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The information gap between businesses and consumers concerning the sustainability impacts of products and services is considered a key obstacle impeding sustainable consumption. To that end, mobile technologies, such as QR codes, have been identified as a useful tool that can bridge this information gap by providing consumers with sustainability-related product information at the point of purchase. However, the literature offers scarce insights into the factors that influence consumers' intention to use QR codes for sustainability-related product information in daily consumption decisions. This paper investigates this relationship in two studies of consumer acceptance of QR codes. Study 1 utilises the Technology Acceptance Model to study the factors that may affect consumers' intention to scan QR codes with sustainability information. The results show that the perceived ease of use and the perceived usefulness of the QR codes are significant predictors of consumers' attitudes towards and intentions to scan QR codes. Further analysis shows that QR codes visuals and written appeals may also affect scan intention. The extant literature lacks evidence from investigations of real-life behaviour. Study 2 contributes to this gap in the literature by investigating the usage of QR codes in a field experiment. The results show an overall scan rate of 4.22% for the QR codes, with consumers scoring high on perceived usefulness of QR codes, perceived sustainability quality of the product and preference for using QR codes in the future. Importantly, QR codes with a suggestive appeal were scanned at higher rates than that of QR codes without such appeal. The paper thus responds to calls for research on how companies can leverage marketing innovations using technology to communicate sustainability-related product information to consumers and stimulate sustainable consumption. • Marketing innovations in the form of QR codes can facilitate sustainable consumption. • In collaboration with a large firm, I conduct two studies: a nationally representative survey and a field experiment. • Findings reveal that several behavioural factors are likely to influence consumers' intention to scan the QR codes. • Consumers also state preferences for the QR codes with regards to visual cues, message appeals and placement. • Overall, the two studies reveal the QR codes as a useful avenue to communicate sustainability-related product information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatiotemporal characteristics of shared e-bike commuting is crucial for promoting transit-oriented sustainable urban development. Shared e-bikes have been widely encouraged and supported by authorities around the world. However, studies on exploring commuting identification and demand factors for shared e-bikes are rare. Taking Ningbo as an example, this paper presents a commuting identification method for shared e-bikes based on the Density-based Spatial Clustering of Application with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm. The geographically and temporally weighted regression model (GTWR) was constructed to reveal the spatiotemporal impacts of the built environment, transportation facilities, social economy and weather conditions on demand for shared e-bikes. The results show that schools, working population, parking lots and subway stations are positively correlated with the morning and evening rush hour demand in terms of time dimension. In the spatial dimension, the companies, living-service areas, schools and parking lots around subway stations, downtown and CBD are also positively correlated with the rush-hour demand. Rainfall and suburbs are negatively correlated with commuting demand. Low-income work areas, public parking lots around companies without a dedicated parking lot, and traffic congestion areas such as the city center are high-demand spots for shared e-bikes. When the subway station connection is promoted during rush hours, the demand for shared e-bikes in the parking lots is reduced. Off-peak commuting of enterprises also leads to a drop in demand for shared e-bikes. The results of this study can provide more comprehensive support for commuting management, essential policy significance for government agencies and shared e-bikes operators, and guiding significance for promoting sustainable urban development. [Display omitted] • This paper tackles spatiotemporal characteristics of shared e-bikes commuting demand. • Parking lots around companies without dedicated parking lots are high-demand spots. • Traffic congestion areas are high-demand spots for shared electric-bike. • The demand between the parking lot and the subway station is competitive. • Suburbs are negatively correlated with shared electric-bike commuting demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer food waste is a growing issue that has a severe impact on the economy and the environment. Social media is an online communication tool that has the potential to reach a large proportion of the population with relative ease. However, it is unclear whether social media can be used to encourage consumers to reduce their food waste. To determine how social media is currently being used in food waste reduction campaigns and interventions and whether it could be an effective communication tool to discourage consumer food waste. Eight academic databases from multiple disciplines were searched in combination with grey literature. Inclusion criteria were consumer-focused food waste interventions or campaigns that used social media as part of their strategy and had food waste reduction as a main outcome. Exclusion criteria included the use of websites or mobile applications rather than social media, non-English papers, and review papers. Seventeen studies were included. Social media was found to have a positive impact in eleven studies e.g. raising awareness or contributing to consumer food waste reduction. Multifaceted interventions or campaigns (rather than those that used social media alone) were found to be more effective at increasing consumer understanding of food waste and/or producing initial behaviour changes such as taking leftovers for lunch, for example. Most of the included interventions or campaigns did not report a social media strategy or self-defined targets to achieve prior to beginning the campaign. Social media data included in the papers focused mainly on social media metrics (e.g. reach of the posts) rather than tangible outcomes from consumers who saw the posts. Multifaceted approaches that combine social media with other behaviour change strategies are recommended to encourage consumer behaviour change in relation to food waste reduction. Social media needs to be further explored for consumer food waste reduction, with a focus on the importance of comprehensive plans and strategies prior to beginning the campaign or intervention. [Display omitted] • There are currently limited food waste interventions/campaigns using social media to communicate with their target audience. • Many campaigns and interventions increased consumer awareness of food waste but long-term behaviour changes were not measured or reported. • Multi-faceted approaches combining social media with behaviour change strategies are recommended for food waste reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions pose a serious threat to human habitats because they are the cause of the increasing number of ecological problems and adverse weather events blighting our planet. Considering the rising trend in environmental concerns and the critical role of the board of directors in strategic corporate decisions, this paper examines the impact of co-opted boards on GHG emissions and the moderating effect of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance-based compensation on the relationship. Using a sample of US firms from 2002 to 2018, the results show a significant negative relationship between co-opted directors and total GHG emissions, i.e., an increase of one standard deviation in the proportion of co-opted directors reduces GHG emissions by 0.27. Additional analysis reports that an increase of one standard deviation in co-opted boards reduces direct and indirect GHG emissions by 0.37 and 1.3, respectively. This implies that firms with co-opted boards ensure the sustainability of their own operations while also making their partner firms environmentally sustainable. Further analysis documents that the influence of co-opted directors on GHG emissions is more pronounced for firms that tie executives' compensation with ESG performance. Our study provides policy implications for regulators against a background of public outcry and stakeholder pressure on firms to mitigate environmental damage and implement environmentally sustainable business practices. [Display omitted] • Firms with co-opted boards are likely to be environmentally sustainable. • Co-opted boards are associated with less GHG emissions. • ESG compensation for executives drive the board co-option-GHG emissions nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the global practice of sustainable agricultural development, China has put forward a plan for agricultural green development, with strict control from the production side to ensure the safety and health of green products "from farming land to dinner table" through strict control from the production side, and green planting is one of the key technologies. Green planting technology (GPT) is an important initiative in China to achieve sustainable agriculture under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Farmers' acceptance of this technology not only requires national publicity and promotion, but also the adoption of agricultural entities across the country. In this study, we widely distributed questionnaires to farmers in 26 provinces and cities, and received 970 valid responses. This paper uses structural equation model (SEM), a multivariate statistical analysis method, to analyze the influencing factors of farmers' intention to adopt GPT. These results demonstrated that the farmers first consider their own behavioral competences and personal gains and losses before deciding to adopt GPT, followed by the impact of people closely related to farming, while environmental concerns and environmental values rank last. Agricultural technology extension plays an intermediary role in farmers' behavioral intention, and government support acts as a safeguard. The findings will not only help to grasp the reasons behind ineffective promotion of GPT to improve the dissemination and adoption of GPT, but also enable government agencies and authorities to better understand the views of farmers, and subsequently formulate feasible policies and plans. [Display omitted] • Influencing factors of farmers' intention to adopt GPT in China were studied. • Extending TPB theory by introducing internal variable of perceived risk and external variables of agricultural technology extension and government support. • Farmers first consider personal gains and losses before deciding to adopt GPT. • Agricultural technology extension is an important mediating factor influencing behavioral intention of farmer's GPT adoption. • Government support is an important moderating variable of behavioral intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heilongjiang Province, China, has been facing a perennial water shortage problem, and the demand for water is increasing year by year, leading to water supply difficulties and reduced water carrying capacity, which restricts the sustainable development of the region. In this paper, a water footprint (WF) sustainability evaluation system was constructed based on three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. The correlation was used to calculate the weights of the indicators, reducing the influence of human subjectivity on the weights, and the matter element model was used to determine the sustainability of the different indicators and the ease of development to a high sustainability level. The results showed that the WF was unsustainable in 2000, 2001, 2007, and 2008 due to factors such as dry water years and low water use