Week 1
The Seal is disappearing! The protection is urgent!
-by Emily/Qiuyun Ye
From 1970s to 1980s, the number of seals decreased because of hunting and pollutions. So the HELCOM Recommendation 27-28/2 start the program to protect seals and other creatures in Baltic Sea.
The expert group of 27-28/2 include marine mammal experts, scientists, representatives of fisheries and managers from Baltic Sea. On the first meeting, they discussed about making reference of different parameters of seals and how to coordinate managements to protect the species and habitats of the seals.
Although measures are being taken, the environment conditions still exist, and the populations of seal still lower than estimated level.
Nowadays, there are three kinds of seals and harbor porpoise are in HELCOM Red List. Grey seal is categorized as least concern (LC), Ringed seal and harbor seal as vulnerable (VU), and harbor porpoise is categorized as critically endangered (CR).
The Seal is disappearing! We should spare no efforts to control the current situation.
In China, relevant departments also take effective measures to prevent seals. In Liaoning province, during the period from February to May, more than three hundred of spotted seals will come to the biggest river in the northeast of China called Liao River for multiply. They find foods and live there, then go back to the Pacific Ocean in June. So the conservation area of spotted seal has been constructed. The local police patrol the area and save them from being killed by local restaurants or other commercial use.
I hope that with joint efforts all over the world, the situation will be improved and there will be more seals appear in the future. It’s not only save one species but also be better for biodiversity of the world.
The Baltic Sea Diet, Good for You and the Environment
By: Zach Robida
New diets come and go every year, each promising the best results in the shortest amount of time. However residents who live around the Baltic Sea need not look any further. Researchers are now claiming that reverting to a typical Nordic style diet will actually help the environment. If the researchers are correct, then essentially what they are saying is that the people of the Baltic sea can help the struggling environment by simply eating the food native to their area and culture.
The Baltic Sea diet consists of fruits, berries, vegetables, fish, and Nordic grains. These are ingredients which when eaten in good quantities are able to lead to weight loss. More carbohydrates, fibers, vitamins, and minerals are consumed, while protein is avoided. This is the key to helping the environment.
The Baltic Sea is experiencing a phenomenon called Eutrophication and it could be substantially reduced if the people in the area ate less meat. Foods associated with higher amounts of protein, such has cows, pigs or chickens, require that land is plowed and plants are fertilized. These two actions cause nitrogen and phosphorus to be released. Those two elements in combination with heat can cause the algae cyanobacteria to grow at an alarming rate. This bacteria once dead sinks to the bottom and decomposes on the sea floor and consumes oxygen. On top of the fertilizers and land needed to sustain a farm, animal waste also contributes to pollution of the water.
If you could lose or maintain your current weight knowing that you contributed to the environment in a positive way why wouldn’t you? This article suggests that by simply reducing the amount of protein that the population of Sweden consumes, there will be more available farmland to raise more sustainable crops. An increase in the growth of berries and vegetables will lead to a significant decrease in the amount of Eutrophication. My recommendation to help the Baltic Sea based on this article would be for the government to provide initiative to farmers to grow specific crops and for measures to be taken to inform the general public that food consumption is actually important.
Baltic Sea in Hot Water
By Sean Aitken
The Baltic Sea has a wide array of characteristics that are constantly changing. The condition of the Baltic Sea has declined over the last 50 years due to a multitude of human impacts, but new information suggests that it could have been worse in the past. Using collaboration and new technology, efforts are being made to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea. However, with so many factors affecting the sea how can we determine which characteristics are contributing to different negative outcomes?
Researchers within the INFLOW research project have found that the Baltic Sea was higher in temperature and lower in oxygen levels a millennium ago, when compared to today. This information can be used to analyze the condition of the sea over time. In turn, this allows analysts to utilize the past to predict the future. Even though the problem has been worse before, anthropogenic pollution combined with natural processes have had a massive impact on the ocean and its ecosystems. These oceanic processes are being modelled by researchers at INFLOW to help determine possible links between different cause and effect relationships occurring within the Baltic Sea.
To help combat and better understand these harsh conditions, the European Space Agency (ESA) is capturing large-scale images of annual algal blooms in the sea with its Sentinel-2A satellite. These photos help to track the location and trends of these phenomena with a more comprehensive bird’s eye view. With the knowledge gained from above, crews from the Helsinki Convention can more specifically monitor the blooms and gain a more detailed understanding and perspective. With this new availability for insight, the important question left to be answered is this: when will the Baltic Sea reach its boiling point?
References:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110215081924.htm
http://www.sci-news.com/space/science-sentinel-2a-algal-storm-03217.html
The Great Cormorant: The bad guy or the black sheep?
By René Bouwmeester
The global increases of the great cormorant populations in the past 40 years has raised serious concerns as how this will affect the aquatic environments. Karine Gagnon, a Marine Biologist of the University of Turku says that Great cormorants causes similar damage to the Baltic sea as humans do (Uutiset, 2016). The cormorants are accused for causing eutrophication (high nutrient concentrations resulting in algal blooms) and decreasing fish populations.
As cormorants can forage over a large area, yet generally appear in flocks and nest in colonies, their faeces are usually rather concentrated to certain areas and can partially enter nearby aquatic systems (Kolb et al., 2010; Klimaszyk et al., 2015; Cramp & Simmons, 1998). The nutrients coming from the birds droppings has shown to affect the algal communities and indirectly impacting invertebrates and fish (Uutiset, 2016). Klimaszyk calculated that a colony covering an area of 1.2 ha may deliver the same amount of nutrients as what comes from 60 ha of forested catchment. Nevertheless these impacts are minor in comparison to the nutrient loads coming from human activities.
Next to that, the cormorants are believed to be able to compete with fisherman for resources, due to their highly developed predatory skills (Klimaszyk & Rzymski, 2015). For this reason these animals where globally exterminated before they were protected. A great cormorant eats approximately 500 grams of fish on a daily basis, this makes it very likely to believe that they can affect local fish communities. However there is no evidence for cormorants damaging wild fish populations or decreasing catches of fisheries in open aquatic systems like the Baltic Sea.
Studies have shown that on a local scale cormorant colonies have indeed and effect on the nutrient concentrations, resulting in changes is the algal communities. However on a scale of the whole Baltic sea they actually remove nutrients by consuming fish and mostly drop their faeces on land. By doing so, they form an important link between land and water for cycling the nutrients (Klimaszyk & Rzymski, 2015). Nevertheless, it is advised to take the effect cormorant colonies can have on aquatic environments into account during monitoring and ecological assessments, because scale matters!
References
Cramp, S. & K. E. L. Simmons, 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, New York.
Klimaszyk, P., A. Brzeg, P. Rzymski & R. Piotrowicz, 2015. Black spots for aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems: impact of a perennial cormorant colony on the environment. Science of the Total Environment 517: 222–231.
Klimaszyk, P. & P. Rzymski, 2015. The complexity of ecological impacts induced by great cormorants. Hydrobiologia (2016) 771:13–30
Kolb, G. S., J. Ekholm & P. A. Hamba¨ck, 2010. Effects of seabird nesting colonies on algae and aquatic invertebrates in coastal waters. Marine Ecology Progress Series 417: 287–300.
Uutiset, Yle, 2016. Study: Cormorant guano damaging Baltic sea. yle.fi
The Baltic Sea- Otherwise Known as the World’s Largest Man-Made Dead Zone
By Megan Wander
There are 530 aquatic dead zones around the world, taking up approximately 950,000 square miles. This problem demands attention, yet not many people are aware of it. For decades, human and industrial waste has found its way into the Baltic Sea. This waste includes fertilizers and sewage, which are high in nitrogen and phosphorous. With unlimited nutrient resources, plants and algae growth flourishes. This process is known as eutrophication. However, these plants and algae die, sink to the bottom, and decay, which is a process that requires oxygen. The levels of dissolved oxygen levels drop dramatically and marine life suffers the consequence. The Baltic Sea is the world’s largest man-made dead zone. Because it is largely enclosed, nutrients are pollutants are trapped and take a long time to be washed out.
Recent attempts to reduce the waste that is entering the Baltic Sea has been unsuccessful in halting the growth of the dead zone. Scientists in Sweden have a new idea- pump oxygen into the water. Perhaps in a lake or pond this solution may have a chance. However, when dealing with an area one and a half times the size of Denmark, how realistic is the implementation and success of such a strategy?
This project, known as the Baltic Deepwater Oxygenation (Box) project would require 100 pumping stations. Oxygen-rich water would be pumped deep underwater in attempt to restore the dead zone, which currently contains very little to no dissolved oxygen. There are many critics who believe this to be a dangerous quick-fix with unforeseen consequences. For example, the Box project could cause the release of old contaminants underground as well as interfere with fish reproductive successes. The idea of deep water oxygenation can work in smaller bodies of water, but not in one so massive. Current studied show that that, in theory, this method should restore dead zones. The issue is this project continues to remain theoretical with no physical conclusions, most likely due to the fact that it is so difficult to implement.
In addition, this method would have to be continued for several decades and cost millions of dollars. Money and time would be better spent limiting nutrients entering the Baltic from sources. However, with so many rivers in so many countries leading to the Baltic Sea, it is extremely difficult to regulate the nutrient waste being deposited. Dead zones are harmful to the environment, the fishing industry, the economy, and essentially to the entire world. Something must be done to restore life to these dead ecosystems. So this leads us to the question- what now?
