Search Results (5,155)

In this work, lightweight aggregates (LWAs) were prepared from an Italian red clay, pumice scraps, and spent coffee grounds. Chemical and physical characterization was first performed on the raw materials and then on the finished products. By studying the thermal behavior of the materials, the correct firing temperature was evaluated. The obtained aggregates were fired in two different modes: in a rotary kiln and in a static kiln; the influence of the firing processes on the finished products was assessed. This study can be useful for industrially scaling up this process. Firing in a rotary kiln reduced the average diameter of the aggregates (negative expansion index), resulting in a higher compressive strength and dry particle density compared to an aggregate containing only clay. The pH and electrical conductivity values address their use in agronomy without causing problems to crops, while the higher compressive strength, density, and porosity values could allow their use in construction. Full article

The growing concern over environmental sustainability has intensified the focus on consumers’ perceptions of eco-friendly food packaging, especially among younger generations. This study aims to investigate the attitudes, preferences, and barriers faced by Greek university students regarding sustainable food packaging, a demographic considered pivotal for driving future consumption trends. An online questionnaire assessing perceptions, preferences, and behaviours related to sustainable packaging was administered to students, with responses measured on a five-point Likert scale. Three hundred and sixty-four students took part in this survey, with the majority (60%) of them being female. Principal component analysis was employed to identify underlying factors influencing perceptions, and k-means cluster analysis revealed two consumer segments: “Innovatives”, including one hundred and ninety-eight participants (54%), who demonstrate strong environmental awareness and willingness to adopt sustainable behaviours, and “Sceptics”, including one hundred sixty-six participants (46%), who show moderate engagement and remain cautious in their choices. Convenience, affordability, and clear product communication emerged as significant factors shaping student preferences. The findings suggest that targeted educational campaigns and transparent information are essential to converting positive attitudes into consistent purchasing behaviours. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and marketers looking to design effective sustainability strategies tailored to the student population. Full article

In recent years, growing concerns over environmental degradation and deepening awareness of the necessity of sustainable development have propelled green and low-carbon energy transition into a focal issue for both academia and policymakers. By decomposing energy transition into the transformation of energy structure and the upgrading of energy efficiency, this study investigates the impact and mechanisms of green finance on energy transition across 30 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) in China, with the exception of Tibet. In addition, the impact of climate change is incorporated into the analytical framework. Empirical results demonstrate that green finance development significantly accelerates energy transition, a conclusion robust to rigorous validation. Analysis of the mechanism shows that green finance promotes energy transition through the facilitation of technological innovation and the upgrade of industrial structures. Moreover, empirical evidence reveals that climate change undermines the promotional influence of sustainable finance on energy system transformation. The magnitude of this suppression varies nonlinearly across provincial jurisdictions with differing energy transition progress. Regional heterogeneity analyses further uncover marked discrepancies in climate–finance interactions, demonstrating amplified effects in coastal economic hubs, underdeveloped western provinces, and regions with mature eco-financial markets. According to these findings, actionable policy suggestions are put forward to strengthen green finance and accelerate energy transition. Full article

This work presents the experimental and numerical investigation of a novel acoustic metamaterial based on sustainable and biodegradable components: cork membranes and honeycomb cores made from treated aramid paper. The design exploits the principle of localized resonance induced by tensioned membranes coupled with subwavelength cavities, aiming to achieve high sound absorption at low (250–500 Hz) and mid frequencies (500–1400 Hz) with minimal thickness and environmental impact. Three configurations were analyzed, varying the number of membranes (one, two, and three) while keeping a constant core structure composed of three stacked honeycomb layers. Acoustic performance was measured using an impedance tube (Kundt’s tube), focusing on the normal-incidence sound absorption coefficient in the frequency range of 250–1400 Hz. The results demonstrate that increasing the number of membranes introduces multiple resonances and broadens the effective absorption bandwidth. Numerical simulations were performed to predict pressure field distributions. The numerical model showed good agreement with the experimental data, validating the underlying physical model of coupled mass–spring resonators. The proposed metamaterial offers a low-cost, modular, and fully recyclable solution for indoor sound control, combining acoustic performance and environmental sustainability. These findings offer promising perspectives for the application of bio-based metamaterials in architecture and eco-design. Further developments will address durability, high-frequency absorption, and integration in hybrid soundproofing systems. Full article

