University of Sri Jayewardenepura: Journals & Proceedings
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Assessing Local Fishing Communities’ Willingness to Pay for Reducing Faecal and Oil Pollution in the Negombo Lagoon
No full textAbstract
The Negombo Lagoon is one of the economically important coastal areas in Sri Lanka, however, it faces challenges due to faecal and oil pollution. Faecal and oil pollution not only affect the water quality but also threaten aquatic organisms, human health, and the livelihoods of local fishing communities. This has led to declining fish and prawn stocks, loss of biodiversity, and reduction in the lagoon's ecological and economic value. Therefore, this study employs the choice experiment approach to assess the local fishing communities’ preferences and willingness to pay to reduce faecal and oil pollution in the lagoon. This study considered six attributes: faecal pollution, oil pollution, algae removal, fish and prawn stock, mangrove restoration, and payment. A total of 350 respondents were randomly selected using a well-structured questionnaire. The mixed logit model was used to elicit respondents’ preferences. The findings of this study indicate that respondents are willing to pay LKR 1,220.20 and LKR 734.09 for a 50% reduction in faecal and oil pollution, respectively. Additionally, the estimated WTP for 50% algae removal, a 50% increase in fish and prawn stock, and a 50% increase in mangroves is LKR 2,181.10, LKR 2,313.78, and LKR 994.44, respectively. In contrast, respondents exhibited a negative WTP of LKR 899.88 for 25% algae removal. Notably, the findings of this study reveal that respondents have a higher WTP for increasing fish and prawn stock than for reducing faecal and oil pollution. It indicates that respondents prioritize attributes that are directly related to economic benefits over environmental improvements. Furthermore, results imply that respondents’ education level and household monthly income significantly influenced the faecal and oil pollution reduction preferences. The findings of this study will help policymakers in designing effective strategies and pricing mechanisms to reduce pollution while considering local communities' preferences.
Keywords: Faecal pollution, Mixed logit model, Oil pollution, Willingness to Pa
The Study of Analyzing the Environmental Impact of Manufacturing Wheat Biscuits in Laboratory Scale Using Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
No full textAbstract
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method is a tool that can be used for assessing the potential emissions generated by a product, process, or activity over its entire life cycle. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential environmental impact of laboratory-scale wheat-based soft dough and hard dough biscuit production processes, and to compare their environmental impact using LCA. Environmental impact was assessed using the method described by ISO 14040: 2006 for Life Cycle Assessment. The functional unit (FU) for the study was defined as one kilogram of biscuits. Accordingly, 1 kg each of soft dough and hard dough biscuits were prepared per trial, with three trials conducted for each biscuit type. The system boundary included all stages from raw material acquisition to biscuit packaging stage. Laboratory trials conducted in the Food Processing Laboratory at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura were used to collect primary data, and the secondary data was mainly obtained from the Ecoinvent, Agri-footprint, and USLCI databases. The associated environmental impact was assessed using SimaPro 9.5.0.2 faculty version and the ReCiPe 2016 Endpoint (H) method. According to the results, the environmental impacts of both biscuits were primarily influenced by the dough making stage, as raw material transportation during the dough making stage emits significant amounts of carbon dioxide (197.37 kg CO2 eq / km) and dinitrogen monoxide (2.4 kg CO2 eq /km). The second-largest impact was attributed to the biscuit baking phase, with the least impact occurring during biscuit packing for both biscuit types. The dough-making stage had the highest impact on land use (99.7%), as butter production, a key ingredient in the dough, requires a significant amount of land to feed dairy cows. The dough making stage had the second highest impact on water consumption affecting aquatic ecosystems (99.1%), owing to the significant amount of water required for wheat flour production, which reduces water availability for aquatic ecosystems. Among the ingredients used in the dough, butter had the highest impact across most categories. When comparing two biscuit types, soft dough biscuit manufacturing had the highest impact across most categories, except water consumption affecting aquatic ecosystems. This exception is due to the high-water requirement for cultivating wheat flour, which is more prevalent in hard dough biscuits than soft dough biscuits. In conclusion, the dough-making stage had the greatest environmental impact, while hard dough biscuit production had a lower impact compared to soft dough biscuit manufacturing.
Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment, Wheat, Biscuits, Environmental impact, SimaPro softwar
THE NEXUS BETWEEN OIL PRICES AND EXCHANGE RATE: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA
Get PDFThis study investigated the relationship between oil price changes and exchange rates in Nigeria from 1982 to 2023. The study also analyzed the direction of causality between oil price and exchange rates. To achieve these objectives, a Vector Autoregression model was employed and granger causality test was carried out. Results showed that oil price fluctuations had significant short and long run effects on exchange rates. In the long run, a 1% increase in oil price resulted in a 0.02875% change in the exchange rate. Interestingly, Granger causality tests revealed a unidirectional relationship from exchange rates to oil prices. The study concludes by recommending that the Nigerian government should properly manage its foreign exchange reserves and promote diversification of the economy into non-oil sectors to mitigate vulnerabilities associated with oil price changes
Citizen Journalism through Social Media during 2013 and 2018 Mass Movements in Bangladesh and Its Impact on the Mass Revolution of 2024
Get PDFProtests have been a potent instrument for attaining justice for the marginalized since human civilization's inception. The proliferation of digital technology largely triggers contemporary manifestations of protest. The phenomenon of citizen journalism, facilitated by diverse social media platforms, has played a pivotal role in recent transformative changes. From the Arab Spring to the more recent anti-discrimination student movement in Bangladesh, social media has significantly shaped a new historical narrative for the demonstrators. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the rise of citizen journalism in Bangladesh, specifically focusing on the protests that took place in 2013 and 2018. The mass uprising that took place in July-August 2024 also witnessed stern influence of citizen journalism, which eventually brought about a revolutionary change in Bangladesh. This study assesses the beneficial influence of citizen journalism achieved through social media platforms in the anti-discrimination student-led movement in Bangladesh, which marked a notable change in the political landscape of the country. An authoritarian dictatorship lasting 15 years had been replaced by a new temporary administration. Consequently, the movement was hastened by the influence of many activities, including hashtags, red-colored profile pictures, and Facebook groups. In the social milieu of Bangladesh, the story of social media has garnered a notably favorable response, mostly driven by Generation Z. Furthermore, this study describes the effects of social media on various aspects of public affairs in Bangladesh and emphasizes the need to conduct further research to assess the influence of citizen journalism on social media in other areas of governance and policy. Through the eclectic method, literature has been reviewed to analyze the current uprising in the light of citizen journalism. The political landscape in Bangladesh has changed, which will create more opportunities for citizen journalism in the days ahead. In actuality, this represents a paradigm shift in both the communication and journalism domains.
Keywords: Bangladeshi Political Movements and Protest, Citizen Journalism, Hashtag, Social Media, Student Movemen
Headland Bay Beaches and Zeta-Form Beaches as Geo Resources: Morphological Evidence from Sri Lanka
Get PDFThe term “geo-resources” refers to all geological resources that serve as the basis for life in modern-day society. The beach systems associated with the southwestern and southern coastal zones are well rich in headland bay beaches and zeta-form beaches of different sizes. Among those beaches, beaches are also a significant feature in the selected area from Maggona Head (southwestern coast) to Rekawa Lagoon (southeastern coast). The evolution of these beaches depends on wave forcing and morphological characteristics, and the morphological feature is defined as a beach lyingon the leeward side of a headland subjected predominantly to wave attack. These beaches characteristically have a seaward-concave plan shape resulting from erosion caused by refraction, diffraction, and reflection of waves into the shadow zone behind the headland. Tide-induced currents have no direct effect on the plan shape of headland-bay beaches in the area. Various physical changes were observed in the study areas via Google Earth Pro, and historical imagery was used to understand the changes. MepBay software was used to evaluate the stability of the beaches. Aerial images of the bayed beaches were opened via MepBay software, and the following control points were defined manually. According to the findings, the coastline and coastal zone have changed drastically over the years. Coastal infrastructure development and accretion/erosion caused by monsoon wind patterns are the main influences on such changes, and many embayed beaches in the study area are in static equilibrium, but few are in a dynamic equilibrium state. Most beaches are either used for fisheries or for tourism activities. However, since many beaches have the potential to be used as renewable energy sources and biodiversity hotspots, the present study suggests incorporating as many uses as possible into these resources rather than utilizing them for a single purpose. However, proper scientific studies should be conducted prior to commencing such activities to ensure long-term sustainability
The effect of the population's age distribution on the ecological footprint in Sri Lanka
