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Take care how you place your moccasins upon the earth, step with care, for the faces of the future generations are looking upfrom the earth waitingfor their turnfor life - Lyoru, 1988 Increasing levels of pollution and the increase in demand for water and other resources by industry led to a number of policies and regulations being developed and revised in South Africa. According to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or wellbeing. In order to have the environment protected and sustained for future use, it became necessary to move away from the traditional fragmented approach to pollution and waste management and focus on an integrated strategy aimed at achieving a balance between ecological sustainability and socioeconomic development. In the Durban Metropolitan Area (DMA) , the Durban Metropolitan Council (Metro) incorporated pollution prevention in their bylaws, which contained stringent discharge limits for heavy metal concentrations. This posed a potential problem for metal fmishers who were concerned about complying with these discharge standards. In addition, the metal finishing industry was considered to be a significant contributor to the pollution load in the DMA, and therefore needed to find suitable solutions to dealing with environmental problems, especially waste management. Waste minimisation was believed to be a good tool for this industry to utilise in order to reduce its pollution load. It was seen from the literature and case studies from international initiatives that waste minimisation results in an improvement in process efficiency and reductions in production costs and environmental impacts, generally at minimal costs. A waste minimisation club was initiated for the metal finishing industry in the DMA in June 1998. The club consisted of twenty-nine members of which the majority were small and medium sized companies. The club was run over a period of thirty months. A core group of sixteen companies actively participated in the activities of the club. During the period of investigation, a total of 391 waste minimisation options were identified for club members and 147 of these options were implemented. This resulted in a total financial saving in excess of R 4 million for the duration of the club's existence. The saving represents combined savings in water, chemicals, metals, energy, effluent treatment, and waste disposal. Corresponding environmental benefits were achieved including a reduced demand for water, reduced toxicity of effluent from chemical and metal reduction, and a reduction in energy requirements. Four companies were investigated in detail and presented as case studies. These companies showed that the payback on implementing waste minimisation options was mostly immediate. The size of the companies was not critical in determining the level of success from running waste minimisation programmes. Success depended mainly on commitment from companies and motivation of project champions. It was found that the greatest barriers to implementing waste minimisation, as identified by companies, were a lack of time, resources, and commitment. Companies joined the club mainly for benefit of reducing costs and complying with legal standards. Aside from successfully raising awareness and promoting the concept of waste minimisation, the waste minimisation club also resulted in an improvement in the relationship between the metal finishing industry and the Metro, and among club members. Based on the results achieved by club members, and from managing the club, it was evident that the club was effective in promoting waste minimisation in industry. For the future running of clubs, it is recommended that waste minimisation assessment training be given to all employees of a company. It would also be more useful if companies reported savings on a more regular basis and more formally. In addition it is recommended that club membership should be limited to between ten and fifteen companies to facilitate improved management of the club. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of Natal,Durban, 2002.

In the Portland Metropolitan area, a wide range of programs and facilities, including informal arrangements, are used for the care of children outside their homes during some part of the day. These programs and facilities include those whose primary purpose is child development, education, or recreation (Headstart, Parent and Child Centers, Nursery Schools, Kindergartens, Extended School Services, and Play School). They also include day care provided by non-profit organizations such as churches and hospitals by private proprietory day care operators and independent family day care homes, and by employers and labor unions in addition to cooperatives. These programs involve a large number of personnel of diversified backgrounds and training. They include professionals, paraprofessionals and nonprofessionals. These programs need to be classified in order to facilitate sound planning and development of training programs to meet the needs of such manpower. For purposes of this study, they were viewed as constituting a social system. The emphasis was on the staff working directly with children. In addition to the operators or directors in charge of most facilities, day care centers have at least one other staff member who works directly with children. These include teachers and social workers. The objectives of the study were to describe the manpower elements in the day care centers and to ascertain training needs and present modes of agency training activities. It was expected to develop a training proposal to meet the needs of the manpower elements identified in the day care centers; if it was so determined by the results of the survey

Japanese Americans have been identified as one of the most successful minority groups in the United States of America because of their achievement of high socioeconomic status. This study focuses on the degree and process of assimilation of Japanese Americans in this country in order to reconsider multiple assimilation theories of minority groups. Three questions were raised: 1) the extent to which both the second and third generation of Japanese Americans are assimilated into American society; 2) how far the third generation is assimilated compared to the second generation; and 3) what the identity of the second and third generation are.