References
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/17/world/europe/dead-zone-baltic-oxygen/index.html
http://www.balticsearestoration.org/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110418141617.htm
Clean Baltic Sea: Flourishing and Thriving Economy In Region
By Mahreen Ansari
According to the study of Boston Consulting Group for World Wildlife Fund (WWF),Cleaning up Baltic Sea would result in huge economical gains in whole Baltic Sea region. All countries around the Baltic Sea would make annually $44.2 billion profits by the year 2030 and half a million new jobs opportunities. In prospective of Swedish economy the consulting report commissioned by WWF suggests Sweden would make $3.98 billion profit by 2030 and 71,000 new jobs emerge in Sweden (Radio Sweden, July 14, 2014). In Baltic Sea most important industries like tourism, fishing and agriculture. Arctic Environmental minister Lena Ek in 2014 presented the report in United Nations which showed fact about connection between environment and economic growth.
Baltic Sea is severely affected with eutrophication and climate change problems. Signs are appearing earlier as the bottom of Baltic Sea is soon to be dead. One of the indicator is that blue-green algae bloom (cyanobacteria) is arriving earlier today as compared with 35 years ago. This blue-green algae can be poisonous if ingested. Stockholm University study showed that these warm weather and calm conditions provided the perfect place for algae to bloom in the sea over fertilized by run-off from the farms and industries, such as Baltic Sea.
The Helsinki Convention (HELCOM), is about governing water body to protect Baltic marine environment. The Clean Baltic Sea, first project was initiated in 2005 at St. Petersburg (Russia). And its aim to reduce annual production of more 1,000 tones of phosphorus was achieved in 2011. Most importantly the phosphorus load entering the Baltic Sea from St. Petersburg has diminished by (70%) from 2004, and reduction of almost 30% in the phosphorus load from The Gulf of Finland (HELCOM). The St. Petersburg project is one of the most significant water protection project ever carried out in the Baltic Sea in terms of environmental impact.
References:
Eye on the Arctic (2014-07-14). ” Baltic Sea studies: Cleanup would benefit region’s economy; algal bloom arriving earlier. http://news.algaeworld.org/2014/07/baltic-sea-studies-cleanup-benefit-regions-economy-algal-blooms-arriving-earlier/
https://www.johnnurmisensaatio.fi/en/clean-baltic-sea-projects/about-clean-baltic-sea-projects/
The Indigestible Truth
By Keziah Rookes
The past 50 years have seen the Baltic sea launched in to a fragile state, with locals distressed over the drastic changes occurring. A local man stated ‘The sand that we used to see has now disappeared into the water and reeds have appeared covering the islands’. This is among many challenges facing the Baltic, its inhabitants and its residents.
Localized improvements have seen many pollutants be diminished from these waters, with St. Petersburg pioneering a shift in waste reduction. However, the world’s population is growing at an exponential rate, and with that comes waste disposal.
So, what’s new? Well the answer to that is Microplastics. In an article by YLE (2013) it is stated that micro plastics are the new threat to the world’s oceans. Microplastics are quite literally described in the name; they are micro pieces of plastic that are being dispersed into the sea all over the globe. But how did they get there? and who’s to blame?
There is not a singular point of origin to these plastics; as the global population grows so does the growth of innovation and production and therefore usage. Microplastics seen in the Baltic sea vary- from the wear from car tyres to the clothing fibres that travel from your washing machine the whole way to ocean. A huge discovery was found this year in the sheer amount of Microplastics within facial scrubs and cosmetics that were revealed to have been released in the ocean.
So why is something micro such a big deal? In a Guardian article, journalist Amy DuFault (2014) considers the concern over the mass production of these products and the impact and stress they cause for sustainable oceans. For humans, the damage it can cause to the population may seem distant but as fish consume these plastics, the population consumes mass amounts of fish. This ripple effect in the food chain might be hard to digest!
But this isn’t just about humans. As these Microbeads flow through the oceans absorbing dangerous toxins before they even enter the food chain, we must also consider the effect on the oceans inhabitants; statistics from the World Economic Forum have predicted that ‘In 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea’.
But surely there is a solution? Cosmetic Developers and sustainable pioneers across the world are trying to come together to create natural alternatives such as using seeds from fruits such as raspberries and jojoba beads. However, even this momentum is being halted by researchers, stating that a current problem in algae growth settling at the bottom of the ocean and causing a greater consumption of oxygen will be made worse by the addition of natural sugars and nut shells.
So now the question to be left open for thoughts, is what cost does the environment deserve to pay for our mass consumption?
References:
Baltic, M. (2013). Microplastics – the latest threat to the Baltic. [online] Yle Uutiset. Available at: https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/microplastics_-_the_latest_threat_to_the_baltic/6757738 [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
DeFault, A. (2014). The microbead battle and the search for a greener replacement. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/microbeads-cosmetics-gyres-plastics-pollution-makeup [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
Patagonia.com. (2016). Hang Tight! Routing to checkout…. [online] Available at: http://www.patagonia.com/blog/2016/06/what-do-we-know-about-tiny-plastic-fibers-in-the-ocean/ [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
Microplastics: A Macro Problem
By Holly Gillespie
The media attention surrounding ocean pollution is nothing new. It’s something that has been talked about and debated over for decades now. If people are sure about one thing concerning pollution, it’s that there is a lot of it in the oceans. However, what they might not know is how much they as a consumer are responsible for. The problem with microplastic in the Baltic is a personal problem that everyone should be aware of.
When Baltic Eye ecotoxicologist, Katja Broeg, published a report showing that household cosmetic and personal care products amount to 130 tons of the microplastic particles found in the Baltic Sea per year, it immediately got people’s attention; as it should. Plastic is a huge, almost unavoidable part of the average person’s everyday life. Any product from makeup to toothpaste can contribute to the overall microplastic found in our oceans, namely the Baltic Sea, today.
What are the implications of this research? Why has this study garnered such widespread media attention? Because there is so little known about the overall repercussions of these findings. The uncertainty of exactly how much the mass amount of microplastic will affect marine systems and organisms is what is troubling. The Global Microplastics Initiative stated that toxic chemicals—DDT, and BPA— are carried on these particles. The affects this will have on the overall population of marine life such as fish, birds and even humans are unknown.
So why is this story important? Why should people care about tiny bits of particles floating around in a giant body of water? Because people now know, without a shadow of a doubt they are playing a large role in this pollution. The “out of sight, out of mind” mentality is much harder to ignore when people know they have played a role in polluting the ocean every time they brush their teeth.
There is hope. Because this is a problem involving personal choice made by the consumer, it is then up to the consumer to change the way they impact their environment. Individuals can choose to be more conscious of the products they buy, which will in turn force the companies they buy from to modify their product lines to be more environmentally sound. They just need to be informed before they can make these choices.
Studies like Katja’s are important in many ways. They create a dialogue for citizens, companies and policy makers to further investigate the effects of microplastic on marine environments; they also show people direct routes to curbing emissions of such pollution. Just this year the Nordic Council started talks to draw up a plan to put a ban on microplastics in cosmetics. This is a giant step forward in signaling to business sectors around the world that their products are in the spotlight and political action is just around the corner. Getting the story out there is the first and most important step in working towards a more sustainable future.
References:
“Great media interest in Baltic Eyes new data on microplastic.” Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, 30 May 2017, pp. 1-3.
Orava, Heidi. “Nordic Council: Ban microplastics in cosmetics.” Nordic Co-operation, 25 Jan. 2017, Web. https://www.norden.org/en/news-and-events/news/nordic-council-ban-microplastics-in-cosmetics
Safina, Carl. “Pesky plastic: The true harm of microplastics in the oceans.” National Geographic, 4 April 2016. Web. http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/04/pesky-plastic-the-true-harm-of-microplastics-in-the-oceans/
For the Baltic Sea’s Issues, Knowledge of the Problem and the Commitment to Fix It is Not enough
By Dylan Mumm
For endless years, states surrounding the Baltic Sea have been relentlessly trying to mitigate the environmental problems plaguing the body of water. This is despite the immense amount of scientific literature and studies written about the Baltic Sea’s environmental misfortune.
But the states aren’t yet giving up – they have developed some new ideas to help out, at least on the margin.
BONUS’s (Joint Baltic Sea Research and Development Programme) ESABALT project has developed a program to enable casual boaters to make observations and report human activity to researches. This program was utilized as a pilot to understand the potential of future crowdsourcing projects.
Another proposal is HELCOM’s Roadmap for a Baltic Sea NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) Emissions Control Area. Cargo ships are a major polluter of nitrogen, which aggravates the serious eutrophication issue of the Baltic Sea. Some estimates indicate that the Baltic Sea NECA has the potential to significantly reduce Nitrogen input in the Sea.
However, these sorts of experiments and multilateral agreements are nothing new for the region, having long-standing precedent. While many are successful, they just are not enough to solve the problem. BONUS is starting a new initiative to study the social factors that influence success, a relatively un-studied variable.
References:
Suomen Akatemia (Academy of Finland). “What Is Hampering Effective Protection Of The Baltic Sea?.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 January 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113100109.htm>.
Helcom.fi. (2017). HELCOM agrees on a Roadmap for a Baltic Sea NECA – HELCOM News. [online] Available at: http://www.helcom.fi/news/Pages/HELCOM-agrees-on-a-Roadmap-for-a-Baltic-Sea-NECA-.aspx [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
Suomen Akatemia (Academy of Finland). “Citizens can help to enhance safety in the Baltic Sea.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 June 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160607080651.htm>.
The Baltic Sea Drug Intervention
By Caroline Buck
New studies show that medicines used for anxiety disorders are now making way into the waterways of Sweden. As the focus of an article published by Inside Science in 2013, fish exposed to this class of medicine are experiencing behavioral changes, which carries potential ecological risks. Specifically, researchers exposed wild European Perch to a commonly used drug oxazepam, which is intended to make people feel calmer. However, in the perch analyzed, the fish became considerably more aggressive and less fearful of potentially dangerous situations. Also, the Perch experienced an increased appetite.
