Esta dissertação aborda a avaliação do desempenho ambiental do processo produtivo em uma indústria madeireira. O trabalho está baseado na revisão de literatura sobre o tema, no mapeamento do processo produtivo e na aplicação das ferramentas de verificação de desempenho ambiental de Echeveste et al. (2002) e de Lean Environment Toolkit. A revisão de literatura investigou aspectos como sustentabilidade, sistemas de gestão ambiental, normas e certificações, ecodesign, subprodutos e resíduos e classificação dos desperdícios ambientais. Já o levantamento de dados foi feito através de visitas ao local, fotografias, coleta de documentos e planilhas e entrevistas com funcionários. Com o mapeamento, foi possível ter entendimento de como é feito o produto e quais os locais onde se dá a geração de resíduos. Na quantificação de volume de produto e sobras ao longo das etapas do processo foi detectado que somente 19,20% de matériaprima se transformam em produto acabado, sendo o restante, 80,80%, subprodutos ou resíduos. Por fim, foi feita a descrição dos tipos de resíduos gerados, tais como, o cavaco, a serragem, a medula e a maravalha, verdes e secos além dos destopos, peças contaminadas e molduras descartadas. A aplicação da ferramenta para verificação de Echeveste et al, 2002 enfocou aspectos relativos ao ecodesign, produção mais limpa e sistemas de gestão ambiental. Através da lista de verificação foi possível obter informações sobre matérias-primas, processo de produção, produto, aspectos mercadológicos, manejo, conformidade e comunicação ambiental. A classificação de desperdícios ambientais, Lean and Environment Toolkit, criado pela Agência Ambiental dos Estados Unidos (United States Environmental Protection Agency) em 2001, detectou perdas relativas ao processo, tais como, espera, transporte, estoque, retrabalho e procedimentos desnecessários. As ferramentas se mostraram complementares e como resultados positivos destacam-se a estratégia pró ativa da empresa nas questões ambientais, a manutenção das certificações já adquiridas e a divulgação das práticas ambientais para clientes e colaboradores. Por outro lado, foi observada a necessidade de melhorias no desenvolvimento de produto e a necessidade de adoção de ferramentas que auxiliem na redução da geração de resíduos. / This thesis approaches the environmental performace evaluation of a productive process into a timber industry. The study is based on specific bibliography, productive process map and also on application of two environmental toolkit. The first one by Echeveste et al. (2002) and the second by United States Environmental Protection Agency. The research was about environmental sustainability, environmental management systems, standards and certifications, ecodesign, subproducts and wastes types, as well as, waste classification. On the other hand, the survey data based on visits, pictures, documents, spreadsheets and interviews with employees. Trough of the map, was possible to understand how the product is manufacturated and where are the waste points. It was also possible to detect that only 19,20% of raw material is processed as final product. The other 80,80% is processed as wastes or subproducts. Finally it was descript the waste types. The application of Echeveste et al, (2002) toolkit focused aspects of ecodesign, clean production and environmental management systems. Through this toolkit was possible to get informations about raw materials, production process, product, market aspects, management, environmental adequacy and environmental comunication. The Lean and Environment Toolkit, by United States Environmental Protection Agency (2001), detected wastes through the produtive process waitings, transport, stocks, rework and and extra processing. The two toolkits showed as additionals. As positives results at the company can be listed: a pro active strategy in environemntal subjects, the certifications maintenance and the comunication about environmetal practices to employees and custumers. On the other hand it necessary improvments in product development and a application of a toolkit to reduce the waste production

