Search Results (125)

The management of municipal solid waste remains a critical environmental and energy challenge across the European Union (EU), where a significant portion of waste still ends up in landfills, generating landfill gas (LFG) rich in methane and harmful impurities. In Latvia, despite national strategies to enhance circularity, untreated LFG is underutilized due to inadequate purification infrastructure, particularly in meeting biomethane standards. This study addressed this gap by proposing and evaluating an innovative, multistep LFG purification system tailored to Latvian conditions, with the aim of enabling the broader use of LFG for energy cogeneration and potentially biomethane injection. The research objective was to design, describe, and preliminarily assess a pilot-scale LFG purification prototype suitable for deployment at Latvia’s largest landfill facility—Landfill A. The methodological approach combined chemical composition analysis of LFG, technical site assessments, and engineering modelling of a five-step purification system, including desulfurization, cooling and moisture removal, siloxane filtration, pumping stabilization, and activated carbon treatment. The system was designed for a nominal gas flow rate of 1500 m³/h and developed with modular scalability in mind. The results showed that raw LFG from Landfill A contains high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, siloxanes, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), far exceeding permissible thresholds for biomethane applications. The designed prototype demonstrated the technical feasibility of reducing hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) concentrations to <7 mg/m³ and siloxanes to ≤0.3 mg/m³, thus aligning the purified gas with EU biomethane quality requirements. Infrastructure assessments confirmed that existing electricity, water, and sewage capacities at Landfill A are sufficient to support the system’s operation. The implications of this research suggest that properly engineered LFG purification systems can transform landfills from passive waste sinks into active energy resources, aligning with the EU Green Deal goals and enhancing local energy resilience. It is recommended that further validation be carried out through long-term pilot operation, economic analysis of gas recovery profitability, and adaptation of the system for integration with national gas grids. The prototype provides a transferable model for other Baltic and Eastern European contexts, where LFG remains an underexploited asset for sustainable energy transitions. Full article

In the setting of global climate change, employees’ green creativity is of great importance for promoting environmental sustainability. However, existing research remains insufficient in exploring the mechanisms through which environmentally responsible leadership influences employees’ green creativity. Based on social cognitive theory, this study collects multi-temporal questionnaire data from 262 corporate employees through the Credamo platform, analyzed via AMOS and SPSS. This study focuses on the mediating role of green mindfulness and the moderating effect of green human resource management practices. Results show that: first, environmentally responsible leadership has a positive impact on employees’ green creativity, and green mindfulness mediates the relationship between environmental responsible leadership and employees’ green creativity; second, green human resource management practices significantly moderate the relationship between environmentally responsible leadership and green mindfulness, as well as the mediating effect of green mindfulness in the relationship between environmentally responsible leadership and employees’ green creativity. The current results provide a theoretical framework for organizations to understand the potential paths for cultivating employees’ green creativity and offer possible strategic directions for advancing corporate sustainability goals. Full article

The green behaviors of engineering project designers can improve the green performance of engineering projects. Moral factors are likely to influence designers’ behavior related to green design. Therefore, this study takes mindfulness leadership as a new antecedent of green behavior and explores how mindfulness leadership influences the green behaviors of designers. Based on social cognitive theory, this study proposes that mindfulness leadership stimulates the designers to exhibit green behaviors. Then, this study used a survey design and adopted partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the hypotheses. The results indicate that mindfulness leadership is positively associated with green voice behavior (β = 0.313), green knowledge-sharing behavior (β = 0.281), and green helping behavior (β = 0.353). Moreover, moral identity mediates the main effect (β_a = 0.131, β_b = 0.147, β_c = 0.169). These quantitative findings substantiate that mindfulness leadership can effectively motivate designers to provide eco-conscious solutions, share sustainability knowledge, and collaborate on green improvements. The study equips project managers with evidence-based strategies to cultivate moral identity and leadership practices that systematically enhance environmental performance in engineering design contexts. Full article

