There is a consensus globally that climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing operations. Immediate actions are required to reduce the carbon footprint in order for the environment to endure future logistics processes and activities (The National Treasury department of South Africa, 2010). Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are emissions generated from manufacturing processes, distribution networks and treatments processes (Verfaillie and Bidwell, 2000). Companies globally are expected to monitor pollution and focus on reducing the discharge of pollutants. Logistics Managers are therefore pressured to reduce the carbon footprint as it affects the environment and our health. Companies are becoming more concerned with the impact of various activities and processes on the environment. Traditional logistics models, primarily focuses on minimising cost with little focus on the environmental impact and sustaining operations for the future (Sbihi and Eglese, 2009) General Motors (GM) is a multi-national vehicle manufacturer with operations in various countries. GM filed for bankruptcy in 2009 resulting in the formation of the new GM; one of the focus areas was to ensure sustainability which resulted in the introduction of the ‘Sustainability in motion’ program in 2009 (New York Times, 2009). General Motors South Africa (GMSAf) is a vehicle assembler with manufacturing facilities and head offices located in Port Elizabeth. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational General Motors Company. The aim of the research is to determine whether a culture that promotes environmentally conscious behaviour exists within employees and their relationships within a team, with management, stakeholders and suppliers. The study will assist in highlighting areas which need improvement to enable the creation of environmentally sustainable initiatives and implementation thereof. The empirical study revealed that the following management commitment, education and training, performance management and participation and involvement were important factors in the effective implementation of an environmental sustainability program.

Policy-makers, transportation researchers, and activists often assume that traffic congestion mitigation results in reduced vehicle emissions without proper justification or quantification of the benefits. If congestion mitigation is going to be tied to air quality goals, a better understanding of the impacts of traffic congestion on motor vehicle emissions is needed. This research addresses that need by investigating under which circumstances the commonly held assumption linking congestion mitigation to emissions reductions is valid. We develop and apply a mathematical framework to study the trade-offs between vehicle efficiency and travel demand that accompany travel speed changes. While the exact relationships among emissions, travel speed, and travel demand vary with location and pollutant, several consistent results arise. The potential for marginal emissions rate reductions through average travel speed adjustments is small for speeds between about 25 and 70 mph. Emissions rate sensitivity to speed increases with the fraction of heavy-duty vehicles and for certain pollutants (gaseous hydrocarbons and particulate matter), and decreases with the fraction of advanced-drivetrain vehicles, such as electric and gas-electric hybrid vehicles. But travel volume is also a key consideration for the total emissions impacts of congestion and congestion mitigation. While travel speed increases are generally expected to increase efficiency, they are also expected to increase vehicle travel volume as a result of induced demand. To explore efficiency and volume trade-offs we look at emissions break-even conditions for average speed and travel demand elasticity. Depending on the pollutant and the vehicle fleet, total emissions are only expected to decrease with increasing travel speed for initial conditions of both low demand elasticity and low average speed. Thus, higher levels of congestion do not necessarily increase emissions, nor will congestion mitigation inevitably reduce emissions. This result includes projects that seek to increase vehicle throughput from existing roadway supply through better traffic management and operations. Congestion mitigation through reduced vehicle volumes, on the other hand, presents the opportunity for additive emissions benefits through efficiency improvements and total Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) reductions. Comparing capacity-based congestion mitigation strategies with alternative emissions reduction strategies we show that where emissions reductions are possible through speed increases, the emissions benefits are likely to be more easily and cost-effectively attained by other strategies. A sketch analysis of vehicle-class segregated facilities shows that truck-only lane strategies consistently out-perform general-purpose/mixed-flow lane strategies in terms of emissions reductions. An analysis of several congestion-related performance measures shows that for reflecting emissions impacts, VMT is an essential component of performance. Thus, alternative congestion metrics such as total/excess travel distance and travel time are preferable emissions performance indicators to speed or distance-normalized delay. The Travel Time Index, in particular, poorly reflects emissions changes on congested roadways. This thesis offers several original contributions to the body of knowledge regarding congestion and emissions. First, it describes a parsimonious conceptual framework for assessing the effect of congestion on emissions. Then from that framework, several simple and original equations are presented which can be used for sketch-level planning to estimate emissions impacts from congestion mitigation. Finally, application of the framework provides quantitative support for the decoupling of congestion and emissions mitigations.

