bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Tourism Flow Network Patterns on May Day Holiday
Authors: Wu Shanshan , Wang Lucang , Liu Haiyang
Published: January 2021

The development of tourism is based on tourism flow and studying a tourism flow network can help to elucidate its mechanism of operation. Transportation network is the path to realize the spatial displacement of tourism flow. This study used “Tencent migration” big data to explore the spatial distribution characteristics and rules of tourism flow in China, providing suggestions for the development of tourism. The results demonstrate that the 361 cities studied can be divided into three types: destination-oriented, tourist-origin-oriented, and destination-oriented and tourist-origin-oriented. There are significant differences in the quantity of flow, the area of concentration, and the factors affecting the flow in the three types of cities. The larger the flow of tourism between cities, the higher the network level, and the wider the network range. The high-level nodes are closely related, while the peripheral nodes are more widely distributed, with weak attractiveness and inconvenient traffic, forming a “core-edge” structure. Different network patterns are established for different modes of transportation. The degree of response of different types of transportation to distance is the main factor influencing the network patterns of diverse paths. These findings have practical implications for the choice of appropriate travel destinations and transportation modes for tourists.
The Effects of Workplace Loneliness on Work Engagement and Organizational Commitment: Moderating Roles of Leader-Member Exchange and Coworker Exchange
Authors: Jung Hyo Sun , Song Min Kyung , Yoon Hye Hyun
Published: January 2021

This study aims to examine the effect of workplace loneliness on work engagement and organizational commitment and the moderating role of social relationships between an employee and his or her superior and coworkers in such mechanisms. Workplace loneliness decreased employees’ engagement with their jobs and, as such, decreased engagement had a positive relationship with organizational commitment. Also, the negative influence of workplace loneliness on work engagement was found to be moderated by coworker exchange, and employees’ maintenance of positive social exchange relationships with their coworkers was verified to be a major factor for relieving the negative influence of workplace loneliness.
Ammonium Utilization in Microalgae: A Sustainable Method for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Salbitani Giovanna , Carfagna Simona
Published: January 2021

In plant cells, ammonium is considered the most convenient nitrogen source for cell metabolism. However, despite ammonium being the preferred N form for microalgae, at higher concentrations, it can be toxic, and can cause growth inhibition. Microalgae’s tolerance to ammonium depends on the species, with various taxa showing different thresholds of tolerability and symptoms of toxicity. In the environment, ammonium at high concentrations represents a dangerous pollutant. It can affect water quality, causing numerous environmental problems, including eutrophication of downstream waters. For this reason, it is important to treat wastewater and remove nutrients before discharging it into rivers, lakes, or seas. A valid and sustainable alternative to conventional treatments could be provided by microalgae, coupling the nutrient removal from wastewater with the production of valuable biomass. This review is focused on ammonium and its importance in algal nutrition, but also on its problematic presence in aquatic systems such as wastewaters. The aim of this work is to provide recent information on the exploitation of microalgae in ammonium removal and the role of ammonium in microalgae metabolism.
Comparative Environmental Life Cycle and Cost Assessment of Electric, Hybrid, and Conventional Vehicles in Lithuania
Authors: Petrauskienė Kamilė , Galinis Arvydas , Kliaugaitė Daina , Dvarionienė Jolanta
Published: January 2021

Electric mobility is promoted as a future transport option that has environmental and economic benefits and encourages sustainable urban transportation. The aim of this study is to reveal the changes in environmental and economic performance if we switched from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to battery electric (BEV) or hybrid electric (HEV) vehicles. Therefore, this research presents a comparative environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) from the Cradle-to-Grave perspective of the vehicles and a Well-to-Wheel analysis of their fuel supply. Moreover, an LCA of a BEV was performed under diverse electricity mix scenarios, which are forecasted for 2015–2050 in Lithuania. From an economic point of view, a life cycle costing was conducted for the same vehicles to estimate the economic impacts over the vehicle life cycles under Lithuanian conditions. The results show that ICEV-petrol contributes the major environmental damage in all damage categories. BEVs with the electricity mix of 2020–2050 scenarios, which are composed mainly of renewable energy sources, provide the least environmental impact. The economic results reveal that BEV and ICEV-diesel are the most cost-efficient vehicles, with the total consumer life cycle costs of approximately 5% and 15% less than ICEV-petrol and HEV, respectively.
The Potential of Geographical Indications (GI) to Enhance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Japan: Overview and Insights from Japan GI Mishima Potato
Authors: Kimura Junko , Rigolot Cyrille
Published: January 2021