Women with schizophrenia have distinct health and social needs compared to men. The Mutua Terrassa Functional Unit for Women with Schizophrenia has designed a new intervention called the Community Therapeutic Space (CTS), which is based on individual and group interventions focused on physical and mental health, and social factors. We carried out a narrative review focusing on green and blue spaces, climate change, light, digitalization and health, and gynecological screening in women with schizophrenia, to propose content for seven topics of the CTS. The personalized space offers individual appointments with mental health professionals with particular attention to pharmacological and social issues. The health space focuses mainly on groups of healthy habits, and links women to community activities. The interaction space focuses mainly on social connections, and the connection with nature. The content of these three spaces has been divided into seven colors: green and blue corners (related to green and blue spaces), red corner (climate change), yellow corner (light and health), white corner (mainly focused on mindfulness), black corner (digitalization in healthcare), and purple corner (related to gynecological screening). In the future, peer-to-peer and volunteer programs may help our healthcare unit to ensure and maintain the positive effects of these interventions. Full article

Mindful architecture is poised to foster sustainable behavior and simultaneously mitigate the physical and mental health challenges arising from the impacts of global warming. Previous studies demonstrate that a substantial educational gap persists between architecture and mindfulness. However, recent advancements in text-to-image AI have begun to play a significant role in generating conceptual architectural imagery, enabling architects to articulate their ideas better. This study employs DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion—popular tools in the field—to generate imagery of mindful architecture. Subsequently, the architects decoded the architectural characteristics in the images into words. These words were then analyzed using natural language processing techniques, including Word Cloud Generation, Word Frequency Analysis, and Topic Modeling Analysis. Research findings conclude that mindful architecture from text-to-image AI perspectives consistently features structured lines with sharp edges, prioritizes openness with indoor–outdoor spaces, employs both horizontal and vertical movement, utilizes natural lighting and earth-tone colors, incorporates wood, stone, and glass elements, and emphasizes views of serene green spaces—creating environments characterized by gentle natural sounds and calm atmospheric qualities. DALL-E is the text-to-image AI that provides the most detailed representation of mindful architecture. Full article

Brassica chinensis L. is often grown using ‘excessive water and fertilizer’, which has a negative impact on the inter-root soil environment and the yield and quality of the plant. As the concept of green and sustainable development takes root in people’s minds, it is important to determine the right amount of water and fertilizer. Based on this, the effects of different irrigation rates and microbial fertilizers on the inter-root soil environment and yield and quality of B. chinensis were investigated. A pot experiment was carried out with two irrigation levels (W1: 80–90% of field water capacity; W2: 70–80% of field water capacity) and three fertilizer treatments (F0: no fertilizer; F1: CPS Powder Drill microbial fertilizers; F2: Maya 85 microbial fertilizers). The results showed that microbial fertilizer and irrigation amount, as well as their interaction, all had significant effects on yield, polyphenol content, soluble protein content, nitrate content, and the activities of soil enzymes, such as urease, sucrase, and catalase (p < 0.05). Increases in irrigation amount and the application of microbial fertilizer can increase the yield of B. chinensis, effectively improve the activities of sucrase, urease, and catalase in soil, increase the contents of vitamin C, chlorophyll, soluble protein, and total phenol in leaves, and reduce the content of nitrate. In addition, the findings of the principal component analysis indicated that the F2W2 treatment was the optimal treatment. The results of this study demonstrate that an 80–90% field water capacity, in conjunction with Maya 85 microbial fertilizers, yields an optimal outcome, with a score of 1.86. This outcome suggests that this combination of water and fertilizer can be used as a recommended protocol for the cultivation of Brassica chinensis L. Full article

