Monthly Archive for November, 2011

Recently Published: Sustainability Journal

Published on November 30, 2011 in Journal. 0 Comments

sustain

The latest issue of  The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability includes:

Announcing the Winner of the International Award for Excellence

Published on November 25, 2011 in Headline, Journal and Newsletter. 0 Comments

Congratulations to Diane Costello the winner of the International Award for Excellence in the area of environmental, cultural, economic and social sustainability for her paper Incorporating Community Governance: Planning Sustainable Energy Security.

Abstract: Climate change has focussed global attention on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly through energy efficient technological innovation. In Australia energy policy incentives include increasing the contribution of renewable energy sources along with energy efficient behaviours. In Western Australia an Energy Utility has embraced the principle of community engagement to inform corporate strategies toward sustainable green energy visions. This paper evaluates the process of citizen involvement in promoting community acceptance of green energy technologies at the community level. This qualitative study examines the role of community governance in planning the sustainable energy needs of regional communities. While it is promising to observe the emergence of flexible institutional responses to community energy visions, this energy governance network is a work in progress as it struggles to gain community consensus to site a small community-owned wind farm. To address community polarisation over the costs and benefits of community energy, attention must be paid to issues of inclusive representation along with mechanisms of accountability that assesses the social and economic impacts of green energy initiatives. This study highlights that an effective governance process would incorporate the principles of sustainability, procedural and distributive justice to enhance community transitions toward a more environmentally benign economy and electricity system.

Wood Biofuel Could Be a Competitive Industry by 2020

Published on November 24, 2011 in News and Newsletter. 0 Comments

From ScienceDaily

Fuel made from wood could become a competitive commercial alternative to fuel made from corn by 2020 if the wood biofuel industry is supported, according to a new University of British Columbia study.

Corn ethanol is currently blended with gasoline to satisfy government-mandated targets to include renewable content in transportation fuel. Compared to corn, wood-based biofuel is considered more sustainable but is not currently produced in large commercial quantities in Canada and the United States because the costs are too great.

The study, published in the most recent issue of the journal Biofuels Bioproducts & Biorefining, identifies several opportunities for reducing these costs. Researchers in UBC’s Faculty of Forestry found that large-scale commercial production of wood-based ethanol, also known as cellulosic ethanol, will reduce capital and operation costs and assist in achieving the improvements necessary for wood-based ethanol to compete, without government support.

To Read More…

Latest Sustainability Journal papers

Published on November 23, 2011 in Journal. 0 Comments

sustain

The latest issue of The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability includes:

China Pushes Electric Car Market with Hefty Subsidies and More

Published on November 16, 2011 in News and Newsletter. 0 Comments

By Leslie Guevarra from Greenbiz.com

Starting today top Chinese automaker SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd. is offering a 13.5 percent price cut to people who buy a new hybrid Roewe 750 sedan during the five days of the Shanghai industry fair.

The offer brings the sticker price on the country’s first mass-produced eco-friendly car from 236,800 yuan ($37,260), to 204,800 yuan ($32,200), according to Reuters.

The subsidy on the Roewe 750 is just one of the incentives to push the market for hybrids and electric vehicles in China, where the government wants to have 1 million cars powered by electricity on the road by 2015.

BYD rolled out the first all-electric car for the country’s consumer market last week in the tech-centric city of Shenzen, where buyers of the BYD e6 are eligible for double the amount of a government subsidy to speed EV sales. In the southern China city, the five-passenger BYD e6 — a model previously available only for government and taxi fleets — comes with a hefty price subsidy of 120,000 yuan (about $18,800) that lops off about 32 percent from a starting price of 369,800 yuan (about $58,000).

To Read More…

Sustainability Journal, Volume 7, Issue 4 now available

Published on November 14, 2011 in Journal and Newsletter. 0 Comments

sustainability_frontThe fourth issue of Volume 7 of The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability is now available.

Volume 7, Number 4 contains:

Continue reading ‘Sustainability Journal, Volume 7, Issue 4 now available’

Finalists for the International Award for Excellence

Published on November 12, 2011 in Journal and Newsletter. 0 Comments

sustainability_frontCongratulations to all of the Award finalists:

Seven Billion People Are Not the Issue: Human Development Is What Counts

Published on November 9, 2011 in News and Newsletter. 0 Comments

From ScienceDaily.com

As the global media speculate on the number of people likely to inhabit the planet on October 31 an international team of population and development experts argue that it is not simply the number of people that matters but more so their distribution by age, education, health status and location that is most relevant to local and global sustainability.

Any realistic attempt to achieve sustainable development must focus primarily on the human wellbeing and be founded on an understanding of the inherent differences in people in terms of their differential impact on the environment and their vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities are often closely associated with age, gender, lack of education, and poverty.

To Read More…

Sustainability Journal Associate Editors listing available

Published on November 8, 2011 in Journal and Newsletter. 0 Comments

sustainability_frontAs part of the process of publishing The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability all submissions are sent for peer review, prior to publication.

Assessment, comments and guidance by the referees are an essential part of the publication process and invaluable to the authors of the submitted papers.

In recognition of the important role of referees, the international advisory board acknowledges all referees who have refereed papers as an Associate Editor in the volume of the journal they have contributed to.

The Associate Editors listing for Volume 7 of The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability is now available.

Organic Agriculture Benefits Revealed In New Long-Term Study From Rodale Institute

Published on November 2, 2011 in News and Newsletter. 0 Comments

By Joe Satran from the Huffington Post

If you ask most people why they buy organic, they say that they think organic produce is healthier and tastes better. But studies have consistently undercut the backing for both of these motivations. Some studies have shown that organic fruits and vegetables have higher antioxidant levels than their conventional counterparts, but others have not. Some say that pesticide residue clinging to conventional produce could be dangerous, but others, including the USDA, have said that it’s harmless. Blind taste tests of organic and conventional fruits and vegetables have shown that most people can’t reliably tell the two apart. So does it really make sense to buy organic produce — especially given that it often costs so much more than conventional produce?

A major study on organics says, “Yes, absolutely.” But the study indicates that the best reason to buy organic produce isn’t that it’s worlds healthier or better-tasting than conventional produce.

To Read More…