These behavioral changes shown in the perch could change the characteristics of the Baltic Sea, and wreak havoc on the life within it. The wild European Perch feed largely on the zooplankton in the sea. With the Perch experiencing increased appetites, the number of zooplankton in the sea could dwindle. Since the zooplankton feed on algae, this decrease in zooplankton population would increase the risk of algal blooms; these blooms destroy the life below the water and ruin the oxygen levels in the water. On the other hand, the possible issues generated from the perch now acting under the influence of the drugs could be flipped. With the perch less fearful, they could be less prone to run from predators. Their population could suffer as a result, causing issues along the entire food chain.
The potential harm to the ecosystem from the infiltration of drugs into the water are just predictions at best; the effects from the drugs changing the characteristics of the fish could take years to be visible. As for the effects of these types of drugs on humans consuming the water, studies currently state there are no negative effects. More research in this area could be done to gain more confidence, without fully ruling out any possible human dangers.
The psychiatric drugs are entering the rivers and Baltic Sea through the wastewater plants via the urine of the people using the drugs. While the wastewater has been treated, traces of different drugs remain in the water after treatment, when it is put back into the sea. Technology is available for the wastewater plants than can remove most, if not all, of the drugs from the wastewater before it is cycled through; unfortunately, this technology is expensive, and placing it in all wastewater treatment plants in Sweden isn’t economically sound. A possible solution moving forward would be to isolate which drugs most negatively affect the wildlife in the Baltic Sea ecosystem, and pour resources into preventing those specific drugs from being released into the environment. Solving this problem is crucial to keep intact the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea and its multitude of sub-basins.
References:
https://www.insidescience.org/news/psychiatric-drugs-changing-fish-behavior
The Deadliness Lurks Deep Below and on Our Plates
By Angela/Wing Hin Yung
Chemical weapons, weapons of mass annihilation within minutes of painful suffering, as the residue of the world wars are dumped in the Baltic Sea. If it doesn’t sound alarming enough, the fact that they were dumped in unsuitably shallow locations should raise some red flags. While some were dumped along with their ways to their destinations due to a tight schedule of demilitarisation, some drift along the waves.
The ghost of the past has returned, while those who work in the marine environments within the Baltics bear the burns from those weapons when their protective shells degrade over time, oxidative chemicals washed ashore could also put tourists and residents by the bays at risks. Besides its direct impact towards human, these antiques are also posing threats to their neighbouring organisms.
It all stems from the bottom of the food chain. Poisonous substances like the mustard gas and heavy metals can be easily picked up by the microscopic inhabitants in the ocean, who turn them into nastier organic toxins that would accumulate in bodies of the predators. These toxins could snowball to a high enough level in predators like salmon and all kinds of large fishes are eventually consumed by us.
Munitions dumped into the Baltic Sea might be a source of unidentified chemicals in the harvest from the region, a major problem of the analysis of edible Baltic fishes is the selective analysis of chemicals that are known to human but underestimated those that are unknown. The overlooking of such situation not only hinder scientific research and environmental monitoring, it also poses threats to consumers. In other words, the concoctions of those unknown chemicals could potentially impact the ecosystem and human in an unforeseen way if our knowledge gap towards the whole picture remains vacant.
There are always more solutions than problems. With eleven countries surrounding the Baltic Sea, collaboration is a key to a sustainable future. Countries committed to multinational agreements should fulfil their own parts while recruitments of countries outside the regions are also critical especially for conducting collaborative researches on chemical treatments and analysis within our aquatic environments. Political complication and competitions should not be prioritised over the health of the ecosystem and humans all over the world.
Week 2
Could One Man’s Yard Clippings Be Another Man’s Fuel?
By: Zach Robida
If you were told that recycling the leftover wood from cutting down that dying tree in your backyard could actually be used to drive your car, would you believe it? While the process is not quite that efficient, researchers at Aston University are attempting to apply that same concept on a much larger scale. The scientists are experimenting with wood waste from the Norwegian forest to produce new biofuels capable of being mixed with the petroleum-based oil currently used in most modern day engines.
The spur for investing in the innovation and production of biofuels has been experimented with before, however this time the motive is different. The shipping industry continues to experience growth and this growth will only lead to an increase in the need for more ships, more trips, and more fuel. Oil prices are insanely lower than they have been in recent years, decreasing from $108 a barrel in 2013 to the current global oil price of $47 a barrel. Under the Trump administration the United States has substantially increased its involvement in hydraulic fracturing practices, which has resulted in greater surge of its crude oil exports. So if we draw the conclusion that global crude oil prices will remain low than why should we even be concerned about biofuels? The answer is politics.
Stringent regulations are being forced upon the shipping industry requiring that the sulphur and carbon content in diesels and oils are reduced. To counter this the Aston University researchers believe that cargo ships could use a multi-component fuel consisting of 20% biofuel and the typical 80% diesel fuel. The biofuel is obtained by taking the low quality wood left over from loggers and using it to convert into crude pyrolysis oil. A process that has yet to be perfected will be used to convert 65-75% of the unstable oil into a usable fuel that can be added directly to diesel fuel.
If the process that converts the crude pyrolysis oil into a useable diesel fuel additive can be perfected, is this the answer the shipping community has been looking for? Perhaps it could be, in fact other sources have shown that advanced biofuels may release 80% less carbon dioxide than fossils fuels. While I believe that more research is needed in order to prove that the biofuel can be fabricated effectively, the idea that something as sustainable as forest waste could be used to help transport goods across the world is exciting to the say the least.
References:
Germany Should Say Danke For U.S Oil – The Wall Street Journal 7/17/17
https://www.transportenvironment.org/sites/te/files/publications/2017_04_Biofuels_factsheet.pdf
Teamwork Helping Emissions Solutions Flow
By Sean Aitken
The shipping industry accounts for around 90% of all global trade. Therefore, making this industry more sustainable would have a great effect on the environment. Decreasing factors like Sulphur oxides (SOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) would help greatly to lessen the blow on our changing world. New technology is being used to speed up finding solutions to this complex problem and provide a hopeful view for the future.
Joint efforts from the Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Sembcorp, and Ecospec Technology have developed a method to rid emissions from ships engine of SOx and CO2. This method of using electromagnetic waves to rid saltwater of SOx and CO2 was developed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). CFD programs simulate fluid flow trends using physical properties intertwined into code. This helps save time and money by not having to do as much real-world testing.
This new treatment method gives a good vision as to what is to come in the next few years. Along with it comes an agreement made by the included organizations and the University of Glasgow. This statement includes plans to design ships to be more hydrodynamic to improve fuel efficiency, as well as continuing to develop water and emissions treatment systems.
The collaboration efforts made by IHPC, Sembcorp, Ecospec, and the University of Glasgow is an amazing example of what can happen when companies from different fields come together for a greater cause. Hopefully this will inspire more institutions to do the same and work towards a cleaner future for not only the shipping industry, but also the world.
References:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160624140601.htm
http://www.bunkerindex.com/news/article.php?article_id=17488
Wind assisted ships: An old technology but out of sight?
By René Bouwmeester
Humans have at least a 1000 years of experience and knowledge on utilizing wind power for shipping. With the invention of the steam engine and combustion engine shipping was transformed into the way we know it now. But the oil crisis in 1980 brought some of the wind propulsion back into play (Marin, 2016). Since then research is done on wind assisted propulsion. Nowadays with the environmental awareness on the rise, wind assisted propulsion is working on a comeback. But the shipping industry not keen on picking it up.
Wind assisted propulsion is a technology that utilizes wind power assist the propulsion of the ship in order to reduce the amount of fuel needed. Due to the vast amounts of crude oil used in the shipping industry, air pollution is an issue. 17 large cargo ships produces as much SOx as all the cars in the world! (Karlsson, 2017). And air pollution is responsible for 50-60 000 deaths per year and 330 billion of costs in health care (Allwright, 2016). Different designs have shown to be effective in saving fuel and therefore reducing emissions.
Currently three main designs have emerged out of existing technologies and are leading the market of wind assisted propulsion: Wing Sail concept, Flettner rotor and the kite Sail (Marin).
- Wing Sail Concept: Includes the use of hard and soft sails in order to catch the wind in a way that is similar to the traditional use of sails. But fully automated, no crew needed to hoist the sails.
- Flettner rotor: This is a spinning cylinder standing on deck which uses the Magnus effect to create propulsion. The fist ship with Flettner rotors was used in 1920. When the wind hits the spinning cylinder the airspeed is higher one side of the cylinder creating a suction forwards. This can also be built on old vessels.
- Kite sail: This is a very large kite, similar to the once that are used for kite surfing, that is connected to the bow of the boat. The kite is brought up to highs where there as an almost constant wind blowing. Ships need hardly any modification and it does not take space on deck.
The savings on fuel of these three main types of wind assisted propulsion technologies are around 15-30%. For completely new designed ships the savings can go up to 50% (Allwright, 2016) , but still the shipping industry is not willing to pick it up.
The slow uptake is mainly due to marginal gains for the ship owners, especially due to the current low oil prices. Next to that ship owners only pay 30% of the fuel that is used for the ship. This is due to a regulation called; Split incentive, where the cargo owners pay 70% of the fuel costs. Therefore fuel savings are not as interesting for ship owners says Gavin Allwright, Secretary of the International Windship Association.
On the other hand there is a shortage of independently verified information on the performance of wind assisted ships forwards ship owners. There are many technological challenges that have to be overcome in order to use wind propulsion on a cargo ship. Actual predictions on how much fuel can be saved are difficult to calculate due to the many variables that play a role. Modern cargo ships are designed for a maximum load with full engine output, not for sailing on the wind. Heeling angles, and hull shape play an important role on the hydrodynamics and efficiency of a ship when these different propulsions are being compared (Motorship, 2016). These factors make ship owners unsure whether it is worth investing in.