More than half the world’s population live in cities¹. According to UN Habitat, we are rapidly approaching the time when five billion people will live in cities, and by 2050 this could be 7.5 billion, with much of the growth concentrated in the global south. The context for this paper is how urban growth is linked to notions of community values which cross-link to concepts of heritage. Urban places are where the majority of the world’s population lives and will increasingly do so. Inextricably linked to this proposition is that urban places are where community memories, identity and sense of place are inherent, and here is the link with heritage. What do these paces mean to us? Are there regional, national and international differences? Parallel with these ideas of urban heritage is the sense of place and attachment people have for green spaces in cities and the incremental loss of green spaces. This prompts the question of how this phenomenon has stimulated scholarly and professional attention on the concept of greening cities. Underpinning the inquiry is an understanding of how urban green growth has become regarded as critical to the well-being of people in urban areas. Central to such concerns is the role of people and their social and cultural values which shape how they see their cities. Notable also is how there has been growing concern for urban conservation since the 1990s and the need to understand cities as people spaces, not just collections of buildings. Discourse on cities as spaces for people has its roots in, and builds on, a paradigm shift in innovative thinking and concepts in the twentieth century which has continued into the twenty-first century. Mindful of this background, the paper opens with a review of the historical background to these concerns on the premise that the past is not always a foreign country². It then moves into consideration of heritage values and the role of landscape and what we mean by values. This consideration is central to the paper and moves into an overview of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach as new approaches and tools for urban conservation came into play. Full article

This study investigates the impact of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices on employees’ pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) across multiple sectors in China, including production and manufacturing, real estate, financial services, and IT industries. Data were collected from 492 participants through online and offline surveys conducted between June and August 2024, ensuring a comprehensive and representative sample. The findings reveal that GHRM significantly enhances employees’ PEBs, with green mindfulness and knowledge sharing as critical mediating mechanisms. These mediators amplify the effectiveness of GHRM by fostering deeper environmental awareness and encouraging the exchange of eco-friendly practices among employees. By integrating GHRM with knowledge management processes, the study highlights how organizations can strategically leverage HR practices to strengthen their environmental performance and foster a culture of sustainability. By emphasizing the pivotal roles of green knowledge sharing and environmental awareness, this research underscores their significance in bridging the gap between organizational practices and sustainability outcomes. The insights derived contribute to advancing theoretical understanding and practical applications of green knowledge management and sustainability, offering a robust framework for businesses seeking to align their operations with global environmental goals. Full article

As product diversity continues to expand in today’s market, there is an increasing demand from customers for unique and varied items. Meeting these demands necessitates the transfer of different sub-product components to the production line, even within the same manufacturing process. Lean manufacturing has addressed these challenges through the development of kitting systems that streamline the handling of diverse components. However, to ensure that these systems contribute to sustainable practices, it is crucial to design and implement them with environmental considerations in mind. The optimization of warehouse layouts and kitting preparation areas is essential for achieving sustainable and efficient logistics. To this end, we propose a comprehensive study aimed at developing the optimal layout, that is, creating warehouse layouts and kitting preparation zones that minimize waste, reduce energy consumption, and improve the flow of materials. The problem of warehouse location assignment is classified as NP-hard, and the complexity increases significantly when both storage and kitting layouts are considered simultaneously. This study aims to address this challenge by employing the genetic algorithm (GA) and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) methods to design a system that minimizes energy consumption. Through the implementation of genetic algorithms (GAs), a 24% improvement was observed. This enhancement was achieved by simultaneously optimizing both the warehouse layout and the kitting area, demonstrating the effectiveness of integrated operational strategies. This substantial reduction not only contributes to lower operational costs but also aligns with sustainability goals, highlighting the importance of efficient material handling practices in modern logistics operations. This article provides a significant contribution to the field of sustainable logistics by addressing the vital role of kitting systems within green supply chain management practices. By aligning logistics operations with sustainability goals, this study not only offers practical insights but also advances the broader conversation around environmentally conscious supply chain practices. Full article