efficiency. The main factors affecting the sustainability of the WF in Heilongjiang Province were the per capita WF, WF composition, and regional social situation. The sustainability level of the WF in Heilongjiang Province in 2018 was at Level II, with a trend toward Level III, and the unsustainable WF in the cities of Harbin, Jixi, Hegang, Qitaihe, and Suihua was the main reason for the unsustainable WF in Heilongjiang Province. The results of this study provide a reference for the rational allocation of water resources and the sustainable use of the WF in Heilongjiang Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nexus approaches, aiming at the complex connections among the correlative systems, provide an effective method for analyzing coevolution processes. In the context of urbanization, water, energy, and environment (W-E-E) systems are increasingly connected thus can be profiled as a W-E-E nexus. However, research on urban water-energy interactions and their impact on the environment is still in its infancy. In addition, a generic framework for modeling W-E-E nexus that includes dynamic feedbacks between human and natural systems remains elusive. In an attempt to fill this gap, this paper proposes a sensitivity-based framework consisting of four components: the water balance model, the energy balance model, the environmental response model, and the urbanization model. Community sensitivity serves as the missing link, tying together two feedback loops driven by economy and environment respectively. To demonstrate how such a framework could be applied, Wuhan city was selected as a case study and analyzed for its coevolution under three scenarios: extensive development, common development, and sustainable development. The results show that the proposed framework is competent in modeling the W-E-E nexus in Wuhan. The coevolution process is broadly divided into four cyclic stages (expansion, degeneration, convalescence, and stabilization) and environmental recovery consumes decades or more regardless of the development pattern. However, development patterns exert a salient effect on community sensitivity, with +294.4%, +5.5%, and −17.4% for extensive, common, and sustainable development patterns during the simulation period respectively. And only under sustainable development, can Wuhan anticipate achieving the goal of carbon neutrality by the 2060s. It is hoped that this framework will aid our understanding of the fundamental interactions in this complex relationship and allow researchers to improve W-E-E nexus modeling through better capture of the key elements in the feedback loops. • Present a sensitivity-based framework for the water-energy-environment nexus. • Build the missing link that connects 2 key loops driven by economics and environment. • Provide urban development pattern decisions for achieving resource sustainability. • Assess Wuhan's development trajectory over the next 2 centuries quantitatively. • Propose a development pattern to achieve carbon neutrality in Wuhan in 2060s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health institutes are structurally growing depending on the population increase and escalating demands for health services. As a negative result, the health industry produces more healthcare waste daily. Its efforts and resources cannot be sufficient to dispose of such medical wastes as the quantity and variety continue to increase. Therefore, developing solution partnership relations with logistics service providers specialized in collecting, storing, and disposing healthcare waste may be a beneficial and fruitful step for solving this problem. However, the evaluation and selection of service suppliers for healthcare waste disposal may not always result in success. Hence, the present work develops a robust integrated methodology on the basis of Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) and COmplex PRoportional ASsessment (COPRAS) techniques based on Interval-Valued Fermatean Fuzzy Sets (IVFFSs) for healthcare decision-makers to make more rational and optimal decisions concerning service supplier selection. The proposed model based on the IVFFSs can also overcome incredibly complicated uncertainties in the assessment processes. A large-scale international hospital chain in Turkey is investigated using the developed methodology to find reasonable and logical solutions to assess and select the best Medical Waste Disposal and Logistics (MWDL) firm. It is revealed that the most important criterion is "Storage Conditions" where "Republic Services, Inc" is the most successful supplier of MWDL. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are discussed in detail in order to provide useful managerial insights and decision aids to assist in improving the sustainability of healthcare industry. [Display omitted] • The paper suggests a frame to solve the waste disposal firm selection problems. • The suggested a novel tool the IVFFS-Delphi method to identify the criteria. • The model consisting of the IVFFS-SWARA method to calculate the criteria weights. • The IVFFS-COPRAS technique was applied to determine the preference of the options. • The validity of the presented decision tool is confirmed through a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last decades, Sustainable Development has been encouraged to be integrated into the operations of business organisations. Businesses are being blamed to cause environmental degradation and social problems because of their unsustainable activities. However, to know whether businesses are implementing sustainable strategies in their operations, a Business Sustainability Performance Assessment (BSPA) is required. As a result, many approaches, tools, and techniques have been devised to assess sustainability performance at the business level. Therefore, this study aims at identifying the various sustainability assessment approaches, tools, and techniques at the business level. A systematic literature review was conducted whereby 38 related articles from 2000 to 2021 were obtained and analyzed. Following the review, 5 different approaches were identified namely: application of established guidelines; normative framework; management system; index system; and rating/ranking system. Under each approach, there are different tools. In all, 88 tools were obtained. Furthermore, 9 techniques were identified and classified into 4 functional categories. Techniques such as Fuzzy Logic, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, and Principle Component Analysis were predominantly favoured by researchers. However, there was no consensus on which method or tool is best for BSPA. A bibliometric analysis found that 60% of studies used the environmental, social, and economic dimensions for performance assessment. Results demonstrated that the application of BSPA approaches, tools, and techniques had been receiving attention across various industries and the application was more toward industry-generic context rather than industry-specific. Finally, the paper presents key research issues on BSPA and proposes future studies based on reported data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe and analyze the novel type of circular economy business model that we define herein as "open circular economy business model." Unlike a typical circular business model based on six R-imperatives (reuse, recycling, redesign, regenerate, reduce, and recover), the analyzed business model leads to greater flexibility as it allows the incorporation of raw materials from the external organizational context into the internal sustainable production cycle. Hence, the societal benefits of adopting an open circular economy business model are potentially more significant than in the case of a conventional circular economy business model because it allows greater distribution of the benefits among heterogeneous external actors that interact with the organization. The study is based on the single case study of the Italian manufacturing company, which obtained significant market success by applying an open circular economy business model in the first few years since its incorporation. By examining in-depth interviews with principal organizational decision-makers triangulated with internal and external secondary data analysis, we describe the model's main characteristics while highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. The commercial success of the studied organization can be an incentive for direct and indirect competitors to implement similar business models resulting in the activation of system-level circularity-oriented behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses thermodynamic modeling of a power generation cycle, cooling, and freshwater with the employment of solar energy. The introduced system has different subsystems; solar dish collector, a re-compression sCO 2 Brayton cycle integrated with a combined Rankine power-ejector refrigeration system and humidification and dehumidification desalination unit driven with a solar dish system. The considered system is analyzed in the context of thermodynamics index and criteria such as irreversibility, freshwater production, energy and exergy efficiencies, and environmental metric. The performance-affecting primary variables are determined through a parametric evaluation of the suggested system. According to the results, the system is capable of producing 83.3 kW of electrical power at the design point and 3.1 kW of cooling as well as 41.54 kg/h of freshwater. A more accurate analysis of exergy destruction shows that solar dish and heat exchanger-4 have the most significant rate of exergy destruction. In addition, parameters such as solar radiation intensity, compressor pressure ratio, and entrainment ratio are parametrically analyzed. The results indicated that increasing entrainment ratio from 0.3 to 0.6, will increase the refrigeration capacity from 2.33 kW to 4.66 kW and the operation of Turbine 2 from 15.96 kW to 18.63 kW. Also, enhancing the solar radiation intensity from 650 W/m2 to 950 W/m2 has different influences the system outputs so that increasing the solar intensity will reduce the performance of the cooling cycle and increase the freshwater produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fly ash (FA) and recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) have been extensively studied, aiming to improve the sustainability of concrete. The biomineralisation method has also been researched to enhance the performance of concrete. However, introducing FA and RCA may decrease the strength of concrete, and the biomineralisation method may create extra environmental impact (EI) due to the production of bacteria and corresponding chemical agents. It is hard to directly judge the influence of these methods on the sustainability of concrete. This paper proposes to explore the sustainability of concrete with FA, RCA, and biomineralisation methods by life cycle assessment. Six scenarios were established, and Six EI categories of the six scenarios were quantified. The quantified EI values considering their corresponding strength were obtained and compared. The results showed that: using FA decreased EI, using RCA showed a limited effect on decreasing EI, the biomineralisation method significantly decreased EI, and using the treated RCA increased EI due to its high consumption of chemical agents in the treating procedure. In summary, biomineralisation enhanced FA concrete performance is recommended to substitute traditional concrete widely after comprehensively comparing sustainability, workability, strength, and durability. Finding more sustainable calcium sources and nutrition can further improve its sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing focus on sustainability stresses the importance of using materials derived from manufacturing scraps and end of life. Nowadays, a large amount of carbon fibre waste is available, and therefore, it is pivotal to understand how to use it for value-added applications. This paper introduces an innovative spinning process for ring-spun hybrid yarns composed of recycled carbon fibres (rCFs) from manufacturing scraps and virgin thermoplastic fibres in different blending ratios. The