According to the Marine Research institute Netherlands (Marin) the methods for predicting the performance of wind assisted ships have to be improved and more transparent in order to give ship owners more security of their investment. This come down to more research on different designs of wind propulsion and data collection of existing wind assisted ships. Prove is needed that wind assisted ships can be the future. Not only scientifically prove but also in the form of demonstration vessels that shows wind assisted shipping is economically viable. Next to that global regulations like, taxes on marine fuel, limits on emissions or subsidies for cleaner forms of shipping can push the shipping industry in the direction of sustainability. Also public awareness on the matter is very important to create political pressure to make regulations. Nevertheless sharing of information and prove in the form of demonstration vessels is key to sail towards a more sustainable future.
References
Allwright, G. 2016, Video lecture on the Powers and plights of the wind shipping industry
Karlsson, P. 2017, Lecture at Linné Universitetet on Sustainable shipping.
Marin, 2017, Wind-Assisted Ship Propulsion, Marine Research institute Netherlands, http://www.marin.nl/web/JIPs-Networks/JIPs-public/WISP.htm
Motorships, 2016, Predicting wind power, http://www.motorship.com/news101/engines-and-propulsion/predicting-wind-power?SQ_DESIGN_NAME=print&
The Air We Breathe: A rising death poll by air pollution
By Megan Wander
Since 2005, ship traffic has doubled off the coast of east Asia, a region where 8 of the world’s 10 biggest container ports reside. The environmental consequences to this boom in the shipping industry are immense; air pollution being arguably the most dangerous. 24,000 people in the east Asia region die each year due to pollution specifically from shipping. ¾ of those deaths are in China, but other countries with a significant number of deaths include Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. Air pollution is projected to triple in this area in the next few decades. Pollution from fuel oil of ships blows inland, causing heart disease, lung disease, and cancer. Small particles enter your lungs and your bloodstream but are not naturally removed from the body’s airways.
The scariest part is that this isn’t a localized problem. The World Health Organization estimates that urban air pollution currently causes 1.3 million deaths worldwide. Researchers have concluded that if current emission trends continue, with no additional air pollution reduction measures, then the average world citizen in 2050 will experience air quality that today’s east Asian citizen experiences. Everyone has seen pictures of the smog covering big cities in East Asia; how would it feel to be breathing that air? Measures have been taked to reduce air shipping around the world. For example, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) plans to cut the sulfur limits for ships to 0.5% in 2020; currently the sulfur limit is 3.5%. But will this be enough? Air pollution is an urgent problem that demands immediate attention. The shipping industry is one of the major contributors to this problem, and measures need to be taken to reduce the amount of harmful pollutants entering the air we breathe.
References
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120801112609.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/16/health/air-pollution-deaths-rising/index.html
Ship Recycling and Reuse with Sustainability
By Mahreen Ansari
Ship breaking is a ship disposal or demolition, it is an end of ship working life. Normally a ship has a 25-30 years of working life-span, after that rising cost of insurance and to maintain aging ships make them unprofitable to operate. Breaking up ship for raw material extraction e.g. scrap is called recycling, equipment on ship can be reuse. Ship breaking is a huge, world’s most dangerous and labor-intensive industry. Despite that fact, ship breaking sector is not sustainable. The South Asia developing countries Pakistan, India and Bangladesh are attractive and potential market for this industry without strict environmental legislation, regulations and with cheap labor. In developed countries where regulation are more strict, they take advantage with loophole and re-flag their ships and dumped of in developing countries ship breaking yards.
The ship breaking yards in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh are the busiest and most notorious for not providing fundamental labor rights, ignore international waste trade & recycling law and fail to meet international environment protection standards.
The European Union (EU) recently approved the regulation that EU flagged ships have to use a approved recycling ship breaking facility. But some ship owner taking advantage from loopholes and re-registering their ships in countries that do not have strict regulation and standard for ship breaking. The ship owner put the profits above the safety of worker and environment. In 2016 862 large ships sold to scrap yard worldwide, 668 were broken down in beaches of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh and among those 84% belong to EU. Ship breaking yard at Gadani had a history worst accident when in November 2016 a tanker beached exploded and caught fire, in which 28 people died and 50 suffered injuries. The 22 died and 29 injured in Bangladesh and 2 in India according to NGO plate form.Unsustainable ship breaking is a constant thread to environment safety and human health.
These ships contain toxic substances e.g. heavy metals, asbestos, oil, lead and anti-fouling paints etc. When these hazardous substances released into environment they contaminate the sea water along costal-line, air and sediments. In developing countries there is a immediate need for a reform in ship breaking industry, which provide the livelihood for thousands of people in South Asia
References
All aboard the Sustainable Wave
By Keziah Rookes
Shipping provides the highest level of goods imports in the world, delivering a shocking amount of 90% of global imports. Current statistics from the website The World Counts states that the population is 200,000 larger than yesterday, contributing to 7.5 billion people buying goods ranging from cars, to clothes, to medicine. These goods contribute not only to luxurious life styles but also meeting basic human needs across the globe (Counts, 2017).
The EU alone imported an estimated 1.8 billion Gross Tones (GT) of goods into its shores solely in 2015. This trade equally contributes in size to its impact on the environment and its levels of unsustainability, with predictions stating that shipping could be responsible for 17% of global CO2 emissions by 2050 (Transportenvironment.org, 2015).
So, this is a problem? Well the answer is yes! But it’s okay because even if you hadn’t thought about the impact of your new foreign car, someone has. The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) are determined to achieve sustainable commercial growth. The SSI is a collaboration 15 companies and two NGO’s, yes that’s right a coalition of top down and bottom up organisations working together. The initiative was co-founded by the Future and World Wildlife Fund, with the aim for global sustainable shipping by 2040 (Beavis, 2015).
A domino effect is suggested in that through being a member of the SSI, ideas can be shared efficiently using sustainable business models, achieving an environmental and economic profit. There are three pillars that hold up a sustainable business and that is environmental, social and economic. All three factors must be achieved in reaching full sustainability, a goal in which the SSI strives for.
But does that sound easy? Because in my opinion it’s not! How can you make everyone happy; are we not taught growing up that the world doesn’t work like that?
There are many barriers facing the SSI; the obvious one that comes to mind is how are ship owners going to get on board? If they’re making so much money already and changing to sustainable methods it could cost a lot and when they do, will they see a return? The SSI have raised concern over regulatory pressures, challenging innovation and lack of information on how and when benefits will arise for the industry.
But after reading an article by The Guardian, maybe I jumped to a conclusion as the members are now demonstrating a clear link between sustainability and improved business performance.
This has been demonstrated in businesses such as Bunge (a global agribusiness) who have been running 25% of their fleets at slower speeds and in two years have saved thousands of metric tonnes of marine fuel. This is great, right? But only if you are okay with your amazon delivery turning up a week later? I mean is it your responsibility as a customer to accept these changes? But then what if your waiting on your medicine or your food aid?
Sharing skills is undoubtedly sustainable and creates a vision, a goal and a bench mark for all other participants of the maritime world. As a consumer, I am intrigued and excited to see a global shift in sustainable maritime initiatives. It’s time to get all aboard the sustainably wave. Whether you are a ship owner, a cargo owner or a customer in terms of your effect on the environment we are all in the same boat! As long as everyone remembers the third pillar: the people and their basic human needs.
References:
Beavis, L. (2015). Increasing shipping’s sustainability. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/apr/30/increasing-shippings-sustainability [Accessed 19 Jul. 2017].
Brown, M. (2017). This Shipping Route Map Shows Why Floating Cities May Make Sense. [online] Inverse. Available at: https://www.inverse.com/article/28830-shipping-route-map-of-the-world [Accessed 20 Jul. 2017].
Counts, W. (2017). World population – right now. [online] The World Counts. Available at: http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/shocking_environmental_facts_and_statistics/world_population_clock_live[Accessed 19 Jul. 2017].
Transportenvironment.org. (2015). Shipping emissions 17% of global CO2, making it the elephant in the climate negotiations room | Transport & Environment. [online] Available at: https://www.transportenvironment.org/press/shipping-emissions-17-global-co2-making-it-elephant-climate-negotiations-room [Accessed 20 Jul. 2017].
Green Shipping: We’re all in the same boat
By Holly Gillespie
There is no question that the shipping industry, as it stands today, could be a lot more sustainable. The question is how to make that happen in a viable way. There are plenty of organization and dozens of nations in the world today that are actively working towards solutions that can lead one of the largest world economies into a more environmentally friendly future. However, this complex problem has left many sectors of this industry wondering what the best course of action actually is.
The push for a more sustainable future has been a hot topic in the shipping industry for several decades, with much more media attention falling within the last ten years. While there are many organizations like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) who are trying to curb current harmful shipping practices happening around the world through regulation and lower emission standards, their tactics often contend with the actual shipping companies and owners who struggle to reach these goals.
A big part of this push for sustainability in the shipping industry comes in the form of expanding the Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECAs). While the very real and urgent concern to cut these emissions is justified, complying with the regulations is easier said than done for those actually working within the shipping industry. Fixing older, traditional diesel burning tug or pilot boats to meat the lower emission standards requires a lot of work and money. And while shorter-term solutions like converting to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ships—which emit nearly zero sulfur oxide— are options to explore, the question must be asked: where will the money come from?
In Europe, for example, the shipping industry received just 4% of the total EU transport lending. This is a very insignificant amount, considering how significant a role that industry plays in the European economy. This also highlights the difficulties a ship-owner or company might face when trying to outfit their vessel with expensive technology to fall within the acceptable standards put in place by port cities. A secondary problem they may face is the uncertainty of just what technology would be the best investment in such a complex and variable economy subjected to rapidly changing fuel prices and equipment.
