Sustainability Commons^™

Contribution Of Mine Water And Uranium Ore Rocks To The 222rn-Induced Radiation Dose Received By The Mine Workers In A Low-Ore Grade Underground Uranium Mine, India, Imran Athar Beg, Patitapaban Sahu

Journal of Sustainable Mining

More than 50% of the radiation dose received by underground mine workers is mainly due to the inhalation of radon (222Rn) gas and its decay products in an underground mine working space. Monitoring and controlling of 222Rn exhalation in the underground mine working plays a vital role in minimizing the radiation risk hazards to the mine-workers. This study discusses the contribution of mine water and uranium ore to 222Rn activity concentration in mine air and its health risk assessment. The annual effective radiation dose (ERn) due to inhalation of 222Rn for mine workers is estimated 0.10 mSv/y. Furthermore, the estimated …

The Threads That Shape Us: Fashioning A Sustainable Future From Silk, Bryne Croyle Johnson

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

Silk has been used for centuries as a natural fiber, but has declined in popularity due to synthetic alternatives. In this pop-science article style paper, the history, present, and possible futures of silk are discussed at a generally accessible level. Anthropology, Biology, Sociology, and Environmental Science are brought together to present a case for a renewed interest in silk as a sustainable fiber.

The Role Of Humor In Sustainability: Well-Being, (In)Equity, And Community, Mia Ocean

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Mia Ocean, Graduate Social Work, shares an interactive presentation on The Role of Humor in Sustainability: Focusing on Well-Being, (In)equity, and Community

The Fuxi Farm: Practice Exploration And Reflection On Integrated Innovation Of Smart Agriculture Technology, Yucheng Zhang, Xiaobo Zhang, Shuqin Gao, Congcong Zheng, Jingyao Zhang, Ya Wen, Lujun Li, Zhuo Wang, Tie Li, Honglong Zhao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Smart agriculture plays a pivotal role in enhancing food security by optimizing resource use and improving crop yields through the application of AI technologies. The establishment of smart farms is critical to rapidly integrating AI into agricultural production, offering platforms for both the deployment and testing of AI solutions and equipment. This paper examines the development of smart farms, with a focus on practices from developed countries, and assesses the current status of smart farming in China. We then focus on exploring the content, pathways, and practices for constructing a smart agricultural production system in China through the establishment of …

Accelerate Innovation Of Forage Intelligent Breeding Technology: Reflection And Suggestions, Haichun Jing, Weijuan Hu, Jingbo Jin, Jingyu Zhang, Yao Zhou, Yue Gong, Gang Yao, Lei Wang, Kang Chong

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The world is facing unprecedented changes today, with continuous population growth intensifying the pressure on food demand. The shift towards diversified dietary structures has increased the demand for feed grains, while climate change further threatens China’s food security by affecting agricultural productivity and carbon sequestration economy. At present, China has entered a new era of food supply and feed. As the food supply for animals, forage is the core component of feed, and its industrial development has profound strategic significance for ensuring national food security. This study analyzes the current situation of China’s forage seed industry, summarizes the cutting-edge achievements …

Rapid Soil Detection Technology Aids In Assessing Soil Nutrients In China, Wei Wu, Xiaoyong Liao, Xiaopeng Li, Yuntao Wu, Huixian Lu, Yucheng Zhang, Jiabao Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Soil quality is the core issue for ensuring China’s food security, and soil health is the top priority of soil quality. Comprehensive, rapid and accurate acquisition of soil background data is the prerequisite for achieving homogeneous soil management and formulating balanced fertilization strategies, which will play a key role in improving non-point source pollution caused by unreasonable fertilization and achieving balanced grain yield increase. This study reviews rapid soil testing methods both domestically and internationally. Based on previous research, it proposes a technical approach to rapidly detect soil nutrient concentrations by calculating the gamma quanta released during the decay of …

Hillside Agricultural Machinery And Agricultural Intelligence Driven By New Technologies, Hong Qiao, Yanfeng Lyu, Enhao Zheng

