Visions for Sustainability

Expanding visions for sustainability

2023-12-16T11:16:51+01:00

Conserving Nature

2023-12-16T11:19:50+01:00

A systematic literature review of architecture-related dew and fog harvesting

2023-12-16T11:22:31+01:00

Dew and fog harvesting had been the topic of numerous studies since the 2000s to address the global water crisis brought on by climate change, as an alternative and sustainable solution. Though this topic has many connections to architectural science, it is nonetheless alien to academics and practitioners with architectural backgrounds. What research focuses had been done? What research methodologies were employed? What implications and limitations were discovered? This study addresses these questions by conducting a systematic literature review. This study discovered that the effectiveness and efficiency of planar shape-based fog nets and dew condensers continued to dominate the research focus. Although several studies have begun to consider the forms of three-dimensional and biomimicry. One study also started researching the application of this technology to urban settings apart from rural areas affected by water scarcity. The most employed methodology in this research was design testing and review. Some models, prototypes, and developments are implicated as best practices, although the limitations of these studies lay in the physical local context, material selection, methodologies, scalability, water quality, and water quantity. The results of this review provide direction for further research in Indonesia to consider the use of harvesting combination systems in three dimensions form with passive systems and low tech. Moreover, this discovery also opens opportunities for the use of vernacular or traditional architecture and local natural materials that have not been discussed by previous studies.

Keywords: architecture, atmospheric water, dew harvesting, fog harvesting, systematic literature review

Topographic humidity index and vegetation as management tool for policies decision

2023-12-16T11:23:44+01:00

This study aims to assess the vegetation cover and topographic humidity index of the Trueno microbasin and the Brisas site of the Bolivar canton (Manabi, Ecuador) so it can be used as a tool for policies decision. Starting from a quantitative approach and applying the hypothetical-deductive method; the following phases were established: i) determination of the Hydrological Protection Index (HPI), in this case plots made up of "three radiated transects 50 m long, located at 120° from each other; and, ii) establishment of the topographic humidity index, as a result of the treatment of the information in QGIS 3.30.1 through a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The primary findings demonstrate that the light forests achieved an HPI per unit of vegetation (HPI-UV) of 0.95, while the dense forests attained a maximum of 1. On the other hand, the whole annual grasslands scored 0.64, while the degraded annual grasslands scored 0.32, the lowest possible score. When paired with other criteria, the ITH's values, which carry out a classification of the soil into five categories, range from 0 to 19, indicating a close association with the microbasin's water network. These assessments serve as a management tool for the creation and implementation of successful policies that ensure the stability of these ecosystems.

Keywords: hydrological protection, microbasin, topographic humidity.

The perception of benefits from the 'Adopt-a-Forest' initiative in Kenya

2023-12-16T11:24:57+01:00

Forest resources play a crucial role in sustainable development, but they face challenges such as degradation and loss. Forest adoption has emerged as an innovative and collaborative approach to forest management to address these challenges. Kenya has implemented this approach, but the driving forces and stakeholder perceptions behind its adoption are poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the perception of partners on the benefits of forest adoption in Kenya. The study used a literature review and 20 key informant interviews to explore the context of forest adoption in the country. The results showed that the "adopt-a-forest" approach is a multidimensional solution for improving forest management in Kenya, bringing social, economic, and environmental benefits to partnering stakeholders. The initiative fosters interagency collaboration and breaks down old inefficiencies in forest management. However, interagency collaboration is uneven across counties and regions, and a robust benefit-sharing policy is lacking. The study calls for a monitoring and evaluation framework with clear indicators and a benefit-sharing policy, as well as more quantitative studies to better understand the motivations behind forest adoption by individuals, government agencies, non-profits, and private companies.

