Community Supported Agriculture in the urban fringe: empirical evidence for project potentiality in the metropolitan area of Naples (Italy)

Urbanisation of city-side areas effects on farm land use and organisation are analysed in this study with the objective of seeking the most effective way to implement a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme. Specifically, we used a theoretical framework to describe and assess the relationships between urbanisation and changes in farm-styles in the city belt. Our analysis is based on a case study in the protected area of the Campi Flegrei Regional Park situated in the north-western part of the Neapolitan metropolitan area, which is a peri-urban rural area with severe environmental management problems. Our results from the empirical analysis allowed us to distinguish the farms of the area into three behavioural-social groups on the basis of specific features, in order to identify the best suited type of farm for the strategic implementation of the CSA. A market scenario was predicted for each of them without any intervention

Interdisciplinary approach to socio-environmental problems: an analysis of the micro-dumps in the city of Mar del Plata

The aim of this paper is to reflect on interdisciplinary social intervention in socio-environmental problems, particularly in the emergence of micro-dumps in the city of Mar del Plata. This problem is associated not only to consumption habits, but also to population growth, urbanization and, above all, to an inadequate management of the integral waste plan. In this sense, from a rights perspective, I propose to rethink the multiple dimensions that cross this socio-environmental problem and the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to guarantee the right to a healthy environment. For this, I developed a bibliographic review process of various investigations that refer not only to the inadequate treatment of waste by the municipality, but also to the lack of collection services, infrastructure, information and environmental education in the neighborhoods

Un modelo matemático estratégico de la disposición de residuos.

pág. 58 – 70, fórmulas y gráficos. (12 hojas)El impacto de las acciones humanas sobre el medio ambiente plantea varios desafíos a nivel global con soluciones que merecen la participación conjunta de los sectores productivos, políticos y de la sociedad civil. La escasez de recursos, la degradación de los ecosistemas y el cambio climático deben ser abordados con urgencia, siendo necesario un cambio de paradigma en las formas de producción y consumo. Sin embargo, a pesar de los notables avances en el reciclaje y el suprareciclaje, los rellenso sanitarios y vertederos siguen siendo la principal forma de eliminación de residuos en todo el mundo. Es más, una cantidad importante de residuos se elimina de manera ilegal afectando la calidad de vida de las comunidades que viven en zonas cercanas. Este trabajo estudia la compensación entre el retiro de contenedores de residuos y la limpieza de micro-vertederos ilegales mediante el control impulsivo. Se formula un modelo matemático de tipo estratégico, aquel que capta aspectos mínimos pero relevantes del fenómeno, para describir la dinámica de la basura

Community Supported Agriculture in the Urban Fringe: Empirical Evidence for Project Feasibility in the Metropolitan Area of Naples (Italy)

 Urbanisation of city-side areas effects on farm land use and organisation are analysed in this study with the objective of seeking the most effective way to implement a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme. Specifically, we used a theoretical framework to describe and assess the relationships between urbanization and farm-styles in the city belt. Our analysis is based on a case study in the protected area of the Campi Flegrei Regional Park situated in the north-western part of the Neapolitan metropolitan area, which is a peri-urban rural area with severe environmental management problems. Our results from the empirical analysis allowed us to distinguish the farms of the area into three behavioural-social groups on the basis of specific features, in order to identify the best suited type of farm for the strategic implementation of the CSA. A market scenario was predicted for each of them without any interventio

Differences in the association of dengue and leptospirosis incidences with respect to socio-sanitary vulnerability in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina

