scholarly journals Public Preferences for Food–Energy–Water Tradeoffs in the Western U.S.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (19) ◽  
pp. 5200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent S. Steel ◽  
Erika Allen Wolters ◽  
Rebecca L. Warner

The food–energy–water (FEW) nexus is, by definition, a “wicked problem” in that potential solutions in one sector may inadvertently create perverse effects in another. For example, rapid population growth in conjunction with increasing urbanization will add additional stress to current pressures on the world’s FEW resources. Water scarcity will increase challenges in providing plentiful foods, as well as clean, potable water. Water is also critical to energy production—and conversely—energy is needed to deliver clean, safe water. Extant and projected demand for FEW creates an intertwined problem of supply and demand and new policy considerations for managing the nexus. This study examines the FEW policy tradeoff preferences of the public in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington states, using survey data collected in 2018. More specifically, this study examines the impact of demographic control variables, FEW knowledge, and environmental values and beliefs on hypothetical tradeoffs between FEW policy preferences. Findings suggest that those respondents that believe in human-caused climate change and with higher new ecological paradigm (NEP) scores were more supportive of water quality issues versus hydroelectric energy production, rural solar energy development versus limiting rural solar development for food production, and water quality over food production for a growing population.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Stevović

The Drina River has always been a source of drinking water and irrigation for food production, with all its tributaries and branching catchment area across the territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. It has connected peoples and cultures for centuries with its bridges. At the same time, with its great head, the Drina has always represented a significant hydropower potential. Throughout history, numerous watermills have been built on it. Currently, there are several constructed hydro-technical facilities on the Drina and in its catchment area. Among them, the most important are dams, with roads over them, associated hydroelectric power plants and belonging structures for flood control, water intakes for drinking water or irrigation. Due to multiple possible, almost always conflicting purposes, as well as several states, entities and other stakeholders, the management of Drina River water resources from the angle of the water-food-energy and climate nexus is an extremely complex problem. In addition to the impact on hydropower, agriculture, forestry, transport, irrigation and drainage, tourism and socio-cultural events, the construction of such strategic structures has also an impact on the climate of the Western Balkans. The issue of optimization within the nexus of the water-food-energy-climate requires holistic research to find synergistic solutions. These solutions are certainly a compromise. But inevitably, they must meet the criteria of sustainable development and the requirements of reducing global warming, according to the set conditions of the adopted European Green Plan for the Western Balkans. This paper proposes a methodology for finding optimal/compromise hydropower solutions, which synergistically include all parameters of influence. Holistic research of sustainable hydropower systems on the Drina River, from the angle of the water-food-energyclimate nexus, is presented. Particularly detailed analyses of the course of the river between the towns of Foča and Goražde, as well as the downstream part between Zvornik and mouth, known as the Lower Drina. In these sections, the most pronounced conflict is whether water will be used for drinking and/or food production and/or energy production and what impact possible solutions have on the climate of the region.


Ekologija ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentinas Šaulys ◽  
Nijolė Bastienė
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
I. Saakian ◽  
Aleksandr, Grigor’ev ◽  
E. Kravets ◽  
E. Rudakov ◽  
A. Faddeev ◽  
...  

Выполнен анализ действующей редакции Методики разработки нормативов допустимых сбросов веществ и микроорганизмов в водные объекты для водопользователей , утвержденной приказом Минприроды России от 17 декабря 2007 г. 333, на предмет непротиворечивости и соответствия нормам водоохранного законодательства. Выявлена неопределенность применения Методики в условиях воздействия на качество воды природных и антропогенных факторов, не зависящих от конкретного водопользователя. Положения Методики противоречат принципам нормирования воздействия на водные объекты на основе наилучших доступных технологий, что было показано на примерах утвержденных технологических показателей содержания загрязняющих веществ в сточных водах различных отраслей промышленности. Анализ системы нормирования допустимых воздействий на водные объекты и географической дифференциации нормативов качества воды в пределах Российской Федерации вместе с системой целевых показателей качества воды также показал несоответствие Методики основным принципам водоохранного законодательства.The analysis of the current edition of the Methods of developing standards for permissible discharges of substances and microorganisms into water bodies for water users , approved by the Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia dated December 17, 2007 No. 333 for consilience and compliance with the regulations of the water protection legislation, is carried out. Uncertainty of the application of the Methods in the conditions of the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors that are independent of a specific water user on the quality of water has been identified. The provisions of the Methods contradict the principles of regulating the impact on water bodies based on the best available technologies shown on the examples of approved process indicators of the concentrations of various industrial pollutants in wastewater. An analysis of the system of regulating the permissible impact on water bodies and the geographical differentiation of water quality standards within the boundaries of the Russian Federation, together with the system of water quality targets, also showed that the Methods do not comply with the basic principles of the water protection legislation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-179
Author(s):  
Oana Roxana Chivu ◽  
Augustin Semenescu ◽  
Claudiu Babis ◽  
Catalin Amza ◽  
Gabriel Iacobescu ◽  
...  