Background: Access to safe water and sanitation are universal need and basic human right, but the provision of quality water and improved sanitation remains a challenge in many African countries including Ethiopia. Objectives: The study investigated drinking water quality, sanitation-hygiene practices and the potential of Moringa stenopetala seed powder for the purification of water in Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 randomly selected households in Robe and Ginnir Towns. Data were collected by interviewer-administered structured questionnaires from June 2012 to August 2013. An observation checklist was used to observe the sanitary condition of water sources. A total of 71 water samples were collected using sterile glass bottles in accordance with the standard method of American Public Health Association APHA. The physicochemical and bacteriological water quality analyses were done in Addis Ababa Environmental protection and Oromia water and Energy laboratories. The efficiency of Moringa stenopetala seed powder for removal of turbidity, hardness, and nitrate was evaluated. Data were analyzed SPSS Version 21.0 for the window. Descriptive analysis was done for appropriate variables. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with under-five diarrhea. The results were presented using adjusted odds ratio and P-value of < 0.05 was used to declare significance association. Results: From the total sample, 401 respondents participated making a response rate of 95%. More than one third (37.9%) of the respondents were found to use pipe water. Two hundred and eighty (69.8%) of households wash storage containers before refilling and 325 (81%) of households were using separate containers for water storage. Two hundred seventy (67.3%) of the households had pit latrine. Prevalence of childhood diarrhea was found to be 50.1%. From the logistic regression model, those households having access to clean water source are 68% less likely to have under-five diarrhea, the households having clean storage of drinking water are 45% less likely to have under-five diarrhea in their home, and those households having poor latrine sanitation are 68% more likely to have under-five diarrhea in their home. Seed powder of 200mg/l Moringa stenopetala reduced the Nitrate concentration doses from 5.49mg/l to 8.18mg/l, a 75mg/l was reduced the turbidity from 4.49NTU to 1.07 NTU. A total hardness of 427 was reduced by 7.8% after treatment with powder seed of Moringa stenopetala. Conclusion: Prevalence of childhood diarrhea was high and it is associated with lack of access to a clean water source, poor sanitation of drinking water storage and latrine. Prevalence of open field defecation was remarkably high. The iron content of drinking water was above the range of World Health Organization standards. Moringa stenopetala seed powder has efficiency in the reduction of total and faecal coliform, turbidity, hardness and nitrate level in drinking water Recommendation: Health education on water handling, sanitation and low-cost effective water treatment methods like Using Moringa stenopetala seed should be practiced at the household level. / Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Science)

Thesis (MIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: TheSouthAfrican economy islargely dependant on small enterprisesas a valuable source of job creation, gross domestic product as well as product development and innovation, However, unfortunately there existsan extremeiy high failure rate among small businesswith 20%of startup businessesfailing within the firstyear of operation, and an almost 60% failure rate within the first6 years of existence, Thesestatisticshave initiated several research studies,and have been the focus of many businessbooks, in itseif, creating a vast industry of small businesssuccesstools and quick fix solutions, When considering the high failure rates of small businesses,the concepts surrounding sustainable development come into question by pure method of association, Sustainable development issueshave become a top priority globally and have moved up the corporate agenda in recent years. When trying to "marry" these two concepts, questions arise regarding the effect of integrating sustainability principles and management systems,with contemporary small businessstrategy. Theaim of thisstudy isto investigate existingcritical successmodels and to integrate some simple initial stages of sustainable development business strategy within these models. Expectantly, some of the principles contained in the formalisation of management systems that address sustainability issues,could be incorporated in traditional management models in an attempt to identify possible interventions and tools that might positivelyimpact on the successrate of small businessenterprises. These concepts would be tested by means of implementing a formal environmental management system (based on the ISO 14001standard) as an initial approach to addressingsustainabilitygoals, as a case study, The successful implementation of an ISO 14001 environmental management system at this small businessenterprise, realised several advantages for the company, and have been used to adapt traditional management models to include for some of the simple concepts of sustainable development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid Afrikaanse ekonomie is in 'n groot mate afhanklik van klein besighede as 'n waardevolle bron van werkskepping, bruto binnelandse produk, asook van produk ontwikkeling en innovasie, Des nieteenstaande, bestaan daar ongelukkig 'n baie hoe faling syfer onder klein besighede, met 20%van aanvangsbesighede wat mislukbinne die eerste jaar van bedryf en ongeveer 60%van besighede wat mislukbinne die eerste 6jaar van bestaan. Hierdie statistieke het reeds verskeie navorsingstudiesgeinisieer en was reeds die tema van verskeie boeke, wat opsig self 'n reuse industrie genereer van sake sukseshandleidings en kits oplossings vir verskeie probleme, Wanneer hierdie hoe falings statistieke onder klein sake ondernemings oorweeg word, bevraagteken mens die konsepte rakende volhoubare ontwikkeiing, bloot as gevolg van assosiasie,Volhoubare ontwikkeling het in die laaste paar jaar baie aandag geniet op die prioriteitsagendas internationaal, asook van verskeie korporatiewe agendas. As gepoog word om hierdie twee konsepte met mekaar te vereenselwig, ontwikkel daar verskeievrae rakende die effek van die integrering van volhoubare ontwikkelingsbeginselsen verwante bestuurstelsels,met bestaande kiein sake onderneming strategie, Die doel van hierdie studie isom bestaande suksesmodelIe vir klein sake ondernemings te ondersoek, en om sommige van die begin fase beginselsvan volhoubare besigheids strategie, met mekaar te integreer. Daar sou verwag kon word dot sommige van .die konsepte bevat in die formaiisering van bestuurstelselsrakende volhoubare ontwikkeling, ook geinkorporeer kan word binne bestaande traditionele bestuursmodelle, in 'n poging om moontlike ingrypings en gereedskap te identifiseer wat 'n positiewe impak kan he op die suksessyfersvan kleinsake ondernemings. Hierdie konsepte is getoets aan die hand van 'n implimentering van 'n formele omgewingsbestuurstelsel(gebasseer op die ISO14001standaard) as 'ngevalle studie, wat die begin benadering vorm om die doelwitte van volhoubaarheid aan te spreek. Die suksesvolleimplimentering van 'n ISO 14001omgewingsbestuurselsel by 'n klein sake onderneming het verskeie voordele vir hierdie maatskappy tot gevolg gehad. en is gebruik om tradisionele suksesmodelleaan te pas, om voorsiening te maak vir sommige van die konsepte rakende volhoubare ontwikkeling.

