Environmental Sustainbility

Abstract The plant microbial fuel cell (P-MFC) is a novel bioelectrochemical device that is commonly used in highly water-saturated ecosystems to produce sustainable energy. However, the use of this system in arid or semi-arid areas has been less well explored to date. This would involve, the use of plants such as prickly pear, which adapts to these adverse conditions and could be an alternative to expand the application of P-MFC. The objective of this research is to use four Opuntia species (succulent plants) for the generation of sustainable electricity via plant-based biobattery design, under open environment and unsaturated water conditions. A Novel vertically integrated plug-in ceramic stick based P-MFCs was constructed, this could reduce the usage of the top-soil surface and aid the possible potential of scale-up design. For a long operating time (30 days), the results showed an average power density of 103.6 mW m−3 with reactors using Opuntia albicarpa, followed by Opuntia ficus-indica (10.63 mW m−3) > Opuntia robusta (7.46 mW m−3) > Opuntia joconostle (0.46 mW m−3), with 1000 Ohms resistance. Higher total electricity production of 285.12 J was achieved in Opuntia albicarpa over four weeks. In addition, the energy generation of 3.66 Wh m−2 was achieved in this study. Notably, Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia albicarpa species showed a significant height in the first two months (P-value

There is a growing awareness that a whole-societal " Great Transformation " of Polanyian scale is needed to bring global developmental trajectories in line with ecological imperatives. The mainstream Sustainable Development discourse, however, insists in upholding the myth of compatibility of current growth-based trajectories with biophysical planetary boundaries. This article explores potentially fertile complementarities among trendy discourses challenging conventional notions of (un)sustainable development – Human Development, Degrowth, and Buen Vivir – and outlines pathways for their realization. Human Development presents relative transfor-mative strengths in political terms, while Degrowth holds keys to unlocking unsustainable material-structural entrenchments of contemporary socioeconomic arrangements, and Buen Vivir offers a space of cultural alterity and critique of the Euro-Atlantic cultural constellation. The weaknesses or blind spots ('Achilles heels') of each discourse can be compensated through the strengths of the other ones, creating a dialogical virtuous circle that would open pathways towards a global new " Great Transformation ". As one of the main existing platforms for pluralist and strong-sustainability discussions, Ecological Economics is in a privileged position to deliberately foster such strategic discursive dialogue. A pathway towards such dialogue is illuminated through a model identifying and articulating key discursive docking points.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800917303798

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Since it was first proposed in 2000, the concept of the Anthropocene has evolved in breadth and diversely. The concept encapsulates the new and unprecedented planetary-scale changes resulting from societal transformations and has brought to the fore the social drivers of global change. The concept has revealed tensions between generalized interpretations of humanity's contribution to global change, and interpretations that are historically, politically and culturally situated. It motivates deep ethical questions about the politics and economics of global change, including diverse interpretations of past causes and future possibilities. As such, more than other concepts, the Anthropocene concept has brought front-and-center epistemological divides between and within the natural and social sciences, and the humanities. It has also brought new opportunities for collaboration. Here we explore the potential and challenges of the concept to encourage integrative understandings of global change and sustainability. Based on bibliometric analysis and literature review, we discuss the now wide acceptance of the term, its interpretive flexibility, the emerging narratives as well as the debates the concept has inspired. We argue that without truly collaborative and integrative research, many of the critical exchanges around the concept are likely to perpetuate fragmented research agendas and to reinforce disciplinary boundaries. This means appreciating the strengths and limitations of different knowledge domains, approaches and perspectives, with the concept of the Anthropocene serving as a bridge, which we encourage researchers and others to cross. This calls for institutional arrangements that facilitate collaborative research, training, and action, yet also depends on more robust and sustained funding for such activities. To illustrate, we briefly discuss three overarching global change problems where novel types of collaborative research could make a difference: (1) Emergent properties of socioecological systems; (2) Urbanization and resource nexus; and (3) Systemic risks and tipping points. Creative tensions around the Anthropocene concept can help the research community to move toward new conceptual syntheses and integrative action-oriented approaches that are needed to producing useful knowledge commensurable with the challenges of global change and sustainability.

