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The use of Open Educational Resources (OER) for training in public administration has yet to see a wide adoption globally, mostly due to challenges related to the discovery and reuse of high-quality OER for training purposes. These challenges, combined with the general lack of openness in the public sector, have greatly impacted the penetration of OER in public administration. This paper presents a case study on the use of OER for expanding and enhancing curricular and resource sharing in public administration in Greece. Within this case study, an OER authoring and sharing platform was introduced to the Greek public sector, employing crowdsourcing methods for supporting trainers and trainees in authoring, sharing, reusing and remixing OER. The paper presents the deployment of this platform and the use of OER in the context of training programmes in the Greek public sector and reports on the lessons learned and the impact on public administration. The results of the case study showed that the use of OER was very positively received by civil servants, with a remarkable response, through active participation and engagement that led to the enhancement of existing OER and the co-creation of new ones for public administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste management is a serious public and environmental health concern in Zimbabwe, particularly in urban areas and growth points. The situation is exacerbated by the strategies to manage solid waste that are either ineffective or absent. This leads to dumping of solid waste in open spaces. This paper assessed the household’s solid waste management practices and the feasibility of a transition towards a circular economy at Nkayi growth point. The study adopted a concurrent mixed method study design. Semi-structured questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data from the respondents. Majority of the respondents (86.06 %) did not practice waste segregation whereas (13.94 %) did segregate their household waste. Most respondents (56.97 %) highlighted that they reused materials while 43.03 % did not. 58.79 % did not practice recycling of items such as plastics while 68 (41.21 %) practiced recycling. Most participants (59.39 %) perceived household waste management to be a responsibility of the local authority while least respondents (6.67 %) perceived it to be a responsibility of the household occupants. Most respondents (62.21 %) perceived segregation and recycling of household solid waste to be time consuming while the remaining respondents (38.79 %) perceived it not to be time consuming. Transition to a circular economy at Nkayi growth point is unlikely due to absence of local bylaws to enforce implementation of circular economy, lack of awareness by households on circular economy. The study recommends that the local authority provide waste separation receptacles to households, invest in educational and awareness and come up with bylaws to promote circular economy practices at Nkayi growth point.

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are used in different areas of engineering and science thanks to their unique properties. They also continue to be an innovative material for the sustainable construction industry. In this study, a commercial helical-type SMA spring actuator was investigated by subjecting it to annealing at various parameters. The thermal shape memory properties were evaluated by means of the DSC method. In most cases, the higher the annealing temperatures for the material were in the range up to 595°C, the lower the transformation temperatures. As the DSC runs showed, a different character of the changes especially in characteristic temperatures, was observed for annealing temperatures above 600°C. The results showed that the different annealing temperatures, and even the method of cooling, provide a wide range of possibilities to control the SMA spring reaction – transformation behaviour and temperatures. Such treatment can be a simple technical procedure used for the preparation of the selected SMA functional properties if required. This means that the same SMA element can be reused without having to source a new one. This may be desirable from the point of view of sustainability.

The automotive industry faces challenges because of the electrification of vehicles and the rapidly increasing need for electric vehicle batteries (EVBs). Raw materials availability is limited; however, there will also be a significant number of end-of-life (EOL) batteries. This creates various circular economy (CE) business opportunities for EVB manufacturers, third-party providers, and other stakeholders. However, not all CE solutions are sustainable or economically feasible. In this study, through the use of case studies, expert interviews, and a survey, we determined the current state of the EVB CE in Finland, the possible options for utilizing EOL vehicle batteries, and the greatest barriers for the EVB CE. We found that some EVB-related CE applications are not supported by the government and legislation, for example environmental regulations and building standards. CE opportunities include a shorter lead time for some components, which makes them attractive for EOL applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are concerns that participation in open science will lead to various forms of exploitation – of researchers and scholars in low‐income countries and under‐resourced institutions. This article defends a contrary thesis and demonstrates the exact ways the underexplored notions of communal relationships, human dignity and social justice – and the normative principles to which they give rise – grounded in African philosophy can usefully address critical concerns regarding exploitation in the sharing of research resources to facilitate open partnership/collaboration and reuse. Further research is required to study the specific roles different institutions can play in facilitating open practice and contribute towards establishing effective