More and more companies are realising the benefits of implementing management systems, integration of these systems would lead to a more efficient and effective management system. Environmental, quality, health and safety management systems are discussed as well as how each is implemented independently. Where the systems overlap or have common goals, in order to avoid duplication and unnecessary extra work, the development and implementation as an integrated management system (IMS) is essential and forms the major part of this project. A long term plan to implement the IMS is developed and will be implemented in this company through stages. A holistic approach is being used to improve not only the effluent but also the process and raw materials. The company being focussed on is broken down into different sections and each section carefully investigated to find possible process improvements. The company is looking to become as automated as possible to reduce human error, but due to financial concerns, everything is to be done as economically as possible, or over a longer time span. The company is looking to implement an environmental management system (EMS) to become ISO 14000 certified and a quality management system (QMS) to become ISO 9000 certified as this would: • improve product marketing, • minimise long term costs, • ensure the future development of the company, and • help give the company an edge in the highly competitive market. A brief background of the organisation is given in order to determine the current (pre-implementation) status of the company. The EMS, QMS and Operational Health and Safety are discussed as well as how each is implemented independently. A gap analysis of each of the management systems is carried out and where the systems overlap or have common goals, these systems are integrated. The different functional departments of the organisation nl. inventory, production and administration are investigated and suggestions on how to improve these are documented. These suggestions are to be carried out first as these are the most obvious and currently cause the most problems. Once these problems are fixed, the gap analysis of each system is to be looked at and implemented. The water use of the organisation is investigated and some practical ways of decreasing the water use are suggested. Different ways of treating the effluent is discussed and it is decided that the best setup would be two tanks in series, including a flow equalisation tank and a chemical neutralisation tank. Depending on the pilot plant investigation an extra tank can be used to improve the water quality. One of the fundamental foundations to an effective and efficient management system is management commitment and the management at AIC are not committed enough. Employees should be motivated through fair pay, training and recognition as this will reduce human error and also improve the general feeling in the organisation. The IMS will be greatly enhanced if business ethics and social responsibilities are incorporated. Training seems to be the major problem in the organisation at present and once the appropriate sections of the IMS have been completed, training should become part of the company’s routine.

