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Environmentally friendly diets : perceptions and behaviours of sustainability students
Get PDFThe food sector has massive consequences on the environment as it causes, among others, GHG emissions, deforestation, water scarcity and climate change. Therefore, it is essential to transform the food sector and the related diets of individuals. For transforming diets, it is necessary to understand food behaviour which is why food choices should be investigated. However, only a few broad definitions exist on how an environmentally friendly diet can be constituted without providing a blueprint. This study aims to look closer into food choices of sustainability students in order to understand their perceptions and behaviour of environmentally friendly diets.
Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted to examine how Sustainable Development and Rural Development and Natural Resource Management master students perceive an environmentally friendly diet and the influences on the food choices they actually say they make. This research uses the Theory of Planned Behaviour as the theoretical framework as the theory variables help explain how individuals’ dietary behaviour is influenced.
The results show a broad consensus on what constitutes an environmentally friendly diet. The main difference concerns the degree of meat consumption and how meat is produced. In general, the interviewees try to eat as ecologically friendly as possible but are restricted by personal and external factors.
The findings indicate the need for further research on why personal restrictions is more significant to certain individuals than others. Also, it would be interesting to compare the behaviour of sustainability students to non-sustainability students to investigate if it differs
A study of densification in the Rosendal district of Uppsala from a light, view and window transparency perspective
Get PDFI städer är det idag en trend att bygga högre och tätare, dels ur hållbarhetssynpunkt då mindre mark tas i anspråk, dels för att markpriserna är höga. Högre och tätare bebyggelse kan leda till flera utmaningar såsom begränsat ljusinsläpp, mindre tilltalande utblickar och risk för ökad insyn. Tillgång till dagsljus i lägenheter och på bostadsgårdar är en faktor som ofta bortprioriteras i projekt till förmån för andra intressen, vilket kan skapa sociala utmaningar. Syftet med kandidatarbetet är att undersöka vilka följder en tät utbyggnadsstrategi kan få, för att förstå hur det påverkar olika sociala faktorer. För att undersöka detta har ett bostadsområde i Rosendal i Uppsala använts som exempel, vilket är ett tidigare obebyggt område som omvandlats till en modern tätbebyggd nyproduktion. De rådande omständigheterna på platsen har undersökts genom en modellerad solstudie och ett platsbesök. Resultatet för studien visar att den täta byggnationen i Rosendal bidrar till omfattande skuggbildning, vilket främst är utmärkande hos bostäder på nedre våningsplan, bostadsgårdar och på marknivå.In cities, there is a trend to build higher and denser, partly justified with a sustainability response, i.e. use of less land, partly because land prices are high. Taller and denser developments can lead to several challenges such as limited light, less attractive views and the risk of increased transparency through windows. Access to daylight in apartments and residential areas is a factor that is often deprioritized in projects in favor of other interests, which can give rise to social challenges. The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to investigate a dense expansion strategy, in order to understand how it affects social factors. To investigate this, Rosendal in Uppsala has been used as an example, which is a previously undeveloped area that has been converted into a modern dense production. The prevailing conditions at the site have been investigated through a modeled solar study and a site visit. The results show that the dense construction in Rosendal contributes to extensive shadow formation, which is most noticeable in apartments on the lower floors, on residential areas and at ground level
Scots pine for fika : the role of local moose density in determining browsing damages to pine across commercial forests in Sweden
Get PDFBy browsing on young Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), moose (Alces alces) can cause significant damage to commercial forests. The National Forest Agency monitors browsing damage and moose faecal pellet groups annually on pre-defined plots throughout Sweden. Here, we investigated the relationship between moose pellet groups and the proportion of pine trees with fresh (< 1 year) browsing damages. We used mixed-effects logistic regression models with proportion of damaged stems as response and moose pellet group density, presence of other deer pellet groups, Scots pine and birch (Betula spp.) numbers, and site productivity as predictors. We used data collected nationwide and did analyses first for the whole of Sweden and secondly for each separate region by subdividing the same dataset. Overall, the results were consistent across the regions and for Sweden as a whole, with some differences. We found that moose pellet group density was positively correlated with damage in every region and was especially important in explaining