ultimate goal is to assess whether such a process is able to produce ring-spun hybrid yarns suitable for the production of polymer composites for structural applications and to determine the blends range that addresses this goal. The actual innovation in this process lies in the use of a ring-spinning machine for the production of hybrid yarns, which were characterised by tensile tests and thermogravimetric analysis combined with differential scanning calorimetry. The results show that the range of rCFs for the production of ring-spun hybrid yarns with good mechanical and thermal properties lies between 50% and 70%. Fibre orientation is crucial, especially for the card web, as is the blending ratio for the whole process. The increase in the number of draw frame doublings and the actual number of remaining rCFs have an impact on the tenacity of the hybrid yarn. Finally, ring-spun hybrid yarns consisting of 70% rCF exhibit slightly higher tensile strength, but with a lower decrease in the quantity of rCFs than those composed of 50% rCF. Thus, they possess the best mechanical and thermal properties and composites made from ring-spun hybrid yarns with 70% rCF should perform better. Overall, this process has the potential to be industrially transposed but needs to be evaluated from an environmental perspective. [Display omitted] • An innovative spinning process using ring spinning technology is proposed. • Recycled CF content ranges from 50% to 70% by weight to have good-quality yarns. • Ring-spun hybrid yarns show good mechanical and thermal-physical properties. • Ring-spun hybrid yarns composed of 70% recycled CF possess the best properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of asphalt mixtures containing previously paved asphalt mixture from milled pavements, so-called reclaimed asphalt pavements or RAP, has been around for more than half a century. Historically, relatively low RAP contents were used, around 15% of the total mix. Recently, the use of high RAP contents has increased and now it is common to design mixtures with 30% or higher RAP contents, especially in the US. At these higher recycled contents, the characteristics of the recycled material begin to significantly affect the behaviors of the asphalt mixtures and alter the pavement performance. The use of recycled materials in asphalt mixtures at these contents may result in diminishing returns in terms of prospective performance at or beyond a certain incorporation dosage level. To overcome this barrier, recycling agents (RA) have been proposed to extend the break-even point and/or provide savings, both in terms of cost-effectiveness as well as environmental impacts. This paper is an examination of the use of RAs in recycled asphalt mixtures. There have been many reviews regarding RAs in the recent past, notably the review compiled as part of the United States National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 09–58. However, this field is evolving very quickly and there have been notable advances that require a renewed examination of the state of the art with respect to RA usage. In these intervening years, some specific advances have been made to propose novel methods for understanding the chemical nature of RAs, how RAP interacts with the virgin binder and RA, and how acceptable performance of recycled asphalt binder blends and mixtures can be achieved through dosage selection methods. However, the scientific knowledge on the selection and use of RAs in asphalt pavements is limited, and there is a need to develop robust methodologies that establish threshold criteria and performance metrics to facilitate their use on a regular basis. While there do exist some general trends with respect to RA effectiveness, the specific benefits and limitations found in individual studies vary greatly. Thus, given the current state of knowledge, RAs should be evaluated on a material-by-material basis using asphalt mixtures designed and delivered using local practices. • Recycling Agents (RAs) are used to counter the negative impacts of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) in asphalt mixtures. • The effectiveness of RAs depends on numerous factors such as source, dosage, ageing severity, etc. • Major research works on RAs from and since NCHRP Project 09–58 have been summarized. • The underlying interaction mechanism of Binder-RAP-RA systems continues to be a complex and open research problem. • Selection of RAs must be done on a case-by-case basis considering local conditions and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain technology (BT) can execute transactions verifiable and permanently, which can help foster the idea of embracing sustainability pillars within industries. Therefore, BT holds considerable promise for the industrial and service sectors; however, its implementation during the procurement stage in a sustainable construction project (SCP) is a bottleneck because of inherent and unknown barriers. Though some attempts on the identification of these barriers have been carried out, the literature lacks a thorough investigation into the relationships and inner dependencies among the related barriers within the realm of SCP. Thus, a novel combination of fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (fuzzy DEMATEL) and social network analysis (FDSNA) is proposed in this paper to fill this gap; FDSNA uncovers causal relationships among leading barriers that impede the adoption of BT within an SCP, and it determines the most critical barriers by modeling their complex interrelationships in related intricate environments. The obtained results suggest "inadequacies in implementing block chain-based policies" and "unawareness and resistance to BT among customers" as the most significant barriers, and "technology immaturity," "market uncertainty and competition," and "technology accessibility" are identified as the most critical. These results present managers and governmental bodies with an inclusive picture regarding the major obstructions to the successful implementation of BT, and it is expected to open avenues to accrue benefits from such leading-edge technologies at a greater pace. [Display omitted] • Barriers to blockchain technology in sustainable construction projects are identified. • The cause-and-effect relationships among the identified barriers are unraveled. • The most critical barriers are determined by modeling their complex interrelationships. • The lack of sagacious policies and end-user's unawareness are the most significant barriers. • Technology immaturity, market uncertainty, and accessibility are the most critical barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the valorisation opportunities for the secondary metallurgy slag (SMS) as a by-product of electric arc furnace (EAF) steel production. The key stakeholders, their aim and possible configurations of the SMS value chain are identified considering the treatment unit owners and locations, pre-treatment and treatment processes, and collaboration aspects. A multi-criteria Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model has been developed to evaluate value chain configurations according to criteria such as technology, legislation, economic and environmental sustainability, and supply chain. This approach helps analyse the impact of circular economy practices and the opportunities for industrial symbiosis in the European steelmaking areas. The AHP model was tested on the case of Lombardy region that is one of the major European hubs for EAF steel production. Knowledge was collected and formalized from interviews with several experts. The results show economic sustainability has the highest impact on the SMS value chain, followed by CO 2 emission and water consumption. The ranking of SMS value chain configurations shows that a pre-treatment phase is essential since it facilitates SMS logistics management and has environmental advantages. A collaborative approach among steel producers or with external recyclers is preferred when there is the readiness of the ecosystem, hardware infrastructure, and legislation about product certificates and operations. In a collaborative system, a value chain consisting of a third-party industry for SMS recycling is preferred to a consortium of producers due to the broader market coverage, environmental sustainability, and higher profits for the recycler. The multi-criteria combined with the multi-expert modelling approach helps balance the importance of different criteria from the actors' points of view, such as steel producers and technology providers. From the theoretical point of view, the analysis shows how an SMS collaborative ecosystem integrated with two recycling facilities reinforces the steelmaking business profitability, market potential, and environmental-friendly solutions. This study can help steel producers decide on the feasibility and profitability of treatment units, collaborating with other producers, or selling SMS to recyclers. In addition, policymakers can analyse the regional perspective, identify potential industrial sectors, and explore new business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrated study on the economy and environment is essential for the environmental sustainability. Using a better model to accurately calculate the efficiency of relevant stages deserves further study because accurate results determine the rationale for discussion and policy making. This study integrates these two important topics by studying comprehensive environmental efficiency. This scientific value of this study is the creation of a new comprehensive model of DEA, the three-stage SHAN model. This study adopts new three-stage SHAN model to measure the comprehensive environmental efficiency of cities above the prefecture level along the Yangtze River. The study has two major findings. After removing the influence of external environment and random factors, the comprehensive environmental efficiency shrinks. This shows that the management efficiency level is at a relatively low level. Environmental governance stage plays a more important role in the overall efficiency among two sub stages. The result of this paper advises that the government should realize that there is still much space for environmental efficiency improvement and give the priority for the environmental governance rather than economy pursuit. • The adjusted three-stage data envelopment analysis model is created. • The new model can both eliminate the environmental influence and statistics noise. • Results from new model and the traditional model are compared. • A new pollution transfer hypothesis is proposed. • This study reversely testify the impact of degree of openness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral resource extraction is often accompanied by severe environmental pollution and ecological damage, hindering mining economies from achieving sustainable development. This paper aims to promote the goal of cleaner production in extractive industries from the perspective of environmental management through a more accurate understanding of how human activities affect the extractive industries. This requires more granular data for environmental damage in mining. The article proposes an ecological threat assessment framework for mining to support sustainable processes in the extractive industry. It integrates biophysical variables, technical indicators, and human activity data. The study is based on data at the mine level with 17 indicators used to evaluate the ecological impact of 13960 mines in Guangxi, China, from 2008-to 2018 in four dimensions: economic and technical indicators of mines themselves, surrounding economic activity, geological and environmental vulnerability, and ecological status of mining sites. Data from multiple sources were used to assess, map, and monitor ecological impacts in mining areas, such as high-resolution satellite images, interview data, environmental assessment reports, and mining rights data. We evaluated the ecological impact level of each mine and the extent to which spatial heterogeneity of regional economic and environmental preferences affected the degree of ecological impact. The results show that growth in population income has changed environmental preferences and driven down environmental disturbances in mines. Reduced dependence of regional economies on the industrial sector has also contributed to environmental improvements. In addition, increasing environmental regulation has limited the ecological impacts of mining, but these environmental regulation impacts are regionally heterogeneous. The effect of laws and rules is lower in cities and regions dependent on mineral resources, where resource extraction companies have more bargaining power. The results of this study will inform environmental management in the mining sector and support sustainable development in the region. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain technology can improve supply chain transparency to solve many problems in agricultural supply chains, such as lack of social responsibility and poor environmental performance. However, how to enable the transparency and sustainability of supply chain through blockchain technology is indeed a complex decision-making problem. Based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) theoretical framework, this paper develops a hierarchical enablers framework for improving sustainable supply chain transparency (SSCT) by blockchain technology in the cocoa industry. Then, the best-worst method (BWM) is used to evaluate the weights of main enablers and sub-enablers by a real case of cocoa supply chain in an emerging African economy. The case results indicate the most important main enabler is "Technical Characteristics", and the top three sub-enablers are: "blockchain smart contract", "blockchain security," and "tracking product components", respectively. The framework and method of this study can help decision-makers and supply chain managers develop strategies to promote the effective application of blockchain to improve SSCT. As far as we know, this paper is one of the first studies to evaluate blockchain's enablers for SSCT, especially in the context of African emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of green innovation is the outcome of different levels of collaboration between organizations in different constellations. There is significant knowledge of interorganizational networks on the one hand and on green innovation on the other. However, less is known of interorganizational networks aimed at green innovations. The purpose of the paper is to develop a research agenda for future studies in green innovation networks. Extant literature on collaborations in networks to develop green innovations is reviewed. The Scopus database was used, with a search resulting in 63 papers. The review included a wide range of green innovations: products, services, processes, business models and marketing. Different types of actors and their reasons for engagement, the extent of networks and the prevalence of different actors were all identified. This research discusses what kind of network relationships (e.g. new types or cross-sectoral) need to be understood when studying these green innovations. Three areas for future research directions are proposed: the potential of horizontal collaborations in green innovation networks, cross-sectoral (including public-private) partnerships in green innovation networks and users as actors in green innovation networks. • Green innovations include products, services, processes, business models & marketing. • Green innovation networks collaborate vertically and horizontally. • Unexplored potential of horizontal collaborations in green innovation networks. • Lacking research on public-private-partnerships in green innovation networks. • Unexplored field of users as actors in green innovation networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water, which is predicted to be one of the most critical resources for the near future, also plays a vital role in society's sustainable development. Wastewater treatment is a critical part of the circular water management system and offers various technological alternatives. Taking appropriate decision for the technology selection is, therefore, essential for a long-term perspective. A complex yet imperative process is the sustainable selection of the wastewater treatment process. This paper presents the use of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) in the sustainability assessment of wastewater treatment technologies that may be very relevant to the growing sector with many emerging options. A comparison of six wastewater treatment technologies based on four sustainability parameters using three MCDM techniques, namely FSWARA, FMOORA and FTOPSIS is presented in detail. FSWARA is used for weighting criteria and the other two for technology ranking. The detailed step-by-step comparison study is presented and the results were somewhat predictable for the study, and this confirms the reliability of the methodology. This paper's primary objective is to propose a well-defined increscent practice for making sustainable wastewater treatment decisions among state-of-the-art technologies. • Sustainability ranking of wastewater treatment technologies using multi-criteria decision making methods. • Combined Fuzzy SWARA-MOORA and fuzzy SWARA-TOPSIS methods. • While weighing the criteria, most significance is given to environmental factors. • Inclusion of both conventional and non-conventional technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depopulation is a major challenge for many rural inland areas, as is the case in a considerable number of rural municipalities in Galicia (north-western Spain). The pandemic had a considerable impact on internal migration in 2020, but it was far from being anywhere near high enough to reverse the ongoing trend of population decline, highlighting the need for further action. Thus, this paper has a twofold objective: firstly, to propose an index of rural sustainable development for the rural Galician municipalities, and secondly, to identify the factors related to it. In so doing, a composite index stemming from the Benefit of the Doubt methodology has been proposed in the first stage, an index built from four-dimension factors– economic, demographic, social, and environmental. The empirical evidence of this index has been compared with three additional ones (namely, common weights, super-efficiency, and geometric mean and logistic normalization models). In the second stage, the relationship between the composite index and a set of exogenous variables that affect rural development has been analyzed, the data confirming that the rates of female immigration and occupancy in the hospitality sector favors sustainable development, whereas the distance from the provincial capital hinders it. This paper paves the way for an assessment of the potentialities of each territory, and the evidence found allows actions to be supported that generate sustainable progress in rural Galician municipalities and that are useful for tackling this complex problem. • A new rural sustainable development index based on four dimensions is proposed. • Strengths and weaknesses for each Galician rural municipality are identified. • Environmental factors constitute a driver of rural development in Galicia. • Social aspects (i.e., health, education, services) stand out as main weaknesses. • Policies to boost social care and attract childbearing-age inhabitants are paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the emphasis of manufacturing firms on sustainability, integration of their orientation for long-term business performance is still challenging. This article examines how manufacturing firms devise strategies for sustainability by implementing sustainability practices like sustainable new product development and byproduct management to achieve environmental effectiveness and competitive business outcomes. A survey of 207 U.S. manufacturing firms is used for empirical testing and validation. The analysis of benchmark instruments indicates a high level of internal and external validity. The findings suggest that (1) sustainability orientation influences sustainable new product development and byproduct management; (2) Sustainable new product development and byproduct management jointly and directly impact environmental performance; (3) Environmental performance is crucial in determining business performance. The technological infrastructure of a firm reports a moderating effect between sustainable operations and performance outcomes. The longevity of a firm reports a moderating effect between environmental performance and business performance. To achieve broad social orientation goals, firms take a longer time horizon, take consistent steps to promote internal stakeholders' wellbeing, and move forward with their purposeful reputation building in the larger ecosystem. This paper expands the sustainability literature by undertaking one of the first studies integrating sustainability orientation, sustainable new product development, byproduct management, and performance chain outcomes. • This paper expands the sustainability literature by integrating sustainability orientation, sustainable new/byproduct management, and performance outcomes. • It examines how manufacturing firms design and market products to achieve environmental effectiveness and competitive business outcomes. • A survey of 207 U.S. manufacturing firms is used for empirical testing and validation. • Sustainable product development and byproduct management jointly and directly impact environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing pressures of global warming, population growth and epidemic occurrence are causing challenges in meeting the growing requirements for water, energy and food. In particular, the contradiction between the supply and demand for water, food, and energy is exacerbated by inefficient resource utilization and carbon emission increase. Incorporation of the interlinked aspects of water, energy, food and carbon emissions from agricultural systems into one water-food-energy-carbon nexus facilitates integrated resource management. Biochar application to farmland is a potential strategy for carbon management and agricultural productivity improvement. The integration of biochar systems and the water-food-energy-carbon nexus is an efficient and coordinated alternative method for sustainable agricultural management and a crucial strategy for addressing water, energy and food security issues. Accordingly, this paper proposes an approach for the synergistic regulation of water, land, energy, and carbon emissions in a circular agricultural system by balancing water supply and demand, land allocation, electricity consumption, and economic upgrading principles. A two-stage circular agriculture framework is constructed, with biochar and electricity generated from agricultural residues at the first stage and employed at the second stage. Economic-environmental-energy harmonization is considered in the methodology, and the agrotechnical potential of biochar is quantified via crop yield increase and greenhouse gas emission reduction functions. This approach can assist decision makers in providing the best policy options given certain agricultural resources to achieve the maximum economic performance of the system while minimizing environmental side effects. In this paper, the model framework is applied to the Sanjiang Plain in northeastern China to verify the feasibility of the approach. The results indicate that the external electricity demand is reduced by 87.8% due to the generation of biofuels. Cropland greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 34.09%–67.06% via the application of biochar. This study proposes an optimization method with important implications for the improvement of regional cropland management techniques and development of sustainable circular agriculture. This methodology can be extended to other agriculture-centered regions with limited resources and environmental problems. • Carbon cycle is integrated in agricultural water-food-energy-carbon (AWFEC) nexus. • An AWFEC nexus based model is developed for agricultural resources recycling. • Biochar and electricity are optimized sustainably for circular agriculture. • Analysis of resources