Moda e sustentabilidade: sustentabilidade, gestão da marca e determinantes da escolha do consumidor

No estudo apresentado, propomo-nos analisar o tema da sustentabilidade no setor da moda. Um assunto de grande relevância na atualidade, uma vez que o setor da moda é responsável por danos ambientais e humanos, e por isso, engloba várias áreas de estudo, desde questões ambientais, a sociais e económicas. Segundo a Comissão Brundtland das Nações Unidas, a Sustentabilidade define-se como “atender às necessidades do presente sem comprometer a capacidade das gerações futuras de atender às suas próprias necessidades”. Reconhecemos o impacto positivo das novas tecnologias no nosso quotidiano, porém o lado negativo faz-se também sentir. Certos avanços tecnológicos levaram a um consumo desenfreado de recursos naturais, perturbando assim o equilíbrio ecológico. Hoje em dia, vivemos numa sociedade consumista, onde o conceito de “Fast-Fashion” tomou proporções problemáticas. Um dos sectores que mais poluição provoca é a produção têxtil. Marcas conhecidas do nosso público como por exemplo: Zara, H & M, entre outras, elegem o continente asiático como local de produção por este oferecer preços mais competitivos. Além disso, representa uma ameaça significativa para o meioambiente, por ser extremamente poluente. Uma das soluções encontradas foi optar pelo investimento em práticas sustentáveis. Deste modo, as indústrias da moda procuram cada vez mais assumir um compromisso mais responsável. Comprometem-se a investir numa produção mais sustentável e criam campanhas com o objetivo de guiar o consumidor a adotar um comportamento mais consciente. Nesta presente investigação, segundo os resultados obtidos a sustentabilidade ainda não se encontra suficientemente integrada no quotidiano dos consumidores de moda. Além de estarem atentos ao período difícil pelo qual estamos a ultrapassar, ainda existem lacunas que não os convencem a 100% de que as práticas de sustentabilidade podem resolver certos problemas existentes. No entanto, com a chegada da Covid-19, muitos consumidores se conscientizaram das dificuldades que se poderiam adicionar e começaram a prestar mais atenção ao seu próprio lado consumista. Nisto tudo, as marcas também têm um papel importante em jogo, sobretudo as de fast-fashion. Pois mesmo adicionando a sustentabilidade ao seu plano de negócios e aplicando novas práticas sustentáveis, dando à marca uma melhor imagem e que se preocupa com o bem-estar, é necessário, ou até essencial, não só fazer passar a mensagem, mas também mostrar e comunicar com os seus clientes das novidades propostas. Como explicado no caso de H&M. Dar ao consumidor o conhecimento, é um ponto importantíssimo, não só para contribuir à imagem da empresa como também contribuir para que os consumidores comecem a aderir a estes novos ideais que podem mudar o mundo.In the study presented, we propose to analyze the theme of sustainability in the fashion sector. A subject of great relevance nowadays, since the fashion industry is responsible for environmental and human damage, and therefore encompasses several areas of study, from environmental to social and economic issues. According to the United Nations Brundtland Commission, Sustainability is defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. We recognize the positive impact of new technologies on our daily lives, but the negative side is also felt. Certain technological advances have led to an unrestrained consumption of natural resources, therefore upsetting the ecological balance. Nowadays, we live in a consumer society, where the concept of “Fast-Fashion” has taken on problematic proportions.One of the sectors that causes the most pollution is textile production. Brands known to our public, such as: Zara, H & M, among others, select the Asian continent as their production site because it offers more competitive prices. Furthermore, it represents a significant threat to the environment, as it is extremely polluting. One of the solutions found was to invest in sustainable practices. This way, the fashion industries are increasingly looking to assume a more responsible compromise. They are committed to investing in more sustainable production and create campaigns with the aim of guiding consumers to adopt a more conscious behavior. Our study aims to promote sustainability in the fashion world, analyzing to what extent this is an important point for brands to stand out and the influence of sustainability practices on the final consumer choice. In this research, according to the results obtained, sustainability is not yet sufficiently integrated into the daily lives of fashion consumers. Besides being aware of the difficult period through which we are going through, there are still gaps that do not convince them 100% that sustainability practices can solve certain existing problems. However, with the arrival of Covid-19, many consumers have become aware of the difficulties that could be added and have started to pay more attention to their own consumerist side. In all this, brands also have an important role at play, especially fast-fashion brands. For even adding sustainability to their business plan and applying new sustainable practices, giving the brand a better image and that they care about well-being, it is necessary, or even essential, not only to get the message across, but also to show and communicate with their customers of the proposed novelties. As explained in the case of H&M. Giving the consumer he knowledge, is a very important point, not only to contribute to the brand image but also to contribute so the consumers start to adhere to these new ideals that can change the world