damage levels in the north of Sweden. Presence of other ungulates was positively related to pine damage in the Southern region only, and it is unclear to what extent their effect on young pine trees is direct through browsing or indirect through competition. Contrary to recent studies, pine abundance had a secondary role in explaining browsing damage. Instead, browsing damage was positively associated to site productivity and number of birch trees, the latter with a systematic higher importance than moose local density. Plots where birch is abundant might be attractive to moose and therefore indirectly lead to increased browsing damage on pine. Given the consistent positive association found between moose pellet groups and level of damage, we conclude that moose pellet counts on browsing survey plots are an important add-on for the adaptive management of moose and forests. However, pellet count should be made more systematically and should not be limited to young forest stands to properly capture moose density
The role of common mycorrhizal networks for forest regeneration near clear-cut edges
Get PDFPoor regeneration close to edges on clear-cuts and around seed trees in the Swedish boreal zone is well-known to foresters. With an intensifying national and European discussion concerning forestry, the prominence of edge effects is likely to increase. However, little is known of the drivers behind these edge effects. Recent developments in the research surrounding ectomycorrhizal fungi and their ability to form common mycorrhizal networks may be able to explain some of these patterns. In this study, I have analysed growth data of Scots pine seedlings planted in a Chequered-Gap-Shelterwood-System trial located in Jämtland, Sweden. I found that growth is significantly higher in the centre of a clear-cut gap than in the edge zone, defined as within five metres from the clear-cut edge. Which side of the gap the plants were exposed to was also partially significant. The results correlate well with the expected outcomes of below-ground competition described in literature. These edge effects may have long term implications for management due to lower growth, but the usage of new management methods may bring positive social benefits
Kulturmiljö, hälsa och platsanknytning
Get PDFMot bakgrund av en utbredd psykisk ohälsa vill den här studien undersöka kulturmiljöers potentiella
bidrag till ett hållbart samhällsbygge. Studien undersöker relationen mellan kulturmiljö och
människors hälsa, välmående och platsanknytning, med hjälp av litteraturstudium, enkäter och
kvalitativa intervjuer med boende i Munkedal kommun. Studien inventerar tidigare forskning i
ämnet och illustrerar med exempel från invånarnas relation till den lokala kulturmiljön hur
hälsofrämjande egenskaper i naturmiljö även kan återfinnas i kulturmiljö. Faktorer som beskrivs rör
den fysiska miljön, chansen till fysisk aktivitet utomhus och kulturmiljöns bidrag till deltagarnas
sociala liv. Vidare beskrivs platsernas bidrag till känslor av meningsfullt sammanhang och
upplevelser av fascination, estetik och läsbarhet. Avslutningsvis diskuteras möjligheterna att mer
aktivt använda kulturmiljöer för rekreation och integration i samhällsplanering.Against the background of widespread mental unhealth, this study seeks to examine the potential
contribution of cultural heritage sites to a sustainable society. The study examines the relationship
between cultural heritage sites and human health, well-being and place attachment, with the help of
literature studies, questionnaires and qualitative interviews with residents in Munkedal municipality.
The study examines previous research in the subject and illustrates with examples from the
inhabitants' relationship to the local cultural heritage sites how health-promoting properties in the
natural environment can also be found in cultural heritage sites. Factors described relates to the
physical environment, the opportunity of physical activity outdoors and the cultural environment's
contribution to the participants' social lives. Furthermore, the contribution of the sites to feelings of
meaning, coherence and experiences of fascination, aesthetics and legibility are described. Finally,
the possibilities of more actively using cultural heritage sites for recreation and integration in
community planning are discussed
Människors inställning till fiskvälfärd
Get PDFAnimal welfare is a question of increasing importance for consumers around the world. Consumers’ attitudes toward animals are important drivers when it comes to safeguarding factors in the welfare of farm animals. Fish is an animal that man benefits from in several ways. Yet fishes are seldom given any moral regard; they are counted in tonnes instead of individuals and are largely neglected in both animal welfare legislation and hunting legislation worldwide. This study analysed Swedish consumers’ attitudes towards an improved animal welfare and legislation for both wild and farmed fish. A survey was conducted using the program Netigate. During a period of two weeks during 2022, a total of 227 survey answers were collected. Most of the participants thought that animal welfare was important for both wild and farmed fish. They also thought that it was important that both stress and suffering is minimized during their slaughter process. Most