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is one of the polyphagous pests of several crops and forestry, resistant to numerous conventional chemicals. Due to the negative side effects of harmful chemical pesticides, such as environmental pollution, and risks to human health, the introduction of effective and low-risk alternatives is essential. The promising pesticidal effects of essential oils (EOs) isolated from Artemisia annua have been documented in recent studies. In the present study, the acaricidal effects of an A. annua EO, along with its two dominant monoterpenoids, 1,8-cineole and camphor, were investigated against adults of T. urticae. Artemisia annua EO, 1,8-cineole, and camphor, with 24 h-LC₅₀ values of 0.289, 0.533, and 0.64 µL/L air, respectively, had significant toxicity by fumigation against T. urticae adults. Along with lethality, A. annua EO and monoterpenoids had significant inhibitory effects on the activity of detoxifying enzymes, including α- and β-esterases, glutathione S-transferases, and cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase. According to the findings of the present study, A. annua EO and its two dominant monoterpenoids, 1,8-cineole and camphor, with significant toxicity and inhibitory effects on detoxifying enzymes, can be introduced as available, effective, and eco-friendly acaricides in the management of T. urticae. Full article

With the advance of digital transformation, the assessment of the environmental impact of digital tools and technologies grows more relevant. Considering the inflated expectations of environmental responsibility in higher education, this study analyses how websites of Polish universities conform to sustainable web design criteria. The sustainability audit employed a methodology encompassing carbon emissions measurement, technical website analysis, and SEO evaluation. The author analysed 63 websites of public universities in Poland using seven independent audit tools, including an original AI Custom GPT agent preconfigured in the ChatGPT ecosystem. The results revealed a substantial differentiation in CO₂ emissions and website optimisation, with an average EcoImpact Score of 66.41/100. Nearly every fourth website exhibited a significant carbon footprint and excessive component sizes, which indicates poor asset optimisation and energy-intensive design techniques. The measurements exposed considerable variability in emission intensities and resource intensity among the university websites, suggesting the need for standardised digital sustainability practices. Regulations on the carbon footprint of public institutions’ websites and mobile applications could become vital strategic components for digital climate neutrality. Promoting green hosting, “Green SEO” practices, and sustainability audits could help mitigate the environmental impact of digital technologies and advance sustainable design standards for the public sector. The proposed auditing methodology can effectively support the institutional transition towards sustainable management of digital infrastructure by integrating technical, sustainability, and organisational aspects. Full article

Payments for Watershed services (PWSs) have been emerging as a critical tool for environmental governance in watershed, yet their comparative effectiveness across implementation models has remained poorly understood. Based on a comparative analysis of Eco-Compensation (EC) and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PESs) frameworks, examining both theoretical foundations and implementation practices, this study aims to quantitatively assess and compare the effectiveness of two dominant PWSs models—the EC-like model (Phase I: October 2008–April 2017) and the PESs-like model (Phase II: 2017–December 2021). Using the Liaohe River in China as a case study, utilizing ecosystem service value (ESV) as an indicator and employing the corrected unit-value transfer method, we compare the effectiveness of different PWSs models from October 2008 to December 2021. The results reveal the following: (1) Policy Efficiency: The PESs-like model demonstrated significantly greater effectiveness than the EC-like model, with annual average increases in ESV of 3.23 billion CNY (491 million USD) and 1.79 billion CNY (272 million USD). (2) Functional Drivers: Water regulation (45.1% of total ESV growth) and climate regulation (24.3%) were dominant services, with PESs-like interventions enhancing multifunctionality. (3) Stakeholder Impact: In the PESs-like model, the cities implementing inter-county direct payment showed higher growth efficiency than those without it. The operational efficiency of PWSs increases with the number of participating stakeholders, which explains why the PESs-like model demonstrates higher effectiveness than the EC-like model. Our findings offer empirical evidence and actionable policy implications for designing effective PWSs models across global watershed ecosystems. Full article

This mini-review emphasizes the potential of biomass-derived materials as sustainable components for next-generation electrochemical energy storage systems. Biomass obtained from abundant and renewable natural resources can be transformed into carbonaceous materials. These materials typically possess hierarchical porosities, adjustable surface functionalities, and inherent heteroatom doping. These physical and chemical characteristics provide the structural and chemical flexibility needed for various electrochemical applications. Additionally, biomass-derived materials offer a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to traditional components, promoting green chemistry and circular resource utilization. This review provides a systematic overview of synthesis methods, structural design strategies, and material engineering approaches for their use in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs), and supercapacitors (SCs). It also highlights key challenges in these systems, such as the severe volume expansion of anode materials in LIBs and the shuttle effect in LSBs and discusses how biomass-derived carbon can help address these issues. Full article