Get PDFThis study investigates the effect of population age distribution on Sri Lanka’s ecological footprint (EF) from 1980 to 2022, integrating demographic variables into the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework. Using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach, the analysis reveals a U-shaped relationship between GDP and EF, contradicting the traditional inverted U-curve hypothesis. The working-age population (15–64 years) exerts the most significant long-term pressure on the EF, with an impact five times greater than that of the young population (0–14 years). In contrast, the elderly population (65+ years) shows a negligible negative association. Short-run dynamics highlight rapid equilibrium restoration (error correction term = -3.33), with lagged GDP terms exacerbating EF and GDP² terms mitigating it. The findings underscore the environmental cost of economic productivity driven by the working-age cohort and suggest that Sri Lanka’s current development trajectory risks accelerating ecological degradation. Policy recommendations include green employment initiatives, sustainable urban planning, and carbon taxation to align economic growth with sustainability. This study contributes to developing-country literature by demonstrating the applicability of demographic-EKC frameworks and advocating for age-sensitive environmental policies
The Factors Influencing Undergraduate Students' Intentions Toward Foreign Employment. As a case of Undergraduates at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Get PDFThe local education system produces much of Sri Lanka's highly skilled human capital. A highly skilled workforce is essential for supporting Sri Lanka's economic growth. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has faced a brain drain problem. While research studies have focused on the brain drain of professionals, limited research has been conducted on undergraduates' perceptions of expatriation. This study aims to identify the intentions of undergraduate students to seek foreign employment. Required information was obtained through a structured questionnaire and the sample size was 361. The sampling technique was stratified proportional random sampling. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to derive the inferences. The results indicate that career aspirations and the influence of family and friends significantly impact undergraduate students' intentions to work abroad. In contrast, salary expectations and quality of life do not have a significant effect. Additionally, positive relationships exist between these factors and students' intentions to seek foreign employment. Future research could focus on the intentions of foreign employment of undergraduates from state and private universities
Book Review of “Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases” by Fred R. David
Get PDFStrategic management is the cornerstone of organizational success in today's dynamic and competitive business environment. It encompasses the systematic process of formulating, implementing, and evaluating decisions and actions that guide an organization towards achieving its long-term objectives (Wheelen and Hunger, 2007). From defining mission and vision to analyzing internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats, strategic management provides a roadmap for navigating complexities and uncertainties while capitalizing on opportunities for growth and innovation
විදුදය භාෂා, සාහිත්ය, සංස්කෘතික හා සන්නිවේදන ශාස්ත්රීය සංග්රහය
No full textවිදුදය භාෂා, සාහිත්ය, සංස්කෘතික හා සන්නිවේදන ශාස්ත්රීය සංග්රහ
A Medical Anthropological Study on the Use of Digital Technology in Traditional Medicine (Sinhala Medicine) in Sri Lanka
Get PDFTraditional Sinhala medicine (TSM), an integral part of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage, has been practiced for centuries. This system, rooted in indigenous knowledge, emphasizes natural remedies, herbal treatments, and holistic approaches to health. However, the advent of digital technology has brought significant changes to various fields, including traditional medicine (TM). This research aims to understand how digital technology is being used in TSM and its effects on this traditional practice. Can TSM be developed using digital technology to suit today’s society? is the research question in this research. As both qualitative and quantitative data have been used for this research, the research has been conducted under the mixed research method. Sampling was conducted at the Maharagama and Homagama DSDs (Divisional Secretariat Division) in Colombo district, Buttala and Siyabalanduwa DSDs in Monaragala district, Kahtagasdigiliya and Kekirawa DSDs in Anuradhapura district. In order to achieve the objectives of the research, 15 traditional medical practitioners (TMP) and 60 elderly people were selected from the study areas through purposive sampling method, and data were collected through interviews and observation methods. While digital technology has the potential to enhance the practice of TM, it also poses challenges related to authenticity, quality control, and equitable access. The study reveals that digital technology has significantly improved the accessibility of TSM authenticity and equitable access. To maximize the benefits of digital technology while mitigating its drawbacks, it is essential to develop strong guidelines and foster collaboration among practitioners, technology developers, and policymakers. By doing so, Sri Lanka can ensure the continued vitality and relevance of its TM practices in the digital age, preserving its cultural heritage while improving healthcare outcomes for its population