Search results for " Monitoring"
showing 10 items of 3129 documents
Facing globalization and increased trade: Catalonia's evolution from industrial region to knowledge and creative economy
2011
Catalonia is experiencing a crucial transformation of its productive model. The main changes are exemplified by an intense process of substitution of the traditional aspects (low-technology manufacturing base and orientation towards internal markets) for a model of development characterized by the combined importance of creative industries and high-tech manufacturing activities, and oriented to external markets. The new competitive bases of the regional economy rely on three factors: urbanization and network economies, changes in the productive structure and the generation of innovations linked with export capacity. Resumen. Cataluna esta experimentando una transformacion crucial de su mode…
Removal of Escherichia coli from Saturated Sand Columns Supplemented with Hydrochar Produced from Maize
2014
Despite numerous studies on hydrochar use, its application in water treatment for pathogen removal remains unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of hydrochar produced from crop residue of maize for water treatment by determining Escherchia coli breakthrough from sand columns supplemented with hydrochar. To enhance the adsorptive capacity, raw hydrochar was activated by 1 mol L⁻¹ KOH at room temperature. The experiments conducted in a 10-cm sand bed with 1.5% (w/w) activated and raw hydrochar supplements, not activated by KOH, showed 93 and 72% of E. coli removal efficiencies, respectively. Activation of KOH not only enhanced the E. coli removal but also increased the streng…
Use of NOAA-AVHRR NDVI data for environmental monitoring and crop forecasting in the Sahel. Preliminary results
1992
Abstract Several studies have shown that the NDVI calculated from NOAA-AVHRR data is related to annual rainfall and primary productivity in Sahelian areas. Such correlations, however, are affected by several environmental factors and have been tested only with data accumulated during rainy seasons, which is not ideal for the prediction of crop yield. In the present study a methodology of NOAA AVHRR data processing is presented which utilizes NDVI computed only in the first part of some rainy seasons and statistically takes into account the geographical variability in land resources and atmospheric conditions. From the first results of the application of the methodology in Niger, its potenti…
From the LCA of food products to the environmental assessment of protected crops districts: A case-study in the south of Italy
2010
In the present study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to evaluate the energy consumption and environmental burdens associated with the production of protected crops in an agricultural district in the Mediterranean region. In this study, LCA was used as a ‘support tool’, to address local policies for sustainable production and consumption patterns, and to create a ‘knowledge base’ for environmental assessment of an extended agricultural production area. The proposed approach combines organisation-specific tools, such as Environmental Management Systems and Environmental Product Declarations, with the environmental management of the district. Questionnaires were distribute…
Assessment of the ecotoxicity of phytotreatment substrate soil as landfill cover material for in-situ leachate management
2019
Phytotreatment capping in closed landfills is a promising, cost-effective, in situ option for sustainable leachate treatment and might be synergistically coupled with energy crops to produce renewable energy (e.g.: biodiesel or bioethanol). This study proposes to use 0.30 m of soil as growing substrate for plants cultivated on the temporary cover of closed landfills. Once the leachate phytotreatment process is no longer required, 0.70 m of the same soil would be added to attain the final top cover configuration. This solution would entail saving the costs of excavation and backfilling. However, worsening of the initial soil quality due to potential contaminant transfer from the liquid to th…
Birch (Betula spp.) wood biochar is a potential soil amendment to reduce glyphosate leaching in agricultural soils
2015
Glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine), a commonly used herbicide in agriculture can leach to deeper soil layers and settle in surface- and ground waters. To mitigate the leaching of pesticides and nutrients, biochar has been suggested as a potential soil amendment due to its ability to sorb both organic and inorganic substances. However, the efficiency of biochar in retaining agro-chemicals in the soil is likely to vary with feedstock material and pyrolysis conditions. A greenhouse pot experiment, mimicking a crop rotation cycle of three plant genera, was established to study the effects of pyrolysis temperature on the ability of birch (Betula sp.) wood originated biochar to reduce the l…
Cheese as a food souvenir in Sicily
2022
Souvenirs are elements of territorial communication, and they are examples of the marketing strategy of destinations. Souvenirs are objects that allow us to remember moments we have experienced and places we have visited. Drawing on the close relationships between places and souvenirs, this paper analyses cheese as a food souvenir in the island of Sicily. The method is based on a qualitative design which includes visits and interviews with local sellers in the food markets and food shops in Palermo, with the objective to reveal how cheese is protected and promoted as a symbol of Sicilian culture and heritage from a marketing perspective. Results of the paper show that cheeses made in Sicily…
Tourism livelihoods in Smøla, Norway
2017
Tourism in islands and archipelagos provides numerous advantages and disadvantages. This paper analyses a previously unpublished case study of island tourism livelihoods from the archipelago of Smøla, Norway, examining the pros and cons of implemented or proposed tourism livelihoods based on a snapshot from 2008-2009. Smøla’s tourism livelihoods are categorised by nature, technology focusing on the wind farm, fishing and hunting, cultural landscapes, culture, and history. As with many other island and archipelago case studies, the most suitable approach could be tourism-supplemented, rather than tourism-dependent, livelihoods with the principal challenge being finding the right scale for Sm…
The affective impact of sightseeing bus tour experiences:using Affective Events Theory (AET) to examine length-of-stay and electronic word-of-mouth
2022
This study investigates the key components and influences of positive affect and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on tourist visits at two developing urban destinations, namely Birmingham, United Kingdom and Valencia, Spain. These two data collection sites yielded evidence gathered from 627 and 615 sightseeing bus tourists, respectively. Through the analytic lens of Affective Events Theory (AET), data was examined, and results verify the significant mediating role of affect in two regards: (1) tourists’ decision to extend their visits, and (2) eWOM of sightseeing bus tour experiences. The moderating role of past sightseeing experiences in these relationships was also supported by the data an…
Managing the liberalization of Italy's retail electricity market: A policy proposal☆
2020
Abstract Italy will phase out electricity retail price regulation by July 1st, 2020. Until then, residential customers and small businesses who do not choose their supplier are served under a regulated tariff named “maggior tutela” (greater protection), supplied by the local distributor at a price set by the regulator. We review the literature on electricity retail competition – with particular regard to its expected effects on prices, innovation, and customer engagement – and the conditions under which competition is expected to deliver benefits. We perform a Structure-Conduct-Performance analysis of Italy's retail electricity market for residential customers, finding two issues potentiall…