Since every school in Comanche County operates some form of pupil transportation, the purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency of the system of pupil transportation in Comanche County and to find the means of operating school transportation more efficiently. School consolidation in Comanche County has made pupil transportation one of the most important problems that administrators of the county have to deal with. The tendency is toward larger school attendance areas. As the attendance area gets larger, more pupils will be transported. Increased demands are mounting; replacement of worn-out vehicles and equipment is imperative; a more efficient coverage of the attendance area seems necessary; and finance is lacking.

Industrial ecology is a field of study that encourages the use of closed-loop material cycles to achieve sustainability. Loop closing requires the movement of materials over space, and has long been practiced in the iron and steel industry. Iron and steel (ferrous) scrap generated in the U.S. is increasingly exported to countries in Asia, lengthening the transportation distance associated with closing the loop on the iron and steel life cycle. In order to understand the environmental cost of transporting this commodity, an activity-based maritime transportation model and a theoretical in-land transportation model are used to estimate emissions generated. Results indicate that 10.4 mmt of total emissions were generated, and emissions increased by 136 percent from 2004 to 2009. Increases in the amount of emissions generated are due to increases in the amount of scrap exported and distance it is transported.

Die ab dem 1.1.2010 geltenden erweiterten Luftqualitätsgrenzwerte stellen die Kom-munen vor allem in verkehrlich belasteten Gebieten vor Probleme. Zum einen haben die Kommunen sicherzustellen, dass die Immissionsgrenzwerte eingehalten werden, zum anderen stehen ihnen aber nur eine Reihe beschränkt wirkungsvoller Maßnahmen zur Verfügung. Wie können die (Groß-) Städte darauf reagieren? Zunächst kann festgehalten werden, dass der Verkehrsbereich zukünftig den Schwerpunkt von Maßnahmen zu Klimaschutz und Luftreinhaltung bilden muss. Die wesentlichen urbanen Problemfelder werden durch den Verkehr bestimmt; bei den relevanten Luftschadstoffen stellen Fahrzeuge mit Dieselmotoren die Hauptemittenten dar und zur Reduktion der CO2-Emissionen müssen alle Fahrzeuge deutlich mehr beitragen als bisher. In der Vergangenheit war die Reduktion von Verkehrsemissionen vorrangig als Frage der Weiterentwicklung der Fahrzeugtechnik interpretiert worden. Da die technischen Weiterentwicklungen allein für die Problemlösung nicht ausreichen, sind grundsätzliche Änderungen von Verkehrsverhalten und Verkehrssystemen unumgänglich. Eine Verbesserung der Raumordnung, weniger Zersiedelung, eine multifunktionale Stadt der kurzen Wege und ein anderes Mobilitätsverhalten der Bevölkerung weisen die höchsten Reduktionspotentiale auf, wirken aber vor allem langfristig. Eine Übersicht mit denkbaren Maßnahmengruppen zur Erreichung der Luftqualitäts- und Klimaschutzziele wurde erarbeitet, die zur Entwicklung spezifischer Pakete von Kommunen genutzt werden kann.

Die ab dem 1.1.2010 geltenden erweiterten Luftqualitätsgrenzwerte stellen die Kom-munen vor allem in verkehrlich belasteten Gebieten vor Probleme. Zum einen haben die Kommunen sicherzustellen, dass die Immissionsgrenzwerte eingehalten werden, zum anderen stehen ihnen aber nur eine Reihe beschränkt wirkungsvoller Maßnahmen zur Verfügung. Wie können die (Groß-) Städte darauf reagieren? Zunächst kann festgehalten werden, dass der Verkehrsbereich zukünftig den Schwerpunkt von Maßnahmen zu Klimaschutz und Luftreinhaltung bilden muss. Die wesentlichen urbanen Problemfelder werden durch den Verkehr bestimmt; bei den relevanten Luftschadstoffen stellen Fahrzeuge mit Dieselmotoren die Hauptemittenten dar und zur Reduktion der CO2-Emissionen müssen alle Fahrzeuge deutlich mehr beitragen als bisher. In der Vergangenheit war die Reduktion von Verkehrsemissionen vorrangig als Frage der Weiterentwicklung der Fahrzeugtechnik interpretiert worden. Da die technischen Weiterentwicklungen allein für die Problemlösung nicht ausreichen, sind grundsätzliche Änderungen von Verkehrsverhalten und Verkehrssystemen unumgänglich. Eine Verbesserung der Raumordnung, weniger Zersiedelung, eine multifunktionale Stadt der kurzen Wege und ein anderes Mobilitätsverhalten der Bevölkerung weisen die höchsten Reduktionspotentiale auf, wirken aber vor allem langfristig. Eine Übersicht mit denkbaren Maßnahmengruppen zur Erreichung der Luftqualitäts- und Klimaschutzziele wurde erarbeitet, die zur Entwicklung spezifischer Pakete von Kommunen genutzt werden kann.