Addressing malnutrition (in all its forms) whilst developing a global food system compatible with environmental sustainability remains one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. The current framing of our food systems fails to fully capture the inequities in production, distribution, efficiency and sufficiency of all components necessary to end malnutrition. This research presents a holistic, scalable and replicable framework to model food system pathways (across all essential nutritional components, including macronutrients, micronutrients and amino acids), providing quantification of production, losses, allocation and conversions at all stages of the value chain. Furthermore, this framework attempts to translate current food metrics-often presented in tonnage or absolute terms-into daily per capita figures to provide important context for how this translates into food security and nutrition. This framework can be applied at global, regional and national levels. Here, this model is first presented at a global level and then focuses on India as a national-level example. Results highlight that, at a global level, we produce the equivalent of 5800 kilocalories and 170 grams of protein per person per day through crops alone. However, major system inefficiencies mean that less than half of crop calories and protein are delivered (or converted) for final food supply. Pathway inefficiencies are even more acute for micronutrients; more than 60% of all essential micronutrients assessed in this study are lost between production and consumer-available phases of the food supply system. Globally we find very large inequalities in per capita levels of food production, ranging from 19,000 kilocalories (729 grams of protein) per person per day in North America to 3300 kilocalories (80 grams of protein) in Africa. Large variations are also seen in terms of food system efficiency, ranging from 15-20% in North America to 80-90% in Africa. Understanding regional inefficiencies, inequalities and trade imbalances will be crucial to meet the needs of a growing global population. This case is exemplified in India-specific framework results. India's domestic production capacity would result in severe malnutrition across a large proportion (>60%) of the population (even under ambitious yield and waste reduction scenarios) in 2030/50. This shortfall will have to be addressed through optimised intervention and trade developments. This work also explores a number of solutions which couple improved nutritional outcomes with sustainability. Analyses of global and national nutritional guidelines conclude that most are incompatible with climate targets; the recommended USA or Australian diet provides minimal emissions savings relative to the business-as-usual diet in 2050. Low-cost, high-quality protein will remain a crucial element in developing an effective and sustainable food system. This research explores the potential of two sources. Results find that meat substitute products have significant health and emission benefits, but are strongly sensitive to both price and consumer acceptability. The environmental impact of aquaculture is strongly species-dependent. This study provides the first quantification of global greenhouse gas emissions from aquaculture, estimated to be 227±61 MtCO2e (approximately 3-4% of total livestock emissions). This is projected to increase to 365±99MtCO2e by 2030.

The aim of this essay is to contribute to knowledge about how teaching for sustainable development (TSD) in a preschool context is understood by preschool teachers. The new curriculum for early childhood education (ECE) in Sweden, Läroplan för förskolan Lpfö 18 (Skolverket 2018) addresses sustainable development for the first time explicitly as part of the ECE program, with all three dimensions (environmental, social and economic) included in the description. In a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews and with inspiration from phenomenographic method, this essay is focused on preschool teachers various views on their own teaching practices regarding sustainable development. Considerations of ethic matters such as confidentiality and informational consent were taken. We built our analysis upon to what extent the three dimensions of sustainable development; environmental, social and economic, were included in the teachers expressions. What kind of content and activities were expressed as a part of their TSD and how they described their own teaching role were explored. Three different teaching roles were identified through the material. Together with teachers descriptions of content and activities, these were subsequently related to the teaching traditions; fact-based, normative and pluralistic, as described by Öhman and Östman (2004). This as the third and last step in our analysis. The result shows a variation of teaching roles, content and activities, where the three dimensions as well as the teaching traditions are sometimes overlapping. Conclusions and implications are discussed.

During the delivery of healthcare services, hospital employees use enormous amounts of water, energy, and nonbiodegradable carcinogenic plastics. In the U.S., hospital staff generate an average of over 7,000 tons of waste per day at an average cost of $0.28 per pound for the disposal of regulated medical trash, which if efficiently managed or reduced, could result in substantial cost savings. Using the organizational learning and the transaction cost economics theories as the conceptual frameworks, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies healthcare leaders used to minimize their waste management operational costs. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 4 managers at a healthcare system in the Midwestern United States and reviewing financial documents as well as the participants' hospital website. Based on the thematic analysis, 4 primary themes emerged: (a) engaged leadership, (b) incorporate sustainability into the mission, vision, and values of the organization, (c) create an organizational culture of sustainability, and (d) innovation. Because society's health is largely dependent on the environment around them, these findings could assist hospital leaders in the implementation of cost-effective waste management strategies and contribute to positive social change.