Geographical indications (GIs) have recently become an important tool for Japanese agricultural policy, particularly after the adoption of a “sui generis” certification system in 2015. In the same year, the United Nations proposed a common agenda with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The present paper addresses the potential of GIs to enhance SDGs in Japan. First, we examine existing knowledge on GI inception, which consists in both government reports and research surveys. We show that these studies mostly focus on SDGs related to economic growth, and on social issues raised by the registration process. Then, as an exploration of potential impacts of GIs on the full set of SDGs, we study the case of Mishima Bareisho Potato GI, on the basis of interviews and participatory observation. From local stakeholders’ point of view, Mishima Potato GI can contribute to at least nine SDGs at all the production, transformation and commercialization stages. The SDG framework is useful to reveal some contributions seldomly considered in GI studies but which matter for local people, for example, the employment of disabled people or nutritional education. Finally, we discuss how these new insights can contribute to the debate on the potential role and limits of GIs for sustainable development in Japan.
Connectivity and Savings Propensity among Odisha Tribals
Authors: Viswanath P.V.
Published: January 2021

Tribal areas are some of the poorest regions of India. An increase in local savings is an important tool in fostering sustainable growth in these areas. This paper uses the results of a survey to examine the factors affecting saving in a rural part of Odisha state populated primarily by tribals. We find that an important determinant of savings propensity is connectivity, which we interpret as a measure of the extent to which individuals feel connected to the broader economy, and an indication of their economic optimism. This interpretation is buttressed by the relationship between savings propensity and variables such as food consumption patterns and asset ownership that may also reflect attitudinal factors. One implication of these findings is that connecting rural areas to other, possibly urban, locations could elicit greater savings and thus lead to greater income growth. By relating savings behavior to new sociological population characteristics, such as perceived connectivity and food consumption patterns, this paper provides hitherto unexplored clues for policy initiatives to increase savings.
Choreographic Group-Based Fitness Classes Improve Cardiometabolic Health-Related Anthropometric Indices and Blood Lipids Profile in Overweight Sedentary Women
Authors: Barranco-Ruiz Yaira , Villa-González Emilio
Published: January 2021

Background: Choreographic group-based fitness classes are the most common type of physical activity practiced by women, being a viable and sustainable strategy to improve general health. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of a 16-week healthy lifestyle program, based on choreographic fitness classes, on cardiometabolic health-related anthropometric indices and metabolic blood profile among overweight sedentary women. Methods: A total of 50 overweight (Body Mass Index = 27.68 ± 1.19 kg/m2) middle-aged women (39.73 ± 7.41 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental exercise group based on structured choreographic fitness classes (CFC) with the Zumba Fitness program (3 days/week; 60 min/session) (CFC = 30) or a non-exercise control group (CG = 20). The anthropometric indices (waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, a body shape index, conicity index, abdominal volume index, and body adiposity index), blood pressure, glycemia, and blood lipid profile [triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)] were evaluated pre- and post-intervention. Results: 40 participants competed the pre/post measures. Post-intervention, the CFC group (n = 25) presented a significant improvement in all anthropometric indices as well as in TG, HDL, and LDL as compared with the CG (n = 15). Conclusion: A 16-week healthy lifestyle program based on structured choreographic fitness classes with the Zumba Fitness program (3 days/week; 60 min/session) could significantly improve cardiometabolic health-related anthropometric indices and the blood lipid profile in overweight sedentary middle-aged women.
In Use Determination of Aerodynamic and Rolling Resistances of Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Authors: Komnos Dimitrios , Broekaert Stijn , Grigoratos Theodoros , Ntziachristos Leonidas , Fontaras Georgios
Published: January 2021

A vehicle’s air drag coefficient (Cd) and rolling resistance coefficient (RRC) have a significant impact on its fuel consumption. Consequently, these properties are required as input for the certification of the vehicle’s fuel consumption and Carbon Dioxide emissions, regardless of whether the certification is done via simulation or chassis dyno testing. They can be determined through dedicated measurements, such as a drum test for the tire’s rolling resistance coefficient and constant speed test (EU) or coast down test (US) for the body’s air Cd. In this paper, a methodology that allows determining the vehicle’s Cd·A (the product of Cd and frontal area of the vehicle) from on-road tests is presented. The possibility to measure these properties during an on-road test, without the need for a test track, enables third parties to verify the certified vehicle properties in order to preselect vehicle for further regulatory testing. On-road tests were performed with three heavy-duty vehicles, two lorries, and a coach, over different routes. Vehicles were instrumented with wheel torque sensors, wheel speed sensors, a GPS device, and a fuel flow sensor. Cd·A of each vehicle is determined from the test data with the proposed methodology and validated against their certified value. The methodology presents satisfactory repeatability with the error ranging from −21 to 5% and averaging approximately −6.8%. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates the possibility of using the tire energy efficiency label instead of the measured RRC to determine the air drag coefficient. Finally, on-road tests were simulated in the Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool with the obtained parameters, and the average difference in fuel consumption was found to be 2%.
Sustainability of Traditional Rice Cultivation in Kerala, India—A Socio-Economic Analysis
Authors: Krishnankutty Jayasree , Blakeney Michael , Raju Rajesh K. , Siddique Kadambot H. M.
Published: January 2021

