Search Results (201)

Growing awareness of sustainable development and green consumer concerns is driving the market expansion for green agriculture products. E-commerce live streaming gives rural enterprises a new channel through scenario-building and interaction, while agro-tourism integration combines resources to generate a variety of promotion scenarios. This study examines the effects of external stimuli, including social networks, resource endowment, infrastructure, and the characteristics of e-commerce streamers, on the perception, trust, perceived value, and purchase intention of green consumption. It is based on the SOR (Stimulus–Organism–Response) theoretical model and focuses on e-commerce live streaming in the agriculture-tourism integration scenario. According to a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis of 350 consumer questionnaires, these external stimuli primarily influence purchase intention through perceived value, trust, and green consumption cognition, with resource endowment having the most significant impact. The effects of infrastructure on perceived value and streamer attractiveness on green consumption cognition are not statistically significant. This research not only broadens the use of the SOR model in the emerging field of agritourism integration but also offers rural businesses theoretical backing and useful guidance to maximize e-commerce live marketing and enhance agritourism integration. Full article

This study examines the behavioral mechanism of sustainable consumption through which greenwashing (GW) perception influences consumers’ intention to purchase green food, with a particular focus on Chinese consumers. Grounded in the value-based adoption model (VAM), we propose a structural model that incorporates perceived benefit (PB) and perceived sacrifice (PS) as mediating variables and GW perception as a moderating variable. Using survey data from 347 Chinese respondents, the analysis is conducted via partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results indicate that environmental knowledge, environmental awareness (EA), green food characteristics (GFCs), and consumer characteristics significantly enhance PB, whereas EA and GFCs reduce PS. PB has a positive effect on green food purchase intention, whereas PS has a negative effect. Notably, GW perception does not significantly moderate the relationship between PB and purchase intention, but it does intensify the negative impact of PS on purchase intention. This suggests that consumers who are sensitive to GW are more likely to reject green food products when they experience a high PS. This study contributes to the literature by extending the application of the VAM in the context of sustainable consumption and offering empirical insights into the psychological effects of GW. Practical implications include marketing strategies aimed at reducing PS and fostering trust through transparent, verifiable green claims. Policymakers are encouraged to improve certification systems and public education efforts to alleviate consumer skepticism in the green food market. Full article

Considering the climate crisis, global environmental awareness, and the pursuit of sustainable architecture, various methodologies and global standards have been developed to assess and reduce the environmental impact of construction projects. Green Building Codes (GBCs) and rating systems have been implemented worldwide to support green building practices based on the use of simulation models to evaluate energy consumption, such as the ENERGYui and others to rate buildings based on their simulated energy performance. Israel has also established green building standards, such as SI 5281, which provide practical tools for architects to promote the use of green building methods. However, several studies have cast doubt on the actual measured performance of certified buildings. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Israeli green building certification process (SI 5281/SI 5282) through a comparison between simulation-based ratings with measured post-occupancy electricity consumption. Through four case studies, the research identifies discrepancies, explores their causes, and proposes refinements to certification assumptions and evaluation methods. The research is intended to enhance the effectiveness of assessment tools in architectural design and contribute to more precise and sustainable green building practices. This study identifies significant gaps between simulated and actual energy consumption in Israeli green buildings, highlighting that, within this framework, educational buildings tend to exceed predicted usage, while residential buildings often consume less, thereby exposing limitations in current simulation assumptions and standard evaluation criteria. Full article

Background: The current food system is unsustainable, making it essential to address the issue globally through adequate policies and sustainable development goals. The European Union aims to dedicate 25% of farmland to organic farming by 2030 to promote sustainable practices. Warsaw is the first Polish city working on an urban sustainable food policy; however, there is limited data on the sustainable food system (SFS) and organic sector available. Objectives: This research examines whether consumers in Warsaw who prefer organic food also display other sustainable characteristics and awareness, reflected in their food choices, dietary habits, and other food-related behaviors. Methods: A household survey (HHS) was conducted as part of the SysOrg project, focusing on evaluating the sustainability of food systems in Warsaw in the areas of diet and organic food. The clusters of respondents, grouped by the self-declared proportion of organic foods in their diets, were analyzed and compared, and in addition, correlation analyses of the share of organic food in diets and other sustainability parameters were performed. Results: The study of 449 respondents indicates that Warsaw is at an early stage of the organic transformation, with the largest group of respondents declaring a 1–10% share of organic products in their diet. There were significant differences in dietary choices, sustainability awareness, and food selection habits and motivations among various consumer groups depending on their organic food share. Conclusions: Overall, this study’s findings highlight a link between organic food consumption and certain sustainable behaviors, suggesting potential for organic consumers’ contribution to a sustainable transformation. The study offers valuable insights into the existing knowledge gap regarding the behaviors of organic and sustainable consumers in Warsaw. Furthermore, despite the non-random nature of the sample limiting the generalizability of findings, it serves as a preliminary resource for other European cities that are formulating food policies and incorporating Green Public Procurement (GPP) into their procurement processes, especially for municipalities within the Visegrad Group. Full article