Considering the global palm oil production, it can be identified as the second largest vegetable oil. Palm oil is a natural
resource that is favorable for the Malaysian climate. In 2017, Malaysia had a total of 454 palm oil mills with a production
capacity of approximately 112 million tonnes of fresh fruit bunches. A sustainable environment denotes high income, value
addition and zero waste. Nonetheless, palm oil mills are being associated with the discharge of untreated effluent water
stream pollution, solid wastes, air pollution, etc. The important objective of this study is to measure the level of sustainable
environmental practices parameters and awareness of millers. The primary data were collected through questionnaire survey
and interviews from 71 millers in Malaysia. This study used confirmatory factor analysis to describe the relationships between
the environmental parameters for measuring environment sustainability. This study found that most of the millers employ
positive practices for environmental sustainability, and the highest environment parameter is disposal of solid wastes. However,
this study can be implemented in Malaysian palm oil mills for identifying the lowest parameters. This study suggested
to the industries that the new national sustainable policies for palm oil mills, especially for small and medium players, may
enhance the environmental parameters.

Keywords :Environmental sustainability · Palm oil millers · Fresh fruit bunch · Sustainable production · SEM · Peninsular
Malaysia

This paper presents the necessary plants to realize a container mobile housing system denominated Z.E.T.Ha. (Zero Energy Temporary Habitation). It is based on the LESP (Low Exergy Structured Panel) concept, in which the acclimatization is realized by water recirculation inside the external walls of the building and the ZEBRA concept (Zero Energy Consumption Building totally Renewable Addicted). A general plant and building design has been produced with the aim to minimize the presence of thermal bridges. Energy dispersions calculations have been performed both for the wall and the whole building. Energetic contribution by renewable energy plants has been evaluated to obtain a totally passive building. This evaluation will also consider appliances needs.

The plant microbial fuel cell (P-MFC) is a novel bioelectrochemical device that is commonly used in highly water-saturated ecosystems to produce sustainable energy. However, the use of this system in arid or semi-arid areas has been less well explored to date. This would involve, the use of plants such as prickly pear, which adapts to these adverse conditions and could be an alternative to expand the application of P-MFC. The objective of this research is to use four Opuntia species (succulent plants) for the generation of sustainable electricity via plant-based biobattery design, under open environment and unsaturated water conditions. A Novel vertically integrated plug-in ceramic stick based P-MFCs was constructed, this could reduce the usage of the top-soil surface and aid the possible potential of scale-up design. For a long operating time (30 days), the results showed an average power density of 103.6 mW m−3 with reactors using Opuntia albicarpa, followed by Opuntia ficus-indica (10.63 mW m−3) > Opuntia robusta (7.46 mW m−3) > Opuntia joconostle (0.46 mW m−3), with 1000 Ohms resistance. Higher total electricity production of 285.12 J was achieved in Opuntia albicarpa over four weeks. In addition, the energy generation of 3.66 Wh m−2 was achieved in this study. Notably, Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia albicarpa species showed a significant height in the first two months (P-value < 0.05). This finding opened the avenue for the electricity generation impact on plant growth. The P-MFC also shows the potential to be used in a semi-arid area.

In recent times, decommissioning of offshore platforms has become an even more discussed topic, for its relevant environmental, social, and economic repercussions. In particular, by carrying out economic considerations, all the divestiture possibilities applicable to an offshore platform and the relative sustainable business models (SBMs) will be analyzed in a wide framework of the circular economy and sustainable principles. In this scenario, sustainable decommissioning (SD) of offshore platforms process refers to multidimensional and interdisciplinary challenges, which requires a deep understanding of technical, legal, economic, financial, social, and environmental variables. The decommissioning of these structures is an issue that has gained a great deal of international attention and will require in the next years an open dialogue and exchange between institutions, oil and gas companies, enterprises, and the environment.