Open Access Journals at Aalborg University
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E-Waste Management Trend in Ethiopia: Strategies for Extending Electronics Lifecycles
Get PDFThe rapid e-waste generation poses a significant environmental challenge, necessitating sustainable approaches to managing electronic product lifecycles. This paper investigates how repair practices in Ethiopia affect the lifespan of electronic devices. It has been observed that, compared to several reference countries, electronics in Ethiopia tend to have slightly longer lifespans, primarily due to extensive repair and reuse practices. In this study, we conducted a lifespan analysis by collecting lifespan data from various maintenance shops. The Weibull distribution method was used to analyze the lifespan of different categories of devices. The data revealed that the average lifespans of LCD TVs, LCD monitors, laptops, and smartphones are 12.0, 11.0, 10.7, and 6.4 years, respectively. The findings highlight the significant role of repair and refurbishment in extending device longevity while also revealing a growing trend in e-waste generation. This study explores the impact of repair practices on extending electronic device lifespans in Ethiopia, considering policy approaches that support repair and reuse. It also shows the need for collaboration among repair practitioners, policymakers, and consumers to strengthen sustainable e-waste management efforts. This research aims to contribute to environmental preservation and sustainable development in the country by fostering a circular economy
Navigating social sustainability in engineering education: Student experiences and challenges of using a social impact audit tool in a product design project
Get PDFEstimating the influential impact share of reducing household energy consumption across different sectors aimed at increasing cumulative profits in Iran: A non-linear programming optimization approach
No full textEnergy intensity is one of the most important energy feature that has a dramatic value in energy system of Iran. Indeed, Iran is one of the most energy intensive countries in the world and its main reason is related to high energy consumption in household section. In this article, we present a non-linear model that considers three scenarios in management of household energy demand reducing. Therefore, a rational percentage of energy consumption reduction in the household sector, which firstly eliminates the imbalance between energy production and consumption, and secondly, derives a rational amount of profit from various reduction scenarios, will be presented. The mentioned rational profits in this article are obtained from three scenarios. In the first scenario, it is assumed that the percentage reduction in household energy consumption will be allocated to reducing energy demand in the industrial sector, resulting in profits from value-added creation in this sector. In the second scenario, all benefits from reducing energy consumption in the household sector will be devoted to energy exports, yielding profits from this source. Finally, in the third scenario, the reduction in energy consumption will lead to a decrease in energy supply and consequently a reduction in energy supply costs. To conduct a comprehensive study, a combination of the mentioned scenarios has also been modeled and investigated. The model results indicate that with a 25% reduction in household energy consumption in the 2024-2034 timeframe, the energy imbalance will be eliminated, and allocating 5% of this reduction entirely to the industrial sector will result in profits equivalent to $164.18 billion. However, it should be noted that in the considered combined scenarios, the greater the share of the first scenario, the higher the resulting profit, and the optimal point is achieved in the first scenario
The Convolutions of Necessitarianism
Get PDFThis article presents three letters written by Arthur Norman Prior to his wife Mary from 29th April 1945. Numbered 131–133, they concern ‘the convolutions of necessitarianism’, and is an analysis of how Fatalism and Despair constitutes a central theme in Melville’s Moby Dick. The letters discuss Jonathan Edwards’ view on predestination and, Luis de Molina’s theory of scientia media. They are relevant for understanding Prior’s later discussion of determinism and reveal that he had carried out extensive theological studies of Molinism as part of his work on reformed theology, was influenced by Barth’s discussion of Molinism in Church Dogmatics and viewed Molinism as a precursor of Jonathan Edwards’ theory and rejected both as Beltistian schemes, i.e., as a defense of the idea that God has created the best of all possible worlds. This article argues that Prior’s early study of determinism reveals a strong influence of Karl Barth’s criticism of Molinism, which, in light of Prior’s early criticism of Barth’s philosophical idealism, explains why he either had to reject divine foreknowledge or accept what he considered an unorthodox view of divine foreknowledge