structures that can enhance equity and balance unfavourable power asymmetries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an optimization method to design simple truss structures for the evaluation of the optimal stock of existing elements is introduced. To achieve this goal, the well‐known Bin Packing Problem (BPP) will be implemented within the structural optimization procedure. Specifically, among all the BPP variants, one of the most common applications in real‐world cases is the Cutting Stock Problem (CSP) in which the objective is to produce dj copies of each item type j by employing the minimum number of bins. In the civil engineering field, structural optimization is often employed aiming to improve the load‐bearing capacity of the structure itself, i.e. maximization of the performance ratio through the minimization of the structure weight. However, this goal doesn't guarantee maximum efficiency in terms of minimization of waste during the industrial production phase. To overcome these limits, authors propose a stock‐constrained structural optimization in which a heuristic search technique is adopted and the best arrangement of bars whit the lowest cut‐off waste is obtained for a 10‐bar‐truss case study. For completeness reasons, a comparison between the solution obtained by the classic minimum weight optimization problem and the stock‐constrained one is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical buildings provide important information about the culture, civilization, art and social structure of the period they belong to. However, structures that cannot keep up with social or technological changes, lose their functions and users over time, become idle and enter the process of extinction by being neglected. Its use with a new function in the protection of historical buildings is a very effective conservation method. With this method, the reopening of historical buildings in line with new needs in accordance with their original identity, architecture and location ensures that these buildings continue their existence by regular maintenance, and at the same time produces cultural and economic benefits. Within the scope of this study, the transformation of the Aya Yorgi Church in the city of Isparta in the historical process, the place of the building in the history of the city of Isparta, and the social and cultural characteristics of the people of Karaman, who are the users of the building, were determined by literature research. Architectural information such as the spatial features of the building, its façade features, the architectural fittings in its interior, its decorations, its structural structure and the building materials used, and its state of preservation have been determined by field researches and survey studies and conveyed with technical drawings and photographs. Considering all these features that create the architecture and identity of the building, suggestions have been made to protect this valuable cultural heritage through reuse with a new function, which is a very effective instrument of the sustainable conservation, in order to transfer it to future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open educational resource (OER) as free teaching and learning materials can contribute to the collaborative design and development of teaching. To support higher education teachers in their work with teaching in general and OER in particular and to encourage their use of OER, it is necessary to pay attention to their needs and requirements. This paper presents the results of a research project, identifying the usage behaviour of German-speaking higher education teachers. In an interview study, they were asked about their experience with OER to get detailed insights into their practices concerning their ‘use’ and ‘revise’ of materials. From this, four user types were derived according to different OER activities, such as creating, reusing, editing, and publishing OER, and their scope. Finally, these user types are transferred to considerations when designing OER infrastructures and establishing support options. These are aligned with the specifics of each user type, making the research findings a complementary contribution for application in higher education.

Wind power is rapidly expanding worldwide, and so is the installation of wind turbines. The concept of wind power as a clean-energy alternative will be questioned if the waste from these turbines is not and adequately controlled. The goal of this review paper is to evaluate the various approaches for end-of-life management of wind turbine blades emphasizing on fibre recovery. Different methods for recovering carbon and glass fibres are described, including thermal treatment and chemical treatments and their economic and environmental comparisons. Life cycle assessment and comparative analysis of different recycling processes are also presented. Natural composites, modified thermoset composites, and thermoplastic composites are also covered as alternative environmentally friendly blade materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen En el mundo actual, mientras que muchos materiales que se utilizan en la impresión dañan el medio ambiente, como la tinta, el pegamento y la laca y el papel, entre estos materiales, el que daña el medio ambiente por su uso es en realidad el papel. Los diseñadores pueden ayudar a proteger el medio ambiente reutilizando el papel y reduciendo el uso de papel, lo que genera menos contaminación y desperdicio. Es posible producir papel reciclando residuos de papel y tal, esto es importante porque los recursos naturales no son ilimitados. Por lo tanto, uno de nuestros objetivos debería ser reutilizar el desperdicio de papel en la producción para reducir los efectos negativos del uso del papel y dejar de usar recursos naturales innecesariamente. Teniendo esto en cuenta, el tema de la reutilización, que es uno de los conceptos '3R' y uno de los principios fundamentales del reciclaje y la protección del medio ambiente, ha sido elegido en el curso Proyecto