ABSTRACT
Until recent decades, labour-intensive subsistence farming was a way of life and livelihood in the hill communities of Uttarakhand, India. However, the nature of agriculture falls far short of the expectations of the main labour force, the rural youth, leading to their mass migration to non-agricultural occupations. The large-scale youth migration has left many hill farming landscapes depopulated and farmlands abandoned. As youth have special stakes in food systems, they must be included in the sustainable transformation of food systems. By doing so, the migration-prone hill region may be transformed into a place where rural youth have more options for work and income. Therefore, the agriculture sector needs to change and develop into a more engaging and youthful workplace. There are opportunities to explore and barriers to be removed. Besides identifying priority research areas on local food systems, in this exploratory research, we investigate opportunities to involve rural young people in the transformation of the food system. We document information by conducting focus group discussion (FGD) meetings in about 100 villages in the Uttarakhand hills, representing all major farming landscapes. This study mainly focuses on improving the production and consumption aspects of local food, which not only benefits the health and wellbeing of local communities but also has many positive economic, social, and environmental effects. In addition, we explore opportunities for reviving mountain agriculture through agri-ecotourism, which is a symbiotic relationship between tourism and agriculture. Making home- or farm stays in agri-ecotourism a subsistence strategy for local youth will contribute to a more prosperous rural economy. Recognising Uttarakhand's rich culture and heritage while exploring the culinary travel opportunities in homestays will provide opportunities to focus more on traditional food systems, exposing various tangible and intangible aspects of the host region's food culture to tourists. The findings of this study will aid in identifying specific policy issues for consideration by planners and policymakers at the local and state levels. Additionally, this exploratory study will assist young, motivated researchers in conducting follow-up, in-depth investigations and producing empirical data in their specialised fields.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to determine the effect of environmental strategy on dynamic capabilities based on digital literacy and the performance of marketing innovations for micro, small and medium enterprises. Digital literacy-based dynamic capabilities consist of two important components, namely marketing competencies and research and development competencies. The nature of this research is explanatory where the number of research samples is micro, small and medium enterprises that have used information technology with a total number of respondents as many as 200 micro, small and medium enterprises which are divided proportionally to seven regions in Indonesia with the sampling method using accidental sampling method. The data analysis technique used SEM analysis with the help of AMOS software. The results showed that environmental strategy had no significant effect on marketing competence. Environmental strategy has a significant effect on the direction of a positive relationship to research and development competencies and has a significant effect on the direction of a positive relationship on the marketing innovation performance of micro, small and medium enterprises. Marketing competence and research and development competence have a significant effect with a positive direction of relationship to the marketing innovation performance of micro, small and medium enterprises. Research and development competence has a significant effect on the direction of a positive relationship to the marketing performance of micro, small and medium enterprises.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 100 million people worldwide with COVID-19, with millions of deaths across the globe. In this research, we explored the effects of environmental and weather variables with daily COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 fatalities in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey has the 8th highest number of COVID-19 cases globally, with the highest infections and deaths in Istanbul. This may be the first study to conduct a comprehensive investigation for environmental quality (air quality pollutants, e.g., PM2.5 and PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.), weather parameters (temperature, humidity) and COVID-19 in Turkey. The authors collected meteorological data from 11 March 2020 to 8 February 2021 and COVID-19 data from Istanbul and other regions. The results from empirical estimations, correlation analysis, and quantile on quantile techniques support that air quality and temperature significantly influence COVID-19 deaths in Istanbul. This research may help policymakers and health scientists to take specific measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus across different global cities.The effects of air quality on COVID-19 in Istanbul was investigated.The study applied correlation and quantile on quantile techniques over daily data.Temperature significantly induces the spread of COVID-19 in Istanbul at all quantiles.Air quality and Nitrogen are positively linked with COVID-19 new cases.