This study assessed the impact of mindful consumption on tourists’ green purchase intention and explore the mediating roles played by health consciousness, ethical self-identity, and environmental consciousness. Through an online survey, multi-source data were collected from tourists across China, and SmartPLS SEM was used for analysis to accommodate the requirements of complex models and the testing of mediating effects. The findings indicate that mindful consumption directly enhances green purchase intention and exerts an indirect effect through the mediating roles of ethical self-identity and environmental consciousness. However, the impact of health consciousness on green purchase intention was insignificant. This study is the first to link mindful consumption to tourists’ green purchasing behavior, constructing a critical framework to explore how mindful consumption influences green purchase intention. Additionally, it verifies the partial mediating roles of ethical self-identity and environmental consciousness in this process. Tourism stakeholders can utilize the proposed framework to implement strategies that promote tourists’ green purchasing behavior, therefore fostering sustainable development. Full article

Determining the maturity of cocoa pods early is not just about guaranteeing harvest quality and optimizing yield. It is also about efficient resource management. Rapid identification of the stage of maturity helps avoid losses linked to a premature or late harvest, improving productivity. Early determination of cocoa pod maturity ensures both the quality and quantity of the harvest, as immature or overripe pods cannot produce premium cocoa beans. Our innovative research harnesses artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies to revolutionize the cocoa industry, offering precise and advanced tools for accurately assessing cocoa pod maturity. Providing an objective and rapid assessment enables farmers to make informed decisions about the optimal time to harvest, helping to maximize the yield of their plantations. Furthermore, by automating this process, these technologies reduce the margins for human error and improve the management of agricultural resources. With this in mind, our study proposes to exploit a computer vision method based on the GLCM (gray level co-occurrence matrix) algorithm to extract the characteristics of images in the RGB (red, green, blue) and LAB (luminance, axis between red and green, axis between yellow and blue) color spaces. This approach allows for in-depth image analysis, which is essential for capturing the nuances of cocoa pod maturity. Next, we apply classification algorithms to identify the best performers. These algorithms are then combined via stacking and voting techniques, allowing our model to be optimized by taking advantage of the strengths of each method, thus guaranteeing more robust and precise results. The results demonstrated that the combination of algorithms produced superior performance, especially in the LAB color space, where voting scored 98.49% and stacking 98.71%. In comparison, in the RGB color space, voting scored 96.59% and stacking 97.06%. These results surpass those generally reported in the literature, showing the increased effectiveness of combined approaches in improving the accuracy of classification models. This highlights the importance of exploring ensemble techniques to maximize performance in complex contexts such as cocoa pod maturity classification. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study examined the association between adherence to the Mediterranean dietary approaches to stop hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, its components, and recurrent depressive symptoms (DepSs). Methods: The analyses included 4824 participants (73% men, mean age = 61; SD = 5.9) from the British Whitehall II cohort study. The MIND diet scores were derived from a validated 127-item food frequency questionnaire in 2002–2004. DepSs were assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (score ≥ 16) or by use of antidepressant drugs, and recurrence was defined as having DepSs in at least two of the four repeated measurements in the 2002–2004, 2007–2009, 2012–2013, and 2015–2016 follow-up phases. Results: Recurrent DepSs were observed in 13.3% of the participants over 13 years of follow-up. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the highest tertile of the MIND diet score (where a higher score represents a higher diet quality) had 26% lower odds of experiencing recurrent DepSs (OR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.58–0.93) compared to those in the lowest tertile. In mutually adjusted analyses of 14 MIND diet components in relation to recurrent DepSs, independent associations were observed for green leafy vegetables (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.45–0.78), other vegetables (OR = 0.43, 95% CI:0.24–0.77), and berries (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.61–0.89). Conclusions: In this British prospective cohort, good adherence to the MIND diet, particularly to the recommendations for vegetables and berries, was associated with a lower risk of recurrent depressive symptoms, independent of socio-economic, health behavior, and health status factors, including baseline cognitive impairment and antecedents of DepSs. Full article