Traditional rice cultivars and cultivation are on the decline in most rice-growing areas, mainly as a result of their low productivity. Packed with nutritionally, environmentally and locally superior qualities, traditional cultivars hold the key for sustainability in rice cultivation. This study explored the dynamics of traditional rice cultivation in Kerala, India. It examined the economic, institutional and socio demographic factors involved in the production and marketing of traditional rice. We employed a multinomial logit model and discriminant function analysis to extract the key factors governing farmers’ marketing behaviour, and various cost measures to study the economics of rice enterprises. The socio-demographic factors were analysed using descriptive statistical tools. Holding size and institutional support were the main factors governing the marketing behaviour of farmers. Even though traditional rice farming was not found to be cost-effective in implicit terms, it was remunerative when imputed personal labour and owned land costs were not considered. The study found that traditional farmers are ageing, have a lower education and use limited marketing channels. However, the majority of them were satisfied with their farm enterprise. By streamlining the market support mechanism and processing facilities, traditional rice would most likely gain momentum in key areas.
q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy TOPSIS Method for Green Supplier Selection Problem
Authors: Pınar Adem , Babak Daneshvar Rouyendegh , Özdemir Yavuz Selim
Published: January 2021

Supply chain management is to improve competitive stress. In today’s world, competitive terms and customer sense have altered in favor of an environmentalist manner. As a result of this, green supplier selection has become a very important topic. In the green supplier selection approach, agility, lean process, sustainability, environmental sensitivity, and durability are pointed. Like the classical supplier selection problems, environmental criteria generally emphasize green supplier selection. However, these two problem approaches are different from each other in terms of carbon footprint, water consumption, environmental and recycling applications. Due to the problem structure, a resolution is defined that includes an algorithm based on q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy (q-ROF) TOPSIS method. Brief information about q-ROF sets is given before the methodology of the q-ROF model is introduced. By using the proposed method and q-ROF sets, an application was made with today’s uncertain conditions. In the conclusion part, a comparison is made with classical TOPSIS, Intuitionistic Fuzzy TOPSIS and q-ROF TOPSIS methodology. As a result, more stable and accurate results are obtained with q-ROF TOPSIS.
Innovation in NBS Co-Design and Implementation
Authors: Strout James M. , Oen Amy M. P. , Kalsnes Bjørn G. , Solheim Anders , Lupp Gerd , Pugliese Francesco , Bernardie Séverine
Published: January 2021

Impacts in the form of innovation and commercialization are essential components of publicly funded research projects. PHUSICOS ("According to nature" in Greek), an EU Horizon 2020 program (H2020) Innovation Action project, aims to demonstrate the use of nature-based solutions (NBS) to mitigate hydrometeorological hazards in rural and mountainous areas. The work program is built around key innovation actions, and each Work Package (WP) leader is specifically responsible for nurturing innovation processes, maintaining market focus, and ensuring relevance for the intended recipients of the project results. Key success criteria for PHUSICOS include up-scaling and mainstream implementation of NBS to achieve broader market access. An innovation strategy and supporting tools for implementing this within PHUSICOS has been developed and key concepts forming the basis for this strategy are presented in this research note.
Encouraging Individuals to Adapt to Climate Change: Relations between Coping Strategies and Psychological Distance
Authors: Guillard Mary , Fleury-Bahi Ghozlane , Navarro Oscar
Published: January 2021

Experts agree that the environmental situation in relation to climate change requires that populations mobilize. In this respect, research on psychological distance shows that the fact of perceiving an event as concrete leads individuals to adapt to this environmental issue. The first aim of this research study is to identify the different types of environmental coping as regards climate change. The second objective is to study the relations between psychological distance relative to climate change and environmental coping strategies via a quasi-experimental protocol. In order to do this, 345 participants were assigned to a group where climate change was presented as more or less distant from a spatial, temporal, social or hypothetical point of view. On the one hand, the results enable the identification of two second-order factors regarding coping strategies in relation to climate change: Strategies centered on accepting climate change and those centered on minimizing its gravity. On the other hand, covariance analyses and path analyses show that, in general, a small psychological distance in relation to climate change is likely to be associated with more strategies centered on accepting climate change and fewer strategies focused on minimizing its gravity. This study leads us to ponder the pertinence of considering the psychological distance model, notably during awareness-raising campaigns.
Interactional Justice, Informational Quality, and Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Comparison of Domestic and Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies
Authors: Lee Changjoon , Ha Byoung-Chun
Published: January 2021