The global demand for oils and lipids, particularly those derived from vegetable sources with high polyunsaturated fatty acid content, has posed significant challenges for the food industry. This trend is largely driven by growing consumer awareness of health and nutrition. To meet this demand, it is essential to not only identify richer sources of lipids but also develop efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly methods for their extraction, isolation, and characterization. In this context, the present work provides a comprehensive review of current perspectives on the extraction, isolation, and identification of lipids and fatty acids, comparing conventional and green methodologies for food applications. Ideally, analytical and processing methodologies for obtaining food-grade materials should prioritize low energy consumption, minimal or no use of hazardous substances, and the generation of non-polluting residues, thereby safeguarding both human health and the environment. In recent years, green extraction techniques have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional methods, offering partial or complete replacements, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, supercritical and subcritical fluid extraction, and others. However, significant advancements are still required to fully address these concerns. Techniques such as chromatography and spectrometry play pivotal roles in the isolation and identification process, especially gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry or with flame ionization detectors; while separating individual fatty acids based on their chain length and degree of unsaturation, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is quite a helpful approach. Furthermore, the isolation and structural elucidation of fatty acids are critical steps in ensuring the nutritional quality and commercial viability of lipid products. Full article

The digital transition and decarbonization are strategic European objectives, supported at different levels by the Green Deal, the Energy Performance Building Directive (EPBD), and policies and tools such as the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI). The SRI measures a building’s ability to use intelligent technologies to reduce its consumption and increase the energy awareness of occupants for energy efficiency. Furthermore, today, it has a limited impact on national regulations and public decision-making. Its application presents challenges including those related to heritage conservation. This paper contributes to the Italian SRI framework through an experimental application in the renovation of a historic building in the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria (Italy). The analysis evaluates the SRI’s adaptability by comparing its pre-renovated state, current state, and pre-design plan. The SRI calculation integrates assessment tools with BIM models for a potential future digital twin approach. The study, part of a funded national research project, aims to enhance policies for digitalization in the green transition. The paper is organized into the Introduction; Materials and Methods, which contains the methodological approach; Results; and Discussion and Conclusions. Following the experimental application, the results show that standardizing the SRI approach could enhance energy efficiency and digitalization in buildings. Full article

In response to the global goal of carbon neutrality, the tourism industry faces mounting pressure to reduce emissions. Characteristic towns that rely on traditional, high-emission models urgently require low-carbon tourism transformation strategies to meet environmental targets while preserving cultural heritage and economic vitality. This study investigates the low-carbon transition pathways of tourism in characteristic towns, using the three-dimensional impact mechanism of tourists, residents, and enterprises as a conceptual entry point. Drawing on empirical research conducted in Zhouzhuang and Tongli—two ancient towns in Suzhou—the study identifies key drivers and barriers to the development of low-carbon tourism. Results indicate that the overall low-carbon transformation score for Suzhou’s characteristic towns is 63.3, suggesting a moderate level of progress. Specifically, Zhouzhuang scored 66.9, while Tongli lagged behind at 57.6, highlighting notable disparities in transition efforts. The study applies multi-agent game theory and system dynamics to analyze the interactive mechanisms among tourists, residents, and enterprises in the low-carbon transition. Our findings reveal that tourists’ low-carbon consumption behaviors, residents’ environmental awareness, and enterprises’ green investments significantly influence the transition process. Further analysis using a chain mediation model shows that policy support positively affects low-carbon outcomes by promoting enterprise investment and influencing resident behavior. The study’s innovation lies in its development of an integrated analytical framework that captures the dynamic interplay among multiple stakeholders, offering a comprehensive perspective on low-carbon tourism transformation in characteristic towns. This study contributes to the sustainable tourism literature and provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners working toward carbon neutrality in tourism destinations. Full article

Ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) is a cornerstone of beyond 5G and future 6G networks, particularly for mission-critical applications such as the healthcare Internet of Things. In applications such as remote surgery, emergency services, and real-time health monitoring, it is imperative to ensure stringent latency and reliability requirements. However, the energy constraints of wearable and implantable medical devices pose stringent challenges to conventional URLLC methods. This paper proposes an energy-aware URLLC framework that dynamically prioritizes healthcare traffic to optimize transmission energy and reliability. The framework integrates a priority-aware packet scheduler, adaptive transmission control, and edge-enabled reliability management. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations are carried out on various network loads and varying edge computing delays to evaluate performance metrics, like latency, throughput, reliability score, energy consumption, delay violation rate, and Jain’s fairness index. Results illustrate that the suggested technique achieves lower latency, energy consumption, and delay violation rates and higher throughput and reliability scores, sacrificing Jain’s fairness index graciously at peak network overload. This study is a potential research lead for green URLLC in healthcare IoT systems to come. Full article

To scientifically assess the energy-saving effects of China’s zero-waste city pilot (ZWCP) policies and provide empirical evidence and policy insights for advancing pilot policies and accelerating energy conservation and emission reduction goals, this study selected 274 cities in China from 2010 to 2022 as the research sample, employing a double machine learning model to empirically analyze the impact of pilot policies on urban energy consumption intensity. The research results demonstrate that the ZWCP policies significantly reduced energy consumption intensity in pilot areas. Channel analysis reveals that this policy exerted a restraining effect on energy consumption intensity through industrial structure upgrading, green technology innovation, and enhanced environmental awareness. Heterogeneity analysis shows that policy effects were more pronounced in non-urban agglomeration regions, inland areas, and small-to-medium-sized cities. This study provides crucial decision-making references for the promotion and implementation of ZWCP policies during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between climate change, urban greening, and health perceptions among university students within higher education. Grounded in environmental psychology and sustainability science, it explores how well-being is shaped by climate–health awareness, eco-anxiety, and perceived access to urban green spaces. A mixed-methods approach was employed, using structured questionnaires to assess cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to climate change and sustainability. The findings indicate a high awareness of the health impacts of climate change, especially concerning mental well-being. Urban green spaces were recognized as positively influencing emotional resilience, physical activity, and environmental quality. However, despite this awareness, limited engagement in sustainability-oriented behaviors was identified, indicating an action gap. The study suggests the creation of a Climate Health Assessment Indicator to evaluate climate–health literacy and behavioral readiness among academic populations systematically. It also emphasizes integrating identity-based interventions into educational frameworks to support the transition from awareness to sustainable action. Positioned within the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), and SDG 13 (Climate Action)—this research contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse on integrating sustainability and human well-being in academic and urban contexts. Full article

Understanding the drivers of green consumption behavior is crucial for promoting sustainable practices among households. This study explores the key factors influencing green consumer behavior, including environmental awareness, subjective norms, attitudes, green promotional activities, and household characteristics. By examining their interactions and the mediating role of consumer intention, this research provides a comprehensive perspective on how these elements shape household consumption choices. These findings highlight the significant impact of environmental awareness and subjective norms on shaping green consumer intentions, which, in turn, drive actual behavior. This study offers insights for policymakers and businesses to design targeted strategies that encourage sustainable consumption habits. Practical implications include the need for awareness campaigns, community engagement, and supportive policies to foster green consumer behavior. Full article