de Diseño Gráfico GRA437 I (6 + 2 7.5) en Universidad Anadolu, Escuela para Discapacitados, Departamento de Bellas Artes para estudiantes discapacitados de 4º año. En la primera parte del proyecto se informó a los estudiantes sobre la reducción, la reutilización y el reciclaje. En la segunda parte del proyecto, se crearon diseños únicos e innovadores, que permiten un segundo uso, eligiendo envases que ya están en uso o ya no se usan. Abstract In today’s world, while a lot of materials which are used in printing damage the environment, such as ink, glue, and lacquer and paper, amongst these materials the one which harms the environment by its usage is actually paper. Designers can help protect the environment by reusing paper and reducing the use of paper, thus causing less pollution and waste. It is possible to produce paper by recycling paper waste and such, this is important because natural resources are not limitless. Therefore, one of our goals should be to reuse paper waste in production to reduce the negative effects of paper use and to stop using natural resources unnecessarily. With this in mind, the subject of reuse, which is one of the ‘3R’ concepts and one of the main principles of recycling and protecting the environment, has been chosen in the GRA437 Graphic Design Project I (6+2 7.5) course in Anadolu University, School for the Handicapped, Department of Fine Arts for 4th year handicapped students. In the first part of the project students were informed about reducing, reusing, and recycling. In the second part of the project unique and innovative designs, which enable a second use, were created by choosing packaging either already in use or no longer used

Open educational resource (OER) as free teaching and learning materials can contribute to the collaborative design and development of teaching. To support higher education teachers in their work with teaching in general and OER in particular and to encourage their use of OER, it is necessary to pay attention to their needs and requirements. This paper presents the results of a research project, identifying the usage behaviour of German-speaking higher education teachers. In an interview study, they were asked about their experience with OER to get detailed insights into their practices concerning their 'use' and 'revise' of materials. From this, four user types were derived according to different OER activities, such as creating, reusing, editing, and publishing OER, and their scope. Finally, these user types are transferred to considerations when designing OER infrastructures and establishing support options. These are aligned with the specifics of each user type, making the research findings a complementary contribution for application in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the use of organic compound waste (OCW) contaminated magnesium silicate/diatomite in ceramics. Substituting part of the clay (between 5 and 20 wt.%) with OCW modifies a pore structure and enhances the ceramic product's thermal conductivity, density, and frost resistance. Prepared samples were tested at 1000–1060 °C temperatures and their structural parameters and Maage factor, useful for frost resistance prediction, were evaluated. Results show that OCW modifies the porous structure and improves the insulating properties of the ceramic body. Increasing OCW content up to 15% in the ceramic body decreases density by up to 15.0%, and thermal conductivity by up to 42.5%, because of the modified pore structure. According to structural parameters calculation, the higher frost resistance can be predicted for ceramic bodies containing 5–10% of OCW, according to Maage factor calculation ceramic bodies containing 5–20% of OCW are frost resistant. Designed ceramic products can be attractive for use in construction due to improved energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption in buildings due to their low thermal conductivity, satisfactory mechanical strength, and sustainability based on predicted frost resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial residue of Jatobá wood flour (JWF) was reused during production of biocomposites based on polycaprolactone (PCL), 50% by weight of JWF was added to PCL matrix. Initially, maleic anhydride-grafted polycaprolactone compatibilizer (PCL-g-MA) was synthesized and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and degree of grafting. Afterwards, PCL/JWF and PCL/JWF/PCL-g-MA biocomposites were processed in an internal mixer and injection molded. From the gathered results, increase in torque and reduction in the melt flow index of PCL/JWF biocomposites were verified related to neat PCL. Upon addition of PCL-g-MA to PCL/JWF there was a lubricating effect with reduced torque and increased fluidity. PCL/JWF displayed increased elastic modulus, Shore D hardness, and heat deflection temperature (HDT) around 158.5%, 16% and 24.5%, respectively, related to PCL. Nevertheless, there was decline in tensile strength and impact strength, which were improved in PCL/JWF/PCL-g-MA, suggesting higher interaction among phases, providing greater stress transfer. An interesting finding was the nucleating effect of JWF in PCL matrix, as the increased degree of crystallinity and accelerated crystallization. Morphology of PCL/JWF evidenced several voids, but upon compatibilization with PCL-g-MA, the interfacial adhesion and wetness increased, improving the mechanical properties. JWF reusing presents great potential to produce sustainable biocomposites, reducing the final product costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Wind generation is regarded by many as the future of renewable energy source, but the difficulty of recycling end-of-life wind turbine components could create another kind of environmental pollution. Either landfill or incineration of end-of-life wind turbine components will cause environmental hazards. However, the current recycling technology is immature and economical. Make clean energy 'cleaner'! The recycling of end-of-life wind turbine rotor hub and blades