Novel approaches for pesticide effects assessment in warm temperate and tropical regions

Tese de doutoramento em Biologia, na especialidade de Ecologia, apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbr

Scientific Opinion addressing the state of the science on risk assessment of plant protection products for in-soil organisms

Following a request from EFSA, the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues developed an opinion on the science behind the risk assessment of plant protection products for in-soil organisms. The current risk assessment scheme is reviewed, taking into account new regulatory frameworks and scientific developments. Proposals are made for specific protection goals for in-soil organisms being key drivers for relevant ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes such as nutrient cycling, soil structure, pest control and biodiversity. Considering the time-scales and biological processes related to the dispersal of the majority of in-soil organisms compared to terrestrial non-target arthropods living above soil, the Panel proposes that in-soil environmental risk assessments are made at in- and off-field scale considering field boundary levels. A new testing strategy which takes into account the relevant exposure routes for in-soil organisms and the potential direct and indirect effects is proposed. In order to address species recovery and long-term impacts of PPPs, the use of population models is also proposed

Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Organic Chemicals in Terrestrial Invertebrates

Terrestrial invertebrates are key components in ecosystems, with crucial roles in soil structure, functioning, and ecosystem services. The present chapter covers how terrestrial invertebrates are impacted by organic chemicals, focusing on up-to-date information regarding bioavailability, exposure routes and general concepts on bioaccumulation, toxicity, and existing models. Terrestrial invertebrates are exposed to organic chemicals through different routes, which are dependent on both the organismal traits and nature of exposure, including chemical properties and media characteristics. Bioaccumulation and toxicity data for several groups of organic chemicals are presented and discussed, attempting to cover plant protection products (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and molluscicides), veterinary and human pharmaceuticals, polycyclic aromatic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, flame retardants, and personal care products. Chemical mixtures are also discussed bearing in mind that chemicals appear simultaneously in the environment. The biomagnification of organic chemicals is considered in light of the consumption of terrestrial invertebrates as novel feed and food sources. This chapter highlights how science has contributed with data from the last 5 years, providing evidence on bioavailability, bioaccumulation, and toxicity derived from exposure to organic chemicals, including insights into the main challenges and shortcomings to extrapolate results to real exposure scenarios

Contribution for the derivation of a soil screening value (SSV) for uranium, using a natural reference soil

In order to regulate the management of contaminated land, many countries have been deriving soil screening values (SSV). However, the ecotoxicological data available for uranium is still insufficient and incapable to generate SSVs for European soils. In this sense, and so as to make up for this shortcoming, a battery of ecotoxicological assays focusing on soil functions and organisms, and a wide range of endpoints was carried out, using a natural soil artificially spiked with uranium. In terrestrial ecotoxicology, it is widely recognized that soils have different properties that can influence the bioavailability and the toxicity of chemicals. In this context, SSVs derived for artificial soils or for other types of natural soils, may lead to unfeasible environmental risk assessment. Hence, the use of natural regional representative soils is of great importance in the derivation of SSVs. A Portuguese natural reference soil PTRS1, from a granitic region, was thereby applied as test substrate. This study allowed the determination of NOEC, LOEC, EC20 and EC50 values for uranium. Dehydrogenase and urease enzymes displayed the lowest values (34.9 and ,134.5 mg U Kg, respectively). Eisenia andrei and Enchytraeus crypticus revealed to be more sensitive to uranium than Folsomia candida. EC50 values of 631.00, 518.65 and 851.64 mg U Kg were recorded for the three species, respectively. Concerning plants, only Lactuca sativa was affected by U at concentrations up to 1000 mg U kg1. The outcomes of the study may in part be constrained by physical and chemical characteristics of soils, hence contributing to the discrepancy between the toxicity data generated in this study and that available in the literature. Following the assessment factor method, a predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) value of 15.5 mg kg21dw was obtained for U. This PNEC value is proposed as a SSV for soils similar to the PTRS1