The results indicate that the higher the degree of vulnerability or social and health exclusion, the higher the incidence of leptospirosis, while the opposite is true for dengue cases. The results also suggest that there are two sectors with a higher incidence of dengue, one located in the central-western area of the city and the other in the southwest, both urban sectors with greater social inclusion and health accessibility. On the other hand, leptospirosis has its highest incidence in peripheral neighborhoods of the city located in the islands and the river coast, with high vulnerability indexes. Likewise, a conglomerate of cases was observed in areas near the former Belgrano railroad tracks, where some settlements with high social and sanitary vulnerability indexes are also located.In contrast to this work, Vanlerberghe (29), based on studies carried out in Cali, Colombia, suggests that dengue incidences are higher in more unprotected sectors of the population. Based on a worldwide meta-analysis, Muligan et al. (11) suggest that the relationship between social marginalization or lack of protection variables and the incidence of dengue is under discussion. In the city of Santa Fe, dengue epidemics have been associated with the occurrence of imported cases (5), and these are generally people who have traveled to countries where dengue is endemic. Therefore, it is more likely that dengue epidemics are initiated in sectors of Santa Fe society with a certain purchasing power that allows for travel outside the country. The results of this study indicate that in Santa Fe we found a lower incidence of dengue in sectors with high socio-sanitary vulnerability indicators, coinciding, in this sense, with the studies of Muligan et al (11).In relation to leptospirosis, the results coincide with those found by different researchers (6, 18, 30, 31) who describe this disease as more likely to happen amongst marginalized sectors of society. Three of the variables analyzed showed this pattern. We observed an increase in the incidence of leptospirosis as socioeconomic conditions deteriorated, which was also reflected in the spatial analysis of the determinants of the disease in Greater Santa Fe (18). Peri-urban and suburban sectors present the greatest environmental and socioeconomic susceptibility for the occurrence of leptospirosis (18).Finally, we also found that the incidence increased with higher proportions of households whose heads of household did not complete primary education. In a study carried out in neighborhoods of the city of Santa Fe and nearby localities, we observed an influence of the educational level achieved by people in their ability to adopt practices to prevent the disease (32). We also found a higher incidence of leptospirosis the higher the degree of health vulnerability, which could be related to the fact that cases of leptospirosis with detectable or severe symptomatology usually occur. Although leptospirosis has been considered a neglected disease at international level (6), some countries have not developed public policies aimed at improving its prevention. Martins and Spink (8) consider that in Brazil leptospirosis is a doubly neglected disease, because the epidemiological surveillance system in that country does not have data that would allow an efficient characterization of the populations that are mainly affected, so that its impact and the profile of the people affected remain invisible. When comparing it with dengue, Martins and Spink (8) attribute the differences in the sectors of the population affected by these diseases to the characteristics of the vectors/reservoirs that transmit them. Although Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have an area of action of approximately 300 m, they can easily disperse throughout the territory. Moreover, females lay their eggs in containers with rigid walls, which are not necessarily exclusive to more unprotected areas (6). Leptospira transmission, on the other hand, involves their excretion in the host´s urine, persistence in the environment and entry into a new host. The main reservoir of leptospires are rats (Rattus sp.). These animals proliferate in urban environments with inadequate basic services, such as waste collection, closed storm drainage systems, and well-maintained green spaces. Thus, for example, rats are associated with micro-dumps, ditches, and unweeded areas. On the other hand, conditions that favor the persistence of the bacteria in damp soils are also often found in marginal neighborhoods with poorly maintained dirt roads and open canals (1). Thus, poorer living conditions increase the chances of contracting leptospirosis in an urban context (8). These could be the mechanisms that result in the increased incidence of leptospirosis that we observed in the city of Santa Fe as the socioeconomic stratum index increases toward less favorable conditions.It should be emphasized that the number of cases of these diseases may be underestimated due to underreporting in the National Health Surveillance System. This may be due to the fact that these diseases in some cases produce mild symptoms, for which some people do not seek health care. In other cases, these diseases may be under-diagnosed due to lack of access to adequate health care or deficiencies in the health system´s ability to diagnose these diseases.It is necessary to take into account that the location of the dengue data from the 2016 minor outbreak could not be accessed, and that the type of study applied does not allow us to conclude on individual associations and could fall into an ecological bias. The patterns found are general and the resulting associations allow guiding new studies that search for more specific variables and with greater explanatory power, with the aim of avoiding possible confounding biases In recent years, great emphasis has been placed on public policies aimed at controlling dengue fever, with variable results (33), while leptospirosis prevention campaigns are scarce. We consider that these results constitute an advance and a contribution to the analysis of how these diseases are distributed in the city of Santa Fe, with the aim of guiding the development of public policies that will make it possible to adequately address invisible diseases, such as leptospirosis.In general terms, this work coincides with the statement made by Dr. Mike Begon (pers. comm.) that leptospirosis is such a neglected disease that it did not even make it to the WHO list of neglected diseases (34). In the case of Santa Fe, leptospirosis is neglected, underdiagnosed and underestimated in relation to Dengue. It is also, coinciding with Martins and Spink (8), invisibilized. And this is related to the sectors it affects, unlike dengue.Inequity, marginality, low educational level and vulnerability based on the social structure are elements that promote the deterioration of health in cities (35). Health does not obey an exclusively individual order, but is a process that depends on how societies produce and reproduce themselves (36, 37). Public policies must be equitable and comprehensive, with a high degree of social relevance, and must not respond only to an ahistorical and decontextualized biological perspective (38). Public policies aimed at disease prevention should cover the totality of conditions without excluding any material, social, educational, cultural or economic context. This would make it possible to achieve an improvement in the overall quality of life, especially if participatory inclusion is promoted in the construction of a dignified community future. When public policies aimed at improving economic conditions or strengthening social protection are implemented, there are usually positive repercussions on the health of the population (39,40). It is essential to address the problems associated with zoonoses in a transdisciplinary manner, considering the "One Health" concept. There cannot be human health if there is no animal health, and both cannot exist if the environment is not healthy; if it is deteriorated, if it is not sustainable (41, 42). Applying the One Health concept to the case of leptospirosis and dengue, we can expect that a healthy environment that has good garbage and vacant land management and minimizes rainwater accumulation will present fewer opportunities for mosquitoes, rodents and leptospires to survive and reproduce. In turn, in a more diverse animal community, including rodent and mosquito predators, and with a low dominance of reservoir species, there will be less transmission of these pathogens. Finally, an empowered human population with basic needs met and with broad access to education and health care will have greater capacity for prevention, detection and treatment of these zoonoses. Therefore, taking into account all of the above, we consider that it is necessary to advance in unraveling the socio-environmental roots of the health problems generated by this system of accumulation and segregation (37) in order to move towards healthier relationships, with citizen protagonism, which shed light on the invisible diseases that affect invisible populations and subjects.Fil: Avalos, Christian Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Cristaldi, Maximiliano Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Mendicino, Diego. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Endemias Nacionales; ArgentinaFil: Previtali, Maria Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Argentin