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

The aim of this PhD research project was to critically examine the self-reported socially-responsible activities of European full-service and low-fares airlines. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concept that has been described using many terms and with varying definitions. Broadly, it is the recognition that businesses should voluntarily mitigate and manage their externalities. CSR has been touted by businesses and governments alike as a preferred alternative to regulation. This research looked at the self-reported CSR approaches of the European airline sector, which has historically been heavily regulated and is currently facing increasing pressures regarding its impacts on CSR- and sustainability-related concerns. Low cost carriers have been under particular scrutiny for their impacts, and therefore, this research compared the CSR approaches of the two dominant airline business models in Europe: low cost and full service models. The sample consisted of 21 full service and 13 low cost carriers with headquarters in Europe. Mixed qualitative methods were applied to 566 secondary documents (websites, press releases, annual reports, and standalone CSR reports) and 15 elite interviews with airline managers. A range of established CSR indicators were assessed, including: definitions, reported practices, motivations and justifications for CSR activities, and CSR management and monitoring. Much of what the airlines reported as their CSR was at odds with academic and governmental definitions; as a whole, they placed considerable emphasis on environmental issues and adhering to regulations. This study also found that the CSR practices were closely correlated with business practices and key sector issues – an understanding of CSR that is most compatible with stakeholder theory-based conceptualisations. Business models on their own were found to be an overly-simplistic explanation for the wide variances of practice that were found in the sample. Instead, four ‘profiles of responsibility’ were identified, which better captured the differences in practices.

<p>U okviru disertacije, razvijen je model upravljanja otpadom na nivou regiona Novi Sad, kori&scaron;ćenjem analize tokova materijala i diskontovanih novčanih tokova. Model omogućava da se na osnovu identifikovanih količina otpada, koje je potrebno tretirati kako bi se ispunili ciljevi propisani Direktivama Evropske unije (EU), kvantifikuje uticaj upravljanja otpadom na životnu sredinu kroz emisiju CO2 eq. u atmosferu. Na osnovu identifikovanih količina otpada, model omogućava procenu investicionih i operativnih tro&scaron;kova postrojenja za tretman otpada. Dobijene ekonomske vrednosti mogu se optimizovati kako bi se uspostavio ekonomski održiv sistem upravljanja otpadom na dug rok uvođenjem naknade za tretman otpada. Razvijeni model i dobijeni podaci omogućavaju definisanje budućeg pravca razvoja sistema upravljanja otpadom u regionu čijom implementacijom bi se smanjio negativni uticaj na životnu sredinu, uspostavio ekonomski održiv sistem i ispunili ciljevi EU.</p> / <p>Using the method of analysis of material flows and discounted cash flows a<br />model for waste management for the Novi Sad Waste Management Region is<br />developed. Using the identified waste quantites in the region, model estimates<br />the waste quantites in order to meet the objectives in the Directives of the<br />European Union (EU) and quantify their impact on environment through the<br />emission of CO2 eq. in the atmosphere. In addition, based on the identified<br />amount of waste, the model estimates investment and operational costs of<br />waste treatment plants. Obtained economic values in the model can be<br />optimized in order to establish a waste management system that is<br />economically sustainable introducing the gate fee. The developed model could<br />be used as a tool for development of waste management system in the region<br />which will reduce the negative impact on the environment, will be economically<br />sustainable and fulfill the objectives of the EU Directives.</p>

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Geography). Johannesburg, 11 June 2017. / Reclaimer integration in South Africa has been identified as a priority, but how to integrate reclaimers remains a challenge. Crucially, there is not yet a coherent approach or a clear understanding of what reclaimer integration means in South Africa, let alone whether this same understanding of integration is shared by the reclaimers who are being integrated. By focusing on the integration initiatives of the Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) and Pikitup, this thesis conducts a comparative study of two reclaimer integration projects in Johannesburg. It investigates the breakdown and mismatch of understandings between social actors who do not share the same view of integration and implications thereof. In doing so, it contributes to discourse on the transformation of Johannesburg’s waste management system. Social constructivism theory by Berger and Luckmann (1966) provides the theoretical grounding for this dissertation by exploring how different milieus and experiences shape people’s understanding of realities. Findings illustrate that there is no clear conceptualisation of integration that underpins waste management policy. Drawing on social constructivism theory, the paper concludes that integration is a socially constructed and contested concept. Essentially, there are inconsistent understandings of integration among different groups of reclaimers as well as officials. For that reason, integration programmes created a new form of exclusion and imposed negative effects on reclaimers. KEYWORDS: Integration, Reclaimers, Waste, Policy, Recycling, cooperatives / LG2018

