technology has been developed to produce green ammonia, which competes with existing high impact ammonia production technologies in terms of environmental sustainability. By converting waste into ammonia, significant reductions in environmental impacts, especially in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and water use, can be achieved.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Min Liu, Abiodun Ogunmoroti, Wei Liu, Muyang Li, Mengyan Bi, Wenqiu Liu, Zhaojie Cui
Summary: This study compared different treatment options for food waste in China using life cycle assessment and found that increasing anaerobic digestion treatment and stopping landfilling could reduce most environmental impacts by over 50%. Although anaerobic digestion is more environmentally friendly, it consumes more freshwater, so it is important to promote waste classification policies upstream and enhance resource utilization downstream.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Agronomy
Akila Wijerathna-Yapa, Ranjith Pathirana
Summary: Despite the Green Revolution's success in matching world food production with population growth, the UN's State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022 Report reveals that hunger has increased, affecting 828 million people, with 29.3% of the global population being food insecure and 22% of children under five suffering from stunted growth. Poor diets and nutrient deficiencies have led to various diet-related non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, current agricultural systems have significant environmental and climate impacts. Climate change, pandemics, and conflicts also weaken food systems, aggravating global food insecurity. This review highlights the importance of implementing sustainable agricultural practices and policies to achieve food security and nutrition goals in the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Moein Moosavi-Nezhad, Reza Salehi, Sasan Aliniaeifard, Kiara S. Winans, Ashkan Nabavi-Pelesaraei
Summary: This study examines the energy use, economic, and environmental impacts of two different systems for grafted watermelon seedlings in Iran. It found that the LED-equipped vertical systems (LVS) are less energy consumptive, environmentally burdensome, and more profitable compared to conventional tunnel systems (CTS). The study suggests using organic fertilizers, multi-floor LVS, and replacing CTS with LVS to promote sustainable agricultural production systems.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Malindu Sandanayake, David Law, Paul Sargent
Summary: This study compares the environmental sustainability of different materials using a case study of Portland cement replacement. Results show that the use of alkali activated soil filter cake can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and rail transportation is more sustainable than road transportation. Furthermore, comprehensive analysis of multiple factors is crucial in selecting sustainable materials for optimizing sustainable benefits.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nicolas Malet, Sylvain Pellerin, Romain Girault, Thomas Nesme
Summary: This study evaluates the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 30 cogeneration plants in France compared to a detailed definition and assessment of their related baseline. The results show that, on average, AD plants in the French energy context do not significantly mitigate GHG emissions due to lower carbon storage in soils compared to the baseline. However, there is significant variability among AD plants, with a third of them effectively mitigating GHG emissions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Barbara Lamolinara, Amaury Perez-Martinez, Estela Guardado-Yordi, Christian Guillen Fiallos, Karel Dieguez-Santana, Gerardo J. Ruiz-Mercado
Summary: Digestate is a nutrient-rich by-product from organic waste anaerobic digestion, but it can contribute to nutrient pollution without comprehensive management strategies. This study explores various aspects of digestate production, including feedstocks, processing technologies, economics, product quality, impurities, incentives, and regulations. The results indicate that feedstock, processing technology, and process operating conditions significantly influence the characteristics of digestate products. Incentive policies and regulations play a crucial role in promoting economic benefits. However, there is a lack of quality assurance certification systems for commercializing digestate products. Further development of technologies, processes, incentives, quality regulation, and social awareness is necessary for the sustainable and safe use of digestate in different applications. Future research should focus on circular business models and standardized international regulations for digestate products.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Sagarika Panigrahi, Bikash R. Tiwari, Satinder K. Brar, Brajesh Kumar Dubey
Summary: The present study aimed to improve the anaerobic biodegradability of yard waste by thermo-chemo-sonic pretreatment. The optimum pretreatment condition was determined, and the mechanism of delignification was discussed. The results showed that pretreated yard waste had a higher methane yield compared to untreated yard waste. The life cycle assessment confirmed the positive environmental impact of pretreatment.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Eskinder Gemechu, Amit Kumar
Summary: Hydropower is an important renewable energy source, but there is controversy over whether it is carbon-neutral like solar and wind power. Research shows that the characteristics of hydropower projects can lead to significant greenhouse gas emissions. This paper reviews the inconsistencies in using life cycle assessment for hydropower projects, particularly in accurately estimating and modeling reservoir greenhouse gas emissions.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adolfo Le Pera, Miriam Sellaro, Francesco Sicilia, Roberto Ciccoli, Beatrice Sceberras, Cesare Freda, Emanuele Fanelli, Giacinto Cornacchia
