Is Buying Local Food a Sustainable Practice? A Scoping Review of Consumers’ Preference for Local Food

Access to healthy food and the introduction of sustainable nutrition practices are two important issues today. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to food security but it has also provided opportunities for local food production. The discussion on local food has been gaining attention in recent years, but there is still a lack of clear understanding of the term ‘local food’ in the literature. The relationship between local food and sustainability issues is still unclear and has various connotations. This discordance leads to further discussions on whether buying local food should be considered a sustainable behavior and whether consumer preference for local food can be perceived as a sustainable practice. A scoping literature review was conducted in order to fill this gap and to shed light on the main tendencies of the scientific literature regarding this topic. The outcomes of the research revealed three dimensions of ‘local food’ definitions in the literature: geographical, geopolitical, and organic; while the problem of a unified local food definition remains open. The studied literature did not show any sound evidence for sustainability attributes in the definition of local food and consumer perception of local food.

Harnessing digital dentistry

Nicolas Coomber explains why an efficient practice is also a more sustainable practice

Challenges in the Application of Educational Escape Rooms in the Brazilian Context

Game-based learning (GBL) has been gaining ground and notoriety in formal education environments. However, the educational escape room (EER) is still a relatively new approach, and in some countries, their utilization finds more barriers among the higher education setting. In this sense, to spread and facilitate their adoption, it is important to identify which are the competences and attitudes necessary for educators to facilitate EERs. Starting from this knowledge, it becomes easier proposing actions for the development, the dissemination, and the sustainable practice of these activities. This study applied questionnaires applied to Brazilian higher education teacher users of EER in the classroom. The results highlight the importance of the institutional support, as they will feel more confident so that the implementation of this methodology occurs in a gradual way and with purpose in educational institutions. The conclusions are valuable to both educators and decision makers in education in order to give more information to the best practices and implementation of EER.

Increasing sustainability through reverse logistics a study on expired and waste medicines in Pakistani pharma industry

Increasing sustainability is the objective in all manufacturing and service sectors. For the increasing sustainability via circular economy, the research at hand reviews reverse logistics within the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan. It proposes a recommendation to improve the current process of recycling medicines. The methodology is a qualitative method comprising unstructured interviews with an esteemed organization and observations to understand the dynamics of recycling and reverse logistics in drugs. The study helps develop and illustrates a framework divided into three stages (Distributor/Hospitals in 1st Tier, Whole sellers in 2nd Tier, Retailers and Customer in 3rd Tier) to target the customers and bring them into reverse logistics. The paper recommends policy implications to help improve the situation and initiate a sustainable practice for the environment and cost-efficient, including steps wise phases to gauge consumers for recycling medicines.

INTERACTION PRACTICE OF INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE OF RUSSIA WITH OPERATIONAL UNITS OF THE FEDERAL PENITENTIARY SERVICE OF RUSSIA WHEN INVESTIGATING CRIMES COMMITTED BY OFFICIALS OF INSTITUTIONS OF THE PENAL SYSTEM AND WAYS TO DEVELOP IT

В статье рассматривается практика взаимодействия следователей следственных органов Следственного комитета Российской Федерации с оперативными подразделениями собственной безопасности учреждений ФСИН России при расследовании преступлений, совершенных должностными лицами учреждений уголовно-исполнительной системы, анализируются процессуальные и непроцессуальные формы и особенности взаимодействия, описывается положительный опыт взаимодействия и профилактики преступлений рассматриваемой категории. В статье анализируются особенности оперативно-розыскных мероприятий, проводимых сотрудниками оперативных подразделений в условиях учреждений ФСИН России, в отношении должностных лиц ведомства, приводятся преимущества использования их результатов в процессе доказывания при расследовании должностных преступлений. Выявляются и анализируются существующие в настоящее время недостатки практики межведомственного взаимодействия при производстве следственных и процессуальных действий по уголовным делам указанной категории, а также используемые в настоящее время способы их устранения. Вносятся предложения по совершенствованию рассмотренного взаимодействия путем переработки действующих межведомственных нормативных правовых актов и формирования устойчивой практики привлечения оперативных сотрудников к участию в следственных и процессуальных действиях, а также использования возможностей программных комплексов ФСИН России при расследовании уголовных дел. The article discusses the practice of interaction of investigators of investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation with operational units of their own security of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the investigation of crimes committed by officials of institutions of the penal enforcement system, analyzes the procedural and non-procedural forms and features of interaction, describes the positive experience of interaction and prevention of crimes of the analyzed category. The article analyzes the features of operational investigative measures carried out by employees of operational units in the conditions of institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, as well as in relation to officials of the department, provides the advantages of using their results in the process of proving official crimes, identifies and analyzes the currently existing shortcomings of the practice of interdepartmental interaction in the production of investigative and procedural actions in criminal cases of this category, as well as the currently used methods of their elimination, proposals are made to improve the considered interaction by reworking the existing interdepartmental regulatory legal acts and forming a sustainable practice of attracting operational staff to participate in investigative and procedural actions, as well as using the capabilities of the software complexes of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the investigation of criminal cases.

The Impact of Sustainable Practice on the Indonesian Hotel’s Financial Performance: A Case Study of Cipaku Garden Hotel

The agenda of researchers and practitioners within the hospitality and tourism sector has focused on the need and demand for sustainable practice. Following this situation, the Cipaku Garden Hotel, as a small-to-medium-sized hotel operating in Indonesia, follows the trend that has taken place and conducts sustainable practice as part of its business activities. Accordingly, the objectives of this study are to examine the sustainable practice conducted by the Cipaku Garden Hotel, uncover the management’s perception concerning the benefits of the applied sustainable practice, and analyze the outcome and influence generated by the implemented sustainable practice on the hotel’s financial performance. Through a case study approach, it is found that the Cipaku Garden Hotel applies its sustainable practice within the form of waste management activities. Within those activities, the hotel recycles organic waste into catfish food and compost. As a result, the hotel’s waste management activities have improved its cost-saving capabilities, and it is marked by the reduction of cost on catfish care up to 49% and garden maintenance around 50%. Profit-wise, the hotel’s sustainable practice has also increased its gross profit margin and net profit margin by 8% and 4%, respectively, compared to its previous year. Thus, the sustainable practice conducted by the Cipaku Garden Hotel brings a positive impact to its financial performance.

Impact of COVID-19: Identifying the Barriers in Ophthalmology Training

Introduction: Actions taken to carry out sustainable practice in ophthalmology during the COVID-19 pandemic have put the training process at an impasse. There is an enormous reduction in surgical volume and patient care by residents. In this article the authors discuss the primary challenges faced by ophthalmology residents during the pandemic and propose potential solutions. Purpose: To investigate the obstacles ophthalmology residency training has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss the viable methods that can be adapted to create a sustainable training atmosphere. Design: A review of current ophthalmology training practices to recognize lacunas in the system that limit the training of residents during the pandemic. Methods: A review of recent trends in ophthalmology training, PubMed Central query for training in ophthalmology and the author’s exhaustive experience in surgical and clinical training has been utilized to assess the current training scenario. Results: Actions taken to carry out sustainable practice in ophthalmology during the COVID-19 pandemic have put the training process at an impasse. There is an enormous reduction in surgical volume and patient care by residents. Conclusion: Although several pedagogical innovations were adopted to continue the training during the pandemic, there is still a need to realize the emergent nature of the problem and embrace alternative methodology to continue quality training in ophthalmology.