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Hilly and mountainous areas play a crucial role in China’s agricultural production. However, the low level of comprehensive mechanization for crop cultivation, planting, and harvesting in these regions severely hampers the modernization of agriculture. The complex terrain and diverse cropping patterns in hilly areas necessitate the development of specialized agricultural machinery and robots tailored to these unique landscapes. To advance this process, the Chinese government has introduced a series of policies in recent years to support the research and development of agricultural machinery for hilly regions, providing strong backing for the advancement of agricultural technology in these areas. Against this …

Artificial Intelligence Innovation For Smart Plant Factory To Diversify Its Big Food Production Functions, Huaqin Gong, Haichun Jing, Xin Tan, Xianhui Wang, Yucheng Zhang, Rongcheng Lin, Mingyu Yang, Shuang Lin, Hualing Xie, Yanping Yang, Shitang Ye, Peng Li, Tingyun Kuang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

China’s food security is facing more and more severe and complex challenges, such as tight balance between food demand and supply, the upgrading of consumption structure, and resource constraints. The plant factory is an advanced scenario in agricultural production, a diversified food production system that gets rid of the constraints of “ask for food from the mother nature” and respond to disasters and wars, and is oriented to space. Nevertheless, the high cost greatly limits the application and development of plant factories. The rapid development of artificial intelligence will bring new opportunities for the innovative development and expansion of plant …

Improve Governance System Of National Parks, Build The World‘S Largest National Park System With High Quality, Baorong Huang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Improving the governance system of national parks is an inevitable requirement for China’s high-quality construction of the world’s largest national park system. This study analyzes the main challenges and problems faced by China’s national park governance based on long-term investigation on national parks and national park system pilot areas. Under the overall logic of modernization of China’s national governance system and governance capabilities, drawing on international experiences in sound governance of regional and watershed public goods and national parks, this study proposes a theoretical framework for establishing a “four in one” national park governance system in China, including a comprehensive …

Regime Of National Park Group Based On Protected Area System In Tibetan Plateau, Dong Chen, Yafei Wang, Dengsheng Wu, Jie Fan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

China’s national park reform has entered a new stage of promoting reform based on the protected area system. The national park team of the second comprehensive scientific investigation and research on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) took the lead in putting forward the construction plan of the TP protected area, which is dominated by national park in area and function. The TP national park group, including “small group” which refer to national park, and “large group” which refer to different protected areas, innovates the long-term mechanism for the construction of national ecological security barriers on TP. The national park group requires …

Experience And Enlightenment Of Eu Natura 2000 Protected Area Network, Ling Tang, Baorong Huang, Tong Jin, Xuetian Hu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The EU Natura 2000 protected area network, covering nearly 19% of the land and 10% of the sea in the EU, has played an important role in protecting biodiversity and enhancing regional socio-economic well-being, and is regarded as the most successful protected area network in the world. Its successful experience is mainly reflected in five aspects. (1) The adoption of regional biodiversity conservation legislation and the promotion of compliance with the law by member countries to promote the construction of the protected area network. (2) The establishment of a decision-making and implementation mechanism that combines the EU resolution process and …

Problems And Suggestions Of Building Scientific Decision-Making And Advisory Mechanism Of National Parks—Governance-Based Perspective, Yu Wei, Duowei Cheng, Yi Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

National parks are multi-factor, multi-functional and multi-dimensional complexes, which makes them difficult to follow the traditional administration and management modes, and need to explore the construction of a modernized governance system. An important step in enhancing the effectiveness of governance is to establish a reasonable, and efficient scientific decision-making and consultation mechanism. China has made remarkable progress in scientific decision-making and consultation in national parks. However, there are still some problems with the national parks’ decision-making process and effectiveness due to vague definition of authority and responsibility, dependence on departmentalized management paths, and inadequate upward and downward transmission of information …