The challenges of sustainable conservation and management of mangrove forests in Kenya

2023-12-16T11:28:53+01:00

There is a scarcity of contextual information on the current status and challenges facing the sustainable management of mangroves. Using a literature review, this study explores this problem in the case of Kenya's mangrove sites, with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the strategies needed to promote their sustainable conservation and management. The results indicate that Kenya's mangrove forests span approximately 62,459.8 hectares, accounting for roughly 3.0% of the overall natural forest cover or less than 1.0% of the country's total land area. The majority of mangroves, constituting about 59%, are found in Lamu County. The country has nine species of mangroves, with Rhizophora mucronata and Ceriops tagal being the dominant species. Even though these resources provide many ecosystem goods and services, mangroves are still being threatened by human-induced changes. Fortunately, the government appears to be strongly committed to conserving these critical resources and has established a positive environment for restorative actions. The development of the National Mangrove Ecosystem Management Plan (2017-2027) and the recognition of private sector-led incentive-based Payment for Ecosystem Services initiatives such as the Mikoko Pamoja Project provide renewed impetus for improved management of mangroves. Even though more studies are required, the success of the Mikoko Pamoja project serves as an inspiring example to the world of how community involvement in innovative incentive-based approaches can contribute to the preservation and sustainable use of mangroves.

Public perception on the role of Artificial Intelligence in the sustainable management of tree and forest resources in Kenya

2023-12-16T11:30:09+01:00

There is a scarcity of information on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing sustainable forest management worldwide. Using a literature review, this study explores the case of Kenya, with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the strategies needed to promote the role of AI in the development and sustainability of forests. Results reveal that AI deployment in forestry is still in the infancy stages. The country has some AI technologies in use to promote forest management. Moreover, both public and private, local, and international organizations are actively involved in developing AI applications for forestry to consider the social, economic, and environmental facets of sustainable forest management. Additionally, no studies have been conducted on the public perception and opinions regarding the use and role of AI in sustainable forest management in Kenya. These study findings pose the risk of limited progress, technological gaps, and uncertain impacts on key green infrastructure development priorities; for example, the achievement of 30% tree cover by 2032 and a host of international development obligations, as well as the continued misunderstanding regarding public perceptions of AI deployment in forestry. There is thus an urgent need for accelerating AI research and development in forestry, fostering collaboration between public and private sectors, conducting studies on public perceptions, and ensuring ethical and sustainable AI implementation.

Building design based on zero energy approach

2023-12-16T11:31:15+01:00

In recent years, the issue of energy crisis has become one of the most challenging issues in the world. The need to minimize the use of fossil fuels, due to the increase in environmental pollution caused by excessive use, on the one hand, and the exhaustion of these resources, on the other hand, has made it necessary to use renewable energies as a suitable alternative. The construction industry, consuming about 40% of the world's energy, needs a fundamental transformation in design and construction. The purpose of this study is to build a design based on a zero-energy approach in Qazvin City. Research hypotheses have been investigated by providing solutions to reduce energy consumption and use renewable resources in zero-energy buildings. The research method of this research is descriptive-analytical. DesignBuilder software is used for simulation and dynamic thermal analysis of the structure. Based on the results of the research, the theory of designing and building zero-energy houses in Qazvin City can be achieved with the stated methods.

Keywords: Zero Energy Building, Greenhouse Gases, Energy Consumption, Renewable Energy, Qazvin.

PVsyst modeling of 800 kWp capacity grid-tied solar photovoltaic power plant for academic institution

2023-12-16T11:32:40+01:00

The design case study of solar photovoltaic system technology utilising PVsyst is presented in this research. The use of solar photovoltaic systems to produce electricity has increased recently in academic institutions. India is exceptional at producing electricity from both renewable and non-renewable sources. India receives 5,000T kWh of solar energy on average each year, and a major contribution to producing solar-based electricity comes from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana-like states. The key objective of this work is to evaluate an 800 kWp grid-tied solar photovoltaic power plant using the PVsyst software platform for the Manipal University Jaipur campus. In our investigation, efforts have been made to mitigate the power losses that resulted from exposure to light, soiling from temperature changes, wiring, inverters, power electronics, interconnections, and grid availability. The PV modules, solar irradiation, and the photovoltaic system's location all affect how well it performs. According to the findings of our analysis, the average horizontal irradiation across the globe is 5.28 KWh/m²/day, and the PR of a PV plant is 86.25 %. The projected plant's annual output capacity was determined to be 1359796 kWh, which is entirely CO2-free, and it reduced an academic institution's annual power expenditure by Rs 11354296.6.