In such a turbulent and complex economy, the greener option is not always the most economically viable, even if the ship-owner would prefer it. According to Christian Peter from Wessels Reederei, the push to find greener solutions is not accessible due to the amount of monetary losses of the shipping industry in previous years. Without centralized funding for improved and cohesive technology or LNG conversion at an affordable cost on vessels to curb emissions, such a task is often a daunting and expensive risk for the average ship-owner within the industry at this time.
References
Kravets, Erik. “Green Shipping: Good of Bad for the Bottom Line.” MarEx, 17 June 2016.
Singh, Bikram. “Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) as Fuel for The Shipping Industry.” Marine Insight, 22 July 2016. Web. http://www.marineinsight.com/green-shipping/liquified-natural-gas-lng-as-fuel-for-the-shipping-industry/
Environmental Awards for maritime industry in Singapore
-by Emily/Qiuyun Ye
The SEAA (Singapore Environmental Achievement Award) is one of the distinguished pioneer green awards in Singapore. Launched in 1990 to inspire local commitment to corporate best practices in environment, the awards have blossomed into a regional affair in the past 19 years. From the public sector to manufacturing and services industries, the SEAA has been key to influencing some of the best practices in corporate sustainability.
Highlighting the importance of contributions from all sectors, Mr Edwin Seah, executive director of the Singapore Environment Council said: “90 per cent of world trade by volume is carried by shipping. And with shipping being a significant contributor of sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, there is an opportunity for the sector to reduce airborne pollution from carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption on a global scale.”
“We are heartened to see the efforts and leadership taken yet again by a shipping firm to embrace sustainable shipping to protect the environment. ”
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS (Singapore Branch) (WWL), a Swedish/Norwegian shipping and logistics company received both the SEC-CDL Outstanding Singapore Environmental Achievement Award and the inaugural SEC-MPA Singapore Environmental Achievement Award (Maritime) this year.
They not only established measures to reduce their atmospheric and marine pollutant emissions, such as introducing a new sulphur policy limiting sulphur at berth to <0.1 per cent for all vessels in all ports globally. They also founded the Trident Alliance, an international coalition of more than 35 ship owners and operators from 12 countries, to raise awareness on the enforcement of sulphur regulations.
There are also other environmental awards for shipping industry, for example, The Maritime Safety Award.
The Maritime Safety Award is presented by the Institution, in association with Lloyd’s Register, to an individual, company or organisation which has made a significant technological contribution to improving maritime safety or the protection of the maritime environment.
The Institution believes that the safety of both the seafarer and the maritime environment begins with good design, followed by sound construction and efficient operation. Whilst naval architects and other engineers involved in the design, construction and operation of maritime vessels and structures do not have a patent on such issues, nonetheless their work can make a significant contribution.
It can be seen that the award reinforcing the awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability at sea of the operators of the company or the managements of relevant social departments. It’s a green wave and gives a good idea to other countrys.
References:
https://www.rina.org.uk/maritime_safety_award1.html
European Commission commits to their usual strategy, publishes strategy for low-emission mobility
By Dylan Mumm
Almost exactly one year ago, the European Commission publishes an extensive strategy to lower low-emission from transport, whether it be in the skies, seas, or road. One pillar is doing this by increasing efficiency through better price signaling and nudging people to low-emission modes of transport. Another is by ramping up investment into alternative energy sources, and the last pillar is by investing in low-emission vehicles.
In particular, some less precedented actions will be to focus on lorries, coaches, and buses, which have previously gone on less regulated despite representing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions — and growing. This move will bring Europe more in-line with the US, China, Japan, and Canada.
However, these strategies are common European procedure — Brussels comes up with a nice plan to help the world *on the margin*, member states barely heed their advice, and consumers rarely adjust their habits. In my view, more radical change is needed if governmental organizations really want to make a difference.
Greener Ships for Bluer Waters
By Caroline Buck
As the damaging effects of pollution and greenhouse gases become widespread knowledge among households and industry alike, there is a large push to prevent the detriments of pollution through the creation of new, green technologies. The shipping industry, often viewed as the most environmentally conscious means of transportation, is taking on the creation of environmentally friendly ships. Currently, the shipping industry contributes to roughly less than 3% of all global emission, but as more ships are hitting the seas, this contribution percentage is estimated to skyrocket to 250% by the year 2050. A Norwegian company showed that shipping in the Baltic Sea puts out the same amount of NOx emissions and twice the amount of the SOx emissions as the countries of Sweden and Denmark combined, showing a shift towards greener ships is crucial.
Norway is one of the leaders on the Baltic Sea in terms of innovating and implementing greener ships. DNV GL, a sustainable partner company based out of Oslo, is helping Norway to create both entirely electric ships and ships that combine battery power with the use of LNG. Currently, Norway is examining five different studies on fully electric plug-in ships and hybrid ships. Turning the Norwegian port Risavika Harbour into an all-electric port is also being explored as a future possibility. In a pamphlet put out by DNV GL in 2010, there is a strong emphasis on the creation of LNG hybrid ships, with 70 LNG ships currently in operation and 80 more under construction. LNG cuts CO2 emissions by 20%, NOxby 85-90%, and PM by close to 100% compared to the crude oil being used. LNG is the most cost efficient solution to reduce emissions on the Baltic sea. It is predicted that more than 1000 LNG ships will be sailing the seas by 2022.
Despite Norway’s research in electric ships, the shipping industry is wary to implement battery powered ships because of the high expense and low reliability. Norway has implemented the first electrically powered ferry (picture above), which can carry 120 cars and 360 passengers. The ferry needs 10 minutes of charging time to make its 20-minute journey. The powerhouse behind this technology in this project, Siemens, thinks that roughly 50 routes in Norway could utilize electric ferries in the future.
Why is the shipping industry, Norway included, suddenly pouring resources into cleaner, more environmentally friendly ships? The reason lies within the COP21 held in Paris in 2016, where the UN and other nations met to discuss how to reduce the impact from humanity on the rising global temperatures and pollution; environmentalists are now placing pressure on the shipping industry to become greener. Simply improving the efficiencies of current ships won’t make a difference on the shipping industry’s environmental impact when considering the increasing number of total ships on the Baltic Sea.
The IMO and shipping industry are now working together to both increase the efficiencies of the ships, as well as lower their SOx and NOx emissions. The shipping industry has shown a reduction in emissions of 20% since 2005, and is dedicated to reducing CO2 emissions per ton-km by 50% before 2050. To comply with the IMO Sulphur emission regulations, the shipping industry is also investing over $500 billion towards the use of low Sulphur fuels, as well as new ballast water treatment systems to prevent the spread of damaging, invasive species to ecosystems within the Baltic Sea and across the globe.
As a leader for a greener shipping industry, Norway believes the best route of action is to have ships that continue to pollute pay a penalty, and have rewards in place for ships that become environmentally friendly. Ships could end up paying a duel tax, or a penalty for every ton of carbon dioxide it emits; these penalties would be funneled to poorer countries, though, to help them improve their own shipping infrastructure to be greener. I feel it is crucial for maritime transport must come out of the shadows and play their part in making a cleaner environment for the Baltic Sea, and the world. As a consumer who belongs to the upcoming generation, shipping must become cleaner to keep the water and air clean. If the shipping industry wants to hold to the claim that they are the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation, stakeholders should follow in the path of Norway. The shipping industry is growing at such a fast rate that continuing with the same technologies is not sustainable for the environment at large. The shipping industry, and all stakeholders involved, must realize the future is cleaner and greener shipping – and that investing in this future will help keep the shipping industry afloat as a leader in global transportation.
References:
https://issuu.com/dnv.com/docs/dnv_greener_shipping_baltic_sea
https://news.vice.com/article/norway-is-building-an-environmentally-friendly-fleet-of-ships
The titans sailing on the surface of the ocean got to have their emissions monitored
By Angela/Wing Hin Yung
The shipping industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, its tentacles are extended to touch upon many different sectors. They has been a key player in the world’s existing and emerging companies to transport their goods around the world in an affordable and efficient manner. Yet, just like everything else that runs on fossil fuel, it contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases and particulate matters. Despite having an emission lower than 3% of the world’s pollution, these gigantic vessels are using one of the dirtiest fuels coming from crude oil. Under globalization, it is inevitable that the bloom of the industry is going to continue in the foreseeable future.
Cutting emission and engaging in the development of energy efficient technologies is the new trend of the shipping industry. Not only will taking up social responsibilities facilitate brand building, being energy efficient would definitely reduce the cost of fuel and subsequently reducing the cost for shipping and price for passenger ships. During the course of the global economic downturn, the decline in price could attract more customers and the lowered cost of operation could allow the investment on renewable energy sources or other port facilities. On the other hand, with the narrowing down of the regulations on emission within the Baltic Sea and within the EU waters, being energy efficient is a way to stay in phase with other shipping companies as well as to keep up with the policies imposed by the governments of different regions.
In many cases, ship owners and companies do not pollute the environment intentionally, the major uncertainty usually stems from the lack of information on how to make their industries more environmentally friendly. So, instead of asking whether we should start reducing our emission, many are asking, “How can we limit the environmental impacts from the titans on the surface of the ocean?” The shipping industry is of high complexity as it does not only includes the vessel or the ship owners themselves, there are also many other activities that would contribute to the emission of a ship. In order to truly understand the influence of a ship to the environment, one has to take other activities like the expansion of shipyards, reclamation for the construction of ports and terminals and even the mining process of the fuel into account.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a ship is what could be done to analyse the environmental footprint from the production of a vessel to its disposal. As LCA analyze the emission and environmental impacts of every stage of production, processes and the end-of-life process of a vessel, it provide aids to the decision making process when the restrictions and regulations have to be met in different regions. Ship life cycle management is an essential yet complicated task. One of the biggest obstacles to the reduction of emission is the lack of documentation of data, such as fuel consumption data and emission data, from individual ships, thus rendering decision making a hard and time-consuming task. LCA with assessable digital technologies could provide these data as evidence for effective life cycle management, as well as for making decision that could impose a direct and positive impact on environmental protection.