Path And Strategy Of Pollution And Carbon Reduction By Digitization In Electric Power Enterprises, Xiaohong Chen, Runcheng Tang, Dongbin Hu, Xuesong Xu, Xiangbo Tang, Guodong Yi, Weiwei Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

With the extensive application and innovation of digital technology in the energy sector, digital technology has become increasingly crucial for the power industry to achieve the goal of reducing pollution and carbon emissions. How digital technology enables electric power enterprises to achieve this goal has attracted much attention. Firstly, the study analyzes the progress of digital technology applications in pollution reduction and carbon reduction in electric power enterprises. Then, it identifies the existing problems in the current application of digital technology in the power industry for reducing pollution and carbon emissions. Finally, it explores the potential ways and approaches of …

Analysis And Recommendations For Energy Conservation And Carbon Emission Reduction In Industry Boosted By Digital Energy Management Systems, Duanyang Geng, Tong Xu, Qinghua Zhu, Steve Evans

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Energy consumption during production processes in the industry is a main source of carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, for China’s dual-carbon goals, industrial enterprises need to focus on reducing energy waste to achieve energy-efficient production, thereby effectively reducing carbon emissions in industrial production. In recent years, with the continuous development and popularization of digital technology, digital energy management systems have played a crucial role in energy saving by visualizing invisible energy in the industry. In this context, this study first analyses the current status of digital energy management system applications in the UK, the US, Germany, and Sweden, summarizes their characteristics …

Thoughts On Transformation Of Scientific And Technological Achievements In Field Of Information Technology, Ninghui Sun, Xiaojuan Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

To promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements is one of the key points of China’s national science and technology innovation policy. Nevertheless, due to the particularity, complexity, and professionalism of technological achievements, being difficult to transform scientific and technological achievements is a worldwide common problem. There are many issues worth discussing and exploring in China’s transformation of scientific and technological achievements, especially when it comes to whether research institutes can transform their achievements by establishing enterprises, the answers remain controversial. The authors intend to take the field of information technology as an example, by analyzing the advantages, disadvantages, …

Promote High-Quality Development Of China-Sri Lanka Joint Center For Education And Research By Practicing New Development Philosophy, Jinglong Yao, Haitao Chen, Changsheng Zhang, Min Yang, Weiqiang Wang, Yuansong Wei, Gang Pan, Yawei Wang, Yao Luo, Hui Zhong, Zhenqiu Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Under the guidance of the new development paradigm, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has started a series of pioneering international cooperation in the Belt and Road countries with scientific and technological innovation, especially along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. CAS advanced the practical cooperation with the research institutions of the countries to improve their research and innovation capabilities. Taking the example of high-quality development, the China-Sri Lanka Joint Center for Education and Research (CSL-CER), satisfied the Sri Lanka’ s demands for science and education. This paper describes the progress and significance of achieved results by promoting high-quality development, …

Electric Vehicles Contribute To China's Energy Security And Carbon Peaking And Carbon Neutrality, Jianfeng Guo, Xuemei Zhang, Qi Cao, Fu Gu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The current international situation is complicated and unstable, and China is in the midst of an important economic transition as it deals with the twin concerns of energy security and carbon peaking and carbon neutrality (referred to as dual carbon goals). Although the dual carbon goals aim a strong emphasis on energy security, certain emission reduction strategies will place restrictions on energy security that is directly connected, such as energy supply and grid load, making it challenging to simultaneously fulfill the optimization goal. China now has the task of figuring out how to rationalize and optimize the coordinated promotion of …

Key Elements, Mechanism Analysis And Evaluation Indicators Of Digital And Intelligent Integration Transformation And Development Of Manufacturing Industry, Xiaoqiang Sun, Xiuyun Gao, Yumei Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The digital and intelligent integration transformation of manufacturing industry has become an important driving force for the high-quality development of traditional manufacturing enterprises. This study clarifies the main research context and key issues of scholars on the digital and intelligent integration transformation of manufacturing industry, refines the goals, main elements, and influencing factors of digital and intelligent integration transformation of manufacturing industry, builds a power network model for the transformation and development of digital and intelligent integration of manufacturing industry according to the system feedback principle of system dynamics, analyzes the mechanism of action between various elements of the system, …

