Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hope M. Wikoff, Samantha B. Reese, Matthew O. Reese
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of two dominant photovoltaic technologies on global decarbonization goals and finds that increasing the deployment of thin-film PV and changing the manufacturing grid mix can contribute to achieving these goals.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ville Uusitalo, Ladan Abrari, Mari Hupponen, Jouni Havukainen, Jarkko Levanen
Summary: This study assessed the climate impacts of biowaste collection and utilization, comparing different collection methods in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. The results showed that source separation of biowaste and directing it to biogas production can lead to lower overall greenhouse gas emissions. Encouraging people to source separate their biowaste should be made as easy and encouraging as possible to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Semra Bakkaloglu, Dave Lowry, Rebecca E. Fisher, Malika Menoud, Mathias Lanoiselle, Huilin Chen, Thomas Rockmann, Euan G. Nisbet
Summary: This study characterizes the carbon isotopic signatures of methane waste sources and explores the use of hydrogen isotopes for waste source identification. The results show distinct signatures for different waste sources, providing valuable information for regional modeling.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yuecheng Xin, Dilan Robert, Abbas Mohajerani, Phuong Tran, Biplob Kumar Pramanik
Summary: This study investigates the utilization of waste contaminated fines (RCF) for brick production and evaluates its performance and environmental implications. The results show that the novel brick product made from waste material exhibits superior performance and reduces CO2 emissions. This alternative provides a sustainable solution for the brick manufacturing industry.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Virin Kittithammavong, Wilawan Khanitchaidecha, Pajaree Thongsanit
Summary: Plastic consumption behavior in Thailand and its impact on climate change at the end-of-life stage were examined in this study. Questionnaires were used to collect information on general plastic consumption and plastic waste management. The results showed that people consumed single-use plastic at a rate of about nine pieces/household/day or three pieces/cap/day, while medium-use and long-use plastic consumption were 10 pieces/household/month and 50 pieces/household/year, respectively. Factors such as population density, education, and number of household members influenced plastic consumption behavior, especially for single-use plastic. Thai people, on average, contribute 0.15 kg CO(2)eq/household/day to climate change through the improper disposal of end-of-life plastics, such as open dumping and open burning. Practicing proper waste management will be crucial for Thailand to achieve carbon neutrality in the future.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Asad Iqbal, Feixiang Zan, Xiaoming Liu, Guanghao Chen
Summary: This study evaluated the lifecycle of six alternative scenarios for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food waste management in a metropolis, finding that combined anaerobic digestion and composting technique performed the best in reducing impact.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Semra Bakkaloglu, Jasmin Cooper, Adam Hawkes
Summary: This study examines the impact of waste management strategies on methane emissions in the UK. It suggests that diverting biowaste from landfills to anaerobic digesters is effective, but not sufficient to eliminate emissions. Upgrading biogas into biomethane is the best option for climate change mitigation. Changing biowaste strategies can significantly reduce methane emissions, but achieving net-zero emissions requires minimizing emissions from treatment technologies.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Muhammad Hammad Mushtaq, Fahad Noor, M. A. Mujtaba, Salman Asghar, Abdulfatah Abdu Yusuf, Manzoore Elahi M. Soudagar, Abrar Hussain, Mohamed Fathy Badran, Kiran Shahapurkar
Summary: The growing population in urban areas exacerbates the issue of hospital waste management in developing countries. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of different hospital waste management scenarios using life cycle assessment approach. The findings suggest that implementing an integrated approach can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and recover materials for reuse. Therefore, implementing an integrated approach is crucial for advancing sustainable hospital waste management. The results of this study can be utilized for future research and policymaking.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tibisay Perez, Sintana E. Vergara, Whendee L. Silver
Summary: Food waste is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in landfills. Composting food waste has the potential to reduce emissions, but there is a lack of data on commercial-scale emissions and their drivers. This study measured methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide emissions during food waste composting and found that the emission factors were primarily driven by redox and watering events. The overall emission factor for food waste composting was lower than landfilling, suggesting that composting can help mitigate emissions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gijs Leguijt, Joannes D. Maasakkers, Hugo A. C. Denier van der Gon, Arjo J. Segers, Tobias Borsdorff, Ilse Aben
Summary: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a significant air pollutant emitted by forest fires, incomplete combustion, and human activities. The TROPOMI satellite instrument provides daily global coverage of CO emissions, and a flux-based emission quantification method is developed to estimate emissions from various cities in Africa. Comparison with bottom-up inventories reveals underestimations in EDGAR and overestimations in DACCIWA, indicating inaccurate combustion efficiencies and emission factors. The computationally efficient method combined with TROPOMI observations also identifies a weekend effect in road-transport-dominated CO emissions in Cairo and Algiers.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Nicolae Scarlat, Matteo Prussi, Monica Padella
Summary: This study quantifies carbon emissions associated with the production and use of electricity in European countries, revealing significant variations between countries. The carbon intensity of electricity has shown a clear reduction trend since 1990 for most European countries, with the carbon intensity of low voltage electricity in the EU decreasing from 641 gCO2eq/kWh in 1990 to 334 gCO2eq/kWh in 2019, and expected to continue in the future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiaxin Lu, Yizhan Qiu, Atif Muhmood, Luxi Zhang, Pan Wang, Lianhai Ren
Summary: This study assessed the co-composting efficiency of biodegradable plastic bags (BPBs) and food waste. The results showed that the addition of BPBs accelerated organic matter degradation and increased temperature, but also increased methane and carbon dioxide emissions. The different additives in the plastic bags also affected compost maturity and bacterial community. The study provided important insights into the potential environmental and human health risks of microplastics generated from the degradation of BPBs in compost.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chaopeng Hong, Jennifer A. Burney, Julia Pongratz, Julia E. M. S. Nabel, Nathaniel D. Mueller, Robert B. Jackson, Steven J. Davis