As part of the European Green Deal, the EU has recognised that there is a need to increase organic farming as well as improve animal welfare standards. The PIGLOW app was developed with these goals in mind and allows free-range and organic pig farmers to perform welfare assessments (WAs) of their pigs. The results of each WA contain automated feedback and benchmarking information. The objective of this two-year longitudinal study was to determine whether regular use of the app helps farmers improve pig welfare. Farmers (n = 12) were asked to perform 6 WAs for finisher pigs with the app. At the beginning and end of the study, a researcher visited each farm and performed a detailed WA to determine the welfare status of the pigs at both moments. Farmers (n = 11) also filled out surveys about their opinions on pig welfare and the PIGLOW app. The welfare results did not support that the use of the PIGLOW app had an overall effect on pig welfare, but suggested a positive effect on some specific welfare aspects. Farmers indicated that they found the app easy to use and found most of its elements very useful. However, when asked about the specific influence of the app on their opinions on pig welfare and the welfare of their pigs, they indicated that the app only had small effects. Responses suggested that the app could likely be more useful to new farmers who still have more to learn about animal welfare. Full article

The physiological impact of walking in nature was quantified via continuous heart rate variability (HRV), pre- and post-walk saliva cortisol measures, and self-reported mood and mindfulness scores for N = 17 participants who walked “The Green Road” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. For N = 15 of the participants, HRV analysis revealed two main groups: group one individuals had a 104% increase (mean) in the root mean square standard deviation (RMSSD) and a 47% increase (mean) in the standard deviation of NN values (SDNN), indicating an overall reduction in physiological stress from walking the Green Road, and group two individuals had a decrease (mean) of 42% and 31% in these respective HRV metrics, signaling an increase in physiological stresses. Post-walk self-reported scores for vigor and mood disturbance were more robust for the Green Road than for a comparable urban road corridor and showed that a higher HRV during the walk was associated with improved overall mood. Saliva cortisol was lower after taking a walk for all participants, and it showed that walking the Green Road elicited a significantly larger reduction in cortisol of 53%, on average, when compared with 37% of walking along an urban road. It was also observed that the order in which individuals walked the Green Road and urban road also impacted their cortisol responses, with those walking the urban road before the Green Road showing a substantial reduction in cortisol, suggesting a possible attenuation effect of walking the Green Road first. These findings provide quantitative data demonstrating the stress-reducing effects of being in nature, thus supporting the health benefit value of providing access to nature more broadly in many settings. Full article

Education can be considered a key element in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through ecological and social generativity specifically among young generations. This study explores the intricate relationships between ecological generativity, social generativity, environmental identity, agency, and their collective impact on the mental health of Chinese college students. Employing a cross-sectional design, the research enlisted a cohort of 2439 undergraduate students, aged between 18 and 23 years, from various universities in China. Utilizing validated instruments such as the Ecological Generativity Scale, Social Generativity Scale, revised Environmental Identity Scale (IED-R), and the Agency/Pathways dimension of the Eco-Generativity Scale-Short Form, alongside the Positive Mental Health Scale for mental health assessment, this study conducted correlational and mediational analyses to test four hypotheses. The results robustly supported the first hypothesis, establishing ecological generativity as a significant predictor of mental health, underscoring the vital role of environmental stewardship in enhancing personal well-being. Further analysis confirmed the positive relationships between ecological generativity and both social generativity and environmental identity (Hypothesis 2), illustrating how engagement in ecological preservation efforts fosters social cohesion and a deep-seated environmental connectedness. The verification of Hypothesis 3 highlighted the contributory roles of ecological generativity, social generativity, and environmental identity in empowering students with a sense of agency. Additionally, the complex interplay among these constructs, as detailed in the examination of Hypothesis 4, revealed a multifaceted mechanism through which they collectively influence mental health, with agency serving as a pivotal mediator. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of integrating environmental consciousness into educational paradigms to promote ecological generativity, foster environmental identity, and empower students with a sense of agency. It recommends the development of interventions and educational programs aimed at enhancing mental well-being among college students, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and socially responsible future. This research not only adds to the growing body of literature on ecological generativity and mental health but also proposes practical implications for educational policy and practice. Full article