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Climate change as a matter had little attention of public debate, especially in developing countries, until the recent floods caused by the dragon storms in the Middle East and the forest fires in the Mediterranean. Egypt, being strategically crucial in Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Arab world, with strong connections to other countries, aimed to go from promises to action and to discover real answers to climate change by building on past COPs. The administration assumed a more prominent role by coordinating the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27). People started to realize that this is not something only happening elsewhere in the world. Egypt took the initiative; Challenges have been assessed to reach suitable mitigation approaches, and Egypt's first NDC has been issued to meet the global agenda. Egypt's vision was to accelerate global climate action at the UNFCCC 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 27) through emissions reduction, advanced adaptation, and enhanced flow of appropriate finance, prioritizing developing countries worldwide.

The pulp and paper industry is recognized as a well-established sector, which throughout its process, generates a vast amount of waste streams with the capacity to be valorized. Typically, these residues are burned for energy purposes, but their use as substrates for biological processes could be a more efficient and sustainable alternative. With this aim, it is essential to identify and characterize each type of waste to determine its biotechnological potential. In this context, this research highlights possible alternatives with lower environmental impact and higher revenues. The bio-based pathway should be a promising alternative for the valorization of pulp and paper industry wastes, in particular for bioproduct production such as bioethanol, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and biogas. This article focuses on state of the art regarding the identification and characterization of these wastes, their main applied deconstruction technologies and the valorization pathways reported for the production of the abovementioned bioproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The environmental aspects of sustainable development in the construction industry involve the utilisation of secondary raw materials in the design and construction of new structures. This study aims to conduct a critical review of previous literature on the use of olive waste ash (OWA). The use of OWA in concrete helps create and maintain sustainable and greener development. Published literature has confirmed the huge potential of using olive biomass ash (OBA) as replacement for a small portion of natural fine aggregate as admixture or reinforcement. The main goal of this development is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which cause environmental pollution and climate problems, and support the reuse and exploitation of the waste concept. This study also aims to examine the effect of OBA on concrete properties, such as workability, setting times, soundness, compressive strength, flexural strength, shrinkage and durability, as well as its impact on sustainability. Furthermore, information regarding microstructure in terms of scanning electron microscopy is provided in this work. This study is considered the first review paper to investigate the utilisation of olive-stone biomass ash on construction materials. It also contains recommendations and observations for future research in this field. This study is important for international research as it provides a comprehensive overview of the potential of using OWA as a sustainable alternative in the construction industry and can inform future developments in this area.

A growing research interest currently exists in the use of paper as a building material. This work aims to present the results of a measurement campaign developed on innovative waste paper-based building components. The research was carried out in Southern Italy and used some local by-product aggregates. Three different mixture designs were developed in the laboratory by adding three kinds of biomass to a pulp paper blend: fava bean residues (FB), sawdust powder (SP) and coffee grains (CG) extracted from exhausted chaffs. A physical characterization was carried out measuring the bulk density and bulk porosity. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis of the single aggregates was followed by a microstructure analysis of the final components. Bulk density evaluation showed a range between 200 and 348 kg·m−3. Furthermore, thermal performances were measured; the thermal conductivity of the experimented samples ranged from 0.071 to 0.093 W·m−1·K−1, thus it is possible to classify the tested materials as thermal insulators. Moreover, the acoustic properties were evaluated and tested. The normal incidence sound absorption coefficient was measured by the impedance tube on cylindrical specimens. In general, a different behavior was observed between the upper and lower base of each specimen due to the manufacturing process and the shrinkage caused by the different interactions occurring between the aggregates and the pulp paper waste; for example, the presence of sawdust reduced shrinkage in the final specimens, with consequent smaller physical variations among the two faces. The correlation existing between the manufacturing process and the microstructural properties was also investigated by the estimation of the non-acoustical parameters using the inverse method and taking into account the JCA (Johnson, Champoux and Allard) model as a reference.

The article focuses on the imminent transformation of the packaging industry towards paper-based alternatives due to increasing environmental concerns regarding plastic packaging. Topics include major brands leading the shift towards sustainability by adopting paper packaging solutions and innovative technology companies developing eco-friendly packaging alternatives.

Universities can play a key role in contributing to a sustainable future for our planet and its inhabitants. In times of constant changes, there is a growing urgency to reflect on the vision of universities as well as their respective practices and projects that can promote the creation of sustainable societies. As is evident in scholarly literature, there is a need to empower universities and enhance their ability to prepare individuals who can confront global sustainability challenges and pursue sustainable development. The United Nations' adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015 recognised that societal problems were territorially blind, meaning that no country has sufficient knowledge or research capacity to solve all challenges on its own. To that end, this qualitative, comparative research study represents the unified effort of two very different countries to explore the topic of education for sustainable development (SD) at universities. The study employed a document analysis of selected publicly funded universities in Canada and South Africa. Gathered documents are from the past seven years and include the universities' mission and vision statements, annual reports, and strategic plans. The three main questions addressed in this work are: (a) What is the status and role of higher education for SD in Canada and South Africa? (b) What areas of SD are on the agenda of universities under investigation in Canada and South Africa? (c) What are the main similarities and differences between the two contexts under investigation? Findings indicate that universities focus on several aspects of SD, namely sustainable education, sustainable relationships, and sustainable initiatives. The paper discusses these areas for each country in connection to their contextual setting. Although the study's findings cannot be generalised, they can be informative for other universities and contexts and thus contribute to the body of knowledge about education for SD in higher education.

