Energy embodied in household cookery: the missing part of a sustainable food system? Part 1: A method to survey and calculate representative recipes

This paper firstly reviews the current state of knowledge on sustainable cookery and the environmental impacts of the food consumption phase. It then uses the example of a dish of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding to explore energy use in food production and consumption. Part 1 of this paper conducts a meta-analysis of 33 roast beef and Yorkshire pudding recipes in order to create a representative recipe for analysis. Part 2 of this paper then uses life cycle assessment and energy use data is coupled with the representative recipe of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, to calculate the embodied energy of the meal. Seven interventions are modelled to illustrate how sustainable cookery can play a role as part of a sustainable food system. Interventions show that sustainable cookery has the potential to reduce cookery related energy use by 18%, and integrating sustainable cookery within a sustainable food system has the potential to reduce the total energy use by 55%. Finally, the paper discusses the issue of how the adoption of the sustainable cookery agenda may help or hinder attempts to shift consumers towards sustainable diets

Cities Building Community Wealth

As cities struggle with rising inequality, widespread economic hardship, and racial disparities, something surprising and hopeful is also stirring. In a growing number of America's cities, a more inclusive, community-based approach to economic development is being taken up by a new breed of economic development professionals and mayors. This approach to economic development could be on the cusp of going to scale. It's time it had a name. We call it community wealth building

PROCESSING OF TRIGLYCERIDES TO DIESEL RANGE HYDROCARBON FUELS: EASILY PRACTICABLE SMALL SCALE APPROACH

Lipid fraction of biomass has been identified as carbon neutral substitution to fuels from fossil sources in the transportation sector. Although, the diesel engine, invented by Rudolph Diesel over a century ago first ran on peanut oil, the current combustion engines are designed to run on hydrocarbon fuels derived from petroleum. Therefore, a substitute for diesel fuel from renewable source will need to have identical or closely similar properties. The most popular of the existing technology for processing vegetable or animal oils is based on the conversion of the triglycerides constituents to fatty acids methyl esters (FAME). FAME technology does not produce diesel fuel with identical properties as petro-diesel. Other alternative processing routes are dilution of the vegetable oils, emulsification, pyrolysis and hydrotreating. These routes are discussed in this paper. Appropriate technologies for small scale production of diesel range hydrocarbon fuel from vegetable oil without the need for co-reactants such methanol or hydrogen as part of the feedstock is emphased. Also alternative catalyst systems in place of the expensive precious metal supported catalysts are suggested

Technology without borders: case studies of successful technology transfer

Technology Without Borders presents case studies of successful transfer of climate-friendly technology and practices. It explores the causes for success and draws the lessons learned. Key messages are presented for the fight against climate destabilisation. The terms “climate-friendly technology” and “climate technology” used here refer to technologies, practices or techniques, which reduce greenhouse-gas emissions or assist countries in adapting to climate change

Clean synthesis of adipic acid from cyclohexene in microemulsions with stearyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride as surfactant: From the laboratory to bench scale

Adipic acid, HOOC(CH2)4COOH, is a white crystalline solid used primarily in the manufacture of nylon-6,6 polyamide. In industry, adipic acid is mainly produced by oxidation of cyclohexane with air and nitric acidfollowing a homogeneous two-step route. However, this process leads to the formation of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that has to be decomposed. The aim of this study was the development of a clean technology at pilot scale in order to obtain and recover pure adipic acid, and the evaluation of its industrial practicability. Adipic acid was synthesized from cyclohexene and hydrogen peroxide in microemulsions with stearyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride as surfactant. The non-polluting catalyst sodium tungstate, which contains no heavy metal, was used and the reaction conducted under mild conditions (85 C, 8 h). Yields of up to 81% were reached at the 0.14 L scale. However at the end of the reaction the catalyst and the surfactant must be separated and recycled for subsequent cycles. The reuse of the reaction media enabled the conversion to be increased up to 92% but a loss of surfactant and/or catalyst through the cycles progressively reduced the yields. Yields at the bench scale (1.4 L) increased during the two first cycles and then decreased to conversions of between 60% and 70%. Globally the yield is a little lower at bench scale. The results obtained show that the synthesis of adipic acid by a heterogeneous one-step oxidation of cyclohexene in the presence of hydrogen peroxide is an attractive route for developing a future green industrial process

Prioritization of Strategies to Overcome Barriers for Cleaner and Energy Efficient Alternatives in Urban Transportation - Multi-criteria Approach

Adoption of cleaner and energy efficient technologies (CEETs) in urban transport experiences certain barriers and deriving a set of policies to remove/reduce barrier in the case of Delhi and Mumbai transport systems was attempted in this study. A set of policy alternatives and measures (PAMs) were identified for each barrier and a pool of barriers PAMs for all barriers were identified which were finally analysed for their potential based on 4 important criteria namely administrative costs, financial burden, human resource benefits, administrative backup and political acceptability. Based on aggregated multi-criteria assessment, the policy of distinct colouring scheme for alternate fuel vehicles (AFVs) stood first followed by awareness campaigns to the drivers, training programs to the workers, single window/priority check points, financial incentives and task force to carry out check. To realize the completeness, potential of PAMs in handling barriers was analysed considering not only a set of criteria but also their potential in handling more than one barrier. In overall ranking, policy to develop partnerships among major stakeholders and awareness campaigns to the drivers showed highest potential in removing barriers for the adoption of CEETs. Based on the ranking under both approaches a set of seven policy measures and alternatives were selected to remove barriers to CEETS and they are partnership between the Government, public sector undertakings and private actors in proving better infrastructure; Financial incentives like free or priority parking, separate lanes for alternative fuel vehicles and free inspection and maintenance; Task force to carry our checks; Heavy fines on defaulters; Distinct colour coding for AFVs; Demonstration of AFVs and their advantages; and Awareness campaigns to drivers. This set of PAMs would be able to control all seven pre-identified barriers to the adoption of CEETs in Delhi and Mumbai urban transportation systems.Barriers, CEETs, multi-criteria, policy analysis, urban transport

Green Electricity and Transportation (GET) Smart: Policy Solutions to Increase Energy Independence

Ohioans spend a large amount of money on energy. In 2010, we spent $45 billion, nearly 10 percent of our state's gross domestic product. Nearly half of those energy dollars (or more than$20 billion) was spent to fuel cars, trucks, and buses, and nearly all of which left the state or country in order to import oil. Ohio can reduce its dependence on imported oil by promoting electric vehicles (EVs) and buses, as well as passenger and freight rail

Energy for sustainable rural development

Rural energy in developing countries is discussed with a view to sustainable development. The project-oriented approach in rural energy which has often dominated in the past, is contrasted with an overall strategy for sustainable rural energy demand and supply. An outline for a demand-oriented policy is formulated, indicating the role of the government in energy pricing and market development. Special attention is given to electricity as the fastest-growing energy subsector. It is concluded that major changes are required to accommodate and institutionalize the planning of decentralized energy supply