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Food consumption of Syrian immigrants in Malmö, Sweden : a study on how food consumption of Syrian immigrants affects the nature of the foodscape in Malmö, Sweden
Get PDFThis thesis aims to study the food consumption of Syrian immigrants in Malmö, Sweden, and their habits regarding food. The first goal is to investigate why they eat food from their homeland, as part of a wider perspective of food and its effects on landscape in the city. The research explored a variety of factors that influence Syrian immigrant’s choices of his/her food. The study depended on qualitative research methodology, based on 5 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Syrian migrants. This study analysed the economic, social, religious, and other factors that influence their food consumption habits and the foodscape and landscape character of Malmö. The study concluded that there were many factors, that played a role for the Syrian interviewees that contributed to determine their cultural choices and consumption patterns. They gave me answers about the food habits of the Syrians in Malmö. Although, the study's findings discover that Syrian migrants' food identities play a significant role in shaping the character of the foodscape and landscape of Malmö.
Finally, the results provide valuable insights to study the importance of the impact of food on the urban landscape and the need to consider the dietary identities of different immigrant groups when analysing the nature of landscapes. Qualitative research methodology was used in this study, but my results may not be considered generalizable to other contexts
Assessing Textile Raw Materials and Exploring Sustainable Sources for Future Renewable Textile Materials for IKEA of Sweden
Get PDFThis degree project at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has been conducted in
collaboration with IKEA of Sweden.
The textile industry contributes to significant environmental challenges, including pollution and global water scarcity. Heatwaves and droughts are increasing in frequency and intensity, leading to reduced water availability, food insecurity, and land degradation. Water scarcity is a major concern in China and India, where large populations face high water stress and limited access to safe drinking water. Cotton production, the largest natural fiber globally, consumes extensive irrigation water, agrochemicals, and land, resulting in soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat destruction. Synthetic textiles and animal leather production further contribute to environmental contamination and CO2 emissions. Conventional textile practices also result in large amounts of textile waste, with only a small fraction effectively recycled. The man-made cellulosic fiber (MMCF), viscose, has been associated with substantial environmental and social impacts. However, the adoption of sustainable practices, such as utilizing Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood sources and employing closed-loop processes like lyocell production, has emerged as a viable strategy for mitigating the drawbacks associated with MMCFs. This thesis investigated sustainable sources for renewable textile materials, utilizing a literature review and analysis of diverse natural raw materials’ production, land occupancy, and water footprint.
It is found that the utilization of recycled products, cotton (rCotton) and viscose, present opportunities for circular production, with potential benefits including reduced waste, carbon emissions, and water consumption, but challenges such as contamination from non-recyclable fibers and degradation of fiber properties need to be addressed. In prolonged drought and heat wave climates, hybrid poplar may be a better option than eucalyptus among fast-growing broadleaves for plantation, since eucalyptus have high flammability. Utilizing agro-waste for textile fibers offers efficient use of cropland. Commodity crop byproducts, corn and corn husks, abundant and affordable, can be used for corn-based polylactic acid (PLA) and corn husk fiber; banana pseudostem can be mechanically processed to fiber, and sugarcane bagasse can be used for producing viscose and lyocell and sugarcane-based foam, which offer eco-friendly alternatives for mattress filling. Coconut coir is well suited for mattresses and brushes use, while buckwheat hulls as filling material for pillows and mattresses. Bamboo is an ideal choice for its rapid growth rate, capability for soil stabilization, efficacy in water purification, and extraordinary carbon sequestration and it can be utilized for rayon and mechanically produced fine fiber. The staple fiber produced by TreeToTextile is sourced from sustainably managed woods and processed via a closedloop system with reduced chemical, energy, and water utilization. All these materials are considered feasible candidates for IKEA’s future innovations in textile applications.