Summary: Historically, human uses of land have significantly impacted ecosystems, biodiversity, and the atmosphere through greenhouse gas emissions. Despite global efforts to mitigate emissions, land-use emissions have continued to rise, driven by factors such as population growth, agricultural production, and land-use changes. Regional disparities in emissions intensity and the disproportionate impact of certain products, such as beef, emphasize the need for targeted mitigation strategies. Our findings provide insights into the complex drivers of global land-use emissions, offering valuable information for future conservation and sustainability efforts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ruirong Li, Liang Cai, Jie Cao, Pengjun Wang, Haoli Qu, Mingjiang Chen, Yongsheng Chen
Summary: This study investigated the effect of different ventilation systems on composting efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions in vegetable waste compost, and the results showed that a multichannel ventilation system can improve composting efficiency and reduce gas emissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nurul Ain Abu Bakar, Ahmad Muhaimin Roslan, Mohd Ali Hassan, Mohammad Hariz Abdul Rahman, Khairul Nadiah Ibrahim, Muhammad Daaniyall Abdul Rahman, Rozyanti Mohamad
Summary: A study conducted in Malaysia evaluated the life cycle of glucose production from paddy waste. The findings showed that agriculture and the purification process were the main contributors to environmental impact. Converting paddy waste into glucose could be considered as an alternative for managing waste from the paddy supply chain.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
David N. Bristow, Eugene A. Mohareb
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Christopher Kennedy
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Christopher Kennedy
Summary: This article examines the biophysical characteristics of Britain's Industrial Revolution and their impacts on the economy, finding that stagnation in agricultural productivity and reduced efficiency in coal mining result in decreased growth of capital stock and significant changes in labor distribution.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Lorraine Sugar, Chris Kennedy
Summary: Complexity science tools can better understand city development processes, with the urban scaling laws being power-law relationships between city size and other characteristics. Theoretical models introduce a parameter called net urban benefit, which plays a critical role in measuring city sustainability.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chris Kennedy, Reid Lifset
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Book Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Christopher Kennedy
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Kelsey Shaw, Christopher Kennedy, Caetano C. Dorea
Summary: This analysis investigated the impact of decentralized sanitation technologies on climate change in relation to achieving SDG 6.2 targets. The results showed that improved emission factors for sanitation technologies can significantly reduce GHG emissions, but achieving sanitation goals may lead to an increase in global GHG emissions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Daniel Otero Pena, Daniela Perrotti, Eugene Mohareb
Summary: Urban metabolism studies provide valuable insights for resource efficiency at the city scale. This article argues for the integration of spatially explicit urban metabolism data in urban planning to improve the development and management of open space networks. The research presents a methodological strategy using GIS data to enhance the applicability of metabolic studies in urban planning, illustrated through a case study in Mexico City. The results of the study provide an improved understanding of borough metabolic profiles, highlighting the potential for more resource-efficient development of open space networks.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Oliver Heidrich, Alistair C. Ford, Richard J. Dawson, David A. C. Manning, Eugene Mohareb, Marco Raugei, Joris Baars, Mohammad Ali Rajaeifar
Summary: This paper presents a tool named LAYERS that utilizes material flow analysis to illustrate the complex connections in carbon technology supply chains. The tool focuses on a case study of cobalt for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, and visualizes the intended and unintended consequences of cobalt demand. LAYERS integrates a geographic information system architecture and provides a clear understanding of the location of raw materials and their geopolitical implications.
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chris Kennedy, Richard Wood
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas Butt, Eugene Mohareb, Kelvin Egbor, Arman Hashemi, Oliver Heidrich
Summary: This research highlights the factors that have influenced greenhouse gas emissions reduction in the UK, with a focus on population density and its correlation to transportation emissions. The study finds that emissions reductions are largely driven by historic factors, economic structure changes, and central initiatives.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Christopher A. Kennedy
Summary: The paper explains the cause and proceedings of the 1930s Great Depression from a biophysical economic perspective. The Depression was a result of the transition from a coal/railroad regime to one based on hydrocarbons, motor vehicles, and electricity. The railroads played a central role in the Depression, as the economy heavily relied on them. The gradual shift in energy systems over the Depression is reflected in the energy flow Sankey diagrams for 1929 and 1939.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Christopher A. Kennedy, Martin Sers, Michael I. Westphal
Summary: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires transforming capital assets, especially energy supply ones. This paper examines the hypothesis of economically efficient decarbonization by avoiding new investments in fossil fuel assets while their capital assets depreciate. A biophysical economic model of the US energy supply system is used to assess the impact of electric vehicles on the petroleum supply chain, addressing questions on market penetration and costs of upstream capital assets.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Eugene Mohareb, Daniela Perrotti
Summary: As more than 60% of the global population resides in cities, it is crucial to focus on urban areas in order to transition to flourishing societies. While there has been extensive research on urban consumption patterns, most studies have concentrated on larger cities. However, the majority of people live in smaller urban areas, highlighting the need for more comprehensive research and tailored solutions. By examining the example of Reading, UK, this study explores the variations in per capita urban metabolic flows among different types of cities, emphasizing the importance of further research and the development of a typology for sustainable transitions.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chris Kennedy, Richard Wood
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)