As the business environment gradually intensifies, interest in building efficient supply chain relationships is growing. The basic principle of supply chain management (SCM) is to enhance efficiency by maintaining sustainable relationships between companies in the supply chain. This study classifies interactional justice into interpersonal justice and informational justice and examines their effects on informational quality and sustainable SCM by comparing Korean pharmaceutical companies with multinationals. The study used a theoretical structural model to investigate the causal impact of interactional justice on informational quality and sustainable SCM. The results indicated that interpersonal justice showed a significant positive relationship with informational justice. Further, interpersonal justice and informational justice had a significant positive effect on informational quality in Korean pharmaceutical companies but not in multinationals. Finally, informational quality had a positive effect on sustainable SCM performance regardless of the company’s nationality. This study is important because it identified the influence of interactional justice on informational quality and sustainable SCM by comparing Korean with multinational pharmaceutical companies. The study also highlighted the necessity of interpersonal justice and informational justice in the pharmaceutical industry. Lastly, the study suggests a useful method for the literature to investigate pharmaceutical companies.
Ecological Footprint as an Indicator of Corporate Environmental Performance—Empirical Evidence from Hungarian SMEs
Authors: Szennay Áron , Szigeti Cecília , Beke Judit , Radácsi László
Published: January 2021

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in the national economies of the EU member states. This economic activity has an inevitable environmental impact; however, environmental performance indicators are mostly measured at larger companies. Since the ecological footprint (EF) is a suitable measure of unsustainability, this paper considers it as a measure of the environmental impact of SMEs. An EF calculator for SMEs was developed that is freely available online, and it is a methodological innovation per se. Our previous research projects highlighted that the calculator must be easy-to-use and reliable; therefore, the calculator considers only the common, standardizable, and comparable elements of EF. Our results are based on validated ecological footprint data of 73 Hungarian SMEs surveyed by an online ecological footprint calculator. In order to validate and test the usefulness of the calculator, interviews were conducted with respondents, and results were also checked. The paper presents benchmark data of ecological footprint indicators of SMEs obtained from five groups of enterprises (construction, white-collar jobs, production, retail and/or wholesale trade, and transportation). Statistical results are explained with qualitative data (such as environmental protection initiatives, business models, etc.) of the SMEs surveyed. Our findings could be used as a benchmark for the assessment of environmental performance of SMEs in Central- and Eastern Europe.
Iberian Halophytes as Agroecological Solutions for Degraded Lands and Biosaline Agriculture
Authors: Duarte Bernardo , Caçador Isabel
Published: January 2021

Research on biosaline agriculture has been increasing worldwide in recent years. In this respect, the Iberian halophyte diversity present a high-value ecological solution to be implemented for biosaline-based agroecosystems. The research on these halophytic species has been increasing worldwide and, in the recent years, especially in terms saline agriculture adaptation, osmophysiology and nutraceutical potential, highlighting the importance and potential of these species in terms of agrosolutions. The Mediterranean area has high biodiversity in terms of endemic halophytic vegetation (ca. 62 species), providing an alternative pool of potential new agricultural products to be cultivated in adverse conditions. Besides being highly diverse, most of these species are endemic and present a perennial life cycle with several applications in terms of food, forage, nutraceutical, feedstock and remediation. More specifically, the Iberian halophytic flora shows potential as resources of essential fatty acids, minerals and antioxidants—all very important for human and animal nutrition. Alongside the establishment of halophyte agroecological solutions is the provision of key ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and soil rehabilitation. Moreover, halophyte-based ecosystems provide additional recognized ecosystem services, beyond the final product production, by improving soil health, ecosystem biodiversity and storing large amounts of carbon, thereby increasing the ecosystem resilience to climate change and offering a green solution against climate change.
Migrants’ Narratives on Urban Governance: A Case from Kolkata, a City of the Global South
Authors: Chakrabarti Anuradha , Tiwari Reena , Banerji Haimanti
Published: January 2021