ABSTRACT
Lean thinking is a methodology employed initially by manufacturing organizations such as Toyota and New Balance that aims to increase customer value whilst also maintaining a low level of waste. The Lean thinking tools and techniques employed in the manufacturing sector can also be transferred to other sectors and significantly improve the service or product, such as public sector organizations or Higher Education Institutions (HEI). In the current education climate, due to the pandemic (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19), the majority of HEIs have moved to an online or hybrid teaching and learning environment. This has developed the principle that Lean thinking can be deployed in educational methods and techniques to greatly increase the level of student engagement and the efficiency of learning. The following study outlines the key waste sources found in three types of teaching-learning environments (face to face, online and hybrid) and provides practical implications to counter the non-value-added issues. The data for this study were gathered through a questionnaire from final year undergraduate engineering students. The results indicate that online teaching had the greatest effect on student engagement, based on the identification and weighted values of non-value-added issues. The study highlights the key Lean wastes within online, hybrid and face to face teaching, and provides key examples within the stated Lean waste to provide solutions to improve student engagement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has emerged as the latest and serious public health threat throughout the world. In the absence of prevention and rehabilitation interventions, different countries have implemented shutdown and/or lockout policies to monitor the transmission of the epidemic, resulting of a significant reduction in anthropogenic activities. As a result, this kind of phenomenon is helped to inhibit the environmental degradation activity by reducing various pollutants from the air, water and soil. This condition provided 'a once-in-a-lifetime' chance for nature to evolve and recover. This paper discusses the nature of which in terms of its beneficial effect on water, air, the ozone layer, and waste deposition. Finally, the article also presents certain suggestive measures by highlighting the role of government, educational institutes, and a person as a whole in the sustenance of nature under pandemic. Based on the reported effect of the pandemic on the environment, it can be inferred that nature, with or without human intervention, can repair itself to some degree. However, human beings need to aware of saving and supporting to nature instead of involving in constant degradation.
ABSTRACT
The European Commission's Green Deal strategic plan aims to achieve EU climate neutrality by 2050. As part of this plan, the Farm-to- Fork (F2F) strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy (BDS) will be accompanied by a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP post-2020). This paper presents and discusses the results of techno-economic analyses carried out by the European Union's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The two analyses are based on fundamentally different economic models, but they converge in stating that the application of F2F and BDS strategies will result in an increase in production costs and consumer prices of agricultural products and a decrease in profitability as well as a reduction in agricultural production, with a consequent loss of domestic market share by European producers to those of other countries. Under these conditions, the lower emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases will be compensated by an increase in emissions in other areas of the world, to which the agricultural production that Europe will no longer be able to produce will be relocated. In addition, according to the authors, environmental sustainability at the European level will also be called into question if one takes into account that reduced agricultural production will result in a significant reduction in the removal of CO2 from photosynthesis.
ABSTRACT
The impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns on human life, air quality, and river water quality around the world have received significant attention. In comparison, assessments of the implications for freshwater ecosystems are relatively rare. This study explored the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on aquatic ecosystems in the Yangtze River by comparing river water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish data collected at the site in the middle reach of the Yangtze River in 2018 and 2020. The results show that during COVID-19 lockdowns, the reduction in industrial and domestic effluent discharge led to a reduction in organic pollution and industrial plant nutrient pollution in rivers. Among them, PO43--P, CODMn, and TP were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). During lockdowns, nutrient supplies such as TN and TP were reduced, which led to inhibition of algae growth and decreased phytoplankton abundance. Phytoplankton affects the abundance of zooplankton through a bottom-up effect, and a decrease in phytoplankton density leads to a decrease in zooplankton density. The decrease in plankton density led to lower primary productivity in rivers, reduced fish feed supplies, intensified competition among fish populations, with increases in population dominated by high trophic level carnivorous fish. In addition, the decrease in fishing intensity has contributed to an increase in the number of rivers-sea migratory fish;the fish community was earlier mainly dominated by small-sized species with a short life cycle, and the number of supplementary populations has now increased. As a consequence, the fish community structure shows a tendency toward high complexity and high fish diversity. Overall, these observations demonstrate that the rapid revival of the retrogressive Yangtze River ecosystem is possible through limitation of anthropic interferences.
ABSTRACT
Horticultural activities in urban areas and suburbs describe economically viable ways of production (North and Patterson, 2018), and are a continuous growing segment of production in developing countries as well as in Romania countries and are expected to have positive impacts on nutrition quality first and implicit on people's health. This comes as a necessity as the population is continuously growing as the land has a limited use. In a wide sense, urban horticulture includes everything from small home and community gardens to city park management, rooftop greening, as well as complex vertical way of production. This sector assures increased availability of fresh products (vegetables and fruits) in big cities, healthier diets, improved food safety, low transportation costs, efficient resource use, and the mitigation of environmental impacts of horticultural production such as the emission of greenhouse gases.
