Promoting regional sustainability by eco-province construction in China: A critical assessment

The regional level has been recognized as a good scale for implementing actions towards sustainable development (SD). An important pathway to improve regional sustainability is to locally carry out long-term ecological planning. In order to reduce environmental impacts from fast economic growth, several eastern provinces of China began Ecological Province Construction (EPC) at the end of 1990s. This paper presented a case for analyzing the progress of EPC in China via both qualitative and quantitative methods. We studied Shandong Eco-province Construction (SEPC) and evaluated its outcomes with its pre-set indicators in 2003–2010. A further evaluation with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices was conducted. The results indicated the pre-set indicators could not effectively reflect of the ecological province construction. It was recommended to introduce an evaluated framework combined with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices to indicate ecological planning at the regional scale.     

Effect of stride frequency on thermoregulatory responses during endurance running in distance runners

Changing stride frequency may influence oxygen uptake and heart rate during running as a function of running economy and central command. This study investigated the influence of stride frequency manipulation on thermoregulatory responses during endurance running. Seven healthy endurance runners ran on a treadmill at a velocity of 15 km/h for 60 min in a controlled environmental chamber (ambient temperature 27 °C and relative humidity 50%), and stride frequency was manipulated. Stride frequency was intermittently manipulated by increasing and decreasing frequency by 10% from the pre-determined preferred frequency. These periods of increase or decrease were separated by free frequency running in the order of free stride frequency, stride frequency manipulation (increase or decrease), free stride frequency, and stride frequency manipulation (increase or decrease) for 15 min each. The increased and decreased stride frequencies were 110% and 91% of the free running frequency, respectively (196±6, 162±5, and 178±5 steps/min, respectively, P<0.01). Compared to the control, stride frequency manipulation did not affect rectal temperature, heart rate, or the rate of perceived exhaustion during running. Whole-body sweat loss increased significantly when stride frequency was manipulated (1.48±0.11 and 1.57±0.11 kg for control and manipulated stride frequencies, respectively, P<0.05), but stride frequency had a small effect on sweat loss overall (Cohen's d=0.31). A higher mean skin temperature was also observed under mixed frequency conditions compared to that in the control (P<0.05). While the precise mechanisms underlying these changes remain unknown (e.g. running economy or central command), our results suggest that manipulation of stride frequency does not have a large effect on sweat loss or other physiological variables, but does increase mean skin temperature during endurance running.     

Structural Decomposition Analysis of Raw Material Consumption

The aim of this article is to quantify the drivers for the changes in raw material consumption (domestic material consumption expressed in the form of all materials extracted and used in the production phase) in terms of technology, which refers to the concept of sustainable production; the product structure of final demand, which refers to the concept of sustainable consumption; and the volume of final demand, which is related to economic growth. We also aim to determine to what extent the technological development and a shift in product structure of the final demand compensate for the growth in final consumption volume. Therefore, we apply structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to the change in raw material consumption (RMC) of the Czech Republic between 2000 and 2007. To present the study in a broader context, we also show other material flow indicators for the Czech Republic for 2000 and 2007. Our findings of SDA show that final demand structure has a very limited effect on the change in material flows. The rapid change in final demand volume was not compensated for crude oil, metal ores, construction materials, food crops, and timber. For the material category of non‐iron metal ores, even the change in technology contributes to an increase in material flows. The largest relative increases are reported for non‐iron metal ores (38%) and construction materials (30%). The main changes in material flows related to the Czech Republic are driven by exports and enabled by imports, the main source of these increased material flows. This emphasizes the increasing role of international trade.     

县域城镇空间形态与居住建筑能耗关联性的连续尺度研究——以浙江长兴、福建连江为例

居住建筑能耗受建筑周边空间形态的直接影响，确定空间形态低碳效应及其最佳尺度将有助于实现县域城镇低碳转型。以浙江省长兴县、福建省连江县为例，共计选取49个具有代表性的居住建筑样本，采用GIS分析与数理统计相结合的方式，在居住建筑1800m半径范围内，以200m为间隔建立缓冲区，开展全年、最冷月份能耗期及最热月份能耗期建筑能耗与周边空间形态关联性的连续尺度研究。结果表明：(1)道路密度、开发密度、容积率均与建筑能耗呈正相关，但各指标对应的能耗时期、尺度范围有较大差异。(2)水面率、土地利用混合度是与建筑能耗相关的共性指标，但在不同地区的正负效应及尺度范围不同；(3)影响浙闽地区县域城镇最热月份能耗期能耗的关键形态因子为1000m-道路密度、800m-水面率、1600m-开放空间率；影响连江最冷月份能耗期能耗的关键形态因子为800m-水面率。(4)就控碳单元设置而言，长兴县可重点关注1000—1200m半径范围，连江县可重点关注800—1000m、1400m半径范围。(5)浙闽地区县域城镇特性指标为开放空间率，与最热月份能耗期建筑能呈负相关；长兴县特性指标为容积率、水岸密度，分别与全年、最冷...     