recycling on economic-environmental balance is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing nature of biomedical waste and its improper disposal has become a significant concern, resulting in a negative impact on the environment. These are associated with the direct consumption of input materials along with generated co-products and wastewater. This paper aims to address the environmental burden of existing biomedical waste management in the northern part of India. It also aims to suggest some constructive steps which result in a less impactful environment through the Life cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. LCA is a widely used sustainable assessment tool to evaluate the environmental performance of various waste management systems. The present study's functional unit is all the waste collected at a common treatment and disposal facility. A gate-to-gate approach has been performed based on the foreground data gathered from field surveys, semi-structured interviews, and background data of Eco invent database v1.03. The data has been further evaluated using LCA software SimaPro 9.1.0.4 utilizing the CML-IA impact assessment method. The impact categories include Abiotic Depletion (AD), Abiotic Depletion (fossil fuels) (ADF), Global Warming (GWP), Ozone Layer Depletion (OLD), Human Toxicity (HT), Freshwater Aquatic Ecotoxicity (FAE), Marine Aquatic Ecotoxicity (MAE), Terrestrial Ecotoxicity (TE), Photochemical Oxidation (PO), Acidification (AF), and Eutrophication (EP). The results indicate that the integrated system, including incineration with energy recovery, autoclave-shredder, chemical disinfection, and Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), reduces the environmental burden compared to the present state. The reliability of the model is tested using sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. The analysis identifies the influential key processes, parameters, and impact categories. This paper suggests that LCA is a beneficial tool for the decision-makers and managers to take strategic decisions for reducing environmental burden and developing a life cycle inventory database for the developed economies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the climate crisis looming, innovations are no longer judged by their technical prowess alone but also on their sustainability. Frugal innovations have attracted significant attention in this regard. These user-friendly, cost-effective, and resource-efficient solutions of appropriate quality provide significant value to users and end customers and present attractive solutions to meet the current demands. Nevertheless, knowledge about the development of frugal solutions is scarce. Scrum is one of the most popular agile frameworks and is increasingly implemented in diverse companies' product development processes, although the relationship between Scrum and frugal innovation has not yet been investigated. Based on semi-structured expert interviews with Scrum practitioners, this paper provides the first insights into developing frugal innovations with Scrum. Interviewees generally considered Scrum's impact to be positive, and they named developing a user-friendly solution of appropriate quality as the frugal-innovation characteristic most benefited by applying Scrum. However, Scrum's impact was not explicit on the developed product's price-performance ratio, one of the variables to measure customer value. Therefore, this paper proposes integrating the user perspective into the Scrum process by identifying the actual users of the developed solution and by formally and regularly inviting them to sprint review meetings. To keep the development process efficient while addressing the identified stakeholder needs, organizations should work with fully dedicated, generalist Scrum teams that are knowledgeable on user experience. Additionally, Scrum team members should regularly share their insights gained with marketing departments to improve the effectiveness and appropriateness of pricing decisions. Companies can also address cost-effectiveness and sustainable resource efficiency by developing resource-efficient increments and by reusing existing components. Our study indicates that sustainability efforts, like reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals, can profit from including agile frameworks in innovation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As numerous industrial regeneration projects are planned and implemented, it is essential to ensure that these projects will contribute to a more sustainable future, especially for those industrial sites that maintain primary industrial use. This paper suggests that implementing industrial ecology in the regeneration of industrial sites (i.e. sustainable industrial regeneration) is a critical pathway for the ecological transformation of China's local-regional industrial systems. Through the lens of Actor Network Theory (ANT), this paper develops a conceptual framework to re-conceptualize sustainable industrial regeneration as a reassembling process of social-material configuration towards sustainability and to reveal the mechanisms of ecological transformation of industrial networks in China. The detailed case study of Hengding Industrial Park in Shunde District shows that the reassembled industrial network has transformed the poor initial conditions through the implementation of industrial ecology initiatives (e.g. utility sharing and cascade recycling). However, in view of the network convergence and driving forces behind actor enrollment, the actor-networking performance faces a challenge in effectively transforming the sites towards regional industrial ecology. Three conditions strongly influencing the implementation of the eco-transformation pathway in Chinese industrial areas are the highly concentrated power and responsibility of administrative actors, initial industrial site conditions, and cluster-based relationships. • A conceptual framework linking industrial ecology and industrial regeneration is developed using Actor-network theory (ANT). • An industrial regeneration project elucidates the local implementation of China's eco-civilization construction strategy. • The combination of ANT and social network analysis uncovers the details of eco-transformation of industrial networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Architectural education prepares the students for their professional lives by teaching them design skills and technical knowledge. The design studio is a special course within the architectural curriculum, while the design itself is a structured process to accomplish a unique expectation of a product. The concept of sustainability in design is intended to ensure that the design product is in harmony with people and nature. The literature presented a lack of an instructive method of integrating sustainability into the design studio. This paper presents a comparison for the three executed consecutively experimental studies of integrating sustainability principles into the architectural design studio as well as presents a discussion of the experimental studios together with the evaluations and assessments. Also, it presents the post-course interviews' results, discussion, and conclusions. The paper's objective is to present an instructive model of Sustainable Architecture Design Studio (SADS) work that will provide the academic area a complete method that can be followed to integrate sustainability principles into the design studio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has been a global consensus for the governments worldwide to address serious environmental issues. However, there is a lack of data envelopment analysis (DEA) studies evaluating the performance of government in promoting various sustainability sub-systems. To do this evaluation work, our study proposes new parallel-series network DEA models with alternative network structures of incorporating intermediate products. Particularly, this study develops a new methodological framework to evaluate various inefficiency sources. The framework contains an extended method of network meta/group frontier approach and a new concept of efficiency Foster-Greer-Thorbecke indicator. Empirically, this study considers the case of Chinese government-sustainability system from 2010 to 2017. Such work cannot be found in the existing studies. The main findings are summarized as follows. First, China has succeeded in realizing an overall improved efficiency during the examined periods. The importance of various divisions changes over time. Second, the occurrence of method heterogeneity and significant linkage inefficiency implies that the modelers should incorporate intermediate products in a well-suited way. Finally, inland provinces show higher technology gap inefficiency as for economy division. To improve the performance, inland provinces should promote their human capital and adopt advanced technology. This paper proposes new parallel-series network DEA models with alternative network structures of incorporating intermediate products. Particularly, this study proposes a unified framework to analyze the relationship between network structures and inefficiency sources through the use of meta/group-frontier approach. To identify the main technology diffusion that maybe further cause the inefficiency value, this study applies the FGT indicators to the productivity and efficiency field for the first time. The FGT indicators can be used to explore the structure of technology inequality and identify barriers to technology diffusion. [Display omitted] • We propose a new approach for modelling the parallel-series network structure. • This study applies new frontier framework to identify sources of inefficiency. • There has been growing trends in Chinese government-sustainability system. • Managerial inefficiency had a negative annual growth rate of −6.01%. • Inland provinces showed higher technology gap inefficiency for economy division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern interdependent view of stakeholder theory suggests that the purpose of responsible sustainability is harmonious with the goal of maximizing profit. Especially, the social capital, built through sustainable investments, improves the firms' resilience to shocks, such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Using a sample of 5,255 novel American M&A, we examined the impact of sustainability measured in terms of environmental, social, and governance dimensions on M&A success using several econometric approaches. We found it is important for M&A success in long-term that acquirers fulfill social and environmental responsibility, although synergy might not appear immediately after an M&A due to the complexity of M&A operations. In addition, the result indicated that the social pillar (including the following drivers: human rights, working conditions, health and safety, and career development and training) is the most crucial sustainability dimension for improving M&A financial performance due to solving the problems of cultural friction and brain drain. This paper also outlines policy implications for managers, practitioners, other stakeholders, and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh food cold supply chains (CSCs) feature high fresh food quality and safety, high energy consumption, and poor economic and environmental sustainability. Sustainable management of fresh food CSCs is critical. However, limited research has addressed the implementation of systematic good practices in sustainable fresh food CSCs in developing countries. Consequently, decision-makers lack empirical evidence to help them understand how companies successfully implement systematic good practices and how those good practices affect sustainability performance. This paper formulates a hybrid analytic hierarchy process-fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (AHP-Fuzzy TOPSIS) decision framework to systematically explore the impact of good practices on the sustainability performance of fresh food CSCs in the context of a developing country such as China. The results of the integrated methodology show that China's CSC industry pays more attention