A Regional Socio-Economic Life Cycle Assessment of a Bioeconomy Value Chain

A bioeconomy tackles sustainable development at both the global and regional levels, as it relies on the optimized use of renewable bio-based resources for the provisioning of food, materials, and energy to meet societal demands. The effects of the bioeconomy can be best observed at a regional level, as it supports regional development and affects the social dimension of sustainability. In order to assess the social impacts of wood-based production chains with regional differentiation, the social life cycle assessment framework “RESPONSA” was established in 2018. We present an initial study, in which this method is applied to an exemplary production chain in a case study of laminated veneer lumber produced in central Germany. The results show a relatively better social performance compared to the reference economic sector, reflecting a relatively low rate of female employees as a major social hotspot. Several social opportunities are identified, in terms of health and safety, equal opportunities, and adequate remuneration, for the organization taking part in the value chain. Finally, considering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global normative framework, a number of additional indicators for RESPONSA, as well as further developments and recommendations regarding its application in other regions and the upcoming social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) guidelines, are identified

An Integrated Assessment of GIS-MCA with Logistics Analysis for an Assessment of a Potential Decentralized Bioethanol Production System Using Distributed Agricultural Residues in Thailand

Crop residues derived from post-harvesting process have been problematic due to an on-field incineration, which caused air pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. An appropriate utilization of those biomasses can improve the environmental situation and provide a substitute for fossil fuels. Therefore, this study intends to analyze how left-over agricultural residues should be valorized in the decentralized bioethanol production configuration. With integrated techniques of geographical information system and multi-criteria analysis (GIS-MCA), we identify suitable locations for exhibiting decentralized sites matching the geographical backgrounds in each region. Under the precondition of a complete utilization of the agricultural residues, we found optimal installation numbers 71 units of decentralized production in total through suitability analysis. Conducting the location–allocation model, it is possible to determine production scales from the collectable spatially distributed biomass and transportation distances. Under the presumed conditions of installing 1 to 25 units, the logistics cost and total capital investment can reach USD 1.17–2.46 L−1 and USD 1.17–6.93 L−1, respectively. The results from examining the technical potential and economic feasibility aspects are key to designing decentralized bioethanol production facilities and maximizing the utilization of agricultural residues in Thailand

Towards a Holistic and Integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of the Bioeconomy - Background on Concepts, Visions and Measurements

Current economic and social systems transgress several ecological planetary boundaries by far but without sufficiently fulfilling human needs and this in a globally unequal way, posing enormous challenges to political strategies and economic structures. To tackle these challenges, under a bioeconomy, a variety of industrial metabolisms, strategies and visions on substituting fossil resources by renewables and hereto associated societal transformations is formulated. Social, ecological and economic (holistic) sustainability, however, is not an intrinsic character of bioeconomy but rather a possible potential which has to be assessed. Life Cycle Assessments and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessments provide promising frameworks and methods for such holistic sustainability assessments, but face major challenges in regard to underlying sustainability concepts and implementation. First, we discuss and analyze the status quo of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment especially in regard to underlying sustainability and economic concept and identify their strengths, weaknesses and research gaps. Secondly, we characterize the current bioeconomy discourse and propose a transdisciplinary, holistic and integrated framework for Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment. Based on this discussion and the proposed framework, holistic and integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment can provide a transdisciplinary understanding and specific information on the absolute and relative holistic sustainability of provisioning systems to allow efficient and effective governance

Junior Recital: Tyler Lee Hartley, harp

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Performance. Ms. Hartley studies harp with Elisabeth Remy Johnson.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1484/thumbnail.jp

Aumentar la eficiencia en la utilización de los pabellones de cirugía mayor ambulatoria del Hospital Regional de Talca

Informe de pasantía Magíster en Salud PúblicaLa actividad quirúrgica genera un importante consumo de recursos en los sistemas públicos y también produce problemas de listas de espera. Por otro lado, el proceso quirúrgico incluye un circuito asistencial complejo, implicando la coordinación entre diferentes profesionales y el ajuste del tiempo agendado teórico y real para una distribución equitativa de los recursos. El objetivo de este estudio ha sido definir un marco teórico para aumentar la eficiencia en la utilización de los quirófanos de Cirugía Mayor Ambulatoria en el Hospital Regional de Talca, a través de indicadores de rendimiento y variables para facilitar su interpretación en el análisis. Se hizo una revisión de la literatura consultando bases de datos bibliográficas en el ámbito de la salud e instituciones dedicadas a la evaluación de servicios sanitarios. Se realizaron consultas a expertos durante la Pasantía en Madrid (España), recogiendo toda la información por ellos entregada que ayudara a realizar este informe. Se agruparon los indicadores identificados en la información para el análisis de contenido de los documentos.A través de las dimensiones de eficiencia se evaluó el rendimiento de los pabellones quirúrgicos de cirugía oftalmológica ambulatoria. Los indicadores de proceso más frecuentes fueron los de utilización de los pabellones que incorporaban la medida de los tiempos de quirófanos y los indicadores de causas de suspensión de cirugías. Se ha propuesto un Plan de Mejora para aumentar la eficiencia en la utilización de los pabellones de Cirugía Mayor Ambulatoria que incluye la disponibilidad de profesionales para una admisión coordinada con los resultados esperados, propuestas para disminuir las horas muertas de quirófanos, así como medidas para aumentar la satisfacción usuaria. La relevancia, factibilidad y validez, se reafirma porque pueden ser aplicados en la práctica, para la planificación de agendas y asignación de recursos