Toxicity of phenmedipham and carbendazim to Enchytraeus crypticus and Eisenia andrei (Oligochaeta) in Mediterranean soils

Purpose The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the toxicity of two reference chemicals, Carbendazim and Phenmedipham, for the compostworm Eisenia andrei (effects of Carbendazim) and the potworm Enchytraeus crypticus (effects of Phenmedipham) in 12 Mediterranean soils with contrasting soil properties. The observed toxicity was also compared to that obtained for OECD standard soil, used as a control. Materials and methods The soils were selected to be representative for the Mediterranean region and to cover a broad range of soil properties. The evaluated endpoints were avoidance behavior and reproduction. Soils were also assembled in two groups according to their pedological properties. Results and discussion Toxicity benchmarks (AC50s) obtained for E. andrei avoidance behavior in carbendazim-contaminated soils were generally higher for sandy soils with low pH. The toxic effects on the reproduction of the compostworms were similar in the six tested soils, indicating a low influence of soil properties. The avoidance response of E. crypticus towards Phenmedipham was generally highly variable in all tested soils. Even though, a higher toxicity was observed for more acidic soils. The EC50s for reproduction of the latter species varied by a factor of 9 and Phenmedipham toxicity also tended to be increasing in soils with lower pH, except for the soils with extreme organic matter content (0.6 and 5.8%). Conclusions A soil effect on chemical toxicity was clearly confirmed, highlighting the influence that test soils can have in site-specific ecological risk assessment. Despite some relationships between soil properties and toxicity were outlined, a clear and statistically significant prediction of chemical toxicity could not be established. The range of soil properties was probably narrow to give clearer and more consistent insights on their influence. For the four groups of tests, the toxicity observed for OECD soil was either similar, lower, or generally higher if compared with Mediterranean soils.Moreover, it did represent neither the organic matter content found in Mediterranean soils nor their textural classes.This study has been funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia–Portugal (grant to Sónia Chelinho—SFRH/BM/ 18844/2004) and by CRUP—Acções Integradas Luso-Espanholas (Action nr. E-5/2005), the LODOTOX project of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (AGL2002- 03297)

Evaluating a bioremediation tool for atrazine contaminated soils in open soil microcosms: The effectiveness of bioaugmentation and biostimulation approaches

A previously developed potential cleanup tool for atrazine contaminated soils was evaluated in larger open soil microcosms for optimization under more realistic conditions, using a natural crop soil spiked with an atrazine commercial formulation (Atrazerba FL). The doses used were 20£ or 200£ higher than the recommended dose (RD) for an agricultural application, mimicking over-use or spill situations. Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP was used for bioaugmentation (around 107 or 108 viable cells g¡1 of soil) and citrate for biostimulation (up to 4.8 mg g¡1 of soil). Bioremediation treatments providing fastest and higher atrazine biodegradation proved to differ according to the initial level of soil ontamination. For 20£ RD of Atrazerba FL, a unique inoculation with Pseudomonas sp. ADP (9 ± 1 £ 107 CFU g¡1) resulted in rapid atrazine removal (99% of the initial 7.2 ± 1.6 lg g¡1 after 8 d), independent of citrate. For 200£ RD, an inoculation with the atrazine- degrading bacteria (8.5 ± 0.5 £ 107 CFU g¡1) supplemented with citrate amendment (2.4 mg g¡1) resulted in improved biodegradation (87%) compared with bioaugmentation alone (79%), even though 7.8 ± 2.1 lg of atrazine g¡1 still remained in the soil after 1 wk. owever, the same amount of inoculum, distributed over three successive inoculations and combined with citrate, increased Pseudomonas sp. ADP survival and atrazine biodegradation (to 98%, in 1 wk). We suggest that this bioremediation tool may be valuable for efficient removal of atrazine from contaminated field soils thus minimizing atrazine and its chlorinated derivatives from reaching water compartments.FEDER, POCI Programme, PPCDT Programme and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portuga