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:21:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alberto de Oliveira.pdf: 694296 bytes, checksum: 121b23beaa5f69c73881e5ea75b0903a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-06-25 / The scope of this study was to gather data on the how environment managers perceive their activity. Theoretical basis on environment managing was sought, observing its history; the development of environmental organizations in Brazil and abroad; factors and progresses in the global context, and samples of environmental managing from the Environment Management System (EMS). It consists of a case study of both descriptive and exploratory character focusing on the perceptions of environment managers graduated from three classes of lato sensu post-graduation course in Environment management management processes and on the interface of their praxis on their field of work. Two studies were carried out. The first aimed to present the course taken, and the second raised their perception on environment management and their interfaces with organizations, as graduated from the course. Data were collected from documental analysis and semistructured interview. In study 1 one of the coordinators of the course was intentionally chosen, as well as six other professors. Such choices were made due to their influence on forming the referred professionals, from candidate selection to the final monograph of the course. On this study the categories of the perceptions (of the coordinator/professors) on Environment Management . On study 2, also intentionally, nine managers were chosen based on their academic background and the fact of living and working in the same town of the course. On this study he categories of perceptions on Environment Management; support from organization towards managers and applicability of what was learned on their formation . After tabulation and analysis of data it was possible to conclude that environmental education, conducted by an organization representing industry businessmen in Goiás, is submerged in several contradictions, for environment preservation is incompatible with profit interests of the capitalistic production system. Also, the mechanicist model of formal education does not interpret the environmental complexity, which embraces nature, culture, society and politic dimension. The results of this study point that the priority to profits, given by the organizations, leads to insensitivity concerning the environment, whilst the graduated professionals lack the power to intervene on the industries. Such industries especially those of exporting goods only follow legal policies and invest on their image among consumers. The course on the professionals lives was vital on their technical establishment on the field of work; however it seemed distant in forming a critical sight of their role on the organization. If strengthened by a critical educational model, civil society, aware of its active role, may become a viable alternative to put pressure into the hegemonic power constituted by businessmen, politicians of executive, legislative and judiciary powers, forcing the Public Ministers to actually perform their social role. / O presente estudo objetivou levantar dados sobre o modo como os gestores ambientais percebem a gestão ambiental. Buscou-se embasamento teórico em gestão ambiental, perpassando pelo seu histórico; desenvolvimento do movimento ambientalista no mundo e no Brasil, fatores e evoluções no contexto globalizado e utilização de modelos de gestão ambiental com base no sistema de gestão ambiental (SGA). Trata-se de um estudo de caso de caráter descritivo e exploratório que procurou apreender as percepções dos gestores ambientais formados em três turmas do curso de pós-graduação lato sensu denominado Gestão Ambiental - Processos Gerenciais e a interface de suas práticas em seus respectivos campos de trabalho. Foram realizados dois estudos. O primeiro visou apresentar o curso que formou os gestores, e o segundo, a percepção dos gestores acerca da gestão ambiental e suas interfaces com as organizações, como egressos do curso. Para coleta de dados, foram utilizados a análise documental e a entrevista semi-estruturada. Para o estudo 1 escolheu-se intencionalmente uma das coordenadoras do curso e seis professores, em razão de suas influências na formação dos referidos gestores, desde a seleção dos candidatos até a conclusão do trabalho final de curso e observaram-se as categorias percepções da coordenadora/professores acerca da gestão ambiental. No estudo 2, também de forma intencional, foram escolhidos nove gestores considerando suas formações acadêmicas, e o fato de trabalharem e residirem no local de realização do curso e foram observadas as categorias percepções acerca da gestão ambiental; suporte das organizações aos gestores e aplicabilidade do conteúdo aprendido em suas formações . Após a catalogação e análise dos resultados, verificou-se que a educação ambiental, conduzida por uma entidade representativa dos empresários industriais em Goiás, está imersa em inúmeras contradições, pois a preservação ambiental é incompatível com interesses de lucratividade do modo de produção capitalista/econômico. Além do mais, o modelo mecanicista utilizado na educação formal não interpreta a complexidade ambiental que entrelaça natureza, cultura, sociedade, e a dimensão política não é contemplada pela maioria dos educadores. Os resultados desses estudos indicam que a priorização dos lucros pelas organizações leva a uma insensibilidade em relação ao meio ambiente e os egressos do curso não têm poder para intervir nas empresas que apenas cumprem os dispositivos legais e investem mais na sua imagem perante os consumidores, sobretudo se forem exportadoras. O curso realizado pelos gestores foi preponderante para que se estruturassem tecnicamente no mercado de trabalho, mas ficou distante em sua formação a visão crítica de seu papel na organização. Se fortalecida por um modelo educacional crítico e transformador, a sociedade civil, consciente de seu papel participante, pode tornar uma alternativa viável para pressionar o poder hegemônico constituído pelos empresários, políticos do executivo, do legislativo e do judiciário, incitando ministério público a efetivamente cumprir seu papel social.