Keywords: PVsyst, Renewable Energy, Solar Photovoltaic.

The carbon footprint of a university campus

2023-12-16T11:34:20+01:00

In this study, the carbon footprint of Yildiz Technical University (YTU), Davutpaşa Campus was calculated to draw attention to the sustainable use of resources, what needs to be done against global climate change, and to reveal the responsibilities of universities in this regard and the importance of their contributions. This study was carried out to emphasize the need for higher education institutions to lead in reducing the carbon footprint in every living area in our country. IPCC and DEFRA methods were used to calculate the carbon footprint. The emission values obtained for 2019 and 2020 were 15244.4 and 7213.3 t of CO₂, respectively. The largest component of emissions is electricity consumption, followed by transportation. The obtained values are similar to the results of the studies conducted on other university campuses. The reason for the low emission value in 2020 is the application of the online education system due to the pandemic. The precautions to be taken to reduce the carbon footprint are stated and suggestions are made. YTU, which has already adopted a new environmental policy, is rapidly advancing towards becoming a sustainable campus. In line with the sustainable campus vision, the carbon footprint is expected to decrease significantly.

Model of community empowerment in utilizing Purun (Eleocharis dulcis) resources for sustainable handicrafts in Indonesia's rural peatland communities

2023-12-16T11:40:39+01:00

Peatlands have served a crucial ecological and economic purpose for a very long time. Purun (Eleocharis dulcis) is a common plant that grows in peat bogs and contributes to the community. Its population is diminishing, however, due to changes in land management and environmental damage. The concept of communal empowerment was inspired by the sustainability of Purun weaving as a craft enterprise. We adopted a qualitative research methodology with a descriptive approach, comprising interviews, focus group discussions, and documentation, for data collection. Community craft activities have become a "safety valve" for rural community economies, according to our research. Nonetheless, by overcoming the difficulties, these advantages might be utilized again. A cross-generational approach to sustainable craft practices can provide a forum for discussion of the values and perspectives of cultural heritage and the environment. As a result of these findings, the Social, Ecology, and Regulation model is the community empowerment paradigm for the use of resources as sustainable handicrafts, in which the community, affiliated organizations and agencies, and local governments define the total decision-making process. In the areas of ecology, education, and regulation, the government works as a supporter and enforcer.

A sustainable creative economy development model using a penta-helix approach based on local wisdom in Magelang City, Indonesia

2023-12-16T11:41:56+01:00

The purpose of this research is to develop a strategy for developing a sustainable creative economy with a penta-helix approach based on local wisdom in Magelang City. Magelang City is one of the areas in Central Java Province with enormous potential for developing a creative economy and local wisdom. There are 3 leading creative economy sub-sectors in Magelang City, namely culinary, craft, and performing arts. Various research and studies have also been carried out, but have not been able to formulate a creative economy development strategy that is solid, integrated, inclusive, comprehensive, sustainable, and based on local wisdom. The analytical methods used in this research are Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) and Matrics of Alliances and Conflicts: Tactics, Objectives, and Recommendations (MACTOR). The result of the research formulates that there are 10 (ten) strategies for developing the creative economy, namely increasing business legality, skills and abilities of entrepreneurs, sustainable business management, production capacity, Appropriate Technology (TTG), infrastructure improvements, increased access to capital, product quality, business branding, and promotional and marketing innovations. Besides that, the development of the creative economy also requires synergy, collaboration, continuous and sustainable cooperation between stakeholders or often referred to as the Penta-helix, which consists of Academics, Business, Community, Government, and Media (ABCGM).

State regulation of sustainable development of rural areas in the system of food security of Ukraine