To enhance sustainability, IKEA could replace synthetic fibers with renewable raw materials and prioritize textile fibers from crops with high yield and woods with minimal environmental impacts. This approach contributes to circular production, creates more cropland availability for food cultivation or natural reserves of forests and wetlands, and preserves a healthy ecosphere, particularly in prolonged drought periods. The fibers derived from agriculture byproducts do not need to be strictly confined to the high-yield strategy, as the primary priority remains food production for human sustenance. Given the uncertain, future costs and availability of existing synthetic and natural fibers, IKEA can bolster abundance and price stability by increasing the diversity of textile raw materials it utilizes
Making nets more acoustically visible : Floats as passive mitigation measures to reduce bycatch of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in gillnets
Get PDFIncidental capture in fishing gear is today affecting at least 112 marine mammal species worldwide and for many smaller toothed whale species (Odontocete), gillnets are considered to be the largest problem. Although some effective mitigation measures exists, these are often context specific and many might be hard to implement due to reasons such as high costs and maintenance. There is a pressing need to develop low-cost solutions to reduce small toothed whale bycatch and one such possible solution is the use of passive acoustic reflectors, making the net more visible to toothed whale echolocation. A systematic literature review was performed to identify previously tested passive acoustic reflectors and their effectiveness. 20 different modification types were identified and two groups were found to have the highest potential: hard plastic floats and acrylic glass spheres. A field trial was performed to further evaluate hard plastic floats as a potential, low-cost, mitigation measure. The aim of the field trial was to investigate harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) presence and click behaviour around rope panels equipped with and without floats. Harbour porpoise echolocation clicks was recorded using click detectors (C-PODs). Detection positive minutes per hour (DPM/h) was used as a measure of presence and buzz-clicks, a type of clicks produced with a very short interval between them (inter click interval ≤15ms) used for example when exploring or hunting, was used as a proxy for click behaviour. Results indicate that harbour porpoise presence and click behaviour is affected by floats with a spacing of 2m and 6m compared to control without floats. Placement of panels could however not be excluded to have an impact on the results and further studies are required to confirm the effect of floats on harbour porpoise presence and click behaviour
Underlying mechanisms behind nitrous oxide emissions in oilseed radish, Raphanus sativus var. oleiformis, and Phacelia tanacetifolia
Get PDFGreenhouse gases are a driving force of climate change and the annual greenhouse gas emissions were higher between 2010-2019 than any other time in human history (Skea et. al. 2022). Cover crops are used to mitigate the effect of climate change, but recent studies indicate that the use of the cover crop oilseed radish results in significantly larger emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) compared to other cover crops (Dörsch et. al. 2022; Müller Júnior et. al. 2019; Olofsson and Ernfors 2022; Thomas et. al. 2017). Results from Olofsson and Ernfors (2022) study showed that Raphanus sativus var oleiformis (OR) causes significantly higher emission of N2O compared to Phacelia tanacetifolia
(PH) even though the quality and quantity were similar. The hypothesis in this study was that the glucosinolates in OR provides a carbon source for denitrifying bacteria, thus causing a significantly higher N2O emission compared to PH. The hypothesis was tested in a laboratory setting during 32
days of gas measurement with plant material of OR and PH incubated with and without added glucose. Surprisingly, aboveground plant material of PH showed highest emissions throughout the study. The result of this study could not confirm the hypothesis since added glucose did not affect
the N2O emission. In further studies, it is recommended to increase the number of replicates and optimize the methodology to be able to draw any conclusions
The impacts of agricultural cooperatives in Tanzanian farmers` livelihoods