Problem- and Project-Based Learning in Diverse Settings: Reflections on 23 Years of Application
Get PDFThis article presents an autoethnographic account of 23 years of teaching experience using problem- and project-based learning (ProbBL and ProjBL) in higher education, across face-to-face, blended, distance learning, and massive open online course (MOOC) formats. Drawing on 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and personal teaching notes, I systematically analyse how PBL approaches were developed, adapted, and implemented in diverse institutional and cultural contexts. These published works, based on both quantitative and qualitative research, serve as reflective artifacts through which I revisit and reinterpret my teaching practice. Using content mapping and thematic coding, I identify recurring tensions and enabling conditions in the application of PBL over time. Key findings highlight the importance of institutional support, student autonomy, emotional engagement, and community partnerships in sustaining active learning practices. Conversely, structural challenges such as faculty precarity, bureaucratic rigidity, and cultural resistance to pedagogical change often undermine these efforts. This article contributes to the literature by foregrounding the often-invisible institutional and emotional labor involved in sustaining transformative teaching practices. It also offers practical recommendations for educators and academic leaders seeking to advance PBL in complex and evolving educational environments
Community ownership models for decentralised renewables in the global south: a review and research agenda
Get PDFCommunity ownership models for decentralised renewable energy (DRE) have been applied in various contexts across global south countries. However, their characteristics, effectiveness and limitations remain understudied. Understanding these ownership models is of interest in the context of bridging the persistent electricity access gap in the global south, particularly present among remote populations, and the imperative to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030. This study addresses this research gap through a scoping literature review and expert interviews. The findings shed light on the diverse definitions of community ownership in the context of decentralised renewables in the global south and on experiences of applying community ownership models in the global south, and identify four recurring themes: regulation, financing, roles and power, and capacities and skills. Through the lens of the multi-level perspective, we discuss the implications of our findings for energy access, socio-economic development policies and initiatives, and research
Beregninger vedrørende udbygget E45 – Trafik og samfundsøkonomi : Artikel
No full textDenne artikel omfatter sammenligninger mellem to forskellige løsninger af det som er kaldt den 3. Limfjordsforbindelse. Udgangspunktet er her den af Vejdirektoratet specificerede motorvej på 20 km vest om Aalborg by og hen over øen Egholm (i det følgende kaldet Egholmmotorvejen). Overfor denne løsning er specificeret en udbygning af den eksisterende motorvej E45 øst om Aalborg, hvilket ikke tidligere er blevet tilstrækkeligt undersøgt.Analyser og beregninger foretages med Den grønne Mobilitesmodel (GMM) og TERESA modellen (Transport- og Energiministeriets Regnearksmodel til Samfundsøkonomisk Analyse). For at gennemføre beregningerne opstilles en basisløsning, en løsningen hvor der ingen ændringer foretages. Sammenligningerne og konsekvenserne findes ved fremskrivning til beregningsåret 2035, hvilket også er det sandsynlige tidspunkt for ibrugtagning af en ny forbindelse over Limfjorden.Der er i artiklen fokuseret på de to løsningers ”evne” til at løse de trafikale problemer omkring Aalborg, som de opleves f.eks. ved Limfjordstunnelen, ved Bouet-sammenfletningen mellem E39 og E45 og ved City Syd, samt generelt på det overordnede vejnet ved Aalborg. Derudover vurderes de samfundøkonomiske konsekvenser for de to løsninger
Fra øde byrum til øvebane for nye cyklister : Artikel
No full textI maj 2024 fik Aarhus en ny, midlertidig cykellegeplads på det tidligere færgeleje ved Pier 3, der i dag bl.a. rummer et populært paddelcenter, men ellers står øde hen. I denne artikel vil vi præsentere projektet med Cykeløen i detaljer, samt gøre status på, hvordan det første år med Cykeløen er gået.Artiklen kommer således til at besvare følgende spørgsmål:Hvilke færdigheder kræver det at cykle, og hvordan kan disse (med fordel) læres på en øvebane?Hvad kendetegner en god cykellegeplads, som motiverer til timevis af leg og læring