Being one of the greatest industries in the world, not only does these cargo ships carry the properties of many others that worth trillions, they also carry the responsibilities of protecting the earth and our next generations from pollutions by being a pioneer in sustainability.
References
Cuff, M. Maritime industry refuses to change emissions course https://www.greenbiz.com/article/maritime-industry-refuses-change-emissions-course (accessed Jul 21, 2017).
Energy efficiency is impacted by choices made throughout a vessel’s lifecycle https://www.wartsila.com/tur/en/news/news/12-07-2016-energy-efficiency-is-impacted-by-choices-made-throughout-a-vessel-s-lifecycle (accessed Jul 21, 2017).
Pawlik, T. Ship life cycle assessment and management http://www.bing.com/cr?IG=514C7C000420418FA50A88F2F2DD4B99&CID=14A490AC5F8F6A771DCB9A6A5E896B64&rd=1&h=6gmSSsfUXBaxDMCb0bzyMbc5QSSIdi2cIUXVszVj_SE&v=1&r=http%3a%2f%2farchive.northsearegion.eu%2ffiles%2frepository%2f20140303142113_D3.5.5_ship_life_cycle_management(ed).pdf&p=DevEx,5062.1 (accessed Jul 21, 2017).
Week 3
Paving the Way to a Sustainable Highway
By: Zach Robida
43 countries, 300 operating systems, and 600 volts; these are the facts that describe the current trolleybus systems that transport people from place to place in cities and metropolitan areas. But are they practical? While they do allow the vehicle to run off pure electricity and they are reliable they are limited. The current system in place requires a trolleybus to be connected to the infrastructure at all times, which means its impossible to navigate alternate routes. Researchers and engineers at the global conglomerate Siemens are working to change this.
Why the push? Sweden has already taken initiative to becoming fully fossil fuel independent by the year 2030. This is a bold goal, however the current technology being invested in is making this feat possible. Federico Guerrini who wrote the article Sustainable highways for Trucks wrote, “almost half of Sweden’s CO2 emissions are coming from freight transport and that percentage is scheduled to grow in the coming years, even as rail capacity is increased.” This poses a problem as consumerism is an immovable force that is not to be reckoned with, therefore an alternate solution is needed. Perhaps the answer is eHighways, the new way for freight transportation to go green.
The ideology behind this idea is that a freight vehicle harnesses the ability to connect to an electric wire infrastructure, also called a pantograph. This new technology that is currently being tested on a two-kilometer stretch of the E16 highway solves the problem of emission reduction as well practicality. The truck has the ability to connect to the infrastructure at nearly any point and utilize electric power to travel across roads, however in the event that a route must be changed or a specific delivery must be made, the vehicle can disconnect and use its diesel engine. The pantograph not only has the ability to power the trucks that connect to it, but also absorb the energy the trucks naturally create when braking or decelerating. This leads to the conventional system of freight transport via pure internal combustion engine becoming up to twice as efficient.
In my opinion this is an incredible idea. Large companies have already introduced the idea of hybrid vehicles to everyday consumers that use either biofuels or 240V electricity, but this technology used in a commercial transport sense is practically unprecedented. I for one believe that if Siemens continues to cooperate with local municipalities and governments to test their product that further data could lead to extensive breakthroughs in the transportation and energy sectors.
References
https://www.siemens.com/press/en/feature/2015/mobility/2015-06-ehighway.php
http://www.lth.se/fileadmin/mot2030/filer/2._Johansson_-_Fossil_Free_Fleet_in_Sweden_2030.pdf
Biofuels Taking Off in Airline Industry
By Sean Aitken
With the airline industry growing year after year, the push to make it more sustainable is also increasing. One of the ways airlines are trying to combat emissions is by using biofuels to power their planes. These biofuels can come from several sources, including agricultural and municipal waste. Fulcrum BioEnergy, a biofuel company with a focus in the aviation sector, has made a multi-decade with Waste Management, one of the largest waste management corporations in the USA. This signifies that this industry is looking ahead to creating a large impact on the aviation industry.
One large problem this new technology faces is price. With the current price of conventional oil being so low, biofuel companies are struggling to maintain competition. One way to improve this situation is to incentivize the use of such fuels. An example of this method is the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard, which provides credits to suppliers and consumers for the purchase and production of such fuels.
While this new market and technology advance with time, airlines like United will continue to experiment with biofuels. In late 2015, United started using a biofuel/conventional-jet-fuelblend to carry passengers from Los Angeles to multiple domestic destinations. The willingness of airlines to try new technology with no promise of financial gain provides inspiration to keep innovating. Although with so many airlines flying in the skies and steadfast oil prices, will this type of innovation struggle to catch on?
References
https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program/overview-renewable-fuel-standard
Can consumption Eco-labelled products make the world more sustainable?
By René Bouwmeester
During the last decades environmental awareness has increased among consumers and many want to contribute and do the right thing for the environment. The food industries are the largest contributors to CO2 emissions globally and a lot of people know (Nature.com, 2012). Slowly more and more people don’t want to contribute to the damage that these industries do to the environment (Loureiro and Lotade, 2005). Eco-labels can educate and help the consumer to choose for products that are produced in a more sustainable way.
As an example, GlobeScan did research on behalf of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and found that sustainability is a crucial driver for seafood consumptions. 72 percent of the 16 000 respondents coming from 21 countries across the globe value sustainability of a product higher than price or brand. And 54 percent is willing to pay more for sustainable seafood (Sustainable Brands, 2016).
The survey of GlobeScan also confirmed that MSC labels help the consumer to recognize sustainable seafood products and that it encourages to shop more conscious and more sustainably. Eco-labels have shown to educate consumers and create awareness. And it is a growing trend; in 2015 the purchases of eco-labels grew more than 4%, while products without grew less than 1% (Nielsen.com 2015).
So, many consumers are prepared to pay a bit more but how will it contribute to a sustainable future?
When a company has gained the reputation of sustainability by meeting the standards of an eco-label, it raises a certain expectations. Customers want to see that it pays of the extra coins they spent. This motivates companies to keep investing in more sustainable forms of production to meet the standards of the Eco-label and keep their ‘’green’’ reputation (Wagner, 2008). When consumer purchase eco-labelled products, they have a direct influence on supply and demand in the market. This leads the market in the direction of greater environmental awareness (iisd.org, 2013). Because they can compete with non-sustainable products, it also stimulates the emergence of new sustainable products, methods or use of sustainable sources (Van Hal, 2007; Hellström, 2007). For example, eco-labelling had a positive effect on the amount and toxicity of pollutants of washing powders, soap and shampoos (Eiderstrom, 1993; Naturvårdsverket, 1997).
However it takes more than a bunch of trustworthy eco-labels to transform our consumption into a sustainable consumption. The role of the government and institutes, like universities, research institutes is crucial to provide the consumer with more in depth information on the effects of buying non-sustainable products in comparison to sustainable products (Prieto-Sandoval et al, 2016). Although most Eco-labelled products are not yet fully sustainably produced, there is a trend towards sustainability that comes from the consumers own decisions. But it all starts with gaining knowledge and the sharing of it.
References:
Eiderstrom, E., 1993. The Merits of Eco-labelling.
Hellström, T., 2007. Dimensions of environmentally sustainable innovation: the structure of eco‐innovation concepts. Sustainable Dev. 3, 148-159.
Iisd.org, 2013, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Benefits of eco-labelling, https://www.iisd.org/business/markets/eco_label_benefits.aspx
Loureiro, M.L., Lotade, J., 2005. Do fair trade and eco-labels in coffee wake up the consumer conscience?. Ecol. Econ. 1, 129-138.
Nature.com, Gilbert, N., 2012, One-third of our greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. http://www.nature.com/news/one-third-of-our-greenhouse-gas-emissions-come-from-agriculture-1.11708
Naturvårdsverket, 1997. En studie hur olika styrmedel påverkat skogsindustrin (A Study of How Various Regulation Means Influence the Forest Industry).
Nielsen.com, 2015, Global Corporate Sustainability Report, http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-room/2015/consumer-goods-brands-that-demonstrate-commitment-to-sustainability-outperform.html
Prieto-Sandoval, V., José Antonio Alfaro Tanco, Andrés Mejía-Villa , Marta Ormazabal Goenaga, 2016, ECO-LABELS AS A MULTIDIMENSIONAL RESEARCH TOPIC: TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES, Journal of Cleaner Production, DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.167
Sustainable Brands, 2016, Majority of Global Seafood Consumers Putting Sustainability Concerns Over Price, Brand.
Van Hal, J., 2007. A labeling system as stepping stone for incentives related to the profitability of sustainable housing. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment. 4, 393-408.
Wagner, M., 2008. Empirical influence of environmental management on innovation: Evidence from Europe. Ecol. Econ. 2-3, 392-402.
Have Waste, Will Innovate
By Megan Wander
One third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted every year. This equates to approximately 1.3 billion tons of food…every year. 40% of food in the United State goes to waste, most of which ends up in landfills. This is a major problem across the globe; what are we doing to solve it?