The paper aims to reveal the politics of urban governance and the associated impact on the lives of disenfranchised migrants. It critically explores the urban governance structure and the nature of practices involved in the cycle of settlement, eviction, resistance and resettlement. The case of Nonadanga, located at the urban margin of Kolkata, India, was explored for this purpose. An ethnographic methodology comprising observation, semi-structured interviews and oral history was adopted for the research. Twelve squatter dwellers and four experts working in Nonadanga and Kolkata were interviewed for this purpose. A three-step data analysis comprising a narrative approach, thematic network analysis and validation was adopted. A critical review of inclusive practices, together with ethnographic survey findings, demonstrates that migrants live in a condition the paper calls “partial rights”, which is a manifestation of the dialectics of inclusiveness practiced by the urban governance structure and derived from the interaction between urban governance structure and migrants’ agency. By analyzing past development trends, the paper outlines possible future scenarios for migrants’ living conditions and discusses their impact on achieving the targeted Sustainable Development Goal 11 for inclusive cities by 2030.
Factors that Inhibit Sustainable Adoption of Industry 4.0 in the South African Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Maisiri Whisper , van Dyk Liezl , Coeztee Rojanette
Published: January 2021

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) adoption in the manufacturing industry is on the rise across the world, resulting in increased empirical research on barriers and drivers to I4.0 adoption in specific country contexts. However, no similar studies are available that focus on the South African manufacturing industry. Our small-scale interview-based qualitative descriptive study aimed at identifying factors that may inhibit sustainable adoption of I4.0 in the country’s manufacturing industry. The study probed the views and opinions of 16 managers and specialists in the industry, as well as others in supportive roles. Two themes emerged from the thematic analysis: factors that inhibit sustainable adoption of I4.0 and strategies that promote I4.0 adoption in the South African manufacturing industry. The interviews highlighted cultural construct, structural inequalities, noticeable youth unemployment, fragmented task environment, and deficiencies in the education system as key inhibitors. Key strategies identified to promote sustainable adoption of I4.0 include understanding context and applying relevant technologies, strengthening policy and regulatory space, overhauling the education system, and focusing on primary manufacturing. The study offers direction for broader investigations of the specific inhibitors to sustainable I4.0 adoption in the sub-Saharan African developing countries and the strategies for overcoming them.
Towards a Sustainable Life: Smart and Green Design in Buildings and Community
Authors: Kim Mi Jeong , Jun Han Jong
Published: January 2021

Sustainability has been a popular topic among researchers in various disciplines since its value is critical to the development of user-centered environments and populations’ wellbeing [...]
Recession, Local Fertility, and Urban Sustainability: Results of a Quasi-Experiment in Greece, 1991–2018
Authors: Halbac-Cotoara-Zamfir Rares , Egidi Gianluca , Salvia Rosanna , Salvati Luca , Sateriano Adele , Gimenez-Morera Antonio
Published: January 2021

Fertility is a spatially non-stationary property of regional demographic systems. Despite the wealth of quantitative (micro–macro) information delineating short-term population dynamics in advanced economies, the contribution of economic downturns to local fertility has still been under-investigated along urban–rural gradients, especially in low-fertility contexts. Recent studies have assumed suburban fertility rates as systematically higher than urban and rural fertility rates. This assumption (hereafter known as the “suburban fertility hypothesis”) has been grounded on stylized facts and spatial regularities in advanced economies that reflect a significant role of both macro (contextual) and micro (behavioral) factors that positively influence fertility in suburban locations. To test the suburban fertility hypothesis at the macro-scale, the present study compares gross fertility rates from seven regional units of the Athens metropolitan area between 1991 and 2018. A refined spatial analysis of gross fertility rates during an economic expansion (1999–2008) and recession (2009–2018) was carried out in 115 urban, suburban, and rural municipalities of the same area. Experiencing sequential waves of economic expansion and recession, Athens’ socio-demographic dynamics were considered a sort of “quasi-experiment” for Southern Europe, linking late suburbanization with the multiple impacts of (rapid) economic downturns. Compared with both urban and rural locations, a higher fertility rate in suburban municipalities (15–20 km away from downtown Athens) was observed during the study period. However, a subtle distinction was observed during the economic expansion versus the recession. In the first period, the highest birth rates were recorded in industrial locations west of Athens, hosting economically disadvantaged communities with a relatively young population structure. With the recession, the highest fertility was associated with residential and service-specialized (wealthier) locations east of Athens, attracting resident population from neighboring areas, and better responding to crisis. The results of our study document how recent urban expansion and economic downturns have intrinsically shaped fertility dynamics, with implications for urban sustainability and social cohesion of metropolitan regions.
Sharing the Pain: Apportioning Natural Hazards Exposure in Early Modern Japan
Authors: Brown Philip C.
Published: January 2021

