Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Water Conservation (water + conservation)
Selected AbstractsWater conservation in surgery: A comparison of two surgical scrub techniques demonstrating the amount of water saved using a ,taps on/taps off' techniqueAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2009Joshua Petterwood Abstract Objective:,Australia finds itself in the grip of its worst drought on record. The surgical profession has a responsibility to conserve water where possible. We tried to show how much water we saved through the simple measure of turning taps off while not in use during the surgical scrub. Design:,We conducted a prospective analysis of two different scrub techniques at the Gold Coast Hospital in Queensland, Australia. Ten participants completed two 5-min scrubs using standard ,elbow on' taps. In the first, they left the taps running throughout the scrub; in the second, they turned the taps on and off so that water ran only when rinsing the hands. Water was collected and the amount of time the hands spent under running water was recorded. Main outcome measure:,Amount of water used during the surgical scrub. Results:,A mean of 15.5 L was used during the ,taps on' scrub, with participants spending a mean of 47 s rinsing the hands. During the ,taps on/off' scrub, participants used a mean of 4.5 L, spending 40 s rinsing the hands. This represents a water saving of 11 L or 71% for each scrub (P < 0.001). There was a difference of 7 s in time rinsing the hands (P = 0.16). Conclusion:,A taps on/off technique is a simple and effective way of conserving large amounts of water during the surgical scrub. The technique should be adopted as standard practice. [source] Avian seasonal metabolic variation in a subtropical desert: basal metabolic rates are lower in winter than in summerFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Ben Smit Summary 1Most small birds inhabiting temperate latitudes in the Holarctic increase basal metabolic rate (BMR) in winter, a pattern thought to reflect the up-regulation of metabolic machinery required for enhanced winter cold tolerance. In contrast, patterns of seasonal BMR variation in birds inhabiting subtropical latitudes are largely unknown. In this study, we investigate seasonal BMR changes in species from subtropical latitudes, and analyse global variation in the direction and magnitude of these responses. 2We estimated winter and summer BMR in five species resident in the Kalahari Desert, using flow-through respirometry to measure O2 consumption and CO2 production in birds held overnight in a field laboratory. 3In all five species, mass-specific BMR was significantly lower in winter than in summer, with mean reductions of 23% in African scops-owls (Otus senegalensis), 30% in pearl-spotted owlets (Glaucidium perlatum), 35% in fork-tailed drongos (Dicrurus adsimilis), 29% in crimson-breasted shrikes (Laniarius atrococcinneus), and 17% in white-browed sparrow-weavers (Plocepasser mahali). 4An analysis of global variation in seasonal BMR changes reveals that their magnitude and direction vary with latitude, ranging from pronounced winter increases at high latitudes where winters are extremely cold, to the opposite pattern in warmer, subtropical environments. 5Our empirical results for five species, taken together with the analysis of global variation, are consistent with the hypothesis that winter metabolism in subtropical environments is driven primarily by the need for energy and/or water conservation rather than cold tolerance. [source] HSBC brings a business model of banking to the doorsteps of the poorGLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 2 2009Pramod Marar Tiny loans can make a huge difference, especially when coupled with financial literacy and capacity building. With a global commitment to sustainable business through financial inclusion, HSBC partners with microfinance institutions and other organizations to empower micro-entrepreneurs among India's rural poor, who in turn are changing lives, families, and entire communities. The authors provide an overview of HSBC Group's sustainability strategy, a brief history of microfinance in India, and HSBC in India's role in serving the microfinance industry. They also discuss the bank's multi-stakeholder initiatives for capacity building, which include two schools where rural women learn essential business and technical skills and financial literacy, and an environmental and social village-based initiative for water conservation and livelihood creation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Photosynthetic responses of Mojave Desert shrubs to free air CO2 enrichment are greatest during wet yearsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Elke Naumburg Abstract It has been suggested that desert vegetation will show the strongest response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide due to strong water limitations in these systems that may be ameliorated by both photosynthetic enhancements and reductions in stomatal conductance. Here, we report the long-term effect of 55 Pa atmospheric CO2 on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance for three Mojave Desert shrubs of differing leaf phenology (Ambrosia dumosa,drought-deciduous, Krameria erecta,winter-deciduous, Larrea tridentata,evergreen). The shrubs were growing in an undisturbed ecosystem fumigated using FACE technology and were measured over a four-year period that included both above and below-average precipitation. Daily integrated photosynthesis (Aday) was significantly enhanced by elevated CO2 for all three species, although Krameria erecta showed the greatest enhancements (63% vs. 32% for the other species) enhancements were constant throughout the entire measurement period. Only one species, Larrea tridentata, decreased stomatal conductance by 25,50% in response to elevated CO2, and then only at the onset of the summer dry season and following late summer convective precipitation. Similarly, reductions in the maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco were limited to Larrea during spring. These results suggest that the elevated CO2 response of desert vegetation is a function of complex interactions between species functional types and prevailing environmental conditions. Elevated CO2 did not extend the active growing season into the summer dry season because of overall negligible stomatal conductance responses that did not result in significant water conservation. Overall, we expect the greatest response of desert vegetation during years with above-average precipitation when the active growing season is not limited to ,2 months and, consequently, the effects of increased photosynthesis can accumulate over a biologically significant time period. [source] Water Use by Thermoelectric Power Plants in the United States,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 1 2007Xiaoying Yang Abstract:, Thermoelectric power generation is responsible for the largest annual volume of water withdrawals in the United States although it is only a distant third after irrigation and industrial sectors in consumptive use. The substantial water withdrawals by thermoelectric power plants can have significant impacts on local surface and ground water sources, especially in arid regions. However, there are few studies of the determinants of water use in thermoelectric generation. Analysis of thermoelectric water use