participants did not know how farmed fish in Sweden usually are stunned during slaughter. The participants thought that animal welfare legislation was more important for farmed fish than wild. A difference in attitude was seen between men and women, where women had a stronger perception that fish can suffer, feel pain and are intelligent animals. On average, women felt stronger about the importance of animal welfare legislation for farmed and wild fish, and that it is equally important that farmed and wild fish are treated well. A difference in attitudes was also seen between different age groups. The perceptions that fish can suffer and feel pain, that fish are intelligent animals and that it is equally important that farmed and wild fish are treated well decreased as the age of the respondents increased. A difference in respondents’ attitudes was also seen between those who had education related to animals or animal husbandry and those who did not. Those who had some education in the animal field had a stronger perception that fish can suffer, feel pain and that fish are intelligent animals. Those who had animal education also had a stronger perception about the importance of animal welfare legislation for farmed and wild fish. Differences in the animal welfare legislation was seen between wild and farmed fish where legislation for wild fish was seen to be largely neglected compared to the current legislation for farmed fish. At the same time current legislation for farmed fish was found to be inadequate as no species-specific guidelines are available. This study showed that consumer attitudes are starting to change, which may influence fish welfare and our communities in the near future
Flow of non-starter lactic acid bacteria
Get PDFModern cheese manufacturing uses a known starter culture of lactic acid bacteria (SLAB) for the fermentation of lactose to lactic acid. There is, however, often a second fermentation in cheese manufacturing by non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB). These LAB are not added in the manufacturing, and it is not always clear where these LAB originate from. The main objective of this review was to study if there is a flow of NSLAB from silage to raw milk and to the resulting cheese. More specific objectives were to investigate how LAB in silage may affect the raw milk, if LAB stemming from silage can act as NSLAB in cheese, and if so, how they affect the cheese. L. plantarum, L. paracasei and L. casei were found to be the LAB most described as NSLAB in cheese, with the potential to persist in raw milk and occasionally survive pasteurisation. LAB in silage is crucial for the fermentation process, and NSLAB in cheese can enhance flavour of cheese but also cause defects during ripening. Most LAB from silage do not enter the milk, but some actually do. LAB in the milk could enter through other contamination sources but it possible that some LAB from silage survive and act as NSLAB in the cheese. More research is needed to confirm the flow of LAB in the value chain of milk and cheese.I modern osttillverkning tillsätts i regel en kommersiell starterkultur av mjölksyrabakterier (SLAB) för fermentering av laktos till mjölksyra. Vissa lagrade ostar har dock en andra fermentering med hjälp av s.k. medföljarflora (non-starter lactic acid bacteria, NSLAB), för utveckling av sin karaktäristiska smak och textur. Dessa mjölksyrabakterier (LAB) tillsätts inte avsiktligen i processen, och det är inte alltid helt klart varifrån de kommer ifrån. Huvudsyftet med detta arbete var att undersöka om NSLAB i ost kan vandra från ensilage till mjölkråvara och till den resulterande osten. I studien ingick att undersöka effekter av LAB från ensilage i mjölkråvaran, om LAB från ensilage kan utgöra NSLAB i ost, och om så är fallet, deras effekt på osten. Resultatet visar att L. plantarum, L. paracasei och L. casei är de vanligaste NSLAB i ost. Dessa LAB har potential att existera i obehandlad mjölk och kan även emellanåt överleva pastörisering. LAB i ensilage är avgörande för fermenteringsprocessen, NSLAB i ost kan förbättra smaken och sänka pH men även orsaka defekter i osten under lagringen. De flesta LAB i ensilage kommer inte över via mjölken, men en del gör det. LAB i mjölkråvaran kan härröra från andra kontamineringskällor, men det är möjligt att en del LAB från ensilage överlever och kan agera som NSLAB i osten. Mer forskning behövs för att beskriva flödet av LAB i mjölkens och ostens värdekedja
Karantänskadegörare och kunskapsläget bland Sveriges fritidsodlare
Get PDFÖkande globalisering och ett varmare klimat gör att främmande arter kan
transporteras och, i vissa fall, etableras på platser långt ifrån deras ursprungliga
habitat. En del av dessa arter har potential att orsaka stor skada på inhemsk
växtodling om de etableras här, och dessa benämns därför som
karantänskadegörare. En stor del av Sveriges befolkning ägnar sig åt odling
utomhus på sin fritid. För att bekämpning av nya skadegörare ska kunna ske så
effektivt som möjligt är det viktigt att eventuella introduktioner upptäcks i ett tidigt
stadium.
Syftet med detta arbete är att, genom en litteraturstudie, studera några
karantänskadegörare med relevans för fritidsodling i Sverige samt att, genom en
enkätundersökning, få en bild av hur stor medvetenheten kring karantänskadegörare
är bland Sveriges fritidsodlare.