In the search for ideas that promote sustainability, a number of scholars examine past practices of cooperative resource management. Seventeenth to nineteenth century Japanese cultivators developed mechanisms to spread equitably among themselves exposure to certain natural hazards associated with arable lands (warichi) and is the subject of this essay. Data was collected from handwritten manuscripts and maps as well as published primary and secondary sources. Data focus heavily on the region of modern-day Niigata Prefecture. Limited numerical data was imported into digital elevation models for visual comparisons. Joint ownership practices were sufficiently robust to persist for more than two centuries and, although declining in number, continued to be employed in some communities into the 1970s. The concluding sections attempt to separate the distinctive historical circumstances from more generalizable and widely adaptable characteristics of this arrangement that might serve as inspiration for reconsideration of modern efforts to ameliorate the impact of natural hazards.
When Unfair Trade Is Also at Home: The Economic Sustainability of Coffee Farms
Authors: Lerner Daniel Grandisky , Pereira Helder Marcos Freitas , Saes Maria Sylvia Macchione , Oliveira Gustavo Magalhães de
Published: January 2021

This paper addresses the issue of unfair trade practices, investigating the drivers of the differences between farm-gate and free-on-board (FOB) prices in the most important Arabica coffee producing countries worldwide: Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Honduras, Peru, and Ethiopia. Our study looks at those differences taking into account the literature on governance in agri-food chains, with a focus on each country’s domestic market. We performed panel-corrected standard error (PCSE) estimates in ICO and World Bank data, covering the period from 2007 to 2016. In the paper we analyze (i) property rights as a proxy of transaction costs, once it brings more transparency and support to negotiations; (ii) access to electricity as a proxy of supporting infrastructure in communication and information activities, and (iii) quality of roads and quality of ports as proxies of transportation infrastructure. Our results show that heterogeneity in institutions and infrastructure are key in explaining the differences between farm-gate and FOB prices. The transaction costs derived from institutional failures and infrastructure gaps, lead to the use of intermediaries in the coffee supply chain, and this reduces the margin for coffee farmers. Actions that aim to reduce these inefficiencies bring more transparency and lower transaction costs, thereby directly contributing to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Plant Protection Products Residues Assessment in the Organic and Conventional Agricultural Production
Authors: Bursić Vojislava , Vuković Gorica , Cara Magdalena , Kostić Marija , Stojanović Tijana , Petrović Aleksandra , Puvača Nikola , Marinković Dušan , Konstantinović Bojan
Published: January 2021

The organic food is progressively enticing purchasers’ attention, as it is recognized to be better than the food produced by the conventional agriculture and more sustainable for the natural environment. Pesticides and their metabolites can enter the human body via food and water. In the food production, over 60 thousand chemical agents are applied, while 90% of the harmful substances are consumed. The organic production is based on the qualitative and healthy food using the natural resources in an ecologically sustainable way. The European Regulations set the maximum pesticide levels (MRLs) in the organic products, which are also regulated by The United States Department of Agriculture in their National program supported by The United States Environmental Protection Agency. It is imperative to bear in mind that in the products from the organic production, the multiple detections cannot be tolerated, i.e., that one product cannot contain more than two detected pesticide residues. In this paper, a multi-residue pesticide method has been developed to determine the pesticides in the agricultural products from the organic and conventional production. In this work, 60 pesticides were analyzed using a simple QuEChERS sample preparation procedure, followed by LC-MS/MS. The tomato, potato, apple, and carrot samples from the organic and conventional products were collected from the market and the pesticide residues assessment comparing the organic to the conventional was done.
Nutritional and Environmental Assessment of Increasing the Content of Fruit and Vegetables in the UK Diet
Authors: Dogbe Wisdom , Revoredo-Giha Cesar
Published: January 2021

Despite the interest in increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables in the UK, the total average consumption is still below the recommended intakes. Evidence indicates that the UK government’s “five-a-day” policy has not been effective in reaching its goal. The results of fiscal policies (e.g., subsidies) to increase fruit and vegetable consumption are uncertain due to complex substitutions done by consumers amongst overall food choice. The goal of the present study was to estimate the prices (i.e., shadow prices) at which consumers can increase their intake of fruits and vegetables by 10% (higher than that achieved by the “five-a-day” policy) without changing the overall taste of the diet (utility). We estimated the ex-ante effect of increasing the UK’s fruit and vegetable consumption by 10% on household nutrient purchases and greenhouse gas emissions. The required changes in prices were estimated by extending the model of consumer behaviour under rationing. The model combines consumption data, demand elasticities estimated from home scan data, and nutrient coefficients for 20 foods consumed in the UK. Our results suggest that to increase vegetable and fruit consumption by 10% (under the current preferences), their prices should decline by 21% and 13%, respectively. However, there is a trade-off between nutrition and environmental goals; total average household caloric purchase declined by 11 kcal, but greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.7 CO2-eq kg/kg of food.
Data-Driven Analytics towards Software Sustainability: The Case of Open-Source Multimedia Tools on Cultural Storytelling
Authors: Papamichail Michail D. , Symeonidis Andreas L.
Published: January 2021