has become a new goal and task for architects and designers. This article uses a real project reconstructed by end-of-life wind turbine components to demonstrate the positive role of spatial narrative in achieving low-carbon and sustainable design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poisoning effect of nitrogen on heterogeneous, supported precious metal catalysts, along with their recycling, was further examined in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of 1-methylpyrrole (MP) to 1-methylpyrrolidine (MPD) over rhodium on carbon or γ-alumina, in methanol, under non-acidic conditions, at 25–50 °C and 10 bar. Reusing a spent, unregenerated 5% Rh/C or 5% Rh/γ-Al2O3 catalyst, it was found that the conversion of this model substrate and the activity of the catalyst were strongly dependent on the amount of catalyst, the type of support, the catalyst pre- or after-treatment, the temperature, and the number of recycling, respectively. An unexpected catalytic behaviour of rhodium was observed when it was used in a prehydrogenated form, because no complete conversion of MP was achieved over even the fresh Rh/C or Rh/γ-Al2O3, contrary to the untreated one. In addition, there was a significant difference in the reusability and activity of these rhodium catalysts, depending on their supports (activated carbon, γ-alumina). These diversions were elucidated by applying dispersion (O2- and H2-titration), temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of reverse logistics in the recycling of used plastic bottles and waste management in Ethiopia. To achieve the study's goal, the authors used a descriptive research design where a combination of primary and secondary data sources was employed. Primary data was collected from 258 respondents, while secondary data was taken from office manuals, yearly reports, and brochures. The findings of our analysis show that incineration, landfilling, and dumping of used plastic bottles on the side of the road are all apparent in the environment, making the city and its environs filthy and unpleasant to live in. This study also discovered that reuse and remanufacturing have become less common and are rarely practiced. Even though plastic waste disposal guidelines have been created, our investigation revealed that there is a lack of community understanding regarding solid waste management, and some stakeholders actively disregard waste management proclamations. Thus, it is recommended that all stakeholders, including the government, business owners, plastic bottled water makers, and the public, pay close attention to waste disposal, particularly of non-biodegradable pollutants in Ethiopia's urban and rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In selective serial disassembly sequence planning, when the target node (component) is reached, the selective disassembly task is completed and the refurbished component is repaired, reused or remanufactured. Since the efficient utilization of existing resources is necessary, it is crucial to predict disassembly operation times and the condition of joints for recycling, reusing or remanufacturing. The method of estimating the disassembly times of a joint if it is intended for remanufacturing, recycling and reuse is an important and urgent requirement for research development and results. The aim of the paper is to investigate the disassembly system with predicted operation times and the quality of product connections (joints) in order to balance the line smoothness index, to minimize a line time factor, line efficiency and profit and minimize an ex post error. Disassembly times for remanufacturing, recycling and reuse are estimated separately based on the historical data of disassembly times and the quality of joints. The presented estimation method of disassembly operation times increases the reliability and efficiency of elaborated balances of tasks in lines. Underestimated disassembly operation times can be compensated for during the idle points in the successive cycles, provided that the transport operations are performed manually and that travel time determines the cycle time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are different solutions to manage industrial sewage, and recently reusing the useful materials in sewage is a trending topic among environmentalists. In this study, electric arc furnace dust (EAFD), a by‐product of the steelmaking industry, and finding a way to it reuse will be the main topic of this article. EAFD with 37% iron (Fe) content as the magnetic adsorbents has a good ability to treat contaminated water. The batch method was used to evaluate the effective parameters for removing methylene blue with a magnetic adsorbent, such as the initial concentrations of dye, the pH of the solution, time dependency, and the amount of adsorbent. The results showed that 3 g of the adsorbent could remove 93 ± 1% of the methylene blue from the 100 ml of an aqueous solution with an initial concentration of 5 ppm during 20 min at pH = 6. Kinetic data and the adsorption isotherms were better fitted with the pseudo‐second‐order model (R2 = 0.99) and Freundlich models (R2 = 0.97), respectively, which confirmed the chemisorption. The real sample's recovery results with three replicate confirmed the MB removal was dramatically reduced by more than 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is aimed at researching the tendencies of implementation of business models of the circular economy and exploring the status of their use in the enterprises of Lviv region. On the basis of theoretical and statistical data, the prerequisites for development of the circular economy in both European and Ukrainian markets are characterized, the focus is set on the orientation of the European Union on the transition to circular models, also the relevance of researching this topic for Ukrainian enterprises is substantiated. The meaning of the 6R concept (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, Recovery, Replace) is disclosed; interpretations of the terms «recycling», «recovering» and «reusing» are provided; a comparative analysis of the structure of waste management in Ukraine and in the EU is carried out. The advantages and disadvantages of introducing the «self-contained» models of production and consumption are allocated using the SWOT model, a PEST analysis of aspects of the external environment affecting the development of the circular economy in the Ukrainian market is carried out. Based on regional statistics for 2016–2018, the dynamics of the main indicators of waste management in the Lviv region’s enterprises are shown; the level of involvement of enterprises of Lviv region to the circular economy and features of the use of «circular» models are diagnosed; the main problems with the treatment of industrial waste in Lviv region are characterized; activities of selected enterprises involved in the circular economy, as well as enterprises that pollute the ecology of the region, are analyzed; structure of the formed waste is depicted by species. The main «self-contained» business models aimed at minimizing and disposing of waste are also analyzed, and recommendations on the introduction of business models of the circular economy for use in the enterprises of Lviv region are formed.

Europe calls for a transition to the circular economy model based on recycling, reuse, the proper design of products, and repair. Recycling requires energy and chemical products for waste processing; on the contrary, reusing reduces the impact of transportation and expands the life of materials that cannot be recycled. This article highlights the characteristics of selected end-of-life materials; it aims to raise awareness among manufacturers to consider products’ conscious design to facilitate their reuse in different sectors. Panels 7 cm thick, realized by assembling cardboard packaging, egg boxes, bulk polyester, and felt, have been experimentally tested to understand whether they can be installed indoors to improve thermal and acoustic comfort. The panels’ equivalent thermal conductivity λeq measured through the guarded hot plate method is 0.071 W/mK. Acoustic tests have been performed in a sound transmission room and a reverberation room. The weighted sound reduction index Rw is 19 dB, the weighted sound absorption coefficient αw is 0.30, and the noise reduction coefficient NRC is 0.64. The measured properties have been compared to those of commercial materials, and the results show that the panels have interesting properties from the thermal and acoustic points of view. They could be employed in the building sector and in disadvantaged contexts where low-income people cannot afford commercial insulating materials. Although other factors, such as fire resistance, need to be evaluated, these results show that the proposed approach is feasible.

Researchers tend to develop cluster studies when the ways of turning to the circular economy are considered. Clusters are viewed as a network where different institutions, enterprises, and research centres are connected to share their knowledge and resources for better results of their performance. Efficient use of resources can be achieved in such networks through involvement in the circular economy. Clusters with their resources and knowledge as contributors in transition to a circular economy are analysed in this paper. The paper aims at literature analysis where clusters and circular economy are overviewed. The links between these two notions are traced, and the relation of clusters in transition to a circular economy is verified through the application of several multicriteria decision-making and mathematics-based information analysis methods. Scientific literature analysis works for the identification of the main concepts and definition of the object. The qualitative and quantitative analysis employs multi-criteria decisionmaking (MCDM) methods (SAW, TOPSIS) and regression analysis. A tool that enables verification of relation between clusters and transition to the circular economy was employed using these methods. The findings suggest that the tool used in the research can be applied when the relation of clusters and transition to a circular economy is being traced. The paper suggests experts' selection through their work experience with clusters and/or circular economy and their evaluation for certain clusters in transition to a circular economy set of criteria. The zero values of some indicators were eliminated by mathematically recalculating the weights so that distortion of the results after the application of MCDM methods is avoided. The results of MCDM methods application in regression analysis show that there is a possible relationship between clusters and transition to a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant efforts to transfer cultural heritage to the next generations is to reuse the historic buildings with appropriate functions. Be aware of historical buildings values reusing of these buildings is an approach that prolongs the lifespan of the cultural heritage. In contrast of this approach, some reuse suggestions or applications which cannot preserve the values of cultural heritage could damage authentic values of cultural heritage and in some cases cause irreversible damages. Hatuniye Madrasah (Melek Hatun, Nefise Hatun), which is located in the city center of Karaman and belongs to the period of Karamanoğulları Principality, has been the subject of reuse studies for many years. Selected functions have always been short-term and permanent functions cannot be determined. Because of different reasons this building could not be efficiently used. After each function, the historical building was kept unused and it was damaged in different ways. In this article, by giving collective information about the historical importance of the madrasah and interventions that it has undergone, some evaluations have been made regarding reusing possibilities of this building. In the context of Hatuniye Madrasah, some results were obtained about the difficulties encountered in reuse of historical buildings.