2023-12-16T11:43:16+01:00

Currently, the issue of sustainable development of rural areas is one of the most important areas of research. The relevance of the issue under consideration lies in the fact that economically stable and socially developed rural areas guarantee the stability, independence, and food security of the state. Therefore, the vector of their development should be a priority direction of state policy. The sustainable development of rural areas is currently being paid close attention not only in Ukraine, but throughout the world. The sustainable development of the territory implies an increase in the efficiency of production located on it, an increase in the standard of living of the population, the presence of a developed infrastructure in the territory, as well as solving the housing problems of the population, reducing unemployment, and so on. However, the current conditions prevailing in rural areas prevent the formation of socio-economic prerequisites for this process. As a result, we can state the absence of a mechanism that ensures sustainable socio-economic development of rural areas. This requires immediate cardinal changes in the development policy of rural areas of Ukraine to increase their sustainability. The purpose of this article is to identify factors that affect the functioning and development of rural areas and systemic problems that hinder the development of rural areas in Ukraine. Attention is focused on the formation of effective and efficient mechanisms for promoting the sustainable development of rural areas, as well as the development of a conceptual model for the sustainable development of rural areas. It is also necessary to identify priority areas of state policy for the period up to 2035 in the field of sustainable development of rural areas.

Keywords: rural areas, sustainable development, food security, state regulation of rural areas development, strategy for sustainable development of rural areas, agricultural sector, agricultural products, agricultural production.

How the strategic to achieve corporate sustainable performance?

2023-12-16T11:45:20+01:00

Examine the role of Ownership Interaction on the effect of Merger & Acquisition on the company's sustainable performance. In addition, it also investigates the effect of the interaction between Merger & Acquisition and ownership integration on the company's sustainable performance. This study uses a moderated mediation model to explore the role of Merger & Acquisition on the company's sustainable performance mediated by integration ownership. Merger & Acquisition acts as an independent and moderator variable between the effect of ownership integration on the company's sustainable performance. Data was collected from 51 companies in Indonesia that carried out Merger & Acquisition corporate actions for seven years from 2015-2021. We find that the direct effect of Merger & Acquisition on integration ownership is a U-curve. Integration ownership acts as a partial mediator on the relationship between the effect of Merger & Acquisition on the company's sustainable performance. We find evidence that Merger & Acquisition plays a moderate role by amplifying the effect of ownership integration on the company's sustainable performance. This paper contributes to enriching the literature on good corporate governance oversight mechanisms related to management entrenchment. We find that the integration of ownership of a company directly participates in the Merger & Acquisition corporate action relationship which has an impact on the company's sustainable performance. The role of ownership integration on the company's sustainable performance is in line with the concept of agency theory alignment in the specific context of companies in Indonesia. We apply a moderated mediation model because we suspect that there is an interaction between Merger & Acquisition and ownership integration in different pathways from mediator to observable dependent variable.

Keywords: corporate action, corporate sustainable performance, merger & acquisition, ownership

Fostering sustainability in China's textile industry.

2023-12-16T11:46:29+01:00

As China's textile industry grapples with sustainability issues, education plays an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable practices. The objective of this research was to assess the impact of an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) syllabus on the sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of a cohort of 60 students studying textile and clothing. By employing a quasi-experimental methodology, surveys were administered to students both before and after the implementation of an ESD curriculum, with the aim of monitoring alterations in their sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. The curriculum for ESD was customised to cater to the requirements of the textile industry, encompassing both theoretical knowledge and practical implementation. The study utilised various statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression to analyse the data.

The study reveals a significant enhancement in students' sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors post-ESD curriculum. A strong correlation was established between sustainability knowledge and attitudes, and between knowledge and behaviors. Further, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that both knowledge and attitudes significantly contribute to predicting sustainability behavior. The research concludes that tailored ESD curriculums can effectively boost sustainability knowledge, engender positive attitudes, and inspire sustainable behaviors among textile and clothing students. These findings emphasize the pivotal role of education in driving sustainable transitions in the industry, providing useful insights for future ESD curriculum design.

KEYWORDS: Sustainability; Textile Industry; Education; Development

Bridging the attitude-behavior gap in sustainable consumption for electric vehicles in India.

2023-12-16T11:51:24+01:00

The paper re-evaluates the attitude-behavior gap towards sustainable consumption, by looking at the cognitive aspects of consumer purchase behavior. The study explores the gap between purchase attitude formation and sustainable consumption behavior using hedonistic and aesthetic constructs for electric vehicles marketing strategy as an example. The study focuses on OLA Electric Two-wheeler (OLA S1) as an example of marketing a green product concerning electric vehicles in India. The study concludes that OLA Electric's marketing strategy focuses on environmental concerns, demographic variables, and hedonistic behavior to transform the future of mobility with its electric scooters by 2025 in India. OLA Electric markets itself with a full complement of consumer benefits compared to other economical electric two-wheeler vehicles, although sustainability is one of the important aspects of OLA’s two-wheeler, the primary focus of OLA’s electric marketing communication strategy is based on hedonistic and aesthetic factors. The study concludes that pricing strategies, awareness and the absence of hedonistic and aesthetics factors are the main reasons for the Attitude -Behavior Gap.