to economic sustainability and that employee training is the most impactful good practice for improving the sustainability performance of fresh food CSCs. • A systematic study of good practice and sustainability performance indicators. • A fresh food CSC sustainability performance assessment framework applied in China. • Order of importance of sustainability performance assessment indicators. • Ranking of good practices to improve fresh food CSC sustainability performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural decay is changing rural landscapes worldwide, but its impacts on agricultural production, especially on large-scale farming, are still being debated in the scientific literature. Certain researchers see it as a threat to large-scale farming, whereas others view it as an opportunity for modern agriculture. Here, this paper presented an integrated framework and used a case study to exemplify this issue. A model selection approach (OLS, SEM, and SLM) was performed to assess the impacts of rural decay on large-scale farming based on a comparative analysis of farming systems for peri-urban agriculture (efficient agriculture, semi-subsistence agriculture, and leisure agriculture) in China. The assessment showed that there was a positive spatial autocorrelation between rural decay and large-scale farming in the region. The results of the comparative analysis indicated that contrasting impacts were recorded in three farming systems: their relationship in rural communities practicing efficient agriculture and semi-subsistence agriculture tended to be more consistent by reason of the rural exodus, farmland abandonment, and residential vacancy providing crucial preconditions for large-scale farming. However, contrasting patterns were observed in leisure agriculture, and their conflicting relationship due to low dwelling density and population aging trapped large-scale farming in a disadvantaged position. In general, rural decay could partially and temporally accelerate large-scale farming, but it does not seem to be a favorable phenomenon to promote large-scale farming in the long term. Therefore, some effective strategies, such as providing more off-farm employment opportunities, improving land consolidation and machinery for agricultural production, and adapting various farming systems, may contribute to the feasible implementation of policies aiming to reverse rural decay and even accelerate large-scale farming. [Display omitted] • Rural decay can be interpreted as depopulation, land degradation, and industrial decline. • Decaying rural communities can be considered a crucial precondition for large-scale farming. • Contrasting impacts are observed in rural communities with different farming systems. • Rural decay could temporally accelerate large-scale farming, but not a favorable phenomenon. • Various farming systems could coexist to achieve large-scale farming and environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital infrastructure construction and low-carbon development are two-wheeled engines for sustainable growth; however, the causal identification of the two is not yet well known. This paper addresses this research gap by comprehensively analyzing the relationship between them. Taking China as an example, this study empirically examined the role of digital infrastructure construction in low-carbon development using threshold, quantile, and spatial model regression. Study results disclose that (i) digital infrastructure construction actively encouraged low-carbon growth. (ii) Low-carbon development had a favorable spatial spillover impact. (iii) The threshold regression results show a non-linear trend of increasing marginal effect. (iv) In addition, industrial structure upgrading can play a reinforcing role. (v) Finally, the quantile regression results showed that digital infrastructure construction could solely provide a low-carbon boost to cities with inherently high low-carbon endowments and harm cities with lower low-carbon endowments. These findings indicate that while enjoying the "low-carbon dividend" brought by digital infrastructure construction, developing countries' governments and firms should exploit the power of industrial upgrading and regional cooperation in environmental sustainability while avoiding the negative impact of non-linear and heterogeneous endowment characteristics. Our findings offer novel strategies for digital infrastructure construction and low-carbon development in developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the energy shortage and environmental pollution, the development and utilization of biomass energy has aroused increasing attention all over the world. The crop straw cogeneration (CSC) of heat and power is an efficient renewable energy utilization technology in rural area, which is a practical solution to energy saving and pollution control. Circular economy, characterized by resource conservation, recycling and environment harmony, greatly enriches the connotation of energy projects, which is of guidance implications for the development of CSC. In this paper, the CSC project site selection is conducted under the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework from the perspective of circular economy. A complete criteria system considering the sustainability indicators is established to reflect the characteristics of CSC projects for the first time. Furthermore, due to the complexity and the lack of ready-made experience in the CSC site selection, the intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) are improved and applied by creating a novel IFSs distance formula to provide clear expression for the hesitation degrees of the experts. Finally, taking Changchun City, Jilin Province as an example, the improved TOmada de Decisao Interativa Multicriterio (TODIM) method is applied to obtain the optimal location. A 2 (Nongan) is the best choice among the four given alternatives, and comparative analysis shows that the improved TODIM method is better than the other methods. This study improves the application of intuitionistic fuzzy sets in site selection of energy projects and brings new insight for the decision-making from the perspective from circular economy. [Display omitted] • A criteria system is established from the circular economy perspective. • A new formula based on membership, non-membership and hesitation is defined. • A site selection framework is proposed based on the improved TODIM method. • Economic factors and social needs are dominant for CSC site selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toothpaste tubes are commonly manufactured in the form of soft-body tubes made of aluminum laminate. Studies have shown, however, that this design poses problems with usability (difficulty in extruding toothpaste) and sustainability (difficulty in disposing or recycling of materials). While efforts have been made to alleviate these concerns, new designs fail to adequately address both problems jointly. For this reason, this paper aims to introduce a new design incorporating these two aspects for the benefit of its users and the environment. The Green Quality Deployment (GQFD) II methodology was therefore applied in this study as it employs a quantitative approach to developing products by addressing customer needs while also considering sustainability. It was then determined that a rigid, twistable tube made of polylactic acid (PLA) yielded the best mix of usability and sustainability considerations and was chosen among the other alternatives. This was supported by user feedback given that 6 of the 7 customer requirements showed an enhanced performance compared to the laminated tube, using the Welch's t -test having a p-value of less than 0.05. On average an improvement of 1.16 points (out of a scale of 5) was achieved. This suggests that the integration of both usability and sustainability in product design is possible without compromising on one aspect for the other and that sustainable products need not sacrifice functionality. Thus, it serves as a stepping stone towards achieving sustainable production and consumption by providing functional eco-friendly alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing global demand for refrigeration requires the design of more sustainable systems. However, despite environmentally promising technologies in refrigeration, there are still barriers to their widespread adoption. In this paper, a generic approach able to describe the multiple performances (energy, environmental, economic, social) of refrigeration systems is proposed to assess their potential of adoption. To propose a realistic study framework, four architectures of supermarket refrigeration systems are modelled and simulated using ground data with different climatic conditions and electricity mixes (France, Sweden, Spain). The overall results of these operational scenarios show that the electricity mix is the most influential parameter on cost and environmental impact. In addition, architecture using CO 2 refrigerant shows interesting performances regardless of location and despite degraded regimes during heat peaks. However, the maintenance score can be a limiting factor for installing more energy efficient systems. Two other scenarios are studied: with photovoltaic panels; with financial support. Photovoltaic panels help improving cost and environmental performances, but also strongly depend on maintenance performances. Financial support helps facilities using low-global-warming-potential refrigerant to be more competitive than those using high-global-warming-potential refrigerant. • A multi-criteria approach is proposed to help choosing refrigeration system design. • The method is based on process engineering and industrial engineering approaches. • Four refrigeration architectures are tested with realistic data in three countries. • CO 2 systems are relevant for several performances but trade-offs must be made. • Impact of PV panels and financial support on performances are assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product-Service Systems (PSS) are widely recognised as promising models for increasing circularity and sustainability in business, but the extent to which they contribute to sustainability is still debated. While growing and insightful, the literature on PSS sustainability fails to cover all the relevant aspects and to take stock of the ways PSS can be conceptualised as contributing to strong sustainability. We contend that if PSS are to be designed to be strongly sustainable, clear guidance is needed based on both clear normative premises and sound empirical knowledge. Based on systematic and non-systematic literature reviews on the drivers of PSS (un)sustainability and a long-course field work on the development of PSS in Brussels (Belgium), the paper identifies important sustainability challenges that PSS frequently face and that PSS initiatives should address. These challenges are articulated with insights from the sustainable business models literature and anchored in a strong sustainability pre-analytical stance. An original analytical framework based on 5 dimensions (access, substitution, systemic dematerialisation, territorial anchoring and sufficiency) and 15 criteria of Strongly Sustainable Product-Service System (SSPSS) is proposed. • Product-Service Systems (PSS) still need guidance to be developed in a transformative way towards sustainability. • PSS sustainability is appraised in relation to ecological economics, strong sustainability and sustainable business models. • Identification of what makes PSS strongly sustainable is performed through literature reviews and in-depth field work. • Criteria and relevant questions along five dimensions characterise "Strongly Sustainable Product-Service Systems" (SSPSS). • A definition for SSPSS is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities have the vision, the knowledge and the power to lead the change towards a more sustainable world. However, there is a lack of studies investigating how universities can systematically reorient themselves to help society become more sustainable. In general, a research gap exists in the implementation of the business model innovation