Internet of Things (IoT)-based solar insecticidal lamps (SIL-IoTs) offer an eco-friendly alternative by merging solar energy harvesting with intelligent sensing, advancing sustainable smart agriculture. However, SIL-IoTs encounter practical challenges, e.g., hardware aging, electromagnetic interference, and abnormal data patterns. Therefore, developing an effective fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) system is essential. In this survey, we systematically identify and address the core challenges of implementing FDD of SIL-IoTs. Firstly, the fuzzy boundaries of sample features lead to complex feature interactions that increase the difficulty of accurate FDD. Secondly, the category imbalance in the fault samples limits the generalizability of the FDD models. Thirdly, models trained on single scenarios struggle to adapt to diverse and dynamic field conditions. To overcome these challenges, we propose a multi-level solution by discussing and merging existing FDD methods: (1) a data augmentation strategy can be adopted to improve model performance on small-sample datasets; (2) federated learning (FL) can be employed to enhance adaptability to heterogeneous environments, while transfer learning (TL) addresses data scarcity; and (3) deep learning techniques can be used to reduce dependence on labeled data; these methods provide a robust framework for intelligent and adaptive FDD of SIL-IoTs, supporting long-term reliability of IoT devices in smart agriculture. Full article

The use of eco-organic ingredients as a source of protein in aquaculture diets needs important attention due to the growing demand for organic seafood products. The present study evaluated the effects of fish meal substitution by different organic ingredients on the growth, body composition, retention efficiency, enzyme activity, and nutrient digestibility of white shrimp Penaeus vannamei. The four dietary formulations tested were formulated with organic ingredients and the fish meal was replaced by the following organic protein meals: Iberian pig viscera meal (PIG), trout by-product meal (TRO), insect meal (FLY), and organic vegetable meal (WHT), in addition to a control diet (CON) that included 15% fish meal. A growth trial was carried out for 83 days, raising 1 g shrimp to commercial size (20 g). Shrimp were stocked at 167 shrimp/m³ (15 individuals per 90 L tank). The results showed that the growth obtained by shrimp fed with TRO (19.27 g) and PIG (19.35 g) were similar in weight gain to the control diet (20.76 g), while FLY (16.04 g) and WHT (16.73 g) meals resulted in a significant lower final weight. The FLY diet showed significantly lower protein digestibility (68.89%) compared to the CON, PIG, TRO, and WHT diets, and significantly higher trypsin activity (0.17 mU/g) compared to shrimp fed with the PIG, TRO, and WHT diets. Shrimp fed with WHT have a significantly lower body weight percentage of protein (19.69%) than shrimp fed with the WHT and TRO diets, and some significant differences in dietary aminoacidic levels affecting amino acid body composition. These results indicate that Iberian pig viscera and trout by-product meal can successfully replace fish meal in Pacific white shrimp aquaculture. Full article

This study evaluated the antifungal potential of essential oils (EOs): oregano (Origanum vulgare), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), and basil (Ocimum basilicum). These oils were tested against fungi isolated from banana peels (Musa paradisiaca). The fungi tested were identified through macroscopic and microscopic analyses and DNA sequencing, after being isolated in potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium modified with 0.05% chloramphenicol. Subsequently, the antifungal properties of the tested essential oils were evaluated in vitro at concentrations of 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 ppm prepared in a 0.05% Tween 80 solution. Cinnamon EOs showed the highest antifungal activity, significantly inhibiting the growth of pathogens at a concentration of 400 ppm. Other EOs showed moderate effects at higher concentrations: rosemary inhibited fungal growth at 600 ppm, oregano at 800 ppm, and clove at 1000 ppm. These findings highlight the potential of EOs as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic fungicides, contributing to the development of sustainable agricultural practices and the post-harvest management of bananas. It is recommended to conduct future research to assess the economic viability and practical impacts of large-scale applications. Full article