The main objective of this study was to investigate European consumers’ intentions to purchase cosmetics and detergents with green ingredients made from recycled CO₂. Aiming to better understand both moral and practical criteria of consumers’ intentions, a combination of the Values-Beliefs-Norms and the Theory of Planned Behaviour models served as the basis of this study’s theoretical framework. The combination was extended with risk perception about global warming, scepticism and media influence. Online interviews were conducted with stratified samples based on gender and age distributions in France, Germany, Greece and Spain. Structural equation modelling and moderation analyses were employed to analyse the data. The results indicated that consumption intentions are generated by consumers’ biospheric values and a sequence of risk perception, awareness of consequences, and ascription of responsibility while they are directly determined (in declining order) by perceived behavioural control, personal norms, attitudes and subjective norms. Subjective norms indicated additional indirect impacts on consumption intentions through personal norms and ascription of responsibility. Moderation also indicated that the relationship between perceived behavioural control and consumption intentions is stronger in consumers, who are less sceptical towards ecological claims on packaging, while the relationship between personal norms and consumption intentions is stronger in consumers, who are less influenced by advertisements. Theoretical, managerial and social implications were derived from the results. Full article

Researchers and companies are placing increasing importance on sustainability to fight climate change. This study analyzes the sustainability of hotel installation, photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, and the transition from traditional lighting to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. The results show that for the PV system, the NPV (net present value) varied between 3191 and 11,959 kTND/kW and that the installation of PV panels has a positive NPV of 100% in the case of a high market scenario and 79–84% in the case of a scenario with reduced market activity. Regarding energy optimization, the use of LED bulbs generates an NPV of 346 to 713 TND/bulb, depending on self-consumption and the cost of electricity. Ecological studies show that installing PV panels would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 424 gCO2eq/kWh, or 61 tCO2eq/year. Furthermore, social evaluations have shown the importance of the use of renewable energy from an energy optimization point of view for the ecological transition. In conclusion, green investments improve the sustainability of hotels. However, to fully exploit this potential, a change in consumer attitudes is needed. Hotels must continue to promote their sustainability efforts while making their guests aware of the importance of making eco-friendly choices. Only a combined approach, involving both hoteliers and guests, will achieve a sustainable transition in the hotel sector. The objective of this article is therefore to examine the multidisciplinary interactions between photovoltaic solar energy and sustainable development by highlighting the inherent opportunities of this multidisciplinary approach for their success in the hospitality sector. Our methodological approach therefore combines a theoretical and a numerical study. These studies play a major role in energy transition projects due to their economic, environmental, technical, and technological contributions, which proves the importance of the multidisciplinary approach to address the energy transition in a holistic way. Full article

Smart home technologies (SHT) offer numerous benefits to consumers. This study explored the relationship between the perceived benefits of and the likelihood of subsequently purchasing SHT among Taiwanese consumers. The study conducted a survey in May 2024 and collected data from 424 respondents of various ages, educational backgrounds, and income levels. Data on the perceived benefits of SHT, the perceived challenges of adopting these technologies, current methods for managing household tasks and energy consumption, and the likelihood of purchasing SHT were collected. The perceived benefits of SHT include enhanced comfort, security, and energy efficiency. Comfort and energy efficiency but not enhanced security were significant predictors of adoption. Proficiency in online research but not general technical proficiency also significantly predicted adoption. Consumers dissatisfied with current home energy management methods were more likely to adopt SHT. Positive perceptions of benefits and dissatisfaction with current methods drive the adoption of SHT. As there is increasing environmental awareness in Taiwan, this study verifies that environmentally conscious consumers affect their buying decisions positively. This study highlights how SHT can improve quality of life while promoting sustainable development. The study offers valuable insights into consumer buying behaviors and contributes to the SHT industry with actionable suggestions for improving product design, incorporating more green technology into their products, enhancing user interfaces, strengthening security protocols, and upgrading interoperability between different smart home devices that may facilitate users to embrace SHT. Full article

Due to increasing public awareness of environmental concerns and stricter cleaning process requirements, traditional cleaning technologies characterized by high pollution, excessive energy consumption, and substantial damage are insufficient to meet contemporary demands. There is an urgent need for efficient, low-damage, and environmentally friendly cleaning technologies. In recent years, the rapid advancement of micro-nano bubbles (MNBs), which exhibit unique physicochemical properties, have emerged as a promising solution for green cleaning applications. This review begins with an overview of the benefits of MNBs in cleaning processes, followed by an in-depth analysis of the factors influencing their cleaning effectiveness as well as the possible mechanisms involved. Additionally, the producing and application of MNBs across various cleaning scenarios are summarized. Finally, prospects for their development are discussed. Research and advancements in MNB preparation technologies are expected to boost their applicability and commercialization in a greater variety of cleaning contexts in the future. Full article