Education for sustainability (EFS) is emerging as a key strategy for learning and action towards sustainability. Community-based environmental groups are potentially important providers of, and contexts for, educating adults for sustainability because they engage the community in activities such as public awareness raising, advocacy and lobbying, community education, and participatory learning (UNESCO, 2004, p. 25). These groups have been identified as key stakeholders of EFS in UNESCO's strategic plan for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, from 2005-2014 (UNESCO, 2004). Despite this recognition, there are few models or precedents to guide groups or programs in developing and implementing EFS in their strategies or activities. Additionally, education commonly associated with community-based environmental groups has been rather narrowly conceived as public awareness raising and individual behaviour change, and disconnected from advocacy (Clover, 2002a; Whelan, pending). This thesis addressed this gap in understanding by investigating the dimensions of education and learning in two community-based environmental groups in South-East QueensIand. The aim of this research was to develop a framework to explain and understand the role of education and learning within and by community-based environmental groups. The research inquiry was motivated by an interpretive interest in uncovering the educative dimensions arising from group members' engagement in the activities of community-based environmental groups. This aim was addressed through an investigation of: (1) the community education initiatives of community-based environmental groups; and (2) the learning that occurs within these groups through participation in social action, Two community-based environmental groups that participated in this study were Smogbusters, an environmental advocacy group, which focused on air quality and transport issues in Brisbane; and the Pumicestone Region Catchment Coordination Association, (PRCCA) a community-based natural resource management group. Information was gathered through participant observation, interviews with group members and project staff, and the collection of relevant documents from both groups. A conceptual framework based on five convergent themes in the contemporary EFS literature was used to interpret and analyse the activities of these groups, These are: (1) participation; (2) critical thinking; (3) local relevance; (4) holistic, interdisciplinary and systemic approaches; and (5) values-driven approaches. The analysis of both groups' community education initiatives revealed the use of approaches that extend beyond pubhc awareness, didactic, and information-based approaches to strategies that engaged the community more actively than was possible with conventional approaches. This reflects a more sophisticated and considered approach that connects education with advocacy as an integral part of groups' strategy and practice. The two case studies illustrate the use of participatory learning and action that incorporates adult learning approaches to enhance participation and learning. These findings contribute to knowledge that can help bridge the gap between education and advocacy in the activities of community-based environmental groups (Clover, 2002a; Whelan, 2005). The findings strongly suggest that the two groups engaged a form of education and action that approaches the potential of EFS as envisaged in policy documents and vision statements. The groups provided opportunities for action learning through advocacy and lobbying for policy change, and through a range of activities associated with addressing issues of natural resource management. In Smogbusters, participation in advocacy and education contributed to building the capacity of individuals to engage in social action for sustainable transport and air quality. In the PRCCA, group members' participation in natural resource management related activities developed their skills, knowledge and capacity to advocate for sustainable natural resource management practices. These findings confirm that local participation in environmental action and decision making builds on the individual and collective experiences of participants. Participation in action empowered and enabled group members to engage in action and change. In particular, participants developed a strong sense of their capacity to enact change, and to engage in social action. The findings of this research suggest that community-based environmental groups are important places for adults to gain a stronger sense of personal and collective agency towards sustainability. Further, participation in these groups is an important mechanism for environmental change to be brought about through collective action (Apel & Camozzi, 1996). The research findings confirm that adult and popular education pedagogies can optimise learning in community-based environmental groups (Foley, 1999; Clover & Hall, 2000; Clover; 2002a; Follen & HaIl, 1998; Newman, 1995a). The framework may be able to assist project coordinators in developing and implementing community education strategies into their programs. Finally, the findings have implications for policy and program development in the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

This thesis aims at providing an insight into one of the most influential ecological change efforts of our time, culminating with the banning of the use of chloroflourocarbons, CFCs, conceded as being linked to one of the most severe threats to our ecosystem, the depletion of the earth's ozone layer. This change effort, extending over a quarter century, is analyzed, drawing on the responses of three unrelated industries directly affected by the ban. As this thesis exposes, industry can play something of a dual role, on the one hand as a substantial contributor to ecological problems and on the other, as a promising source of solutions to such problems. A greater understanding of forces that impede or propel industrial change toward sustainable practices will enhance the capacities of both industrial actors and policymakers to design policies, industrial processes, and products aimed at promoting environmental sustainability. The change efforts carried out in three different, real and expanding industrial contexts, namely, refrigerator manufacture, circuit board assembly and furniture foam processing, are addressed. It is hoped that this thesis offers researchers, managers, policy makers, environmentalists and others directly interested the insight it sets out to provide into the workings of change towards sustainability in larger industrial systems. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2000</p>