Development Of An Empirical Ground-Motion Model For Post-Mining Induced Seismicity Near Gardanne, France, Pierre Gehl, Pascal Dominique, Hideo Aochi, Mickael Delatre, Jannes Kinscher, Isabelle Contrucci

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Since the closure of mining activities in 2003, the coal basin of Gardanne in South-East France has experienced thousands of small-magnitude earthquake events, mostly triggered by the flooding of mine workings. Some of these events have been powerful enough to be strongly felt by the population, generating nuisance and concern about potential damage to buildings. The aim of this study is to improve the characterisation of the level of ground motion at the surface, by developing a ground-motion model for post-mining induced seismicity, based on several years of recorded data. A Bayesian-based method is applied to the data in order …

Hydraulic Borehole Mining (Hbm) Technology Employed In Lignite Mining – Technical, Economic And Market Aspects, Bartłomiej Jura, Piotr Krawczyk, Jacek Skiba, Natalia Howaniec

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The results of a cost-effectiveness and economic efficiency assessment of the Hydraulic Borehole Mining (HBM) technology applied to lignite mining are presented. The Dynamic Generation Cost, the Net Present Value, and the Internal Rate of Return were calculated for the extraction of lignite at a rate of about 3.44 million Mg/year from a mining parcel of 1 2.5 km, taking into account CAPEX and OPEX. The cost of mining 1 Mg of lignite using the HBM technology was reported to be lower than its market prices before the energy crisis in Europe caused by the war in Ukraine. The values …

Predicting Open-Pit Mine Production Using Machine Learning Techniques, Faustin Nartey Kumah, Alex Kwasi Saim, Millicent Nkrumah Oppong, Clement Kweku Arthur

Journal of Sustainable Mining

In mining, where production is affected by several factors, including equipment availability, it is necessary to develop reliable models to accurately predict mine production to improve operational efficiency. Hence, in this study, four (4) machine learning algorithms – namely: artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), gradient boosting regression (GBR) and decision tree (DT)) – were implemented to predict mine production. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis was used as a baseline study for comparison purposes. In that regard, one hundred and twenty-six (126) datasets from an open-pit gold mine were used. The developed models were evaluated and compared using the …

Identification Of Strong Tremor Causes For Appropriate Rock Burst Prevention In A Hard Coal Mine, Rafał Pakosz, Łukasz Wojtecki, Maciej J. Mendecki, Agnieszka Krzyżanowska

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The exploitation carried out in the Bielszowice part of the Ruda Hard Coal Mine is mainly accompanied by seismic and rock burst hazards. The occurrence of high-energy tremors may be associated with many factors, e.g., fracturing of thick layers of high-strength rocks or destruction processes of a stressed and/or thick coal seam. These factors are often combined when excavating a single longwall panel. Determining the causes of strong tremors is of fundamental importance for mining and rock burst prevention. The extraction of the 004z longwall panel in the top layer of coal seam No. 504 was designed in complex geological …

Sustainability Considerations Of Generative A.I., Thomas Pantazes

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Thomas Pantazes of the WCU Teaching and Learning Center shares Sustainability Considerations of Generative A.I.

More Than Just A Funky Smell: Fungal Volatiles Have Physiological Consequences, Joan Bennett

Sustainability Seminar Series

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are low molecular weight molecules that easily evaporate at room temperature. Fungal VOCs are responsible for the musty odors we associate with damp indoor environments. It has been hypothesized that they contribute to “sick building syndrome.” The Bennett lab has developed several genetic model systems to test the toxicity of fungal VOCs and found that VOCs have a range of unexpected biological functions.