ABSTRACT
Trained dogs can detect many biochemical traces, from the most hostile, such as COVID-19, to the most expensive, such as truffles. However, it is still unclear how the interplay of genetic disposition, education, experience, personality, and environmental conditions influences the performance of dogs. Here, we combine published evidence with the knowledge of truffle hunters to assess direct and indirect factors that affect the hunting performance of truffle dogs. Since the transport of truffle aroma into the canine nasal cavity is most puzzling, we propose 5 experiments to further investigate the role of weather conditions, soil parameters, and bacterial composition on the dispersal of truffle volatiles perceived by trained dogs. We also suggest exploring whether the application of multiple dogs increases the success of truffle hunting. Moreover, we argue that interdisciplinary research on dog behavior and performance, including insights from veterinary science and comparative psychology as well as the experience of truffle hunters and farmers, is needed to improve the quantity and quality of truffle harvests. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Problem: Home healthcare workers (HHCWs) are an integral part of the rapidly growing home healthcare industry. HHCWs work in an environment that is neither regulated nor predetermined to be safe. Occupational hazards include exposure to blood and body fluids;cleaning chemicals;needle sticks;slip, trip, and fall hazards;indoor air quality concerns including secondhand smoke;pests;pets;violence;and ergonomic stress. Guided by the Conceptual Model for Integrated Approaches to Protection and Promotion of Worker Health and Safety, the purpose of this manuscript option dissertation was to develop an observation tool to be used within the home care environment to identify and describe the occupational hazards HHCWs encounter. Three projects included an integrative review;development, content validity, and interrater reliability of a new observation tool;and piloting the use of the HHCW observational tool in the home care environment. The specific aim of project 1 and 2 was to inform, develop, and validate the observation tool;whereby, ensuring the ability of project 3 to identify and describe the occupational hazards this workforce encounters. Methods: Project 1 followed the steps of Whittemore and Knafl (2005) for an integrative review. Project 2 was the development of an observation tool following three steps: determining content domain, content validity, and inter-rater agreement. Project 3 used a cross-sectional design using the newly developed observation tool during home healthcare visits. To this date, a study has not been identified using persons trained in occupational safety and health to directly assess the occupational environment of HHCWs. Findings: Project 1 identified nine articles providing an overview of the occupational hazards HHCWs encounter, with similarly recognized occupational hazards across studies. Studies were methodologically limited to self-reports and include quantitative and qualitative data. Project 2 entailed the development of the initial observation tool with 657 items and 12 sections. Experts reviewed and provided content validity index (CVI) for each section, with a cumulative S-CVI score of 0.90 (range 0.67 to 1.0). The tool was revised to 636 items. Inter-rater agreement assessment included items with categorical variables using percent agreement and accuracy, with an overall percent agreement and accuracy mean of 89.5% (range 50-100%). Items documented by frequency, demonstrated no variability to high variability (SD=0 to 8.62). Project 3 used the HHCW Observation Tool to observe two HHCWs during nine home care visits. Identification of hazards include tasks, environmental factors, practices, and equipment that increase HHCWs risks of ergonomic injuries, infectious diseases, and environmental exposures. Observations for this study was limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, a state-wide stay-at-home order, and halt for non-essential research activities. Conclusion: Occupational hazards HHCWs encounter in the home have the potential to increase the risks of poor worker outcomes, poor patient outcomes, and poor agency outcomes. Recommendations for future research includes increasing worksite assessments of HHCWs within patients' homes;the use of occupational assessment technologies to identify respiratory hazards;and identify barriers to infection control practices that have the potential to impact worker and patient safety outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 is the seventh zoonotic pathogenic novel member of the human coronaviruses and the third coronavirus to cause a large-scale epidemic in the twenty-first century, highly contagious, spreading quickly around the world and affecting all individuals, especially the elderly, those with diverse genetic and immunological backgrounds, also those with multiple underlying disorders and varied demographics like sex and environmental conditions. This work introduces the virology of the novel virus, reveals its possible origin and describes how it spreads via the diverse routes of infection, showing the biological characteristics related to its risk of causing a pandemic, and the kind of diagnostic tools used to identify it. The virus pandemic rapidly progressed worldwide and is still ongoing;the numbers of affected and those deceased are increasing, with devastating societal, economic and political impacts.