Keywords: Attitude-behavior gap, Sustainability, Ola electric vehicles (OLA S1), Hedonic, Sustainable consumption

Embedding SDG 12 in consumer behavior.

2023-12-16T11:52:36+01:00

Sustainable development has become a global issue. As a result, there has been a growing awareness about environmental issues related to human consumption. Consumer behaviour has a direct influence on the environment, regardless of whether the consumer is concerned about the environment or not. The continuous excessive use and quick depletion of resources pose a threat to humanity as a whole. One strategy to address this issue is to continue to educate and propagate sustainable practices, particularly among younger generations. Thus, it becomes necessary to carry out this investigation or study among young people. A questionnaire was used to collect the response of 348 respondents. Random and convenient sampling method was used for data collection. For data analysis, significant statistical tools of factor analysis, correlation, and t-test were used to bring out substantial results .The current study used the KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, and Practise) survey to investigate sustainability in order to explore how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be incorporated into consumer behaviour. In simple terms, it assesses the respondent's "knows," "feels," and "does" about the issues. Most people are aware of sustainable products, and the main obstacles to sustainable consumption are the lack of sustainable alternatives. It was found that awareness of consequences, perceived environmental responsibility and environmental criteria while making a purchase decision are important variables to influence consumers for sustainable consumption.

Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Consumer Behaviour, Sustainable Consumption.

Environmental, Social and Governance implementation in Indonesian ports.

2023-12-16T11:54:54+01:00

This study aims to investigate the incorporation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into the functioning of Indonesian Ports, with a specific emphasis on Port Indonesia. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology involving detailed literature studies and analyzing secondary data sources. The data collection process encompassed compiling information from various sources, including academic journals, company reports, and official governmental documents. The acquired data underwent a thorough systematic analysis to discern and comprehend pertinent patterns, topics, and linkages about the research topic. The results indicate that the Port of Indonesia has achieved notable progress in achieving economic sustainability, as demonstrated by its consistent improvement in key financial indicators throughout the previous three years. However, the results regarding environmental sustainability and community involvement showed a diverse pattern, with certain places demonstrating significant commitment while others revealed inconsistency. The data demonstrates a solid commitment to social sustainability, as indicated by the company's focused efforts to enhance community engagement and support local well-being. The Port of Indonesia has demonstrated a solid commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, particularly in economic sustainability. Although there have been fluctuations in environmental and local participation components, the overall trend indicates a consistent dedication to improving these domains. Sustained attention to these dimensions, coupled with constant monitoring and reporting, is crucial to guarantee enduring sustainability and identify prospective avenues for enhancement.

Socio-environmental impacts of landfill site in Nduba sector, Kigali, Rwanda

2023-12-16T12:03:30+01:00

Currently, solid disposal is a significant challenge in urban cities. In particular, Kigali City generates thousands of tons of solid waste to be transported and discarded in one city's landfill on a daily basis. It has contributed to the rise of social and environmental problems near the Nduba landfill. Previous studies have emphasized types of waste (liquid and solid) but have been unable to demonstrate land use and cover change because of solid waste disposal since its establishment in 2012. The study aimed to evaluate spatiotemporal changes and the social and environmental implications of solid waste disposal in the Nduba sector. Primary data were collected within a defined study area, whereas secondary data relied on remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) data. Images of land use/cover were used for spatial analysis and changes before and after landfill establishment. The findings of this study indicate that land use/cover has changed considerably in the last decade. For instance, the built-up area increased within the study area from 69.21ha to 187.56ha in 2001 and 2019, respectively. The change detection of land use/cover indicates that the size of the landfill increased by 18.79 ha in 2019. Forest land has reduced from 199.8ha in 2001 to 104.49ha in 2019. Despite public and private efforts to handle solid waste on-site, residents of Nduba claimed that the landfill had substantial social and environmental impacts.