Litteraturstudien inriktades på de fem karantänskadegörarna koloradoskalbagge
(Leptinotarsa decemlineata), japansk trädgårdsborre (Popillia japonica),
amerikansk plommonvivel (Conotrachelus nenuphar), äppelborrfluga (Rhagoletis
pomonella) och tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). Resultatet visade att
samtliga av de fem har potential att både introduceras till och etableras i områden
avsedda för fritidsodling, men att risken varierar mellan dem.
Resultatet från enkätstudien visade att det finns en viss kunskap om både begreppet
karantänskadegörare och de fem utvalda organismerna bland de fritidsodlare som
svarat på enkäten. Dock uppgav över hälften av respondenterna att de aldrig hört
talas om begreppet. Ungefär en tredjedel uppgav att de kände till att fynd ska
anmälas till Jordbruksverket. Andelen rätt svar varierade mellan olika
respondentgrupper. Personer med utbildning inom växtodling samt de med lång
odlingserfarenhet hade i många fall signifikant högre andel rätt svar. Nybörjare och
yngre respondenter hade i flera fall signifikant lägre kännedom.
Slutsatser som dras är att kunskapshöjande åtgärder riktade till fritidsodlare behövs
för att minska risken att introduktioner av karantänskadegörare inte upptäcks i ett
tidigt stadie. För störst effekt bör de inriktas på de grupper där kännedomen är lägst.
Exempel på kanaler för detta kan vara fritidsodlarföreningar, utbildningsaktörer och
sociala medier.Increasing globalization combined with climate change makes it possible för alien
species to be transported to, and in some cases, established in places far from their
original habitat. Some of these species have the potential to cause great damage to
domestic plant cultivation if they are established in Sweden, and these are therefore
referred to as quarantine pests. A large part of Sweden’s population engages in
cultivating plants outdoor in their spare time. For new pests to be controlled as
effectively as possible, it is important that any introductions are detected at an early
stage.
The purpose of this research is to, through a literature study, study a few quarantine
pests which have relevance for leisure gardeners in Sweden and also to, through a
survey, get an estimation of how aware leisure gardeners in Sweden are about
quarantine pests.
The literature study focused on the following five quarantine pests: colorado potato
beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), plum
curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar), apple maggot fly (Rhagoletis pomonella) and
tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). The result show that all the five
organisms could potentially both be introduced to and established in areas used for
leisure gardening in Sweden, but that the risk varies between them.
The result from the survey shows that there is some knowledge about both the
concept of quarantine pests and the five selected organisms among the leisure
gardeners who responded to the survey. However, more than 50% of the
respondents stated that they had never heard of the term. About a third stated that
they knew that finds were to be reported to the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
People with education in plant cultivation and those with long cultivation
experience had in many cases a significantly higher proportion of correct answers.
Beginners and young respondents had in many cases significantly lower proportion
of correct answers.
Conclusions are drawn that knowledge-raising measures aimed at leisure gardeners
are needed to reduce the risk that introductions of quarantine pests will not be
detected at an early stage. For greatest effect, they should focus on the groups with
the lowest awareness. Channels for this can for example be gardening associations,
schools and social media
Barnvänliga gaturum i urbana miljöer
Get PDFThere are many places for children to be in our cities, which are planned and built for them. But in
the city’s other public environments, children are marginalized due to conflicts of interest, which
can create several negative effects linked to children’s development. Unlike adults, children have a
small moving range and therefore their immediate environment becomes important, especially in
the city. Therefore, the studies examine what a child-friendly streetscape means and what needs
should be met based on practitioners’ child perspective and children’s perspectives in order to
increase children’s freedom of independent mobility. The perspectives are examined on the basis
of the city of Malmö. The study contributes with knowledge that must come from child-friendly
environments in a sustainable urban development. It turned out that both perspectives pointed
out that child-friendly streetscape must be safe to stay in, in addition, the practitioners links safety
to security, which is an aspect that the children in the studies do not yet think about to the same
extent. From the children’s perspective, the safe streetscape needs to be fun and exciting, for them
to want to walk in it. No matter how safe the streetscape becomes according to the practitioners’
vision of a child-friendly street, it is not in itself what increases the child’s freedom of movement,
even if safety is an important factor. There is a need for a varied environment with affordances
that can attract children to play and exercise to increase their willingness to be out and about more.