A Quick And Cost-Effective Method For Monitoring Deforestation Of Oil Sands Mining Activities Using Synthetic Aperture Radar And Multispectral Real-Time Satellite Data From Sentinel-1 And Sentinel-2., J Garcia Del Real, M. Alcaraz

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Alberta’s oil sands mining operations rank among the largest human-made structures globally. Monitoring through the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Multispectral satellite imaging is an indispensable strategy in attaining sustainable development and mitigating deforestation in the third-largest verified oil reserves worldwide. This paper introduces a novel approach for cost-effective and reliable monitoring of deforestation caused by oil sands mining, avoiding cumbersome methods. It focuses on observing forest/non-forest areas affected by Suncor Energy Company’s mining assets in Alberta, using a combination of SAR and Multispectral satellite remote sensing. Radar images from Sentinel-1B and Multispectral images from Sentinel-2A were analyzed …

The Role Of Muslim Women In Nigeria’S Socioeconomic Development Through The Implementation Of The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Faqiat Afolake Adeaga

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the often underestimated yet pivotal role of Muslim women in propelling socio-economic development in Nigeria, specifically focusing on the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary research question seeks to comprehend the transformative impact of faith-based women-led NGOs, including Ansar-ud- Deen, Nawair-ud-Deen, FOMWAN, and NASFAT, on Muslim women's empowerment and their contribution to SDG1 (extreme poverty), SDG3 (health), SDG4 (education), and SDG5 (gender equality) in Nigeria. Simultaneously, the secondary research question explores successful strategies employed by these organizations in empowering Muslim women, with a keen focus on potential areas for improvement. Incorporating research …

Analysis Of The Impact Of Water Treatment By Liming Sedimentation And Dredging On The Content Of Heavy Metals In Fish Intended For Consumption, Asfie Maidie, Ismail Fahmy Almadi, Muchlis Efendi, Rekha Yusdha Nilawardhani, Komsanah Sukarti, Henny Pagoray

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The present study sought to determine the presence of metals and arsenic, a metalloid, among the fish of a coal mine reservoir, where the water was treated regularly through liming sedimentation combined with dredging, and the fish living in an adjoining river. The potential hazard of metals in fish as human food was analyzed. Except for selenium (an important metal to the human body), which was higher among the river fish than in the reservoir fish (P < 0.01), there were no particular patterns of other studied metals found in either habitat (P > 0.05), and apparently not related to the fish family that consumed by local people. Measurements of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) yielded scattered values from …

Examining The Health Risks Of Particulate Matter 2.5 In New York City: How It Affects Marginalized Groups And The Steps Needed To Reduce Air Pollution, Freddy Castro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The following examines the impact of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) on public health, focusing on its sources and effects on vulnerable populations in New York City. PM2.5 is a particle that is 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter and, because of its size, can enter the bloodstream affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and further complicating the health of the immunocompromised. Recent studies have shown that PM2.5 can come from various sources, including transportation and industrial emissions, as well as indoor sources like cigarettes and gas-operated stoves. Despite reduced levels of PM2.5 due to recent policy changes and initiatives taken …

Agricultural Groundcover Update January 2024, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

Summary

• About 94% of the grainbelt had adequate (more than 50%) vegetative groundcover to prevent wind erosion in January 2024.
• In the northern half of the grainbelt, a larger-than-average area has 51–60% groundcover, which is expected to decrease to below 50% over the coming months.
• Just under 6% of the grainbelt (855,000 ha) had less than 50% groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion. West Midlands Ag Soil Zone had the highest risk of wind erosion and 14.5% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover.
• Less than 0.5% of the grainbelt had a high to very high risk of wind …

Trees In Urban Environments: How Soil Quality Impacts Tree Performance, Saidan Qi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cities around the world are increasingly investing in reforestation and afforestation efforts to mitigate impacts from climate change and population growth. However, urban soil conditions can be unfavorable for tree growth. Street trees are widely known to suffer from poor soil quality, but there has been no comprehensive review of this topic so far. Clean soils can be transported from nonurban areas to support cities’ green projects, but this approach is not sustainable. Artificial (constructed) soils can be created from various materials and have been proposed as an alternative medium for urban tree growth, but no research has been done …