6 research outputs found
A Review of Comparative Study on Solid Waste Management Practices in Four Different Cities in Asian Countries
No full textWaste management is a grassroots level problem, and a decentralized and interdisciplinary approach is required to solve this problem. The exponentially growing population and the fast-changing socio-cultural behaviors of humans influencing mass production and consumption rates are not environmentally sustainable, and this explicitly defines the big picture in the solid waste management scenario. The emerging threat to the world is not only the alarming growth in the production of waste but also the unabating mismanagement of the waste we produce. This menace is troubling urban areas of both the developing and the developed nations with high population densities as waste management is often practiced as putting wastes away from immediate sight. After reviewing a few papers about the solid waste management practices around the world, it intrigued me to write how the best practices differ from the worst practices in waste management around Asian cities. In this paper, we assess solid waste management scenarios around four Asian cities and throw a light on the management practices that the best ones are doing differently to create a more sustainable urban environment for the residents. The countries that invest in a holistic evaluation of waste produced by their citizens and conduct proper research on how to manage wastes by utilizing locally available resources seem to perform better in the waste management sector
Review of environmental benefits and development of methodology for EUNIS habitat changes from nature-based solutions: Application to Denmark and the Netherlands
No full textNature-Based solutions (NBS) are the measures supported by natural processes that can adapt to changing climates and generate diverse social, economic, and environmental benefits. Recognising the potential for additional NBS benefits, and quantifying these benefits is essential as it encourages decision-makers to implement and scale-up NBS initiatives. This paper presents findings from a systematic literature review. The review focused on tools and methodologies used for assessing the environmental benefits of implementing NBS. This review provides a detailed compilation of environmental indicators supported by assessment tools. It also includes a catalogue of tools for evaluating environmental benefits, thereby identifying research gaps. Moreover, this research proposes a methodology that uses an ArcGIS (Architecture of Geographic Information Systems) toolbox to identify habitat changes resulting from the implementation of NBS. The methodology translates CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) land cover classes to EUNIS (European Nature Information System) habitat classes. The developed toolbox was applied to two case studies: Denmark (12 NBS) and the Netherlands (3 NBS). The assessment aimed to compare the habitat changes between 2000 and 2018 as two extreme time points for NBS implementation for both case studies. Results indicate that NBS implementation can change habitats leading to an increase in the Red-necked Grebe population in Denmark and a decline in the Black-tailed Godwit population in the Netherlands (two threatened species). The population change highlights the potential positive and potential negative impacts of NBS in their respective cases. These findings suggest Denmark could benefit from lake construction and restoration projects. At the same time, the Netherlands could invest in wetlands and meadows construction and restoration projects to protect the respective species. They could establish designated breeding zones to ensure their population does not decline rapidly.BT/Environmental BiotechnologyHydraulic Structures and Flood Ris
Effect of different substrate sterilization methods on performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
No full textSaabunud / Received 21.01.2021 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 16.04.2021 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 16.04.2021 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Sanju Shrestha [email protected] sterilization of substrates is an indispensable step in oyster mushroom cultivation. Oyster mushroom growers in Nepal usually follow three different substrate sterilization methods; however, their comparative effectiveness is vastly unexplored. Thus, these experiments were carried out at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Lamjung Campus, Lamjung, Nepal from January to March, in the years 2017 and 2019. The objective of these experiments was to identify the most appropriate method of sterilization. Three different types of sterilization methods viz chemical sterilization (formaldehyde + carbendazim), steam sterilization, and hot-water sterilization were evaluated for the growth parameters and productivity of oyster mushroom cultivated on rice straw. The experiments were laid out on Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with ten replications. The results showed that the spawning rate was 3.2% of the wet substrate. Data were collected until the third flush. A significantly longer duration to colonize the substrate (29.7 days) was observed under chemical sterilization. The oyster mushroom performed best under steam sterilization as it took the shortest time for pinhead formation (34.30 days), fruiting body formation (43.60 days), cropping duration (89.30 days), and produced the highest mushroom yield (1401.9 g per 4 kg bag), and consequently, the highest biological efficiency (101.38%). Average pileus diameter and stipe length were statistically indifferent among the treatments suggesting the significant effect of sterilization methods on the yield of oyster mushroom but not on its morphological attributes
Using social exchange theory to predict residents’ perspective on factors influencing tourism development in Pokhara
No full textTourism development involves sustainably creating and managing destinations, products, and services that balance economic, social, and environmental factors while meeting visitor and local community expectations. The purpose of this study is to understand the local people’s perception of tourism development in Pokhara, Nepal. An explanatory research design is used to show the cause-and-effect relationship between variables. The research was conducted using Social Exchange Theory (SET). The data was examined using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The sample size was determined to be 403 using non-probability sampling. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect the data using the KOBO toolbox. Furthermore, the Structure Equation Model (SEM) was the analytical approach used to process the data. Results reveal a noteworthy relationship between independent variables (such as cultural impact, social impact, environmental impact, and economic impact) and dependent variables (support for tourism development). The major challenges in tourism development have been identified, including deficient infrastructure, suboptimal tourism strategies and implementation, and inadequate government oversight. Effective mitigation of these challenges necessitates the implementation of appropriate infrastructure and development initiatives, proficient governmental management, and a concerted effort to augment the quantity and quality of hotels and accommodations. The significance of cultural, social, environmental, and economic impact cannot be understated or overstated in the context of tourism development. Addressing major challenges, the study suggests focused efforts in enhancing infrastructure and development, adopting effective management practices, and augmenting the quantity and quality of hotels and accommodations
Assessing Changes in Exposure and Women's Health among Households Using Different Cooking Fuels in Chitwan, Nepal
No full textProduction and Profitability of Hybrid Rice Is Influenced by Different Nutrient Management Practices
No full textThe government of Nepal has recommended blanket fertilizer application for rice cultivation, which results in lower nutrient use efficiency (NUE) particularly under rainfed conditions. With the aim of finding an appropriate nutrient management practices concerning rice production and profitability, a field experiment was conducted during rainy season of 2017 and 2018 at Kavrepalanchowk and Dang district of Nepal. Altogether, five treatments comprising various nutrient management practices viz. Nutrient Expert Model (NE), use of Leaf Color Chart (LCC), Government Recommended Fertilizer Dose (GON), Farm Yard Manure (FYM), and Farmers’ Field Practice (FFP), were laid out in RCBD with four replications in farmers’ fields. The analysis of variance showed significant difference between treatments for test weight and grain yield in Kavrepalanchowk whereas all traits except number of effective tillers were significant in Dang. The significantly higher grain yield and harvest index were obtained in NE, followed by LCC; and the overall straw yield was highest in LCC, followed by NE in both the locations. Also, yield gap analysis suggested the NE had 44.44% and 23.97% increase in yield as compared to FPP in Kavrepalanchowk and Dang, respectively. The combined analysis with Best Linear Unbiased Estimator revealed the interaction of nutrient management and location significantly effects the straw yield and harvest index across both the locations. The estimated mean straw yield and harvest index were 10.93 t/ha and 34.98%, respectively. Both correlation study and biplot of principal component analysis signaled grain yield had positive correlation with all other traits. Furthermore, the net revenue was maximum for NE, followed by LCC in both the locations. The benefit: cost ratio was highest for NE which was 1.55 in Kavrepalanchowk and 2.61 in Dang. On the basis of these findings, NE and LCC can be effectively used as nutrient management practice by the farmers to obtain maximum production and profitability in Rice