Fishing industries' oily wastewater biodiesel performance

2023-12-16T12:04:44+01:00

This study aimed to assess how physicochemical factors affected the efficiency of the process for producing biodiesel from oily residues in fishing industry effluent. The oil extracted from the grease traps was initially characterized for the stabilization of the process' influential parameters, obtaining viscosities of 38 mPa/s, densities of 0.93 g/ml, and saponification indices of 260.40 mg KOH/g; it was then necessary to neutralize the oil and dry it to reduce the oil's acidity to 0.97% and its humidity to 0.03%, in order to meet the conditions for subsequent transesterification, This led to the conclusion that T7 (80 ºC, 9:1, and 0.8%) was the best treatment. It produced a 94% performance of biodiesel extraction and had the following properties: acidity of 0.39 mg KOH/g, viscosity of 2.7 mPa/s, ashes of less than 0.02%, density of 883.7 kg/m³, flash point of 120 ºC, and cetane index of 41. However, it had a high-water content.

Urban vegetable gardens and composting as tools for primary schools students understanding of the EU Green Deal

2023-12-16T12:13:01+01:00

The Green Deal is a European Commission response to promote zero net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 in the European Union. Its multiple strategies, including circular economy and agriculture, should impact all citizens. To improve the literacy of primary school students in environmental and sustainability concepts, namely those included in the Green Deal strategies, the pilot project "Nutrients Boomerang" was implemented as part of the Environmental Education strategy of a Portuguese science centre, Fábrica Ciência Viva. The project included the implementation of an outdoor model area, focusing on composting and urban vegetable gardening, complemented with workshops on biodiversity, circular economy, and organic farming, targeting primary school students. This pilot project was implemented from January to September 2021 and in its final months was also organized in a way to include the students’ families, given their willingness to introduce parents and grandparents to the activities they had been doing. This pilot project showed its suitability to be replicated in primary school outdoor green areas and so promote hands on activities aiming to foster in young students a conscientious behaviour towards a more sustainable world.

Introducing children in the primary school to the concept of ecosystem services

2023-12-16T12:14:11+01:00

The respect for Earth and life in all its diversity and the protection of the integrity of the environment are two of the fundamental principles declared in the Earth Charter 2000, which aims to build a right, peaceful, and sustainable global society. Due to the increasing effects of the environmental crisis, there is a need for a greater environmental sensibility and consciousness, and one path to reach this goal passes through environmental education projects with children. Here we carried out a project about the involvement of children in environmental-related issues, using as a teaching tool the ecosystem services. The project aims to develop in children a sensitivity towards the environment, good social and civic competence, and make the new generations more aware of environmental issues through the discovery of their territory. The topic of ecosystem services was introduced through a storytelling approach and some questions, as a reference point for activities. The 17 children taking part in the project were 9 years old and the considerations obtained were supported and tested by questionnaires appropriate to their age and level of comprehension. Successively, videos of urbanized and degraded environments in our territory were shown, thus had to describe and map them in their town. Thus, children were asked to make a proposal for the recovery of a degraded area in their town. After one year, a meeting with the children took place and they were asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding the project, and the consequences it brought to their lives. The results highlighted that the majority of children remember this project with a positive feeling and had an improved competence and critical sense regarding the environment and ecosystem services.

Sustainable food consumption in Nature conservation processes

2023-12-16T12:15:27+01:00

The topic of an agricultural production that respects natural ecosystems is currently very relevant, as it is being tackled by international agencies such as FAO and IPCC, focusing on the double link between biodiversity conservation processes and sustainable agriculture, creating a virtuous circular process. In this context, the adoption of sustainable eating habits, which heavily relies on educational processes, is indispensable. Our contribution describes the relationship between nature conservation and food consumption within a sustainability framework, while also reflecting on the potential impact of educational projects on sustainable food consumption items through a literature analysis. To minimize the impact of food consumption on nature, we propose some considerations on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) environmental education concerning: the potential of SCP nodes in the environmental conceptual education network; the potential of SCP environmental education in the framework of food availability; the pro-environmental behavior research concerning SCP.