Rainfall is a major component of the environment and the main source of the air purification becouse of many pollutants increases who have the most varied sources: various human activities including industry and agriculture, and some household duties. Air purification by means of precipitation is achieved by numerous highly complex mechanisms. The final products of degradation of the pollutant in the air, which are generally harmless, can be reacted with each other in the presence of water, giving rise to the final compounds with a high toxicity. Thus, exhaust, mobile sources of noxious almost identical to those specific activities in the industrial processing of oil, contain lead which is the ideal catalyst for converting SO2 to sulfuric acid in the presence of rainwater, with all the disadvantages that they create. This paper will present an experimental research oabout how rainfall water quality is influenced by the activity of the industrial processing of oil, in a chemical plant in Constanta County.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Steichen ◽  
Stacy L. Hutchinson ◽  
Naiqian Zhang ◽  
J. M. Hutchinson ◽  
Charles Oviatt ◽  
...  

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (10) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Sarah Jubb ◽  
Philip Hulme ◽  
Ian Guymer ◽  
John Martin

This paper describes a preliminary investigation that identified factors important in the prediction of river water quality, especially regarding dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. Intermittent discharges from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) within the sewerage, and overflows at water reclamation works (WRW) cause dynamic conditions with respect to both river hydraulics and water quality. The impact of such discharges has been investigated under both wet and dry weather flow conditions. Data collected from the River Maun, UK, has shown that an immediate, transient oxygen demand exists downstream of an outfall during storm conditions. The presence of a delayed oxygen demand has also been identified. With regard to modelling, initial investigations used a simplified channel and the Streeter-Phelps (1925) dissolved oxygen sag curve equation. Later, a model taking into account hydrodynamic, transport and dispersion processes was used. This suggested that processes other than water phase degradation of organic matter significantly affect the dissolved oxygen concentration downstream of the location of an intermittent discharge. It is proposed that the dynamic rate of reaeration and the sediment oxygen demand should be the focus of further investigation.


2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIA LUCIA KOLOWSKI RODRIGUES ◽  
MILTON LUIZ LAQUINTINIE FORMOSO

This study evaluated the contamination of water samples from Cadeia and Feitoria rivers (Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil), affected by tannery activities. From July 1999 to April 2000, four sampling campaigns were performed at ten sites in order to evaluate selected metals and ancillary physicochemical variables. Sample preservation and analyses followed recommendations of the Standard Methods. Factor analysis was used to obtain statistical indexes representing the contamination degree of waters evaluated. The information was summarized in two principal components. The first, which accounted for 50% of the total variance, was associated to a tannery contribution and generated a contamination index. Total, Suspended and Dissolved Solids, Dissolved Oxygen, Conductivity, Chromium, Manganese, Copper, Nickel, Sodium, Calcium, Potassium, and Magnesium were the well-correlated variables with this first component. The water quality decreased from headwaters up to mouth along both streams, but the most contaminated sites were located at the lower reach of Feitoria river (Ivoti and Lindolfo Collor cities), where tanneries are concentrated. After the entrainment of Feitoria waters (São Sebastião do Caí municipality), Cadeia river also presented an increased contamination degree. The application of statistical randomization tests highlighted these same sites as significantly distinct from the others. Water contamination also showed association to flow variations, and a poorer water quality was observed during the dry period (January). The second component, in which Iron, Aluminum, and Suspended Solids were the relevant variables, was loaded with 15% of the total variance. It was linked to natural events, since higher factor scores in this component were obtained during a period of increased water discharge (October), which caused resuspension and entrainment of solid material to the rivers bed. As a final result of the study, sampling stations were classified according to the contamination degree, and graphically represented on a basin map, which synthesized the environmental diagnosis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-40
Author(s):  
Souad Adnane

The District of Columbia (DC) Office of the Superintendent of Education (OSSE) issued in December 2016 new educational requirements for childcare workers, according to which, all childcare center directors in the District must earn a bachelor’s degree by December 2022 and all lead teachers an associate’s degree by December 2020 (Institute for Justice, 2018). Moreover, DC has one of the lowest staff-child ratios in the country. How are regulations pertaining to childcare workers’ qualifications and staff-child ratio affecting the childcare market in DC? The present paper is an attempt to answer this question first by analyzing the effects of more stringent regulations on the cost and availability of childcare in the U.S based on existing studies. It also uses the basic supply and demand model to examine the possible impact of the new DC policy on the cost, quality and supply of childcare in the District and how it will affect working parents, especially mothers. Next, the paper discusses the impact of deregulation based on simulations and regressions conducted by studies covering the U.S., and implications for quality. It concludes that more stringent childcare regulations, regarding educational requirements and staff-child ratios, are associated with a reduced number of childcare centers and a higher cost, and eventually affects women’s labor force participation.


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