ABSTRACT
The Olympic Games continue to be a creator of adverse environmental impacts for host communities. Given the role that the Olympic Games play in sustainability due to their size, the number of people attending, new construction and infrastructure, and the extensive exposure by the media, this study investigated the Tokyo 2020 Games by evaluating the efficacy of their ecological sustainability efforts. Methods for this study were framed by the conceptual model of Muller et al. Specifically, the model is grounded on the three general aspects of sustainability: ecological, social, and economic. Compared to all Olympic events from 1992 through 2020, results from the present research indicated that Tokyo 2020 Olympics may have been the most ecologically friendly Games. This ecological record is significant, but it may be an unrealistic benchmark, given that the lack of attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced much of the ecological sustainability scores.
ABSTRACT
More than two years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, tourism remains one of the most affected economic sectors. The present work aims to address, on the one hand, the impact of the health crisis on the behavior of consumers in the choice of tourist services, as well as to identify the methods by which these changes in behavior can positively influence the development of the rural tourism sector. Beyond momentary measures, we should look ahead to the future of tourism and identify ways to develop a more resilient and sustainable tourism offer. The experience gained during the health crisis will certainly help us anticipate new trends and consumption patterns. It should be mentioned that in order to benefit from this chance, integrated efforts must be made by all actors involved in the rural tourism sector, so that potential tourists can be guaranteed unforgettable experiences.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has changed the human lifestyle just like a disaster in 2020. Many people died throughout the world due to its severe attack. Lockdown is the most common term used in today's life to prevent the adverse effect of COVID-19. However, during the lockdown period, a significant improvement in the urban environment was noticed in almost every part of the world. During the lockdown period, the decrease in the number of running vehicles and moving people on the road lowers the pollution level and it has a direct positive impact on the urban environment. The study examines the changes found in land surface temperature (LST) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) during the lockdown period in Raipur city, India with the earlier periods (2013-19) to compare the environmental status. The results indicate that the LST is reduced and NDVI is increased significantly during the lockdown period, and the negativity of the LST-NDVI correlation is increased remarkably. The study also shows a better ecological status of the city during the lockdown period. The study is useful for environmental strategists and urban planners.
ABSTRACT
The present study primarily aimed to (a) determine the effects of environmental context and the expectancy of alcohol consumption on changes in reflection-impulsivity (R-I), a state behavioral aspect of impulsivity and (b) test R-I as a mediator of the association between environment, expectancy of alcohol consumption, and subjective craving for alcohol in a sample of college-aged heavy drinkers. Participants were 81 (76.5% female) college students between the ages of 21 and 29 (M = 21.86, SD = 1.87) who were classified as heavy drinkers. Participants first completed measures of alcohol use, trait impulsivity, behavioral R-I, and subjective craving for alcohol in a neutral location prior to being randomized into one of four conditions: (1) a neutral environment without the expectancy of alcohol consumption, (2) a neutral environment with the expectancy of alcohol consumption, (3) a simulated bar without the expectancy of alcohol consumption, and (4) a simulated bar with the expectancy of alcohol consumption. Participants completed post-condition exposure assessments of R-I and subjective craving. Post hoc analyses determined that statistical tests for both aims were underpowered. As such, significant findings may not have been detected due to a high probability of Type II error and thus, null findings should be considered with caution. Findings revealed that environment nor expectancy of alcohol consumption elicited changes in R-I or subjective craving. There was a significant effect of time on R-I, whereby R-I improved over time. Such improvement may suggest the potential presence of a testing effect. Further, the association between condition and subjective craving for alcohol was not mediated by R-I. Trait impulsivity was found to positively associate with subjective craving at baseline and post-condition exposure. Thus, alcohol-related cues in one's environment and the priming of future alcohol consumption were not found to elicit changes in R-I or subsequent increases in subjective craving for alcohol. Future research may benefit from replication, as the COVID-19 pandemic may impacted the internal and external validity of this study. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
This article discusses the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on beer production and consumption in Europe, with a focus on Friuli Venezia Giulia region in Italy. The pandemic restrictions have resulted in a contraction in the production and consumption of beer in Europe in 2020 and 2021. However, Italy has seen a recovery in the beer sector due to a surge in demand in the HoReCa channel. In terms of off-trade outlets, such as supermarkets and retail sales, there has been a continued growth trend seen in previous years, with an increasing preference for low-alcohol or alcohol-free beers. Friuli Venezia Giulia has experienced a rise in the number of beer consumers by 3.1% in 2021, with every 100 people witnessing a rise of 1.5% compared to the previous year, making it the region with the highest percentage of beer consumers in Italy. The region has seen continuous growth in craft brewing companies, with 55 as of 31 March 2022. Microbreweries are the predominant business type, and e-commerce is a service offered by 36% of the craft companies. The environmental impact resulting from the activities of the companies studied varies, and there is significant room for improvement in the future. Overall, the craft brewing industry in Friuli Venezia Giulia shows continued growth and development, contributing to the economic development of rural areas.