Effect of the rearing system on financial returns from Murciano-Granadina breed goats

In dairy goats, the kid rearing system can have critical importance in financial returns. Commonly used criteria for the choice of rearing system are not always clear due to the high number of factors involved. The aim of this study was to quantify all those factors to facilitate decision making. So, the effect of two different kid rearing systems, mixed rearing system (MRS) and artificial rearing system (ARS), on milk yield, milk composition and somatic cell count (SCC), milk yield loss at weaning for MRS, kid growth and costs of the different traits on the financial returns in Murciano-Granadina breed goats was studied. Twenty-four goats per group were used. In the MRS, goats reared only one kid, which had free access to goat milk 24 h a day and were weaned at week 6 of lactation, whereas kids in the ARS were separated from their mothers at kidding, colostrum and artificially reared. In both systems, dams were machine-milked once a day throughout lactation and the records took place weekly. Potential milk yield was estimated according to the oxytocin method up to week 12 of lactation, and was similar for both rearing systems, although a 12.3% drop in potential milk yield at weaning was observed for MRS. During the first 6 weeks of lactation, marketable milk was lower for dams in MRS compared to those in ARS (72.1 v. 113.0 l), but similar for the rest of the experiment (101.5 v. 99.4 l, respectively). Marketable milk composition and SCC throughout the 12 weeks of lactation were unaffected by the rearing system. Artificial rearing system entailed an increment in production cost of 22.2€ per kid compared to the rearing by MRS. A similar economic return per goat and kid was obtained from ARS and MRS in this experiment, although, due to one herd’s prolificacy of 1.8, the actual results would be 16.2€ per goat in favour of MRS. The real interest of this experiment may be the possibility of extrapolation to different flocks with diverse levels of milk production, prolificacy and prices and costs for incomes and outputs, to estimate the production system that increases returns. In conclusion, the results showed an increase in the cost of €22.2 per kid bred in the ARS, compared to the MRS, and a final return of 16.2€ per goat in favour of the mixed system.     

安徽含山凌家滩遗址出土刻槽盆的淀粉粒分析

刻槽盆是一种内壁遍布粗糙刻划纹的特殊陶器。目前,对其功能尚没有统一的认识,而淀粉粒分析无疑将提供重要信息。本文对安徽省含山县凌家滩遗址(5500～5300 BP)发掘出土的18件刻槽盆残片开展淀粉粒分析,在陶片上发现种类丰富的淀粉粒,其中以薏苡(Coix lacryma-jobi L.)和未定禾本科(Poaceae)为主,其次是小麦族(Triticeae tribe)、壳斗科栎属(Quercus L.)和其他根茎类植物的淀粉粒,豇豆属(Vigna sp.)、莲藕(Nelumbo nucifera)和山药(Dioscorea opposita Thunb.)的淀粉粒相对较少。上述结果表明刻槽盆主要用于加工野生植物资源。值得注意的是,在器物上发现了大量受到研磨/杵捣处理的破损淀粉粒或烹煮导致的糊化淀粉粒,这表明它们应该用于研磨/杵捣和烹煮食物。淀粉粒的统计分析结果表明,先民的生业方式在不同时期发生了细微变化,薏苡和未定禾本科植物的比例虽仍占据着优势,但先民已开始有意识地减少对这两类植物的依赖,逐渐加强了对小麦族、栎属、豇豆属和根茎类植物资源的开发和利用。对具有加工痕迹的淀粉粒进行分析,发现先民在加工各类型植物时,始终采用研磨为主、烹煮为辅的方式,刻槽盆的功能在不同时期无明显变化。     

Good anthropology in dark times: Critical appraisal and ethnographic application

‘Dark Anthropology’ and its complementary ‘Anthropology of the Good’ have become influential and debated notions in anthropology in recent years. I here parse distinctive features of these emphases, address their relation to theory and to ethnography, and consider the stakes involved in concretely applying their conceptual designations. I discuss the general shift in anthropology from grand theory to key concept, and the topical delimitation of theory that results. In larger purview, Dark Anthropology and the Anthropology of the Good both have long theoretical genealogies as well as practical contexts of political and social understanding, including vis‐à‐vis recent events in the U.S. and elsewhere. I suggest that considering the relationship between politico‐economically structured inequality and attempts to assert positive meaning and purpose is the most productive way to ethnographically apply their alternative conceptualisations. This brings to greater focus the thorny question of whose understanding of inequality or suffering, or of moral value and positive wellbeing, is being articulated—the sentiments of the people studied, or the concepts of the analyst? It seems vital to examine both analytic and indigenous views of dark times, and of the good, to refine our understanding of both, that is, in order to consider our complementary conceptualisations in relation to both sides of the emic/etic coin. This refines our understanding of local sensibilities and also of the appropriate limit points of our own conceptual associations.     