The sustainable management of residual waste streams generated from the pulp and paper industry (PPI) has garnered increasing concerns due to the energy crisis and the pressing environmental threats posed by substantial effluent discharges. Using renewable lignocellulosic waste for resource generation presents a revolutionary approach to achieve environmental sustainability. Integrating the PPI with biorefinery processes allows for diversification beyond paper production and facilitates resource recovery. This review critically evaluates the valorization of waste streams from the PPI, with a pronounced emphasis on expanding into bioenergy and biofuels production, while also fostering the development of innovative biomaterials, such as biochar and activated carbon for applications with high added-value, such as environmental remediation and supercapacitors development, thus ensuring long-term sustainability. The review also emphasizes the significance of adopting a circular economy and its role in achieving environmental sustainability, with a particular emphasis on thermochemical technologies, which hold promise for resource recovery from wastewater. Furthermore, the review identifies critical bottlenecks in the path of waste stream valorization and engages in a forward-looking discussion on future prospects within the PPI. [Display omitted] • Black liquor contains major inhibitors e.g., furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. • Black liquor is used as a low-cost sugar, to produce e.g., bioethanol, biobutanol. • Paper mill wastewater used e.g., graphene sheet development, biochar, carbon fuel cell. • Porous carbon by black liquor showed capacitances for supercapacitor electrode. • Integrated biorefineries can achieve sustainability by Kraft pulp conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the dynamic evolution of solids content in a pilot-scale through air drying tissue machine, aiming to enhance comprehension and refine optimization strategies for tissue manufacturing. It focuses on development of solids content throughout the process. Analyzing the interaction between process parameters and solids content provides deeper insights into water removal dynamics. The research employs solid contents monitoring techniques in pilot scale, offering a detailed view of solids content evolution from the wet web's inception to the final tissue product. It significantly highlights the impact of key parameters, particularly pulp refining, on solids content across all positions of the pilot machine. Additionally, the study emphasizes the influence of vacuum system configurations, identifying the relationship between energy expended in the vacuum system and evaporation energy. Furthermore, the results indicate that compression and air displacement dewatering in vacuum boxes are less speed-sensitive compared to heat-driven evaporation in the TAD- and Yankee cylinders. Solid contents at all positions in the tissue machine correlates between various dewatering elements. Optimizing site-specific dewatering and evaporation strategies can potentially save drying energy in the Yankee drying phase which hold promise for enhanced energy and resource utilization, aligning with demands for sustainable manufacturing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-based packaging materials are promising alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Paper-based packaging materials are candidates for improving food sustainability; however, paper has poor gas and water vapor barrier properties. In this study, entirely bio-based sodium caseinate (CasNa)-coated papers with two plasticizers, glycerol (GY) and sorbitol (SO), were prepared. The morphological and chemical structure, burst strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, air permeability, surface properties, and thermal stability of the pristine CasNa-, CasNa/GY-, and CasNa/SO-coated papers were evaluated. The use of GY and SO strongly affected the tensile strength, elongation at break, and air barrier of the CasNa/GY- and CasNa/SO-coated paper. The air barrier and flexibility of the CasNa/GY-coated papers were higher than those of the CasNa/SO-coated papers. Compared to SO, GY better coated and penetrated the CasNa matrix, which positively affected the chemical and morphological structure of the coating layer and the interaction between the coating layer and paper. Overall, CasNa/GY was superior to the CasNa/SO coating. CasNa/GY-coated papers may be a good alternative for packaging materials in the food, medical, and electronic sectors, which would promote sustainability.

Bio-based packaging materials are promising alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Paper-based packaging materials are candidates for improving food sustainability; however, paper has poor gas and water vapor barrier properties. In this study, entirely bio-based sodium caseinate (CasNa)-coated papers with two plasticizers, glycerol (GY) and sorbitol (SO), were prepared. The morphological and chemical structure, burst strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, air permeability, surface properties, and thermal stability of the pristine CasNa-, CasNa/GY-, and CasNa/SO-coated papers were evaluated. The use of GY and SO strongly affected the tensile strength, elongation at break, and air barrier of the CasNa/GY- and CasNa/SO-coated paper. The air barrier and flexibility of the CasNa/GY-coated papers were higher than those of the CasNa/SO-coated papers. Compared to SO, GY better coated and penetrated the CasNa matrix, which positively affected the chemical and morphological structure of the coating layer and the interaction between the coating layer and paper. Overall, CasNa/GY was superior to the CasNa/SO coating. CasNa/GY-coated papers may be a good alternative for packaging materials in the food, medical, and electronic sectors, which would promote sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies measured the impact on student exam performance and exam completion time of strategies aimed to reduce the amount of paper used for printing multiple-choice course exams. Study 1 compared single-sided to double-sided printed exams. Study 2 compared a single-column arrangement of multiple-choice answer options to a space (and paper) saving alternative arrangement formatted into two-by-two columns and rows. Findings support the use of these simple paper reduction strategies as they had no effect on exam performance or exam completion time and were partially aligned with students' self-reported preferences.

This editorial considers three groups of individuals and how they often find themselves following common ways of thinking. Artists, especially those who become well known, are hard workers and somewhat stubborn. Once they have found a type of paper that works well for them, they tend to develop loyalty to it, regardless of what the label on the ream wrap may say. Papermakers, ancient and modern, likewise have tended to stick with practices that are convenient to them at the moment, whether or not they contribute to archival quality. Fortunately, the transition to alkaline papermaking practices means that modern printing papers tend to last a lot longer. Increasing knowledge of the importance of acid-free paper, as well as the principles of sustainability, are making positive contributions to our ongoing cultural heritage, at least to the part of that heritage that is related to cellulosic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]