Summary: Separately collected food waste can be effectively recycled through industrial anaerobic digestion and composting. However, the presence of improper materials in the waste causes technical problems and reduces the quality of the outputs. This study assesses the environmental and economic impacts of these improper materials and suggests scenarios for improvement.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shunli Wang, Kamalakanta Sahoo, Umakanta Jena, Hongmin Dong, Richard Bergman, Troy Runge
Summary: This study compared the environmental impacts of traditional rendering and anaerobic digestion technology in treating slaughterhouse waste. The results showed that anaerobic digestion was more effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy, with significant environmental benefits.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jun Wang, Peter Damerell, Kun Shi, Philip Riordan, Kebiao Zhu, Xiaohu Wang, Peng Wang, Aishanjiang Reheman, Jianwei Yang
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Article
Biology
Aurelio F. Malo, Tania C. Gilbert, Philip Riordan
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Mohamed Wassim Hizem, Philip Riordan, Haithem El-Farhati, Lazhar Hamdi, Said Nouira
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lauren J. Hale, Kun Shi, Tania C. Gilbert, Kelvin S-H Peh, Philip Riordan
Summary: The study evaluated the Asian elephant population in the Nangunhe National Nature Reserve in China, revealing a total population size of around 20 individuals, with a strong bias towards females and a relatively high effective density. Most elephants associated in one herd, but some adult females remained separate. The authors suggest implementing a managed metapopulation approach to ensure the continued survival of remnant elephant populations like Nangunhe in China and beyond.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Chawki Najjar, Belhassen Kaabi, Hend Younsi, Marie Petretto, Philip Riordan, Elyes Zhioua
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Luciano Atzeni, Samuel A. Cushman, Defeng Bai, Jun Wang, Pengju Chen, Kun Shi, Philip Riordan
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Joseph P. Lambert, Robyn P. Geldard, Li Yibin, Shi Kun, Philip Riordan
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2020)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Mohamed Khalil Meliane, Amira Saidi, Mohamed Boufaroua, Marie Petretto, Philip Riordan, Tania Gilbert
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Luciano Atzeni, Samuel A. Cushman, Jun Wang, Philip Riordan, Kun Shi, David Bauman
Summary: Spatial genetic patterns of snow leopard population in the Qilian mountains of China were characterized using spatially explicit indices of diversity and Principal Component Analysis. The genetic patterns showed significant spatial structure, with broad geographical division and fine-scale cline of differentiation. The study highlights the importance of considering spatial factors in understanding genetic diversity and isolation effects in wildlife populations.
Article
Economics
Kirsten Davies, Michelle Lim, Tianbao Qin, Philip Riordan
Summary: This article calls for proactive protection of the natural environment and its regenerative systems as the first step in preventing future epidemics and pandemics. It identifies the need for a legal shift towards incorporating international environmental agreements to prevent viral spillover from animal to human populations. The paper proposes strengthening existing agreements and integrating legal disciplines, such as health and environmental law, to enhance the emergence and management of future pandemics and epidemics. It introduces the concept of Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) Law and advocates for the development of a Convention on Epidemics and Pandemics.
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS-POLITICS LAW AND ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chelsea Smith, Tania C. Gilbert, Tim Woodfine, Alex Kraaijeveld, Geoffrey Chege, David Kimiti, Belinda Low-Mackey, Mathew Mutinda, Shadrack Ngene, Dan Rubenstein, Anthony Wandera, Philip Riordan
Summary: Land degradation, competition with livestock, infrastructure development, and climate change have reduced habitat availability and population connectivity for many wildlife species, particularly large herbivores. The study on Grevy's zebra highlights the decline in population connectivity and offers insights for conservation strategies for other threatened species. Data on the movement patterns of Grevy's zebra can inform habitat management and conservation actions, not only for this species but also for other large herbivores in similar environments worldwide.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
News Item
Biodiversity Conservation
Kate Tointon
Article
Ecology
Mohamed Khalil Meliane, Marie Petretto, Amira Saidi, Philip Riordan, Tim Woodfine, Hela Guedara, Sassi Mahdhi, Tania Gilbert
Summary: Slender-horned gazelles in North Africa are experiencing extensive poaching pressure, with their main remaining population patch located between Tunisia and Algeria. Difficult terrain and strict permitting requirements limit access to their distribution range in both countries. A combination of aerial and ground surveys revealed the presence of a slender-horned gazelle population in Tunisia, but immediate intervention is needed to prevent further decline. Ex-situ conservation and continuous monitoring of the wild range are recommended.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2023)
News Item
Biodiversity Conservation
Mohamed Khalil Meliane, Amira Saidi, Marie Petretto, Tim Woodfine, Philip Riordan, Tania Gilbert, Ezzedine Taghouti, Hela Guidara
Article
Ecology
Nadia Sitas, Zuzana V. Harmackova, Jonathan A. Anticamara, Almut Arneth, Ruchi Badola, Reinette Biggs, Ryan Blanchard, Lluis Brotons, Matthew Cantele, Kaera Coetzer, Rajarshi DasGupta, Eefje den Belder, Sonali Ghosh, Antoine Guisan, Haripriya Gundimeda, Maike Hamann, Paula A. Harrison, Shizuka Hashimoto, Jennifer Hauck, Brian J. Klatt, Kasper Kok, Rainer M. Krug, Aidin Niamir, Patrick J. O'Farrell, Sana Okayasu, Ignacio Palomo, Laura M. Pereira, Philip Riordan, Fernando Santos-Martin, Odirilwe Selomane, Yunne-Jai Shin, Mireia Valle
ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY
(2019)