Results from a Stakeholder Survey on Bioeconomy Monitoring and Perceptions on Bioeconomy in Germany

Our current economic systems are transgressing planetary boundaries globally and yet societal needs are not sufficiently and equally fulfilled. Fostering the bioeconomy as an economy based on renewable resources can be a transformation towards a sustainable future, to fulfill societal needs within planetary boundaries. However, sustainability is not intrinsic to the bioeconomy and consequently advanced and comprehensive monitoring systems on a national scale are needed. In the systemic modeling and monitoring of the German bioeconomy (SYMOBIO) a comprehensive national monitoring framework in the context of global dynamics was developed, and a first pilot report of monitoring results was published and presented to the public in June 2020. Stakeholder participation plays a role in informing monitoring from the beginning. Consequently, in this study we aim at evaluating the pilot report and monitoring as well as the general perception of the bioeconomy by an open survey. We collected approximately 100 responses, mainly from the stakeholder group "science". Most stakeholders are moderately satisfied with the monitoring and reporting. However, social aspects of the bioeconomy like hunger, poverty and inequalities are considered to be underrepresented, and the socio-economic perspective is viewed as too narrow. Future monitoring efforts should be oriented more on international agreed frameworks like the SDGs and be comparable to other monitoring systems and levels. Regarding general perceptions of the bioeconomy, a majority of stakeholders have a vision of a socio-ecological transformation, in contrast to German and European strategies which are seen as business-as-usual capitalism using additional renewable resources. Even though most stakeholders see the current development of bioeconomy critically, they consider the future development as open and encourage a sustainable bioeconomy that creates sustainable consumption and production patterns, global responsibility and compliance with planetary boundaries, as well as economic and ecological justice and participation shaping the overall economy. Our analysis underpins previous perspectives from stakeholder workshops and is embedded in increasingly polarizing societal mentalities of transformations

Agricultural and forest biomass for food, materials and energy: bio-economy as the cornerstone to cleaner production and more sustainable consumption patterns for accelerating the transition towards equitable, sustainable, post fossil-carbon societies

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ANÁLISE DA INFLUÊNCIA DO PRODUTO INTERNO BRUTO (PIB) E DA POPULAÇÃO URBANA NA GERAÇÃO PER CAPITA DE RESÍDUOS SÓLIDOS EM MUNICÍPIOS DO INTERIOR DO RS, BRASIL

Este trabalho busca contribuir para a discussão de correlacionar a geração de Resíduos Sólidos Municipais (RSU) com o Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) per capita em diferentes grupos de população urbana. Para determinar a geração de RSU per capita, 25 municípios da região do Rio Grande do Sul (Brasil) foram amostrados durante um período de um ano. Os municípios foram divididos em quatro categorias de acordo com seu índice mensal per capita do PIB, e os dados obtidos revelaram uma influência do PIB per capita na geração de resíduos sólidos, indicando maior geração de resíduos no grupo de municípios com maior média do PIB per capita. Além disso, foi verificada a influência do número de habitantes por município na geração de resíduos, e foi observado que a geração média de resíduos nos municípios com até 5.000 habitantes na área urbana foi de 0,43 kg.inh -1 dia -1, e para o outro, na faixa de 5,001 a 21 mil habitantes, esse valor subiu para 0,53 kg.inh -1 dia -1, indicando que com o aumento da população urbana pode haver uma tendência crescente na geração de resíduos per capit

Mixed Chamber Ensembles

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents Mixed Chamber Ensembles, 2:00 p.m. performance.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1427/thumbnail.jp

MCDA for sustainability assessment – insights to Helmholtz Association activities

The "MCDA for sustainability assessment – insights to Helmholtz Association activities" Working Paper aims to compile and reflect previous and on-going work within the Helmholtz Association related to MCDA, in particular, to present use cases and key methodological aspects. It has a focus on but is not limited to energy technologies and systems and is mainly based on the presentations held at the online workshop “Multi criteria decision analysis for sustainability assessment of energy technologies and systems”. The workshop was organized within the activities of the Helmholtz program ESD Topic 1 "Energy System Transformation" and took place on November 22nd, 2021