The knowledge that both perspectives are needed when the city’s public environments are planned
needs to be communicated. Then everyone who works in urban development can break the current
planning norm and start looking at the city’s surfaces and its function in new ways.Det finns många platser för barn att vara på i våra städer, platser som är planerade och byggda för dem.
Men i stadens övriga offentliga miljöer marginaliseras barnen på grund av intressekonflikter, vilket
kan komma att skapa flera negativa effekter kopplat till barns utveckling. Barn har till skillnad från
vuxna en liten rörelseradie och därför blir deras närmiljö viktig, särskilt i staden. Därav undersöker
studien vad ett barnvänligt gaturum innebär och vilka behov som ska tillgodoses utifrån praktikers
barnperspektiv och barns perspektiv för att öka barns rörelsefrihet. Perspektiven undersöks med
en utgångspunkt i Malmö stad. Studien är ett kunskapsbidrag om behovet av barnvänliga miljöer i
en hållbar stadsutveckling. Det visade sig att båda perspektiven pekade på att barnvänligt gaturum
måste vara säkert att vistas i, dessutom kopplar praktikern säkerhet till trygghet vilket är en aspekt
som barnen i studien ännu inte funderar över i lika stor utsträckning. Enligt barnens perspektiv
behöver det säkra gaturummet vara roligt och spännande, för att de ens ska vilja gå i det. Hur
säkert gaturummet än blir enligt praktikernas vision av ett barnvänligt gaturum, så är inte det i sig
det de enda som ökar barnets rörelsefrihet, även om säkerhet är en viktig faktor. Det behövs en
varierande miljö med miljöerbjudanden som kan locka barn till lek och rörelse för att öka deras vilja
att vara ute och röra sig mer. Kunskapen om att båda perspektiven behövs när stadens offentliga
miljöer planeras behöver förmedlas. Då kan alla som arbetar inom stadsutveckling bryta den nutida
planeringsnormen och börja se på stadens ytor och dess funktion på nya sätt
Investigating Uppsala Regional Alternative Food Networks - an explorative case study on Farmer-to-Wholesale Food Hubs
Get PDFThe sustainability crisis that conventional food systems are suffering worldwide has recently led Sweden and Uppsala County to publish reports on new food strategies. Solutions for the problems need collaborative efforts from a multiplicity of actors. This study dives into the role of Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) which offer substitutes to unsustainable food products sourced from industrialised conventional food systems. These networks have always existed, but are increasing in relevance in Sweden, especially in towns like Uppsala as reflected in consumption choices by citizens. However, different factors have made AFNs less relevant and less convenient than in other countries. Many types of initiatives and organisations form AFNs, this study looks at the relevance of a type of initiative called Food Hubs (FHs). A FH is an organisation that is responsible for the aggregation and/or distribution of food products in proximity with the goal of supporting local and regional economies. The aim is to investigate opportunities for the development of Food Hubs in the surroundings of Uppsala City, Sweden and use them to support the development of a sustainable food system in the region. The lack of academic knowledge regarding AFNs in this region resulted in the design of an explorative study. For that, we investigate relevant aspects for the potential formation of a FH by; investigating the attitudes that microenterprise producers and local wholesale buyers have towards this idea of a farmer to wholesale FH. The sample of wholesale buyers consist of a variety of food service actors and four local retailers which already are part of local AFNs or showed qualities that indicated their potential interest. The study also aims to identify some of the products and the approximated volumes that the participant farmers produced. The authors also collect data on the attitudes of the producers toward an increase in production and what their capacity could be if it was used to its full potential without changing their predominantly sustainable methods. Five research questions were formed to answer the above points. All this information was gathered through structured and semi structured interviews. The results show that many microenterprise farmers in the studied region produce mostly livestock and grains, but vegetable and fruit production also occur when the season arrives or in greenhouses. Their attitudes towards increase in production were to a greater extent negative since they felt content with the current models and were sceptical about the costs they would incur and the reliability of it. On the other hand, the wholesale buyers expressed more positive interest towards a FH as they were keen to support local food systems and had since it would theoretically provide local produce conveniently to them. However, they emphasised that they are not prepared to pay more, and that reliability is key for their involvement. FHs have been successful in some parts of the world like the US; hence their feasibility is also possible in Uppsala only if the hubs are able to create value for the actors in this region. Regardless of the negative attitudes towards collaborating with FH and increasing production, we saw many signs of food actors in AFNs who prioritize different values than the CFS