Recently, there has been a push in the tech industry for innovations to reduce food waste. One example is the smart fridge by Samsung. It connects to Wi-Fi and responds to voice commands. Say, for instance, you needed to order more tomatoes- tell your fridge and it would make a note. This fridge has multiple features that not only make it convenient, but also help to significantly reduce waste. For example, an interesting feature is the built-in cameras. When a consumer is out shopping, they can check their fridge camera to see what they need (or more specifically, what they don’t need) in order to prevent over-buying. The cameras also have the capability to zoom in so you can check expiration dates.
Another innovation is a stick-on label for leftovers. The sticker changes color so consumers are reminded to eat their leftover food before it spoils. A few apps have also been created in order to prevent leftovers from being wasted. There is a food-sharing app called Olio which connects people in the same area so that leftovers can be shared. Similarly, an app in Italy allows a shopkeeper to send out an alert of what food they plan to throw away. Customers can come and buy the surplus food. Most of these apps are in the trial period; none of them have really taken off. Another innovation is an electrically charged spray that extends the shelf life of produce by one day. This seemingly small innovation could save millions of pounds from being wasted. These solutions are certainly helpful but obviously more drastic measures need to be taken to deal with the millions of tons of food that is wasted every day.
References
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/14/tech-innovations-that-could-reduce-food-waste
http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/
The American Farming Revolution: A Future as Green as Hemp
By Holly Gillespie
When thinking of traditional textile farming in the US, the first word that usually comes to mind, is cotton; but what if that is about to change—to be replaced with hemp. According to entrepreneur Rob Jungmann, the time for change is nigh! His campaign for the industrial farming of hemp in the United States coincides with the deliverance of a petition before congress, encouraging them to pass the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015/2016. Believe it or not, hemp has been illegal to grow in America since the prohibition, and is still currently categorized in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, which related it to marijuana.
So, why is there still a debate amongst the farmers and the government concerning the industrial growth of hemp? The answer, for many farmers, is the sustainable nature of growing hemp. Compared to more traditional industries like coal mining or cotton production, growing hemp extracts far less from the land it comes from. For example, hemp can replace a percentage of nitrogen back into the soil it grows in, unlike cotton, which can do even more damage to soil if not rotated with other crops. Another benefit of hemp production is it requires less water and can produce more plants per acre than farming. This is a massive benefit for California based cotton farmers who, because of recent droughts, struggle to make crop yield quotas.
The benefit list continues on to the products they can create as well; everything from cars, to stronger fibers in jeans and t-shirts, to ready made textiles that can be taken straight to designers. So, what’s the catch? Currently, the industrial production of hemp is expensive. Why? Because of it’s intensely regulated status in the US; the seeds for production must be imported (mainly from China), and the farmers must seek to register their seeds. This over regulation has negative impacts on regional products as well, such as the Growing Warriors, a sustainable agriculture project aimed at helping Veterans establish livelihoods in this field of industry. On a more positive note, this group of Veterans is currently the first group of private citizens to grow hemp in the US in nearly 75 years.
There is hope though; all throughout the week we have been learning about the practical side of industries getting behind the green movement and how much easier it is to reach their goals when they have a consumer community supporting their movement. Entrepreneurs like Jungmann, looking to industrialize hemp for its obvious benefits to the farmers and their farm land; people like Rebecca Burgess, who works to establish networks between hemp farmers with regional designers and weavers, understand the power of utilizing their community in a holistic way to build a new infrastructure to support this sustainable vision of the future. Lets just hope that Congress can get behind this vision as well—the time is nigh!
References
Chhabra, Esha. “Hemp is eco-friendly. So why won’t the government let farmers grow it?” The Guardian, 25 June 2016.
https://unitedlifescience.com/farming-hemp-in-the-us/
Think Global, Act Local
By Keziah Rookes
So, by now its presumed that most people have heard about global warming and have a general belief in its authenticity. Well unless you are Donald Trump. This blog will not focus on him; It will however focus on the triumphs of cities around the world in establishing an understanding into climate change and its impacts.
Many regulations have been placed upon the way we live our lives and how we use our resources, this has caused anger across many cultures. But if you are striving for a house underwater and the extinction of thousands of species, including your own, then being angry might be the way to go about it.
But it’s okay, there’s hope. Communities across the world have worked hard under the guidelines of municipalities to become ambassadors in reducing emissions and living more sustainably. A southern city in Sweden, Växjö is a pioneering city in doing so. In 1991 it became the first city in the world to declare its plans in becoming a fossil- fuel free city by 2030.
But seriously that’s crazy, right? Surely a city cannot become fossil fuel free. Well in an article by the Guardian it is stated that Växjö’s CO2 emissions have dropped by 43% since the city started measuring in 1993 (Slavin, 2015). Ok so what’s the catch? Because a gain for the environment must put a cost on another pillar of sustainability, such as societal happiness or economy. Well not in Växjö as between 1993 and 2012 GDP per capita increased by 90%. With 13 years still to go, Växjö is close to being fossil fuel free. How has it done this? Go back 20 years and being able to text someone was a miracle, now in 2017 miracles are solving our emission crisis. Växjö is doing this by utilising its waste wood from forests to supply 90% of the city’s heat and a quarter of its electricity. But let me guess your next question! Where does the rest of its electricity come from? The answer, hydro, wind and solar plants, but also, Biogas.
But wait, they can’t be that perfect, isn’t Biogas bad? If we take down trees what’s going to absorb CO2? Växjö only use fallen trees, branches and the tops of trees. They get all their wood from within an 80km-100km radius of the city to curb travel emissions and they get sent to plants powered by hydro and nuclear.
With taxi drivers fuelling their cars with electricity powered by biogas, houses made of wood built to only be insulated by body heat, nurseries and hospitals only supplying local and organic food and many asylum seekers being given shelter from Syria, where’s the problem? Because I’m sure you’re dying to know.
The expanding population has meant that the city struggles to reduce its transport emissions, with 1,100 new residents every year. But it’s okay because this isn’t a problem for Växjö, more a challenge to overcome, a job position for a new sustainable pioneer, or a realisation for a current one.
The residents of Växjö are proud of what they are achieving, and they are setting a global standard with places like Copenhagen aiming to beat Växjö in being emission free by 2025. This is the prime example of healthy competition, and in the eyes of the planet they are partners not competitors (2025, 2017).
People tend to think their personal opinions are better than the reality of a situation; this is one of humanities greatest hurdles. But Växjö are working locally to change this and make their citizens proud, in turn inspiring people all around the globe.
THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL.
References
2025, C. (2017). Copenhagen – Carbon Neutral by 2025 | Solution | City of Copenhagen | State of Green. [online] Stateofgreen.com. Available at: https://stateofgreen.com/en/profiles/city-of-copenhagen/solutions/copenhagen- carbon-neutral-by-2025 [Accessed 26 Jul. 2017].
Slavin, T. (2015). What can the world learn from Växjö, Europe’s self-styled greenest city?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/nov/25/what-can-the-world-learn-from- vaxjo-europes-self-styled-greenest-city [Accessed 23 Jul. 2017].
Sustainable Cities. (2017). Sustainable Cities. [online] Available at: http://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/ [Accessed 25 Jul. 2017].
Carbon-free Or Not. Debate on bioenergy
-by Emily/Qiuyun Ye
Nowadays, climate change is one of the most serious problem throughout the world. Everyone pay attention to how to slow the pace of global warming. The availability of biofuels makes more difference to the ultimate price tag than whether electricity generation can be harnessed successfully to the sun and wind. So, doing it without biofuels would be much harder, and carbon capture and storage technology is important.
Bioenergy is energy derived from biomass which includes biological material such as plants and animals, wood, waste, (hydrogen) gas, and alcohol fuels. It is a carbon-free source because plants pull CO2 back from the air when they grow, offsetting the carbon emitted from burning them as fuel.
Governments around the globe have set to incorporate bioenergy into their transportation fuels in the hope of limiting the world’s overwhelming dependence on gasoline and diesel to move people and goods. While biofuels account for only about 2.5 percent today, the European Union expects renewable energy — mostly biofuels — to account for 10 percent of its transportation fuel by 2020. In the United States, the biofuel goal is about 12 percent by early in the next decade. The International Energy Agency envisions using biofuels to supply as much of 27 percent of the world’s transportation needs by midcentury.
However, critics says the power produced by the harvest of forest is not, in fact, carbon-free. Diverting a cornfield or a forest to produce energy requires not using it to make food or, just to store carbon. We must increase the total amount of plant growth, making more plants available for energy use while preserving other benefits. If the critics are right, the hunt for biomass on a large scale could vastly change the world’s land use, food supply and ecosystems while helping little to prevent climate change.
There are also someone think it is definitely feasible. The world could feed 35 billion people (the earth’s current population is seven billion) if only the productivity of agriculture and livestock in the developing world were brought to developed country standards. That could free up a lot of land. In most of the climate change panel’s models that bring temperatures back under the 2-degree ceiling by the end of the century, biofuels are assumed to produce about 250 to 350 exajoules of energy a year. Today, the energy content of all the biomass harvested for food, fodder and everything else amounts to about 220 exajoules. Deploying just 10 percent of the world’s five billion hectares currently used for crops and pastures to grow biofuels could generate 100 to 150 exajoules by the end of the century. An additional 60 to 70 could be had from planting biofuels on currently degraded land. The rest could come from better harvesting of forests and the use of organic waste.
Indeed, it will be hard to maintain the productivity growth of the last several decades. Because the world needs to produce 70 percent more of virtually all the products of land — crops, grasses and wood — by 2050, there is no additional room for bioenergy, and any capacity to increase crop yields and to make better use of any underutilized land is already needed for these other purposes.