The circular economy (CE) is generally an economic system which aims to reduce waste and reuse resources. Predetermined by the need for new sources of sustainable development in the current conditions of global environmental issues and qualitative and quantitative limitations of resources, this promising concept has recently fuelled a broad international discussion. The circular economy is now an urgent global priority for policymakers as well, especially in the EU. Given these facts, the benefits and impact of a circular economy with an emphasis on waste and recycling management are being investigated on supranational and national levels (in the EU and its member nations, which are world leaders in terms of its adoption). Systematisation, comparative analysis, benchmarking and generalisation, economic and mathematical modelling (the formation of a model of recycling efficiency in the context of the CE in the EU based on the Eurostat data on the CE in the EU) and statistical methods were the research methods used in the study. It was proven that waste recycling rates have a significant impact on the EU recyclable raw materials trade. The proposed methodology of modelling the CE results can be used for other countries/companies. The research may help to promote effective reformation of global economics by propelling sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuously growing complexity of digital circuits and shortening time-to-market has put pressure on the verification methodology. To reach this goal, automatic correction of design bugs has become necessary. Existing methods for automatic correction, suffer from consuming so much time and memory usage which makes them mostly inapplicable for large circuits. Our main idea to come up with a solution is reusing partially corrected circuits in the process of finding the final solution. Experimental results show that, in comparison with existing methods, our method can accurately detect bugs and correct them up to $2.3\times $ faster with less than half of memory usage in comparison with existing methods due to decreasing the number of generated solutions by $2.1\times $ and reducing the size of the SAT problem by $3\times $. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Environmental attitudes are positively associated with the 3Rs of waste management. • Perceived effectiveness of one's own behavior is positively associated with the 3Rs. • These links are higher for recycling behaviors (separate glass, plastic and paper). • The 3Rs are also related to socio-demographics (gender, age and education level). • Women exhibit greater reducing and reusing (but not recycling) behaviors than men. This study explores how an individual's reported waste-related behaviors are affected by environmental attitudes and perceived effectiveness when facing a descriptive norm conflict (i.e., when the individual is the only person behaving pro-environmentally). The influence of the sociodemographic characteristics of gender, age, and education level is also examined. The reported behaviors relate to the 3Rs of waste management: reducing (buying minimally packaged products), reusing (buying products with reusable packaging), and recycling behaviors (separating glass, plastic, and paper). Based on a nationally representative sample of Spanish residents aged over 17 years (n = 2487), this study uses logistic regression analysis to assess the relationships between variables. The results show a positive relationship between environmental attitudes and the five reported waste-related behaviors. There is also a positive association between perceived effectiveness of one's own behavior (when nobody else acts pro-environmentally) and the five waste-related behaviors. Regarding sociodemographic characteristics, the results suggest that women, older individuals, and highly educated people engage more in these 3R behaviors. Building on these findings, policy and managerial implications are provided. For example, campaigns to promote environmental attitudes and the effectiveness of pro-environmental behaviors could focus on reducing and reusing behaviors, which entail the purchase of green products. Finally, some directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel adsorbent was synthesized through functionalization of glycidyl methacrylate-g-poly(ethylene terephthalate) (GMA-g-PET) fibers with iminodiacetic acid (IDA) to give IDA-GMA-g-PET fibers. This adsorbent was then exploited for the removal of Malachite Green (MG) and Rhodamine B (RB) dyes. MG has shown faster adsorption kinetics and equilibrium was attained in 15 mins. and 90 mins. for MG and RB, respectively. IDA-GMA-g-PET fibers showed 100% removal efficiency for MG and RB dyes from the solutions having initial concentrations of 300 mg L−1and 200 mg L−1, respectively. Desorption conditions of dyes and reusability of the fibers were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One complicating factor in a reverse logistics activity is the uncertainty in the volume of the reverse product flow coupled with uncertain demand. These uncertainties are creating a problem for the reuse businesses because, in order to have a profitable business, their plants need some minimum number of used products to operate efficiently. Several researches have indicated that there is a significant quantity of used products that failed to enter the reverse channel. Therefore finding a way to ensure supply of used products is essential for the viability of the plant. In this paper, we propose the use of financial incentives (also referred to as 'return policy') so that