process, in the tools that should be used to pass from the design stage to implementation and in the identification of the main challenges that may hinder this process. This paper adopts the concept of a sustainable business model for interpreting the core logic through which universities create value for themselves, society and the environment. In the first stage of research, a theoretical framework was proposed for diagnosis of the integration of sustainability in the business models of universities. This framework was applied in the context of Italian state universities to identify business models with different degrees of strategic orientation towards sustainability. Now the research aim is to examine the processes and tools used and challenges faced by Italian state universities when implementing sustainable innovation. A multiple-case study is carried out on four Italian state universities showing a high level of integration of sustainability in all elements of the business model. The combination of both quantitative and qualitative data, and the patterns observed across cases, led to the presentation of five theoretical propositions, which were summarized in a preliminary model of the processes, tools and challenges involved when implementing sustainable innovation in higher education. The main theoretical contributions of this study are the advancement of knowledge regarding the dynamics (process) and the elements (tools) for the implementation of sustainability strategies in state universities, and the provision of a new causal map of the relationships among the variables that affect sustainable innovation in higher education. • Financial support for sustainable innovation is low for Italian state universities. • Sustainable innovation for Italian state universities is an incremental process. • Sustainable innovation is based on core competences and increased relationships. • Drivers and aims determine strategies and degrees of business model innovation. • A set of tools are needed to implement sustainable innovation and overcome barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complete operating model for circular economy (CE) would benefit policymakers, firms, academia, society and NGOs for informed decision-making relating to CE operations, tactics and strategic goals. The current prevailing paradigm of a CE operating model encompasses three CE levels: micro-level for firms, meso-level for eco-industry parks and symbiosis, and macro-level for governments and regions. This is arguably an incomplete model, causing circular fallacies, such as problem shifting, poor prioritization, and optimization of the wrong system. In this paper, a CE operating- and also stakeholder-model is explored through theory integration (TI) of CE and the related fields of sustainability, economy, governance and management. TI from these fields has a potential to unlock compounding knowledge for operations and informed decision-making for CE. The result of this TI is the "eco Quintuple Helix Model" (eco-5HM) which integrates the three CE levels with the hierarchical triple bottom line (TBL), nine ecosystem boundaries, three decision-making levels and the 5HM. The eco-5HM comprises five operation and stakeholder levels – firms, governments, academia, society and environment – each with their own systems, operations, interactions, scales and indicators. This CE operating model can better inform decision-makers for CE operations and tactics to achieve the strategic goal of sustainability. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability research and practice decisions are the fields that address one of the most important challenges of today's world, which is frugal resource management. More people are adopting ethical, less polluting lifestyles and, thus, are seeking out companies that share their values. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is a suitable tool for comprehensively analyzing the available decision variants. However, the currently used frameworks are frequently based on crisp values, so the resulting ranking and ratings can only be regarded as initial recommendations. On the other hand, tools for solutions based on uncertain data are limited in practical usability, scalability, and flexibility for solutions based on uncertain data. In this paper, we propose a new comprehensive framework for sensitivity analysis based on interval arithmetic and the MCDA approach. The primary assessment gives initial recommendations, but only after thorough analysis can the ranking of alternatives be reliably treated. It means that thresholds for each criterion should be obtained, which informs us about the robustness of obtained alternative's order. It is very important information that allows accepting or rejecting the ranking received. The framework's performance is verified in sustainable development, where we evaluate the group of electric cars. The TOPSIS method for crisp and interval numbers is involved as the selected MCDA method. The results show that the proposed framework can be effectively used as a recommendation system for multi-criteria problems where input data can fluctuate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving towards a sustainable future requires modernized and economic energy production, especially in the context of current policy incentives. In the present paper, a new integrated process using flue gas leaving a power plant is projected and studied. The proposed process consists of a carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture unit (CCU), a water electrolyzer unit (WEU) for renewable hydrogen production, a power generation unit (PGU), a heat generation unit (HGU), and a methanol production unit (MPU). The designed structure has low CO 2 emission, low production cost, and high thermodynamic efficiency. This process is simulated using Aspen HYSYS. The simulation results show that the methanol production in this process is equal to 606,228 ton/year (methanol with a purity above 99% mole), and according to the environmental analysis, the intensity of CO 2 emission is 0.61 k g C O 2 k g M e O H , which is lower compared to that of bi- and tr-reforming processes. The results indicate that the overall exergy and energy efficiencies of the proposed process are 71.97% and 56.74%, respectively. Thermodynamic analysis determines that the exergy destruction intensity of this process is equal to 29.54 M J k g M e O H , and the highest destruction happens in the CCU (62.38%). It is also found that the exergy efficiency of the CCU, MPU, WEU, HGU, and PGU is 97%, 92%, 93%, 48%, and 53%, respectively. The exergy analysis exhibits that the coefficient of effectiveness (ψ i) in the CCU is high (equals 85.89%), so it is the main factor in increasing the second law efficiency of the proposed process. Finally, according to the economic analysis, it is determined that the total annual cost and the total production cost of methanol in the presented structure respectively are 31,479,267 $ and 0.52 $ k g M e O H , which compared to similar technologies based on renewable energy is lower by 64.86%. It is suggested to use this sustainable production mode to promote economic production in some pilot projects or high-tech parks. • A novel integrated process for methanol production using renewable hydrogen. • Process simulation by Aspen HYSYS and 4E analysis. • High thermodynamic efficiencies, low CO 2 emission, and low production cost. • Overall exergy and energy efficiencies of the proposed process are 71.97% and 56.74%. • Total annual cost and the methanol production cost are 31.47 M$ and 0.52 $ k g M e O H [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the results of a sustainability assessment for the study of the reuse of un-melted feedstock powder in Directed Laser Deposition are reported. Ti6Al4V ELI powder was employed as material for the study and the un-melted powder was collected and reused as raw material for subsequent cycles of deposition. A total of three deposition cycles were completed and data for a Life Cycle Assessment were compiled. From the experimental work results, the un-melted powder suffered minimal changes that did not affect the critical characteristics analysed. The Life Cycle Assessment showed that reusing the powder, and consequently reducing the total mass of raw material consumed, resulted in significant environmental benefits. All the categories considered saw approximately a 15%–25% environmental impact reduction when reusing the powder as compared to a scenario when only virgin material is used. Most of the environmental footprint was seen in the production of the powder as compared to the transportation and manufacturing stages. The production phase, when reusing and when using only virgin powder, accounted for 89% and 95% of the total environmental impact respectively. This meant the environmental benefits due to the lower mass of powder used far outweighed the increase in water and energy required for the powder reuse process in the manufacturing stage. Thus, feedstock powder reuse in Directed Laser Deposition process is seen to have a significant environmental benefit as compared to the usage of virgin powder alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to identify the antecedents responsible for sustaining quality control in the context of under-studied agriculture value chains. There is a pressing need to understand the dynamics of technology implementation in an emerging economy context. The conceptual model is designed from complexity, and collective action theory perspectives. An empirical study validates the model and considers the role of traceability, collective action, big data predictive capability, and behavioral uncertainties in sustaining quality in agriculture value chains (AVCs). The paper addresses the call for in-depth deliberations on exploring the factors of AVC quality. The empirical validation of the theoretical model shows a significant positive relationship among the antecedents. The path coefficients and effect size have been derived from understanding the regression equations of cause and effect groups. It also identifies the avenues for improving quality in value chains. This is a pioneering study to design a new operation model for sustaining the quality of AVCs. It also adds a new theoretical debate to AVC technology deployment in the context of an emerging economy. The study is limited to recognizing a few antecedents from the literature in the Indian context. The deliberations contribute significantly to minimizing agricultural waste in developing countries through quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability research has witnessed significant growth over the past three decades, owing to the multiplicity of concerns and innovations to address them. Fake news, on the other hand, is a growing challenge to this dynamic narrative about sustainability and associated innovations. Notwithstanding few attempts to glean insights from literature at the nexus of sustainability, concomitant innovations, and fake news, the current study undertakes an integrative literature review with the objective of comprehending the repertoire of interactions between fake news, concomitant acts of deception, and sustainability-focused innovations. The review yielded 81 research articles published between 1992 and 2022. This collection represents a highly heterogeneous body of work encompassing these dimensions wherein comprehensive frameworks are rare and empirical works have focused on a limited range of innovations and fake news. The paper organizes the extant literature across four key themes and identifies five crucial gaps that have remained underexplored to date. Based on gaps in the literature, a research agenda with a set of thematic pathways and a holistic conceptual framework is presented to serve as a foundation for advancing research in the domain. This study is one of the first attempts to shed light on the menace of fake news in the context of sustainability-focused innovations and provides the necessary impetus for researchers to investigate empirical relationships and causal mechanisms surrounding the triadic nature of interlinkages between sustainability