The theme of this thesis is environmental research as a tool for change. In the first part of the thesis a “Situation of Opportunity” is studied, i.e. a situation when the opportunities to reduce negative environmental impacts are larger than usual. The maintenance of a multi- family residential area, here called a Small Neighbourhood, is studied as a series of Situations of Opportunity. To explore the prerequisites for using maintenance as a Situation of Opportunity, two case studies were carried out and reported as a licentiate thesis. The first one on the rental area Idö-Våldö in Stockholm managed by the association Stockholms Kooperativa Bostadsförening (SKB), and the second one on Järven, a housing cooperative in Malmö that cooperates with the management organisation HSB Malmö. In the study the researcher developed long-term environmental strategies based on the planned maintenance of the areas. Besides exploring the prerequisites for using planned maintenance as a Situation of Opportunity, the intention was that the studies would initiate an environmental practice within the areas studied. Results indicated that maintenance, at least in principle, creates many possibilities for reducing negative environmental impacts and that it to some extent also can be used for creating a dialogue between residents and managers. However, the conditions for using maintenance in the cases studied were limited by low interest among the residents as well as the economical and organisational prerequisites of the cases. The studies did not initiate an environmental practice as intended. The reason for that might be the mentioned conditions, but it could also depend on the researcher’s limited knowledge on action-oriented and collaborative research. Thus, the second part of the thesis aims at developing a research methodology for such research. Based on empirical experiences from the Idö-Våldö and Järven-studies and a literature study, a methodology for action-oriented research for environmentally sustainable housing (ARESH) is outlined. It is proposed that methods of action research and of case study methodology could be applied in ARESH. However, there are several potential conflicts in ARESH. The researcher has for instance to judge if the study should be led in the first hand by participants or by researchers, or if it should be more oriented towards theory than practice. One conclusion is that a research methodology for such research needs to be further discussed and also further explored in practice. Since there are indications that a collaborative and action-oriented research is evolving in the field of environmental research, it is hoped that the findings of the thesis can contribute to a discussion on how to carry out research as a tool for change / QC 20110121

Post apartheid planning practice aims to resolve the inequality that resulted from the hyperrational comprehensive model of planning executed during apartheid via a participatory, integrated approach. The Integrated Development Planning model was created to manifest the goals of social and spatial equality while taking into account principles set forth in Agenda 21. This thesis attempted to determine the relevance of the present planning model in achieving the stated goals of social equity and environmental sustainability, within the Dwars River Valley, Stellenbosch Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa. Utilizing 54 qualitative-based interviews with key stakeholders, results indicate that historically based realities on the ground and ideals of more equitable and sustainable spatial architecture is profoundly challenging. Despite this, the organic emergence of unique coalitions provides evidence that positive change occurs daily and outcomes can only be measured with time.

Companies are under increasing pressure from every category of stakeholder, from government and community to supply chain and consumer, to improve the environmental sustainability of their operations, products and services. To be most successful with environmental sustainability improvement initiatives, a company must have the commitment and effort of its employees. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of the company’s approach to the initiative on the level of employee commitment to the company’s environmental sustainability goals. This research was conducted with a two-factor, factorial experiment. The experimental factors were construal level and small wins framing. Each of these factors had two levels, creating a 2x2 design with four treatment level combinations. A third study factor was environmental concern. Four other variables, goal difficulty, perceived organizational efficacy, gender and age, were included in the model as control variables. The dependent variable was goal commitment. Approximately 150 participants were recruited for the experiment and randomly assigned to one of the four fixed, treatment combinations. Hierarchical regression was used to estimate the factors’ main and interaction effects, as well as the significance of the control variables. Neither of the two manipulated variables, construal level and small wins, was found to have a significant main effect on goal commitment. There were, however, significant interactions between environmental concern and construal level, and between environmental concern and small wins framing, on goal commitment. At high levels of environmental concern, the effects of construal level and small wins were as hypothesized, but at low levels of environmental concern, the effects of construal level and small wins were opposite of what was expected. Additionally, both organizational efficacy and gender were found to significantly affect one’s goal commitment.

Environmental sustainability in Sweden is challenged by rising greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, input-intensive agriculture and potentially unsustainable removal of organic material from forests and farmland. The Swedish government is working towards sixteen environmental quality objectives in order to overcome these problems, among others.  The past decade gave rise to an international research community dedicated to investigate the age-old practice of applying charcoal to soil, practiced most notably by ancient civilisations in the Amazon region of South America. The high level of interest and controversy around this subject inspired this investigation of biochar’s potential benefits in Sweden.  A scientific study was conducted to examine the potential of biochar to enhance environmental sustainability in Sweden. This was largely a desk study, supplemented by expert interviews, GIS map work, an experiment and mathematical analysis.  It was found that there was insufficient research to date to prove the agronomic benefits of biochar in Sweden. More field studies are required to build up the evidence of its potential. Furthermore, as the rate of mineralization of the carbon content is dependent on numerous factors, including the composition of the soil to which the biochar is applied, it is difficult to conclusively define biochar’s carbon storage potential.  This study adds to the existing body of knowledge on the subject by integrating the conclusions from a variety of studies and expert opinions, as well as by providing maps indicating land areas in Sweden that would be likely to benefit from biochar application.