adequate supply of the used products is ensured. We present a profit-maximisation model to obtain the optimal return policy. We also obtain a number of managerial guidelines for using marketing and operational strategy variables to influence the reaction parameters so as to obtain the maximum benefit from the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable futures necessitate a concomitant requirement for both sustainable buildings and sustainable behaviours under one roof. The defining principles behind Earthship buildings are to promote the use of local, recycled, waste, natural and renewable materials in their construction, for the adoption of a passive solar design for internal heating/cooling, collection of rainwater as a potable water supply, and encourage the onsite recycling of used water for plants to aid food production. However, despite growth in Earthship buildings constructed across many countries of the world, their appeal has not yet made a noticeable contribution to mainstream housing. Therefore, this study is the first to attempt to explore public perceptions towards the benefits and barriers of Earthship buildings as a means of understanding their demand by potential home builders/owners. Opinions were sought through questionnaire surveys completed by visitors to the Brighton Earthship building. Results reveal that the public believe that the reclamation of rainwater and greywater, renewable energy consumption and use of recycled materials included in the design/build are the major benefits of Earthship buildings, whilst the opportunity for a modern living style in a conservative lifestyle/setting, having a building that is cheaper than an ordinary home and the possibility of living totally off grid are considered the least beneficial reasons for building Earthship homes. Results also reveal that the public believe acquiring necessary permits/permissions to build may be more complicated, securing financial support (mortgage/loan) may be more challenging, and identifying/attaining suitable building plots are major barriers of Earthship buildings, whilst the futuristic/alternative building design, being built from waste materials and being entirely dependent on renewable resources (rainfall/wind/sunshine) are considered the least important barriers to building Earthship homes. Notwithstanding the participants included in this study already having an interest in Earthship buildings/lifestyles, it is concluded that the general public deem the general principles of Earthships as an acceptable choice of building/living but it is the formal means of building or buying an Earthship home that is the greatest hurdle against the uptake of Earthship buildings. Therefore, if sustainable futures are to be realized, it is proposed that a shift away from traditional house building towards Earthship building will require the involvement of all stakeholders immersed in the building process (architects, planners, builders, investors, lawyers) to path an easier journey for Earthship buildings and sustainable living.

This study aims to experimentally investigate the possibilities of reusing Granite Sawing waste (GSW) in Fibre Reinforced Self Compacting Concrete (FRSCC) using Polypropylene (PP) fibers. The effectiveness of GSW at 5, 10, 15, and 20% by weight instead of cement was investigated. The PP fibers were used at volume fractions of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15%. In order to study the microstructure and to identify the elements of the FRSCC, SEM was used. Fresh and hardened properties were evaluated. Flyash was used as an additional mineral admixture while superplasticizer was also added to achieve required flow parameters. The GSW along with PP fibers increases the compressive strength of FRSCC. An improvement in splitting tensile strength was also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the impact of spirituality on the psychological well-being of the consumers involved in reusing as sustainable consumption behavior (SCB). In addition to this, the study also investigates the mediating effect of reusing as SCB between spirituality and psychological well-being. The moderating effect of religiosity has also been taken into account while studying the relationship between spirituality and reusing. A survey was conducted to collect the data from clothing industry consumers using a structured questionnaire and employing a convenience sampling approach. PLS-SEM was used to analyze the useable data of 286 respondents. Results validate that spirituality has a positive and significant effect on psychological well-being. Further, reusing (SCB) was found to be a significant mediator, also the moderating effect of religiosity on the relationship between spirituality and reusing was significant and high. This study contributes to the existing literature by concentrating on predictors that undermine psychological well-being. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the early studies to contribute to the literature by investigating the impact of spirituality on consumer psychological well-being specifically reusing (SCB) as a mediator between the two constructs. Further, it also investigated the moderating impact of religiosity on the relationship between spirituality and reusing. Research findings have implications for researchers, policymakers, marketers, ecologists, social activists, and practitioners. For research students, such contribution will bring a new avenue to consider further research. Managers will find help to control such factors which induce reusing and increase psychological well-being.