concerns, associated innovations, and fake news. The insights from this study aid practitioners in evaluating innovations from a novel vantage point and devising strategies to navigate potential pitfalls, while also serving as crucial evidence for policymakers to leverage an optimal mix of policy levers to circumvent sustainability concerns and foster innovations amidst the looming crisis of fake news. • The threat of fake news in the context of sustainability and related innovations is a growing concern. • The phenomenon has evoked scholarly interest but is progressing without a strong theoretical foundation. • An integrative review of literature is conducted to holistically map its current intellectual boundaries. • Four thematic focal points and five crucial gaps in the literature are discussed. • A conceptual framework is proposed with set of themes to guide future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current scenario of transition to a Europe-wide circular economy (CE), the Waste-to-Energy (WtE) treatments represent a smart solution to generate renewable energy, reduce landfills and ensure sustainable waste management. The costs and environmental impacts of existing WtE treatments are very different for each available technology. In many cases, their identification is affected by a set of variable boundary conditions strongly dependent on local municipal requirements. In light of these considerations, the paper aims to compare the investment in three different WtE treatments (i.e., incineration, gasification, and flameless oxy-combustion) to identify the best solution to support the current transitional phase towards a CE condition. An overall yearly cost analysis was developed by varying local municipal requirements, including investment, operating, and carbon emissions costs. The overall yearly cost and the revenues, due to energy sales and tipping fees, allowed to evaluate the profitability of the investment in the plant lifetime to identify the best WtE treatment. The investment profitability was evaluated by adopting the Net Present Value (NPV) method by estimating the cash flow statement over the entire plant lifetime. The performance of the three WtE treatments, classified as "conventional" (i.e., gasification and incineration) and "innovative" (i.e., flameless oxy-combustion), were compared in a case study concerning Southern Italy's Metropolitan City of Bari. The applied methodology showed, in this case, that gasification, at the moment, has to be deemed as the most sustainable treatment for MSW management. Moreover, the study proved a high dependence between the carbon price and the profitability of the investment and, thus, in the next future the innovative oxy-combustion technology will gain an advantage over all the other technologies, when carbon price will be higher than 44 €/tonnes CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The textile and clothing industries play a major role in greenhouse gas release, climate change, global warming, air pollution, water pollution, and soil damage due to the landfilling of clothes. Due to fast fashion evolution and the unnecessary lifestyles of humans, each year more than 92 × 10 6 t of garment waste are produced. Only 14% of it is recycled, and the remaining is dumped on land. Addressing this big problem is urgently needed to protect the environment and reduce the massive non-renewable resource consumption rate. In this paper, a sustainable circular three-layer supply chain model consisting of a single supplier-manufacturer and multiple retailers is developed for the textile and clothing industries. Water purification technology, green technology, and carbon emission reduction concepts are introduced at the supplier stage, and zero waste techniques for the valorisation of pre-consumer textile waste, green technology, and carbon emission reduction concepts are implemented at the manufacturing stage to create sustainability in the textile and clothing industries. The profit of an integrated model is calculated, and the profit of the supplier, manufacturer, and retailer models is calculated separately by using the optimal solution finding algorithms in Mathematica 9.0. The concavity test of the total profit function is proved by using the Hessian matrix. The numerical examples, managerial implications, and sensitivity analysis are presented for the textile and clothing industries. The profit comparison results show that the integrated model profited by around 2% more than the sum of separate profits. This study found that investing in green technologies, waste minimization, and wastewater treatment technologies resulted in a decrease in related costs and environmental damage as well as increased profit. [Display omitted] • A sustainable 3-layer supply chain model is developed for the textile industry. • Pre- and post-consumer textile wastes are utilized and recycling is emphasized. • Wastewater treatment technology is implemented in the textile industry. • Investments are made in green technology to reduce GHG emissions. • An integrated model was found to have more profit than individual models' profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a natural resource-based view and technology-organization-environment framework as the theoretical focus, this paper develops and tests a research model in which sustainable operations practices mediate the impact of industry 4.0 technologies on sustainable performance. The model also tests sustainable operations practices as a moderator of the effect of industry 4.0 technologies on sustainable performance. Data obtained from 302 participants in Turkey's technology development regions were utilized to gauge the aforesaid linkages via partial least squares structural equation modeling. As predicted, sustainable operations practices mediate the influence of industry 4.0 technologies on sustainable performance. Contrary to the study prediction, sustainable operations practices do not significantly moderate the impact of industry 4.0 technologies on sustainable performance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and future research directions are offered. [Display omitted] • Industry 4.0 technologies (I4Ts) increased sustainable performance (SP). • Sustainable operations practices (SOPs) mediated the effects of I4Ts on SP. • SOPs did not significantly moderate the effects of I4Ts on SP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a context of raw material scarcity and environmental concerns, the Industrial Symbiosis (IS) emerges as a strategy that collaborates to increase the resources circularity and sustainability. Despite its relevance, companies still have difficulties to assess whether they have conditions to implement IS. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify factors that interfere with the readiness of co-located companies to implement IS. To achieve this objective, theoretical, empirical and statistical research procedures were employed. As a theoretical procedure, a Symbiotic Readiness Assessment Instrument (SRAI), previously developed, was adapted. For the empirical procedure, a survey with 201 co-located companies in industrial parks was applied using the SRAI adapted. For the statistical procedure, a factor analysis was carried out to obtain the main factors that interfere with the IS implementation. As a result, five factors were identified. In view of this, to assess symbiotic readiness, companies must analyze: the availability of water and energy resources; the possibility of exchanging material resources such as waste and by-products; the accessibility of data, such as production information from others companies; the possibility of sharing information and bonds of trust between co-located industries; and access conditions, infrastructure and partnership for the symbiosis realization. • Companies have difficulties to assess whether are able to implement symbiosis. • Symbiotic readiness is an incipient topic. Survey with co-located firms was applied. • Five factors to assess symbiotic readiness were identified. • Exchange resources and exchange capacity are indicated to assess symbiotic readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With billion tons of carbon dioxide emitted by the construction and manufacturing sector every year, there is an urgent need for reducing construction materials consumption as the construction industry continues to grow. Current practices for designing structural elements, which are based on traditional design methods, result in building box-shaped elements and consuming more materials than what is structurally necessary. Excess materials can be removed without compromising the structural soundness of the elements while also providing added architectural value. This paper presents an approach based on generative design concepts, genetic algorithms, and the Lagrangian Multiplier Method to design concrete beams that use near-exact amounts of material only where they are needed. In this study, beam designs are optimized to reduce concrete and steel use in reinforced concrete beams. The effectiveness of the approach was demonstrated through its deployment to design a cantilever beam and a simply supported beam. The results of both applications were very promising as the reductions in material costs reached 63% and the related reductions in CO 2 emissions reached 57% per beam. This lays strong foundations for expanding the effort to scale this approach into entire buildings. The optimized structures can be constructed using 3D concrete printing technology, which eliminates the barriers imposed by traditional form-based construction. The results of this study contribute to means for making construction more economical and environmentally sustainable. • Traditional design methods of structural concrete elements result in material waste. • Cement production significantly contributes to the earth's greenhouse emissions. • Applying generative design concepts to concrete structures reduces material waste. • Resulting cost reductions could reach 63% per simply supported or cantilever beam. • The corresponding CO 2 emission reductions could reach 57% per beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replacing the current mainly fossil-based, disposable, and non-biodegradable sanitary products with sustainable, functional alternatives is an industry priority. Suggested biobased alternatives require evaluation of their actual impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We evaluated GHG emissions of biobased baby diapers as the most consumed sanitary product, using a biodegradable functionalized protein superabsorbent polymer (bioSAP) and compared them with currently used fossil-based counterparts. Assessment of the diapers also included estimated GHG emissions from the production of the biobased components, transport, and end-of-life combustion of these items. It was shown that only a few of the biobased diaper alternatives resulted in lower GHG emissions than commercial diapers containing fossil-based materials. At the same time, it was demonstrated that the production of the bioSAP via chemical modification of a protein raw material is the primary GHG contributor, with 78% of the total emissions. Reduction of the GHG contribution of the bioSAP production was achieved via a proposed recycling route of the functionalization agent, reducing the GHG emissions by 13% than if no recycling was carried out. Overall, we demonstrated that reduced and competitive GHG emissions could be achieved in sanitary articles using biobased materials, thereby contributing to a sanitary industry producing disposable products with less environmental pollution while allowing customers to keep their current consumption patterns. [Display omitted] • Superabsorbents contribute the highest CO 2 emission share in a biobased diaper. • Recycling of reagents for production of biobased superabsorbents reduces CO 2 emission by 50%. • Only a few biobased diapers resulted in lower CO 2 emissions than fossil-based ones. • Biodegradable diapers are superior from a circular perspective. • Biobased superabsorbents are currently on a low TRL and need to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]