Get PDFAgricultural cooperatives aim to have controlled effort for agricultural products and find market to sell those products at a reasonable price. Farmers’ products are sold at a better price leading to a higher income which improve farmers’ livelihood. The study on the impact of agricultural cooperatives in enhancing farmers’ livelihood in Tanzania was conducted at the Usinde agricultural cooperative society in the Tabora Region. The study adopts the transaction cost theory and uses content data analysis approach to analyse the collected interview and focus group discussion data. The study found that the agricultural cooperative society is responsible of ensuring farmers access to inputs such as fertilizers, seeds and pesticides, cash credits for farm management, extension services and acting as marketing channel for their farmers produce. The services improved the farmers’ income, however they have been encountering a number of limitations like misuse of funding by farmers and limited number of staff which has led to poor performance. This implies that there is more to be done in order to improve farmers’ livelihood
Relations between tree and habitat characteristics and the epiphytic lichen flora on oak
Get PDFOak-rich forests and wooded pastures harbor diverse and distinct epiphytic lichen flora with
many rare and threatened species. As these habitats have been subject to a substantial decline
and degradation over the past centuries, oak woodlands have progressively come into focus for
preservation. However, conservation-oriented measures require a thorough understanding of
the characteristics of ecologically important host trees and habitats. Therefore, I investigated
lichen diversity and characteristics of 50 trees on an island off the west coast of Sweden. Of the
evaluated tree and habitat variables, crown encroachment had the highest explanatory value for
lichen richness in a highly interrelated web of ecological influences. Combined with stem
damage, crown encroachment showed the potential to capture biodiversity on a community
level. These findings suggest that light availability, as an overarching primary factor, and
microhabitat diversity are the most important characteristics for lichen diversity. Applied to
management, this motivates measures to create more open forests with heterogeneous
structures
Framtidens klimatanpassade trädgårdar
Get PDFI det här examensarbetet undersöks möjlig gestaltning av växtval för att motverka och bli anpassade till klimatförändringarna i Skåne år 2055. De förhöjda
mängderna växthusgaser i atmosfären påverkar temperaturen i på jorden. På
norra halvklotet kommer klimatzonerna flyttas mot nordligare breddgrader.
Klimatet i Skåne kommer att förändras på grund av klimatförändringarna och
därmed även växtligheten. Sommarhalvåret kommer att bli varmare, nederbörden kommer minska och vegetationsperioden bli längre. Därmed kommer detta
att påverka vilka växter som kan användas i trädgårdssammanhang för att klara
de nya förändrade väderförhållanden.
Ett nytt bostadsområde ska uppföras på Elisefarms mark och två tomter kommer
i det här examensarbetet att gestaltas efter dess ståndort ur ett nytt klimatperspektiv. Uppdraget går ut på att göra två tilltalande förslag med växterna i fokus.
Arbetets syfte är att informera trädgårdsägare växternas verkan på klimatet och
val av växter.
Frågeställningarna undersöks genom litteratur för att kartlägga framtidens klimat
i Skåne samt genom att studera bäst lämpligt växtmaterial som kan mildra eller
passa in på den framtida klimatsituationen samt gestalta tomterna ur bästa klimatperspektiv. Två ståndpunkter som tagits i beaktning.
Hur kan vi/ eller kan vi genom smart planering av små trädgårdar bidra till att
minska vår påverkan på klimatet och bromsa den negativa utvecklingen?
Vilka växtval ska göras med växtlighet givet de förändringar som sker i vår
klimatzon?
Växtlistor med främst perenner tas fram med grund av litteraturen och genereras
till gestaltningen.
Arbetet frambringar illustrationsplaner, sektioner, planteringsplaner som förmedlar för blivande tomtägare och läsare.This thesis examines possible design of plant selection to counteract and to adapt
to the climate changes in Skåne in 2055. The increased amounts of greenhouse
gasses in the atmosphere affect the temperature on earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, the climate zones will be moved towards more northerly latitudes.
The climate in Skåne will change due to the climate changes and thus the vegetation as well. The summer semester will be warmer, precipitation will decrease
and the vegetation period will be longer. Thus, this will affect which plants can be
used in a garden context to cope with the new changed weather conditions.
A new residential area is to be built on Elisefarm’s land, and two plots of land will
be studied in this thesis according to their location from a new climate perspective. The task is to make two additional proposals with the plants in focus.
The aim of the work is to inform garden owners about the effects of plants on the
climate and the choice of plants.