Artificial space debris and Kessler syndrome.

2023-12-16T12:16:45+01:00

Space debris is an unuseful material which is nowadays moving in the space. This debris can be both natural and artificial, but we will focus this article on the artificial debris. This spacial artificial debris implies a series of problems. The main contribution of this text is to highlight the importance of one of these issues from a philosophical perspective. The specific issue to which we will refer is the Kessler Syndrome. The Kessler Syndrome presents a situation in which, without a reduction of artificial debris in the space and, specially, on Earth’s orbit, humans will see reduced their possibilities to keep exploring the universe. Our main hypothesis is that, if this Kessler Syndrome becomes a reality, human knowledge will be predictably self-limited due to the lack of current responsibility. This article presents, from a deductive methodology, a theoretical hypothesis from a coherent and plausible way. As a consequence, the results will be of a conceptual nature, and not experimentally or empirically proven.

Keywords

Debris; Evidence; Kessler Syndrome; Philosophy of Knowledge; Space Debris.

The Liberating Theology of a planet’s beneficence: a possibility

2023-12-16T12:18:32+01:00

Current climate crises could be considered an end of times as we have known them, requiring the human species as stewards of Creation, to make revolutionary changes to how the planet has been mis treated. Are we – the people of the twenty-first century Anthropocene age – also capable of a ‘Copernican revolution [evident] in Paul’s thinking’ (Witherington 2005: 40) to see the planet as sacred and through Christ’s wisdom as part of divine Creation? Do the peoples of the world have the capacity to re-store the planet through this reverential prism? Or – disassociated from our source – are we set at rapid speed to a catastrophic end, driven by neo-liberal greed and post-modern ‘idolatry’ (Inc. 11: 61 in Behr), dressed up as the necessary economics of late capitalism? It seems that the worries of Athanasius (On the Incarnation) in the early Christian Church (4^th C) are as relevant today as they were then, even if the context differed.

Elisabetta Falchetti (1948-2022)

2023-12-16T12:20:49+01:00

Elisabetta Falchetti was a reference point for all those approaching the boundaries of knowledge and relationships between disciplines such as Ecology, Art Sciences, Museology, Education and Neuroscience within a sustainability framework. Her worldview was contagious and stimulated anyone she met along her path to play an active role in her life. With the European Centre for Cultural Organisation and Management (ECCOM), we met precisely on the ground of this common commitment. She was deeply convinced of the need for profound social transformation to promote justice, equity, gender equality, well-being, quality of life and sustainable communities. Her gaze and attention were constantly addressed to local communities, especially those marginalized or discriminated against, to create opportunities for cultural life participation, to encourage creative interaction and exchange. She always supported and felt the need for a new cultural and social museology more focused on the needs of communities. The emerging social museology must reflect on certain social priorities and experiment new strategies to create “contact zones” (Clifford, 1997). The metaphor, which she loved so much and has guided many of our reflections, takes inspiration from systemic structure of living systems. The spaces that in the various structures represent borders and contiguous areas, such as those between cells, organs, populations, biotic communities, ecosystems, guide reflection on the importance of boundaries (Da Milano, Falchetti & Guida, 2019). In those contact zones it is possible to develop constructive relationships between environment and culture, new narratives and visions, social representations. This process can encourage multi-, inter- and trans-cultural approaches.

For Elisabetta Falchetti, Ecology was the science that can integrate narratives and visions that spread systemic thinking. Feudozzo’s experience (L’Astorina et al., 2021) represented a moment of reflection on this issue to help build new ethical-social attitudes and horizons (Falchetti & Guida, 2021).

A fundamental element for her was the role that imagination plays in the processes of transformation and change. In one of her latest contributions, she said "people’s imaginative capacity must be nurtured. In fact, only with a fervent imagination does it become possible to build a sustainable perspective for the future and to identify strategies to pursue it” (Guida & Falchetti, 2021).

She leaves us with many things to reflect on but also with things still to be imagined and told.

Veronica Strang (2023). Water Beings: From Nature Worship to the Environmental Crisis. Reaktion Books

2023-12-16T12:19:44+01:00