Reference
http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Bioenergy/
A Collaboration that will Fuel the Future
By Caroline Buck
In a world where mass consumption is the norm, mankind is quickly living beyond what the Earth can continue to provide. One example of an unsustainable practice is with the use fossil fuels and coal for energy; not only are these huge pollutants when burned, but they are nonrenewable as well. Today, there are efforts being made to combat the use of fossil by creating various types of biofuels. Biofuel, simply put, is a fuel created from many varying types of organic compounds (example: corn). These organic matters are processed to create a usable energy source. Biofuel is so important in the energy world because it is renewable and it burns with no sulfur and reduced CO2 emissions, meaning cleaner air for all.
In Europe, a major partnership between Global Bioenergies, IBN-One, and Lantmannen Aspen has taken place to advance the commercial production of biofuels. Each of these companies already lead various projects in the biofuel field. Global Bioenergies has a demo plant in Leuna which focuses on using fermentation to create usable energy sources, IBN-One (which was created in part by Global Bioenergies) created the first bio-isobutene (corn-derived glucose used as fuel) commercial plant project, and Lantmannen Aspen is a Swedish company which is a leader in specialty alkylate gasoline. Alkylate is a complicated word that merely means a type of “green” gasoline.
The goal of this partnership is to allow Lantmannen Aspen use of the Luena demonstration plant and the IBN-One commercial plant to create renewable isooctane for multiple specialty fuels. At the Leuna plant specifically, which creates isobutene from industrial crops such as beets and cane sugar, can be used to then create isooctane from the isobutene. Isooctane is both a renewable and a high-quality fuel. Lantmannen Aspen hopes to financially help Global Bioenergies and IBN-One to commercialize the use of renewable isooctane as an energy source.
The commercialization of the renewable isooctane is important when moving towards a sustainable, clean lifestyle. Lantmannen believes these specialty biofuels are “…where the man, machine, and environment benefit from a cleaner fuel quality regarding harmful substances compared to regular gasoline” [1]; I fully support this statement. I think this partnership is crucial to take biofuel production to the next level; if biofuels can be commercialized for specialty fuels, then that can help open the door to more biofuel production for different applications. Currently, biofuels are often seen as inaccessible. However, if people can see biofuels being created on a large scale, then more farms could be put up to help grow the crops needed for the biofuels in the first place. With more farms, then there can be higher biofuel production, and this cycle could help give biofuels the place they need in a sustainable future.
References:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-green-fuel.htm
http://www.global-bioenergies.com/first-renewable-gasoline-sample-delivered-to-audi/?lang=en
http://www.aspen.se/Guider/Guide_Engelsk/What_is_alkylate_petrol_/Aspen_miljobensin
http://www.global-bioenergies.com/the-construction-of-the-leuna-demo-plant-is-completed/?lang=en
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/biofuels/environmental-benefits-biofuel.htm
Food Industry and Sustainability of Food-Chain Resources
By Mahreen Ansari
According to UN report, the global population will increase from 7.3 billion to 9.7 billion in 2050. Consequently this will cause 60% increase in food supply demand and 30% rise in water demand for agriculture globally. Most important and critical question is that: How can we feed the world population in 2050?. Global warming and climate change will affect all aspects of food security, including food production and price stability globally and regionally. The food and beverage industries are the biggest purchaser of agricultural raw material. EU commission reported that Food and drink sector use 23% recourses globally, contribute in 18% green house gas emission and 31% acidifying emission. It means that global warming and climate change endanger their future viability. Large food and beverage companies such as Unilever and Kellogg are focusing to work with primary stages of food chain, which is primary production of raw materials and make them sustainable and yet profitable. Many other companies such as PepsiCo, Knorr, Unilever and have taken actions towards sustainable primary production strategies and methods. These companies supporting small stakeholders farmers and agricultural supplier and enable them to grown raw material according to sustainability standards and goals for both companies and farmers. They also encouraging the famers to use different tools for assessing the sustainable management practices e.g. Green light software, which enable the farmer to do self-assessment in order to check the environmental friendly standards.
The end goal and real challenge is for food industry is to show the positive impacts that sustainability could have on the lives of farmer, their communities and environment. Plus this consumer must have to change it buying habits towards the sustainable sourcing.
The Unhealthcare Industry
By Dylan Mumm
Despite its key role in our society to sustain our life, the healthcare industry just isn’t sustainable right now. Political volatility, ever-increasing prices, low consumer trust, increased populations in transitioning economies, and higher demand for sustainable supply chains are all going to push the healthcare industry to adapt to face the challenges directly.
Due to several reasons, such as aging populations, increased demand for care, with a hope that it’s quality and consistent, and increasing rates of chronic illness, healthcare is taking up more and more of the economy, healthcare companies need a way to balance sustainable outcomes with sustainable business strategies.
In addition, environmental impacts will stress the system, as pollution is having direct effects on local air quality, and indirectly through climate change. More and more people will need treatment to help care for issues caused by pollution. Healthcare industries need to understand this, and be a primary advocate for environmentalism. Consumers demand sustainable products, and this demand is often exacerbated by government policy incentivizing it. As of right now, consumer trust in the industry is low, and individual companies have the power to increase this trust by genuinely taking an interest in sustainability.
Personally, I’m skeptical that the private industry can act sustainably, even if in its own self-interest. Long-term abstract goals are unpopular, especially in the middle of political volatility. Large corporations simply would rather work on the day-to-day concerns. But the facts might be contradictory to my gut instict, for example, in a report compiled by Practice Greenhealth, titled 2016 Sustainability Benchmark Report, steady progress was found to be made in that year,
- “The health care sector continued to mature in its implementation of environmental sustainability initiatives. Increasingly, the sector is embracing a holistic view of health and sustainability that connects environmental issues to hospitals’ priority outcomes, including community health, staff engagement, safety and patient experience. The sector continues to demonstrate that environmental practices are part and parcel to the hospitals’ mission to “first, do no harm,” as science increasingly links built environment, air quality, and climate conditions to human health and well-being. Leading hospitals are taking a preventative approach to waste and chemicals by reducing, re-using and recycling materials and by using environmentally preferable purchasing techniques, which can have a profound impact up and down the supply chain.”
I certainly hope this progress continues.
References
2016 Sustainability Benchmark Report
Achieving Sustainability by Standing on the Shoulder of Giant Companies
By Angela/Wing Hin Yung
Attaining sustainability is a common goal for all when it comes to our realization that we are all on a planet with limited resources. Within a country, leaders or the governmental bodies cannot accomplish much by themselves, concrete actions from both the nations and its people and business are the critical ingredients if we want to prevent more dangerous delays on emission goals in the future.
When 45 percent of Fortune 500 companies have announced their engagement in sustainability target by 2016, some might think it is just another brand-building strategy. The good news is that sustainability is no longer just another PR tool when companies in the US, for example, has signed long-term contracts to purchase three-times of the amount of renewable energy as they did in 2014. On top of financial support, the maturing green technologies have enabled the achievement of sustainability goals of these companies. The use of green technology has gained a steady momentum over the last 2 years and it is allowing the possibility for success.
There have been multiple means for the companies to achieve their goals from the production line, including the reduction of packaging materials and the use of biodegradable packaging materials extracted from mushrooms. In addition to carbon reduction in manufacturing and disposal process, some companies include their daily operations into their emission goals. General Motors, one of the biggest vehicle companies in the US, has installed 186,000 LED bulbs and fixtures in their office which have brought them a $73 million energy cost saving by 2016 2. Meanwhile, 56% of P&G’s global production sites have limited their waste to zero by 2016 after they had set a goal in 2010 of zero waste by 2020 3.
On top of utilizing green technologies, some of these businesses include different stakeholders to be a part of the solutions of their reduction in emissions. San Diego Gas & Electric, Qualcomm and GE lighting, for example, has collaborated with the City of San Diego and other NGOs for the development of retrofitting 85% of the city’s lighting into LED lights aiming to reduce greenhouse gases emission and 60% of electricity usage within the city as their goals 1,4,5. These projects involving the engagement of stakeholders outside the companies often on top of their direct impact on the emission goals. Many mini – concrete steps were taken by these top businesses to achieve tangible success over the past few years, but is it enough?
It is difficult for small to medium scale companies or even individuals to bear complete responsibility because they often lack the knowledge and capital to invest in cutting edge pilot models. Despite the dropping cost of renewable energy in the last 5 years, many could not afford to bear the risk compared to their bigger counterparts. Besides physical resources, top companies often have the network, the reputation and the experiences to sail the ships of innovation. The capacity of big businesses to contribute to solving global problems might have rendered them the most suitable responsibility bearers in terms of impact and success rates. Yet, none are responsibility-free at the end, the aggregation of knowledge on renewable energies and on green management would aid the learning of smaller enterprises and individuals. With government as the driving force, businesses as the engine and technologies as the tool, joint efforts between different sectors of is possible and would be the perfect setting for nations to achieve their shares of emission goals.
References
Green tech helps top businesses reach sustainability goals http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/brand-connect/brt/green-tech/ (accessed Jul 26, 2017).
In Motor City, a Rising Industry Keeps the Lights On https://www.rmi.org/news/motor-city-rising-industry-keeps-lights/(accessed Jul 26, 2017).
Sparrow, N. PureCycle hosts ribbon cutting for plant powered by P&G recycling technology https://www.plasticstoday.com/recycling/purecycle-hosts-ribbon-cutting-plant-powered-pg-recycling-technology/5130555557172 (accessed Jul 26, 2017).
Lighting Up the Night with Friends of Smart Street Lights http://cleantechsandiego.org/lighting-up-the-night-with-friends-of-smart-street-lights/ (accessed Jul 26, 2017).
How San Diego’s Smart City Tech Is Reducing Traffic, Saving Energy https://urbanland.uli.org/sustainability/san-diegos-smart-city-tech-reducing-traffic-saving-energy/ (accessed Jul 26, 2017).
Discovery of a Sustainable Baltic Sea 