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This study considers the manifestations of social closure attitudes by pupils in the open white and Indian state secondary schools in the Durban and greater Durban areas. This study is contextualised with reference to the state's move towards semi-privatisation of the white state schools in South Africa, thus indicating a gradual shift from race to class subjectivities. Therefore, an argument is offered for the use of Parkin's social closure model which explains both race and class phenomena within the same explanatory framework. A multiple research strategy was used, with questionnaires being administered to 240 pupils, while interviews were held with 40 pupils. The viewpoints of both principals and teachers were also considered. Analyses of the results indicated that pupils of all three race groups (Africans, Indians and whites) displayed exclusionary attitudes. Furthermore, the admissions criteria used by the open schools were found to be operating under racist effects and served as an exclusionary device. The African pupils in this study formed part of a larger subordinate majority grouping and as such, displayed usurpationary attitudes, in terms of their aspirations and goals. "Speaking English" was found to be a salient category and served as a credential to gain access to advantages, and was also used as a justificatory basis for excluding other African pupils. This indicates evidence of dual closure. Finally, the middle class background of most of the African pupils within these open schools indicates that the open schools are catering for a very small sector of the African population. This will result in a small social category of "eligibles", while the majority of the African population will form part of the "ineligibles" or "outsiders", thus widening class inequalities within South African society. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1993.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

Transit trips include four parts: the trip from the front door to the transit stop; the wait at the transit stop for the transit vehicle; the transit ride; and the trip from the transit drop off point to the final destination. This thesis explores methods of improving the pedestrian trips to and from the transit stop and the waiting period at the transit stop. People are not satisfied with their transit trips. People want better quality waiting areas, increased safety, comfortable surroundings, transit information, and convenience during the transit trip. This thesis explores the positive relationship between the quality of public streets and transit facilities, and ridership satisfaction. The thesis proposes that the transit trip can be improved by improving transit waiting areas, and the paths people take arriving at and departing from transit stops. BC Transit's Vancouver Regional Transit System's transit facilities are the focus of the study. Transit facilities include: bus stops, bus loops, bus exchanges, SkyTrain stations, and SeaBus terminals. The study reviews people's attitudes towards transit facilities and discusses the items that people consider important to a transit trip. This review includes a survey conducted by the author and a review of surveys conducted for BC Transit. A review of the literature provides further evidence on the basic requirements for transit facilities and a comparison is made with the local situation. The thesis explores the potential for land use planning, urban design and on-site design to improve the safety, comfort, and convenience of transit facilities. The role of BC Transit, in providing adequate transit facilities, is discussed along with the roles and responsibilities of other associated organizations including: the Province, the Greater Vancouver Regional District, municipal governments located within the Vancouver Region, private enterprise, and business improvement districts. The study concludes BC Transit should give more thought to the transit customer in the design and location of transit facilities. And that municipal governments must take action to improve the quality of streets and transit facilities in their own communities.

There is a need for better information and an understanding of the process of land use change for effective planning in the Greater Vancouver region. Achieving this understanding is challenging due to the multiple public sector organizations setting land use and infrastructure planning policy in the region. A review of literature and interviews with representatives of public sector planning organizations in Greater Vancouver reveals that a region-wide, GIS-based, land use computer simulation model can provide the information infrastructure for increasing understanding as well as developing shared learning and enhancing communication and coordination between the numerous planning organizations. In order to do this, the model structure should take advantage of advances in GIS technology and the modeling process must be open and participatory to ensure a successful modeling project. More specifically, seven guiding principles are recommended for the development of a GIS-based land use model for Greater Vancouver. These principles define the key elements that a successful modeling project for Greater Vancouver should either contain or address: (1) Should be flexible and adaptable (2) Should be 'understandable' (3) Should be methodologically sound in that the results should be the logical extension of the inputs (4) Should consider the entire functional region (5) Should have an open and participatory process for development (6) Should have clear objectives for the project (7) Planners should be involved in the modeling process Overall, the most important principle to consider is the need for an open and participatory process for development. An open process creates shared learning, acceptance of the model results, and a forum in which stakeholders can explore and debate ideas and alternative futures.

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