Agri-food production is necessary to sustain the growing global population, but it adversely impacts the environment in various ways, including climate change, eutrophication, acidification, land and water uses, and loss of biodiversity, etc. These environmental impacts can also negatively affect human health, which could in theory outweigh the health benefits of nutritious food. While better agricultural practices need to be developed and applied to minimize the environmental burdens associated with the production chains, consumers are expected to implement more sustainable lifestyles and eat more environment-friendly foods. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an analytical tool to evaluate the sustainability of a product by examining all the resources used and emissions generated during its life cycle. The first part of this work focused on the upstream production. An LCA of organic blueberry production was conducted to evaluate the trade-off between seasonal and local options and answer the question of whether imported fresh or domestic frozen blueberries are more sustainable. Fresh blueberries from Chile showed superior environmental performance within 2-week storage, due to lower electricity use associated with refrigeration and higher farming yield. Furthermore, length of storage and transportation distance were also found important; if farming yields are comparable, consumption of locally produced, fresh blueberries will be a better choice because of less energy use and shorter transportation distance. The second part of this work targeted at the downstream consumption and aimed to reduce the U.S. environmental footprint through changing adult eating habits. Supplemental functional units were applied in the LCA to incorporate the functions of food to provide nutrition and satiety. With controlled caloric intake, vegetarian diets were found overall more sustainable. However, large possible variations in the environmental impacts of the compared diets were observed due to wide range of nutritional quality of selected foods. Animal products, including meat and dairy especially, and discretionary foods were identified as hotspots in the American diet, that is, reducing the consumption of these foods or deliberately choosing more sustainable alternatives within the same food categories, like chicken and low-fat milk, can significantly improve the sustainability of current American dietary patterns. <br>

Submitted by Jamile Barbosa da Cruz (jamile.cruz@ucsal.br) on 2017-07-27T18:58:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MARQUES, CAS-2017.pdf: 2254762 bytes, checksum: 88a18abb5e68bf5f636120b1480f60d1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rosemary Magalhães (rosemary.magalhaes@ucsal.br) on 2017-07-28T16:12:46Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MARQUES, CAS-2017.pdf: 2254762 bytes, checksum: 88a18abb5e68bf5f636120b1480f60d1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-28T16:12:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARQUES, CAS-2017.pdf: 2254762 bytes, checksum: 88a18abb5e68bf5f636120b1480f60d1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-21 / A cidade de Salvador, assim como outras metrópoles brasileiras, enfrenta sérios problemas de mobilidade urbana. O aumento expressivo do número de veículos, o baixo investimento em infraestrutura viária e em meios alternativos de transporte coletivo levaram aos congestionamentos cotidianos e a graves problemas de mobilidade urbana que afetam todos os trabalhadores, em especial, os Agentes de Fiscalização de Trânsito e Transporte. Objetivos: Conhecer e analisar as condições em que se realiza o trabalho dos referidos Agentes, os riscos nele presentes e a repercussão dessas condições sobre esses profissionais quanto à saúde e à satisfação com o trabalho. Método: Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória e analítico-descritiva, adotando como procedimentos a pesquisa documental e o estudo de campo, com levantamento de dados de uma amostra da população selecionada – 12 agentes de fiscalização trânsito e transporte –, mediante a aplicação de entrevista semiestruturada. Resultados: Os agentes têm vivenciado processos de desgaste biopsíquico, devido às condições precárias de trabalho e ao deficit de recursos humanos e materiais, fatores estes resultantes das mudanças políticas e de planejamento governamental que inviabilizam o desenvolvimento adequado de suas tarefas. Os agentes, por executar seu trabalho na rua, em local aberto, distantes da instituição, estão expostos às intempéries climáticas, ao contato direto com o usuário ou cliente, fator que tem se revelado propício a agressões, além da violência urbana. Conclusão: Paralelamente, verificou-se que há um ambiente de trabalho favorável às vivências positivas entre os agentes, pois as relações interpessoais ainda estão preservadas, manifestando-se como facilitadoras do processo de saúde, fortalecimento da categoria profissional e como elemento importante de satisfação com o trabalho. / Salvador city, like many other Brazilian metropolises, faces serious urban mobility issues. The expressive rise in the number of vehicles, the low investment in road infrastructure and alternative ways of mass transit have caused daily traffic jams, and serious urban mobility issues that affect all workers, especially the Traffic and Transportation Oversight Agents. Objectives: To know and analyze the conditions in which the work of these agents is done, the risks presented in it and the repercussion of those conditions on these professionals regarding their health and work satisfaction. Method: As to the objectives, it’s about an exploratory, and analytical and descriptive research, adopting the documentary research methodology and field study as procedure, with data collection of a selected population sample - 12 traffic and transportation oversight agents -, through the application of a semi-structured interview. Results: The agents have been experiencing a process of biopsychosocial impairment, due to the precarious work conditions and the deficit of human resources and instruments, factors that are the fallout of political shifts and governmental planning that make the proper development of their tasks unfeasible. The agents, due to performing their work on the streets, in open spaces and away from the institution, are exposed to the weather, to direct contact with the user or client, factors which have shown to be conductive to aggression and urban violence. Conclusion: Parallel to that, it’s been noted that there is a work environment that is favorable to the positive experiences between agents, since the interpersonal relationships are still preserved, manifesting as a facilitator in health development, strengthening of the professional category and as an important element of their work satisfaction.

Virginia's Smart Road, to be completed by early 2000, is a test bed for numerous research activities including snow and ice control, remote sensor testing, snow removal management, safety and human factors, and vehicle dynamics. An all-weather testing system will feature 75 automated snowmaking towers. In order to provide timely and repeatable weather scenarios, equipment operators will need to understand fully the limitations and capabilities of the snowmaking system. The research presented herein addresses the hydraulic and hydrologic variables and design methodology to implement efficient snowmaking at a transportation research facility. Design variables include nozzle configuration, water pressure and flowrate, compressed air pressure and flowrate, tower orientation, snow inducer concentration, water and compressed air temperature, and ambient weather conditions. Testing and data collection was performed at the Snow Economics, Inc. research and development site at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, PA. The results of this work will be used to guide the operators of the Smart Road on the most efficient use of the snowmaking equipment. / Master of Science

The goal of the thesis is to sum up the issues of the contract for the international carriage of goods by road and rail comprehensively, from the perspective of the Czech legal system, and to analyze the issues of the electronic consignment notes, to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of their usage, or to asses the barriers for their usage if they are not widely used yet.