The continuous evolution of modern software technologies combined with the deluge of available “ready-to-use” data has triggered revolutionary breakthroughs in several domains, preservation of cultural heritage included. This breakthrough is more than obvious just by considering the numerous multimedia tools and frameworks that actually serve as a means of providing enhanced cultural storytelling experiences (e.g., navigation in historical sites using VR, 3D modeling of artifacts, or even holograms), which are now readily available. In this context and inspired by the vital importance of sustainability as a concept that expresses the need to create the necessary conditions for future generations to use and evolve present artifacts, we target the software engineering domain and propose a systematic way towards measuring the extent to which a software artifact developed and applied in the cultural heritage domain is sustainable. To that end, we present a data-driven methodology that harnesses data residing in online software repositories and involves the analysis of various open-source multimedia tools and frameworks.
Is an Appeal Enough? The Limited Impact of Financial, Environmental, and Communal Appeals in Promoting Involvement in Community Environmental Initiatives
Authors: Sloot Daniel , Jans Lise , Steg Linda
Published: January 2021

Community environmental initiatives are set up by community members to promote pro-environmental behaviours in their community. Community members involved in these initiatives are likely to behave more pro-environmentally. Yet, the question remains how to get community members involved. Previous findings suggest stronger environmental and communal, but not financial, motives promote people’s involvement in community environmental initiatives. The present paper examines whether appeals to such environmental or communal motives can promote involvement more than appeals to financial motives or no appeals. Three experimental studies revealed that environmental and communal appeals did not promote initiative involvement more than financial appeals or no appeals. Moreover, a combined environmental and communal appeal was not more effective than single appeals. Furthermore, in a field study examining 167 existing community energy initiatives, we found no relationship between the emphasis in flyers on financial, environmental, and communal benefits of initiative involvement and the proportion of community members involved in these initiatives. These findings suggest appeals may not be enough to promote initiative involvement. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.
Transmission Path Tracking of Maritime COVID-19 Pandemic via Ship Sailing Pattern Mining
Authors: Zheng Hailin , Hu Qinyou , Yang Chun , Chen Jinhai , Mei Qiang
Published: January 2021

Since the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the transportation of cargo by ship has been seriously impacted. In order to prevent and control maritime COVID-19 transmission, it is of great significance to track and predict ship sailing behavior. As the nodes of cargo ship transportation networks, ports of call can reflect the sailing behavior of the cargo ship. Accurate hierarchical division of ports of call can help to clarify the navigation law of ships with different ship types and scales. For typical cargo ships, ships with deadweight over 10,000 tonnages account for 95.77% of total deadweight, and 592,244 berthing ships’ records were mined from automatic identification system (AIS) from January to October 2020. Considering ship type and ship scale, port hierarchy classification models are constructed to divide these ports into three kinds of specialized ports, including bulk, container, and tanker ports. For all types of specialized ports (considering ship scale), port call probability for corresponding ship type is higher than other ships, positively correlated with the ship deadweight if port scale is bigger than ship scale, and negatively correlated with the ship deadweight if port scale is smaller than ship scale. Moreover, port call probability for its corresponding ship type is positively correlated with ship deadweight, while port call probability for other ship types is negatively correlated with ship deadweight. Results indicate that a specialized port hierarchical clustering algorithm can divide the hierarchical structure of typical cargo ship calling ports, and is an effective method to track the maritime transmission path of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dynamic Adjustment Mechanism and Differential Game Model Construction of Mask Emergency Supply Chain Cooperation Based on COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Zhu Shufan , Xie Kefan , Gui Ping
Published: January 2021

Incorporating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mask supply chain into our framework and taking mask output as a state variable, our study introduces the differential game to study the long-term dynamic cooperation of a two-echelon supply chain composed of the supplier and the manufacturer under government subsidies. The study elaborates that government subsidies can provide more effective incentives for supply chain members to cooperate in the production of masks compared with the situation of no government subsidies. A relatively low wholesale price can effectively increase the profits of supply chain members and the supply chain system. The joint contract of two-way cost-sharing contract and transfer payment contract can promote production technology investment efforts of the supply chain members, the optimum trajectory of mask production, and total profit to reach the best state as the centralized decision scenario within a certain range. Meanwhile, it is determined that the profits of supply chain members in the joint contract can be Pareto improvement compared with decentralized decision scenario. With the increase of production technology investment cost coefficients and output self-decay rate, mask outputs have shown a downward trend in the joint contract decision model. On the contrary, mask outputs would rise with growing sensitivity of mask output to production technology investment effort and increasing sensitivity of mask demand to mask output.
Can ICZM Contribute to the Mitigation of Erosion and of Human Activities Threatening the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Coastal Landscape of Calabria?
Authors: Cantasano Nicola , Caloiero Tommaso , Pellicone Gaetano , Aristodemo Francesco , De Marco Alessandra , Tagarelli Giuseppe
Published: January 2021