The questions are investigated through literature in order to map the future climate
in Scania and by studying the most suitable plant material that can mitigate or fit
into the future climate situation and shape the plots from the best climate perspective.
Two positions taken into consideration are
How can/or can we, through smart planning of small gardens, contribute to reducing our impact on the climate and slow down negative developments?
What plant choices should be made with vegetation given the changes that are
occurring in our climate zone?
Plant lists with mainly perennials are produced on the basis of the literature and
generated for the design.
The work produces illustration plans, sections, planting plans that convey to prospective plot owners and readers
Granbarkborrens inverkan på skogsfastigheters värdering
Get PDFUnder de senaste åren har förekomsten av granbarkborren stigit. Detta beror på en ökad mängd substrat som finns tillgängliga för granbarkborren, det huvudsakliga substratet för arten är gran. Angreppen sker i de flesta fall på granar vars vitalitet är nedsatt på grund av exempelvis värme och solexponering. Med en ökad risk för angrepp och spridning av granbarkborren kan en fastighets avkastningsvärde riskera att sjunka då grantimret inte har samma värde efter ett angrepp.
Syftet med denna studie är därav att kartlägga granbarkborrens inverkan på överlåtelsesituationer och även innehavssituationer.
Studien genomfördes som en intervjustudie där tre olika grupper intervjuades, skogsägare, fastighetsmäklare och bankrådgivare, för att få tre olika perspektiv på granbarkborrens inverkan på fastigheters värdering. Resultatet från intervjuerna med de tre grupperna visade att det finns en viss värdeminskningseffekt från granbarkborren men att det är väldigt svårt att sätta en exakt siffra. Det behövs fortsatt forskning inom området då det i nuläget råder brist på studier inom granbarkborrens inverkan på fastighetspriser.The presence of spruce bark beetle has risen in the latest years. This is mainly because of an increase in substrate for the beetle, which is Norway spruce. The infestation usually occurs on Norway spruce individuals which have decreased vitality because of drought and sun exposure. With an increased risk of outbreaks and spreading of the spruce bark beetle a property’s yield value risk lowering because of lower timber values after an outbreak.
The purpose of this study is to map the spruce bark beetle’s impact on conveyance and possession situations.
The study was carried out as an interview study where three different groups were interviewed, forest owners, real estate agents and bank consultants, to get three different perspectives on the impact of spruce bark beetle on property valuation. The result from the interviews with the three groups showed that there is a certain value decreasing effect from the spruce bark beetle but that it is very difficult to say an exact number on the decrease. More research is needed within the field because of the current lack of studies on how the spruce bark beetle impacts property valuation
Att se det som inte ska synas
Get PDFI alla tider har det funnits förekomster av bedrägerier inom livsmedelssektorn, och de främsta incitamenten är oftast av ekonomisk natur. Det är ett allvarligt problem eftersom trovärdigheten för våra livsmedel blir missbrukad och det kan leda till negativa konsekvenser för konsumenternas hälsa. Livsmedelsinspektörer, som är anställda av statliga och kommunala myndigheter, har bland annat ansvaret att förebygga och upptäcka bedrägligt och vilseledande förfarande. Men i och med att Bedrägliga och vilseledande förfaranden är något som oftast sker dolt, innebär det att kontrollen blir mer ifrågasättande och krävande på grund av att man behöver gräva djupare. Det handlar sålunda om att se det som inte ska synas vilket kan innebär att man kan behöva använda sig av andra typer av metoder än de som traditionellt används vid tillsynen när man har ett hygienperspektiv.
För att undersöka vilka utmaningar livsmedelsinspektörer inom den kommunala tillsynen stöter på i sin verksamhet samt vilka eventuella resurser som saknas för att verka mot bedrägligt och vilseledande förfarande utifrån de lagar och föreskrifter som finns, har denna studie tillkommit. Metoden som använts för att samla in information är semistrukturerade intervjuer med livsmedelsinspektörer vid en och samma kommunala miljöenhet.