Reversing direction in the used clothing crisis: Global, European, and Chilean perspectives

Since 2012, the Alto Hospicio Municipality in the Chilean Atacama Desert has witnessed the fast growth of large illegal dumps of discarded clothing and textile products. Several tens of thousands of tonnes of textile waste cover around 300 hectares, some of which are burned on-site. Most clothes are made of synthetic fibres, and their incineration releases heavy metals, acid gases, particulates, and dioxins, harming the health of people nearby and damaging the local environment. Such dumps – also present in Ghana, Kenya, and Pakistan, among other countries – are symptoms of the problem of developing countries importing large volumes of low-value textiles, which they struggle to use in economically and environmentally beneficial ways. While local circumstances in each importing country are unique, the underlying cause is the export of large volumes of second-hand clothes from developed countries, driven by changes in the global fashion industry in recent decades. In this context, in 2023, the United Nations Economic Commissions for Europe (UNECE) and for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) conducted a global study on secondhand clothing flows and the business models driving them, with a focus on Europe as an origin and Chile as a destination. The study includes the results of fieldwork undertaken in the second-hand clothing markets of the Tarapacá region of Chile. It formulates policy recommendations that aim to improve the economic, social, and environmental outcomes of the global trade in second-hand clothes. Information about overall activities of the UNECE Economic Cooperation and Trade Division on Circular Economy is available at: https://unece.org/trade/CircularEconomyExecutive Summary .-- Introduction .-- Chapter 1. The Chilean perspective .-- Chapter 2. The European perspective .-- Chapter 3. The Global Perspective .-- Recommendations

Differences in the association of dengue and leptospirosis incidences with respect to socio-sanitary vulnerability in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina

The results indicate that the higher the degree of vulnerability or social and health exclusion, the higher the incidence of leptospirosis, while the opposite is true for dengue cases. The results also suggest that there are two sectors with a higher incidence of dengue, one located in the central-western area of the city and the other in the southwest, both urban sectors with greater social inclusion and health accessibility. On the other hand, leptospirosis has its highest incidence in peripheral neighborhoods of the city located in the islands and the river coast, with high vulnerability indexes. Likewise, a conglomerate of cases was observed in areas near the former Belgrano railroad tracks, where some settlements with high social and sanitary vulnerability indexes are also located.In contrast to this work, Vanlerberghe (29), based on studies carried out in Cali, Colombia, suggests that dengue incidences are higher in more unprotected sectors of the population. Based on a worldwide meta-analysis, Muligan et al. (11) suggest that the relationship between social marginalization or lack of protection variables and the incidence of dengue is under discussion. In the city of Santa Fe, dengue epidemics have been associated with the occurrence of imported cases (5), and these are generally people who have traveled to countries where dengue is endemic. Therefore, it is more likely that dengue epidemics are initiated in sectors of Santa Fe society with a certain purchasing power that allows for travel outside the country. The results of this study indicate that in Santa Fe we found a lower incidence of dengue in sectors with high socio-sanitary vulnerability indicators, coinciding, in this sense, with the studies of Muligan et al (11).In relation to leptospirosis, the results coincide with those found by different researchers (6, 18, 30, 31) who describe this disease as more likely to happen amongst marginalized sectors of society. Three of the variables analyzed showed this pattern. We observed an increase in the incidence of leptospirosis as socioeconomic conditions deteriorated, which was also reflected in the spatial analysis of the determinants of the disease in Greater Santa Fe (18). Peri-urban and suburban sectors present the greatest environmental and socioeconomic susceptibility for the occurrence of leptospirosis (18).Finally, we also found that the incidence increased with higher proportions of households whose heads of household did not complete primary education. In a study carried out in neighborhoods of the city of Santa Fe and nearby localities, we observed an influence of the educational level achieved by people in their ability to adopt practices to prevent the disease (32). We also found a higher incidence of leptospirosis the higher the degree of health vulnerability, which could be related to the fact that cases of leptospirosis with detectable or severe symptomatology usually occur. Although leptospirosis has been considered a neglected disease at international level (6), some countries have not developed public policies aimed at improving its prevention. Martins and Spink (8) consider that in Brazil leptospirosis is a doubly neglected disease, because the epidemiological surveillance system in that country does not have data that would allow an efficient characterization of the populations that are mainly affected, so that its impact and the profile of the people affected remain invisible. When comparing it with dengue, Martins and Spink (8) attribute the differences in the sectors of the population affected by these diseases to the characteristics of the vectors/reservoirs that transmit them. Although Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have an area of action of approximately 300 m, they can easily disperse throughout the territory. Moreover, females lay their eggs in containers with rigid walls, which are not necessarily exclusive to more unprotected areas (6). Leptospira transmission, on the other hand, involves their excretion in the host´s urine, persistence in the environment and entry into a new host. The main reservoir of leptospires are rats (Rattus sp.). These animals proliferate in urban environments with inadequate basic services, such as waste collection, closed storm drainage systems, and well-maintained green spaces. Thus, for example, rats are associated with micro-dumps, ditches, and unweeded areas. On the other hand, conditions that favor the persistence of the bacteria in damp soils are also often found in marginal neighborhoods with poorly maintained dirt roads and open canals (1). Thus, poorer living conditions increase the chances of contracting leptospirosis in an urban context (8). These could be the mechanisms that result in the increased incidence of leptospirosis that we observed in the city of Santa Fe as the socioeconomic stratum index increases toward less favorable conditions.It should be emphasized that the number of cases of these diseases may be underestimated due to underreporting in the National Health Surveillance System. This may be due to the fact that these diseases in some cases produce mild symptoms, for which some people do not seek health care. In other cases, these diseases may be under-diagnosed due to lack of access to adequate health care or deficiencies in the health system´s ability to diagnose these diseases.It is necessary to take into account that the location of the dengue data from the 2016 minor outbreak could not be accessed, and that the type of study applied does not allow us to conclude on individual associations and could fall into an ecological bias. The patterns found are general and the resulting associations allow guiding new studies that search for more specific variables and with greater explanatory power, with the aim of avoiding possible confounding biases In recent years, great emphasis has been placed on public policies aimed at controlling dengue fever, with variable results (33), while leptospirosis prevention campaigns are scarce. We consider that these results constitute an advance and a contribution to the analysis of how these diseases are distributed in the city of Santa Fe, with the aim of guiding the development of public policies that will make it possible to adequately address invisible diseases, such as leptospirosis.In general terms, this work coincides with the statement made by Dr. Mike Begon (pers. comm.) that leptospirosis is such a neglected disease that it did not even make it to the WHO list of neglected diseases (34). In the case of Santa Fe, leptospirosis is neglected, underdiagnosed and underestimated in relation to Dengue. It is also, coinciding with Martins and Spink (8), invisibilized. And this is related to the sectors it affects, unlike dengue.Inequity, marginality, low educational level and vulnerability based on the social structure are elements that promote the deterioration of health in cities (35). Health does not obey an exclusively individual order, but is a process that depends on how societies produce and reproduce themselves (36, 37). Public policies must be equitable and comprehensive, with a high degree of social relevance, and must not respond only to an ahistorical and decontextualized biological perspective (38). Public policies aimed at disease prevention should cover the totality of conditions without excluding any material, social, educational, cultural or economic context. This would make it possible to achieve an improvement in the overall quality of life, especially if participatory inclusion is promoted in the construction of a dignified community future. When public policies aimed at improving economic conditions or strengthening social protection are implemented, there are usually positive repercussions on the health of the population (39,40). It is essential to address the problems associated with zoonoses in a transdisciplinary manner, considering the "One Health" concept. There cannot be human health if there is no animal health, and both cannot exist if the environment is not healthy; if it is deteriorated, if it is not sustainable (41, 42). Applying the One Health concept to the case of leptospirosis and dengue, we can expect that a healthy environment that has good garbage and vacant land management and minimizes rainwater accumulation will present fewer opportunities for mosquitoes, rodents and leptospires to survive and reproduce. In turn, in a more diverse animal community, including rodent and mosquito predators, and with a low dominance of reservoir species, there will be less transmission of these pathogens. Finally, an empowered human population with basic needs met and with broad access to education and health care will have greater capacity for prevention, detection and treatment of these zoonoses. Therefore, taking into account all of the above, we consider that it is necessary to advance in unraveling the socio-environmental roots of the health problems generated by this system of accumulation and segregation (37) in order to move towards healthier relationships, with citizen protagonism, which shed light on the invisible diseases that affect invisible populations and subjects.Fil: Avalos, Christian Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Cristaldi, Maximiliano Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Mendicino, Diego. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Endemias Nacionales; ArgentinaFil: Previtali, Maria Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Argentin