ABSTRACT
This study highlights the important role that tourism can play in valuing the natural and spiritual heritage of mountains, and the cultural diversity and traditional practices of mountain peoples. Particularly when linked to nature and rural tourism, mountain tourism can make a valuable contribution to promoting sustainable food systems and adding value to local products. Developing sustainable tourism in mountains requires reducing its negative environmental and social impacts and addressing the challenges posed by climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic has already brought about major changes in the mountain tourism sector and substantial losses for communities and businesses. However, consumer appetites for destinations that are outdoors and less crowded have increased in the wake of the pandemic, and these changes usher in new opportunities for mountain destinations to rebuild a greener and more sustainable form of tourism and rethink their products and services. For this to happen, the following measures will be critical: innovation and development of year-round tourism experiences;investments in infrastructure, particularly for the digitalization of mountain tourism services;strengthening multi-level-governance, partnerships and active community participation;and ensuring regular assessments of the impact of tourism on mountains, the effective management of waste and resources, and clearer practices for defining and managing the carrying capacity of highland destinations. Nineteen case studies are featured, which highlight solutions being implemented or tested in mountain regions around the world.
ABSTRACT
Auckland Island, the fifth largest island in New Zealand, is the only island in New Zealand's subantarctic region where introduced mammalian pests remain (pigs, Sus scrofa;mice, Mus musculus;cats, Felis catus). The island has unique biodiversity and is a key site for progressing New Zealand's goal to be free of several introduced predators by 2050. Recent island eradication successes have rekindled interest in eradicating pests from Auckland Island, and for the first time considering all three pests in one project. Over a 3-year period, we tested the feasibility of eradicating pigs, mice and cats by looking at what it would take to succeed, rather than what we could practically deliver with the tools we currently have. We proposed adaptations to current methods and used an evidence-based approach by undertaking large-scale field trials to test uncertainties and emerging technologies in-situ. We gathered data and evaluated proposed methods against five established principles of eradication while considering the logistics and infrastructure requirements of the project. Eradicating pigs, mice and cats from Auckland Island is worthwhile and feasible but dependent on further development of emerging technologies and capabilities for efficient delivery with an acceptable level of risk. Three eradication operations are required with specific sequencing and timing, supported by initial establishment of infrastructure. The project needs a large investment spread over 8 to 10 years to yield permanent and internationally important benefits with low ongoing cost to sustain. The feasibility study exposed the project's scale and was used to inform decision makers, who postponed the work in 2020 in response to the economic impacts of COVID-19. The study focusses future preparations on identified planning issues and dependencies to progress project readiness in anticipation of it being launched when economic conditions allow.
ABSTRACT
The Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic situation has posed a significant effect on the tourism industry. Tourism destinations have accepted emergency health care measures and restrictions imposed on human movement around the world. Beaches and resorts are empty, peoples' movements are stopped, and traveling between territories is strictly controlled. The COVID-19 lockdown around the world has imposed a negative impact on the livelihood of people and the world economy as well. The goal of the current study is to determine the potential for sustainable tourism growth in the near future given the social, economic, and environmental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. © 2022 Technoscience Publications. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
This paper evaluates the need for corrugated boxes in the industry & the need for fast and efficient manufacturing of such boxes, even at a small scale. Nowadays, online shopping is increasing at a tremendous rate and with the advent of the corona pandemic, this rate has been increasing exponentially due to people's trust in packaged products. Corrugated boxes are lightweight, cost-effective, good shock absorbers, and help in keeping the product safe from contamination. With this project, we are manufacturing an automatic corrugated box- making line using PLC which will work at an efficient and fast pace, keeping the safety of people around at priority. The assembly line will consist of steps like pasting, punching and cutting using pneumatics, making all the steps work in a synchronized manner through the controlling feature of PLC. © 2022