Efter avslutad undersökning visade det sig att tillsynsmyndigheten inom den kommunala verksamheten som var föremål för studien saknade resurser när det kommer till att bedriva spaning för att hitta oregistrerade livsmedelsverksamheter. Inspektörerna eftersökte också tydligare kontaktvägar till vem man kunde vända sig till personligen vid livsmedelsverket när man behövde stöd i att utreda mer komplexa fall.Throughout history, there have been instances of fraud within the food sector, and the primary incentives are often of an economic nature. It is a serious problem as it abuses the credibility of our food and can have negative consequences for consumer health. Food inspectors, employed by state and municipal authorities, are responsible for preventing and detecting fraudulent and misleading practices. However, since fraudulent and misleading practices are typically concealed, it means that inspections become more questioning and demanding as they require digging deeper. It involves looking at what should not be visible, which may require using methods other than those traditionally used in hygiene inspections.
To investigate the challenges faced by food inspectors in their municipal supervision activities and identify any resources lacking to combat fraudulent and misleading practices in accordance with existing laws and regulations, this study was conducted. The method used to gather information was semi-structured interviews with food inspectors within a specific municipal unit.
Upon completion of the study, it was found that the supervisory authority within the municipal operation, which was the subject of the study, lacked resources to conduct surveillance to uncover unregistered food establishments. Inspectors also expressed a need for clearer channels of communication to reach out to individuals at Swedish National Food Agency when they required support in investigating more complex cases
Klimatkompensering i svenska skogar
Get PDFKlimatet på jorden har förändrats sedan 1900-talet på grund av koldioxidförbränning, markanvändning och skogsavverkning. För att motverka klimatförändringar trädde Kyotoprotokollet i kraft 2005 och sedan Parisavtalet 2015. Till följd av detta uppkom utsläppshandel, kolkrediter och kolskogsbruk.
Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka lönsamheten av klimatkompensation genom att jämföra de två skogsskötselmetoderna kolmaximering och business-as-usual- på två fastigheter i södra och norra Sverige.
Kalkylerna i denna studie bygger på skogsbruksplaner för fastigheterna, certifikat, kostnader och priser. Certifikatet verkar som referens för de villkor och
förutsättningar en skogsägare ställs inför vid avtal och handel av kolkrediter.
Resultaten visar att nuvärdet är högre för den södra fastigheten för både kolmaximering och business-as-usual jämfört med norra fastigheten. Baserat på nuvärdet är avkastning för skogsskötselmetoderna nästan likvärdiga. Enligt kalkylerna förväntas försäljningen av kolkrediter vara ekonomiskt lönsamt oavsett val av skogsskötselmetod i avseende till kolmaximering och business-as-usual.
Detta beror dels på det gynnsamma priset för kolkrediter i dagsläget. Tillväxten är en avgörande faktor för en god avkastning av utsläppshandel, vilket är sammanhängande med att ökad tillväxt resulterar i mer bunden kol.Earth’s climate has changed since the 20th century due to the burning of fossil fuels, land use change and deforestation. In order to counteract climate change, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 2005 and the Paris Agreement in 2015. As a result, emissions trading, carbon credits, and carbon forestry have emerged as management methods.
This essay aims to examine the profitability of climate compensation through emission trading and carbon forestry by comparing the two forest management methods - carbon maximization and business-as-usual on two properties in southern and northern Sweden.
The study is based on forestry plans for the properties, certificates, costs and prices. The certificate serves as a model for the terms and conditions that the forest owners
face when contracting and trading credits.
The results show that the net present value is higher for the south property for both carbon maximization and business-as-usual compared to the north property. Based
on net present value of the forest management methods, it can be concluded that the yield is about the same. According to the calculations, the sale of carbon credits
is expected to be financially profitable regardless of the choice of forest management method regarding carbon maximization and business-as-usual. This is
partly due to the favorable price for carbon credits today. The growth is a decisive factor for a good return on emission trading, which is coherent as increased growth
results in more bound carbon