Solid waste detection, monitoring and mapping in remote sensing images: A survey

The detection and characterization of illegal solid waste disposal sites are essential for environmental protection, particularly for mitigating pollution and health hazards. Improperly managed landfills contaminate soil and groundwater via rainwater infiltration, posing threats to both animals and humans. Traditional landfill identification approaches, such as on-site inspections, are time-consuming and expensive. Remote sensing is a cost-effective solution for the identification and monitoring of solid waste disposal sites that enables broad coverage and repeated acquisitions over time. Earth Observation (EO) satellites, equipped with an array of sensors and imaging capabilities, have been providing high-resolution data for several decades. Researchers proposed specialized techniques that leverage remote sensing imagery to perform a range of tasks such as waste site detection, dumping site monitoring, and assessment of suitable locations for new landfills. This review aims to provide a detailed illustration of the most relevant proposals for the detection and monitoring of solid waste sites by describing and comparing the approaches, the implemented techniques, and the employed data. Furthermore, since the data sources are of the utmost importance for developing an effective solid waste detection model, a comprehensive overview of the satellites and publicly available data sets is presented. Finally, this paper identifies the open issues in the state-of-the-art and discusses the relevant research directions for reducing the costs and improving the effectiveness of novel solid waste detection methods

The Journey of a Discarded T-shirt : From the Global North to the Atacama Dumpsite

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-M. This work received the support of the Talent UAB Santander program.Textile waste management is an increasingly urgent issue due to textile mass production and consumption, which leads to significant waste generation. Strategies for managing textile waste prioritise reuse and recycling over incineration and landfilling. However, reuse and recycling practices performed in the same territory where textiles are consumed remain limited. Instead, used textiles from high-income countries are often exported to the Global South and low- and middle-income countries, leading to numerous environmental impacts in these regions. This study examines the value chain of imported used textiles in the Tarapacá and Santiago Metropolitan Regions of Chile. The results help propose a new methodological framework for environmentally assessing used textile trade practices in importing countries. The study employs a rapid-ethnography and qualitative mixed-method approach, including interactive shadowing and observation, conducted across eight locations. The findings reveal that used textiles enter the country first via ports and then are distributed within importer companies and second-hand retailers. There are initiatives for reuse, recycling, and downcycling, but the findings show that not all imported used textiles are effectively utilized. A portion of used textiles ends up as waste in dumpsites, exacerbating environmental impacts. The study recommends a qualitative and quantitative mixed-method approach to address data gaps and develop more exhaustive studies in importing countries. Future research should focus on quality standards to improve sorting, exporting criteria, and traceability of used textiles. This will enhance trade flow accounting and mitigate environmental impacts in importing countries, especially those from unsorted and low-quality used textiles