Understanding the factors that drive green buying intentions has become critical, as environmental issues continue to rise globally. The study investigates the influence of environmental commitment and green motivation on environmental identity and green purchasing intentions. Additionally, it assesses the mediating role of environmental identity in the relationships between environmental commitment, green motivation, and green purchasing intentions. Moreover, it examines the moderating effect of eco-conscious behaviour on the relationships between environmental commitment, green motivation, green identity, and green purchasing intentions. A total of 440 participants, who stayed in high-rate hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh, were asked to fill out the survey distributed. (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze data. The study outcomes confirmed that environmental commitment and green motivation significantly affect green identity and purchasing behavior. Besides, the results showed the essential mediator contribution of the environmental identity between environmental commitment and green motivation. In addition, it explains eco-conscious behavior as a moderator between the previously mentioned variables. The study contributes to the existing tourism literature by demonstrating the impact of green commitment and environmental motivation on making choices to buy eco-friendly products. Moreover, the results hold significant implications for researchers, policymakers, and tourism stakeholders. Full article

This study explores the role of egoistic and altruistic values on green real estate purchase intention among young consumers in Canada aged between 20 and 40 years. In addition, this study examines the mediating effects of pro-environmental self-identity between social consumption motivation and green real estate purchase intention. A quantitative cross-sectional research design with an explanatory nature is employed. A total of 432 participating consumers in Canada, comprising 44% men and 48% women, with a graduate educational background accounting for 46.7%, and the ages between 24 and 35 contributing 75.2%, were part of the study, and the data collection used a survey method with a purposive sampling, followed by a respondent-driven method. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed on the scales used for the study variables. A structural equational model and path analysis were conducted to derive the results, and the relationships were positive and significant. The study results infer the factors contributing to green real estate purchase intention, including altruistic value, egoistic value, social consumption motivation, and pro-environmental self-identity, with pro-environmental self-identity mediating the relationship. This study emphasizes the relevance of consumer values in real estate purchasing decisions, urging developers and marketers to prioritize ethical ideas, sustainable practices, and building a feeling of belonging and social connectedness. Offering eco-friendly amenities and green construction methods might attract clients, but creating a secure area for social interaction is critical. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to explore the role of egoistic and altruistic values on purchase intention, mainly in the housing and real estate sector, with the target consumers being young consumers in Canada. Full article

To improve the postharvest preservation of cherry tomatoes and combat pathogenic, both bacterial and fungal contamination (particularly Alternaria alternata), a novel biodegradable coating was developed based on a water-in-water (W/W) Pickering emulsion system. The emulsion was stabilized by L. plantarum (Lactobacillus plantarum), with maltodextrin (MD) as the dispersed phase and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as the continuous phase. Characterization of emulsions at varying concentrations revealed that the optimized W/W-PL^8 film exhibited superior stability, smooth morphology, and low water vapor permeability (WVP = 220.437 g/(m²·24 h)), making it a promising candidate for fruit and vegetable preservation. Furthermore, the coating demonstrated strong antioxidant activity, with scavenging rates of 58.99% (ABTS) and 94.23% (DPPH), along with potent antimicrobial effects, showing inhibition rates of 12.8% against Escherichia coli and 23.7% against Staphylococcus aureus. Applied to cherry tomatoes, the W/W-PL^8 coating significantly reduced respiration rates, minimized decay incidence, and maintained nutritional quality during storage. Remarkably, the coating successfully controlled Alternaria alternata contamination, enhancing the storage duration of cherry tomatoes. These findings highlight the potential of W/W-PL^8 as an eco-friendly and functional packaging material for fresh produce preservation. Full article

Rainwater harvesting for sustainable agriculture (RWHSA) offers a viable and eco-friendly strategy to alleviate water scarcity in semi-arid regions, particularly for agricultural use. This study aims to identify optimal sites for implementing RWH systems in northern Iraq to enhance water availability and promote sustainable farming practices. An integrated geospatial approach was adopted, combining Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). Key thematic layers, including soil type, land use/land cover, slope, and drainage density were processed in a GIS environment to model runoff potential. The Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method was used to estimate surface runoff. Criteria were weighted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), enabling a structured and consistent evaluation of site suitability. The resulting suitability map classifies the region into four categories: very high suitability (10.2%), high (26.6%), moderate (40.4%), and low (22.8%). The integration of RS, GIS, AHP, and MCDA proved effective for strategic RWH site selection, supporting cost-efficient, sustainable, and data-driven agricultural planning in water-stressed environments. Full article