data in existing steam thermoelectric power plants shows that there is wide variability in unitary thermoelectric water use (in cubic decimeters per 1 kWh) within and among different types of cooling systems. Multiple-regression models of unit thermoelectric water use were developed to identify significant determinants of unit thermoelectric water use. The high variability of unit usage rates indicates that there is a significant potential for water conservation in existing thermoelectric power plants. [source] Geographic variation in the use of torpor and roosting behaviour of female western long-eared batsJOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 4 2007D. I. Solick Abstract The costs and benefits of torpor may vary across the range of widespread heterothermic species, resulting in different thermoregulatory patterns and other behaviours for individuals inhabiting different environments. We compared torpor use and roosting behaviour for rock-roosting populations of western long-eared bats Myotis evotis living in the mountains and prairies of Alberta, Canada. We monitored body temperatures and located roosts for pregnant and lactating females using radio-telemetry. We also took roost measurements, and assessed roost microclimate using temperature dataloggers. Females in the mountains entered torpor less frequently and spent less time in torpor than bats in the prairies, supporting our hypothesis that reproductive time constraints in the mountains outweigh the benefits of torpor. Alternatively, increased torpor use in the prairies may be attributed to a greater need for water conservation. Females in the mountains minimized thermoregulatory costs and maintained homeothermy by selecting exposed roosts with warm microclimates during pregnancy, and then switching to clustering with other individuals during lactation when conditions were cooler. In the prairies, females roosted alone in cooler, less exposed roost types, which facilitate the use of torpor. Our results illustrate the importance of considering geographic variation in behaviour across the range of a species. [source] Land use and soil erosion in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River: some socio-economic considerations on China's Grain-for-Green ProgrammeLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2006H. L. Long Abstract Soil erosion in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China is a major concern and the Central Government has initiated the Grain-for-Green Programme to convert farmland to forests and grassland to improve the environment. This paper analyses the relationship between land use and soil erosion in Zhongjiang, a typical agricultural county of Sichuan Province located in areas with severe soil erosion in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In our analysis, we use the ArcGIS spatial analysis module with detailed land-use data as well as data on slope conditions and soil erosion. Our research shows that the most serious soil erosion is occurring on agricultural land with a slope of 10,25 degrees. Both farmland and permanent crops are affected by soil erosion, with almost the same percentage of soil erosion for corresponding slope conditions. Farmland with soil erosion accounts for 86·2,per,cent of the total eroded agricultural land. In the farmland with soil erosion, 22·5,per,cent have a slope of,<,5 degrees, 20·3,per,cent have a slope of 5,10 degrees, and 57·1,per,cent have a slope of,>,10 degrees. On gentle slopes with less than 5 degrees inclination, some 6,per,cent of the farmland had strong (5000,8000,t,km,2,y,1) or very strong (8000,15000,t,km,2,y,1) erosion. However, on steep slopes of more than 25 degrees, strong or very strong erosion was reported for more than 42,per,cent of the farmland. These numbers explain why the task of soil and water conservation should be focused on the prevention of soil erosion on farmland with steep or very steep slopes. A Feasibility Index is developed and integrated socio-economic assessment on the feasibility of improving sloping farmland in 56 townships and towns is carried out. Finally, to ensure the success of the Grain-for-Green Programme, countermeasures to improve sloping farmland and control soil erosion are proposed according to the values of the Feasibility Index in the townships and towns. These include: (1) to terrace sloping farmland on a large scale and to convert farmland with a slope of over 25 degrees to forests or grassland; (2) to develop ecological agriculture combined with improving the sloping farmland and constructing prime farmland and to pay more attention to improving the technology for irrigation and cultivation techniques; and (3) to carry out soil conservation on steep-sloping farmland using suggested techniques. In addition, improving ecosystems and the inhabited environment through yard and garden construction for households is also an effective way to prevent soil erosion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] How project approach influences adoption of SWC by farmers, examples from southern MaliLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2006F. Bodnár Abstract Choices in project approach affect the continuation of soil and water conservation (SWC) after project withdrawal, and thus the sustainability and cost effectiveness of the project. A SWC project was carried out in southern Mali between 1986 and 1998. Its features were the promotion of cheap and simple SWC measures, a participatory village extension approach with limited use of incentives, and the incorporation of the SWC programme in an existing Malian extension service. By 2000, farmers in half the 5000 villages in southern Mali had been trained in SWC. By 2002, erosion-control measures had been installed in 94,per,cent of the villages in southern Mali by 46,per,cent of the farmers and in 15,per,cent of the fields. Though external donor support has stopped, farmer adoption is steadily continuing and spreading to untargeted villages. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Selling the Public on Sustainable Watershed ConservationBULLETIN OF LATIN AMERICAN RESEARCH, Issue 3 2004Jeff Pugh Abstract:, The city of Quito, Ecuador, began working in 2000 to protect the ecologically fragile watershed area for its drinking water. In order to protect the Papallacta watershed, the independent Fund for the Conservation of Watersheds (FONAG) was launched to finance and manage economically sound sustainability projects in the area. FONAG is funded in part through start up grants from several organisations and a 1 per cent fee on all Quito water bills, but it has been unable to build an endowment sizeable enough to begin implementing conservation projects. We measure perceptions of the fund among Quito's university,based residents in two settings and evaluate the quality of the fund's proposed communication campaign based on existing communication theory. Further, we propose an adapted environmental education model based on a synthesis of existing theory and the empirical findings from our examination of the FONAG example. The Papallacta case study illuminates the potential strengths and weaknesses of the cultural ecology and political will of this type of collaborative sustainability project for addressing water problems in a developing country in a mountainous setting, centred around the themes of water conservation and sustainable development. [source] | ||||||||||