Quality Assessment and Circularity Potential of Recovery Systems for Household Plastic Waste

Plastic recycling is promoted in the transition toward a circular economy and a closed plastic loop, typically using mass‐based recycling targets. Plastic from household waste (HHW) is contaminated and heterogeneous, and recycled plastic from HHW often has a limited application range, due to reduced quality. To correctly assess the ability to close plastic loops via recycling, both plastic quantities and qualities need to be evaluated. This study defines a circularity potential representing the ability of a recovery system to close material loops assuming steady‐state market conditions. Based on an average plastic waste composition including impurities, 84 recovery scenarios representing a wide range of sorting schemes, source‐separation efficiencies, and material recovery facility (MRF) configurations and performances were assessed. The qualities of the recovered fractions were assessed based on contamination and the circularity potential calculated for each scenario in a European context. Across all scenarios, 17% to 100% of the generated plastic mass could be recovered, with higher source‐separation and MRF efficiencies leading to higher recovery. Including quality, however, at best 55% of the generated plastic was suitable for recycling due to contamination. Source‐separation, a high number of target fractions, and efficient MRF recovery were found to be critical. The circularity potential illustrated that less than 42% of the plastic loop can be closed with current technology and raw material demands. Hence, Europe is still far from able to close the plastic loop. When transitioning toward a circular economy, the focus should be on limiting impurities and losses through product design, technology improvement, and more targeted plastic waste management.     

Exploiting the Potential of Public Procurement: Opportunities for Circular Economy

The objective of a circular economy (CE) is to maintain the value of products, materials, and resources in the economy by closing material loops and minimizing waste generation. In recent years, the role of public procurement has been recognized as an important, but as yet not fully exploited, opportunity by cities and municipalities in their transition toward circular societies. This study analyzed public procurement opportunities to promote CE. Different approaches and examples of circular public procurement were identified using case studies. In addition, opportunities to promote CE through sustainable and green public procurement policy were identified analyzing predefined sustainable or green public procurement criteria. The study concludes that public procurement can promote CE and related business models by setting criteria and requirements for the extension of product life spans, efficiency and/or intensity of use, and efficient cycling of biological or technical materials, as well as for the securing of clean and nonrisky cycles. Circular procurement can occur through the procurement of better‐quality products in circular terms, the procurement of new circular products, the use of business concepts that support the CE, and investments in circular ecosystems. Several sectors and product groups were identified as having potential for circular procurement, such as construction, waste, and wastewater management, transportation, food, and catering, furniture, and textiles. The study also suggests that the use of certain tools, such as performance‐based procurement, life cycle approach, and life cycle costing, as well as criteria concerning reuse and recycling of materials, could promote circular procurement. Market dialogue and cooperation between procurers and actors in the supply chains are important for the future development of circular procurement.     

Adapting Stand‐Alone Renewable Energy Technologies for the Circular Economy through Eco‐Design and Recycling

Renewable energy (RE) technologies are looked upon favorably to provide for future energy demands and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the installation of these technologies requires large quantities of finite material resources. We apply life cycle assessment to 100 years of electricity generation from three stand‐alone RE technologies—solar photovoltaics, run‐of‐river hydro, and wind—to evaluate environmental burden profiles against baseline electricity generation from fossil fuels. We then devised scenarios to incorporate circular economy (CE) improvements targeting hotspots in systems’ life cycle, specifically (1) improved recycling rates for raw materials and (ii) the application of eco‐design. Hydro presented the lowest environmental burdens per kilowatt‐hour of electricity generation compared with other RE technologies, owing to its higher efficiency and longer life spans for main components. Distinct results were observed in the environmental performance of each system based on the consideration of improved recycling rates and eco‐design. CE measures produced similar modest savings in already low GHG emissions burdens for each technology, while eco‐design specifically had the potential to provide significant savings in abiotic resource depletion. Further research to explore the full potential of CE measures for RE technologies will curtail the resource intensity of RE technologies required to mitigate climate change.