Calabria is a region of southern Italy characterized by several natural and heritage sites located on seaboard areas, within a distance of 300 m from the coast. In fact, 58 Natura 2000 sites and 63 cultural heritage sites (42.9% of which overlap with the Natura 2000 ones) fall within the borders of the region. Within this context, this study has analyzed the connection between natural and cultural goods in the region, considering both seaboard and human impact risk conditions. The results evidenced that 50% and 21% of the natural and cultural heritage sites, respectively, are exposed to the risk of increasing coastal erosion and heavy human impact. Moreover, in order to highlight how cultural heritage sites could be integrated into natural ones within a process of global coastal area management, three case studies have been discussed. In fact, a new kind of approach to coastal regions through an Integrated Coastal Zone Management is necessary in order to valorize the natural and cultural heritage of coastal regions for the social and economic growth of local people.
Contaminants of Emerging Concern in African Wastewater Effluents: Occurrence, Impact and Removal Technologies
Authors: Necibi Mohamed Chaker , Dhiba Driss , El Hajjaji Souad
Published: January 2021

Worldwide, the pollution of water bodies by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting compounds, flame retardants including brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and perfluorochemicals (PFCs), micro plastics, nanomaterials, and algal toxins, to name just a few, is creating a new set of challenges to the conventional wastewater treatment facilities, which demonstrate inefficiency in removing/degrading many CECs. As a consequence, environmentalists started to detect the presence of some of those contaminants at alarming levels in certain countries, with possible negative effects on aquatic species and often increased potential for human health risks through the exposure to the contaminated waters, or the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture and household use. Such issues are more accentuated in the African continent due to various socio-economic problems giving rise to poor sanitation systems and serious shortages in wastewater treatment plants in many regions, making it difficult to tackle the problem of conventional pollutants, let alone to deal with the more challenging CECs. Thus, in order to effectively deal with this emerging environmental threat, African researchers are working to develop and optimize sound sampling and analytical procedures, risk assessment models, and efficient remediation technologies. In this review, related recent research efforts conducted in African universities and research institutions will be presented and discussed with respect to the occurrence and assessment of CECs in African wastewater effluents, the potential risks to aquatic ecosystems and humans, the tailored remediation techniques, along with some knowledge gaps and new research directions.
CSR Reporting of Stakeholders’ Health: Proposal for a New Perspective
Authors: Chowdhury Ehsanul Huda , Backlund Rambaree Brita , Macassa Gloria
Published: January 2021

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to identify and categorize disclosures from the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Reporting Standards (GRI Standards) that have direct or indirect influence on health of external or internal stakeholders. Methodology: GRI core and comprehensive disclosures (as part of universal standards and topic-specific standards related to economic, environmental and social topics) that can be used by businesses for CSR reporting were grouped as to have direct or indirect influence on external and internal stakeholders’ health. Findings: The study proposes a systematic way of conceiving GRI standards in terms of direct or indirect influence on the health and well-being of internal and external stakeholders. Originality/Value: This is the first study that provides a classification of core and comprehensive GRI disclosures that have direct or indirect influence on the health of external or internal stakeholders. This classification will allow businesses to easily report those CSR activities that might be of importance to stakeholders’ health promotion.
Healthy Students: Adaptation and Validation of the Instrument from the Workplace to the Educational Field
Authors: Gómez-Chacón Ramón , Fernández-Martínez Nicolás , Gálvez-Ruiz Pablo
Published: January 2021

Psychological capital (optimism, resilience, hope and self-efficacy) has been joined by a new dimension in the workplace. This is engagement, a new construct, and a research questionnaire called the healthy employee was created to assess this dimension. In this sense, the present work has the aim of adapting and validating this questionnaire of the healthy employee in the educational field, calling this person a healthy student. In total, 290 students (140 women and 150 men) undertaking different university degrees were recruited for this research. A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to test the structure of two different models in the workplace, with five and eight dimensions, and to adapt and verify the reliability of the models in the educational setting. The results showed a poor fit for both models, suggesting the elimination of four items in the five-dimensional model and of three items in the eight-dimensional model. In addition, the five-dimensional model indicated discriminant validity, while the eight-dimensional model presented non-compliance between two dimensions. Therefore, this work generates an instrument with adequate psychometric properties in the five-dimensional model in the educational field.