Ambiente e Sustentabilidade | Capítulos/artigos em livros internacionais / Book chapters/papers in international books
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- Education for sustainable development through policies and strategies in the public portuguese higher education institutionsPublication . Farinha, Carla; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Caeiro, SandraMany European countries, particularly in Northern Europe, have conducted integrated studies on Sustainable Development in Higher Education. In Portugal, no attempt has been made to evaluate in detail how Public Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are incorporating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at policy and strategy level and how it was implemented within Ministry of Education and Science. This study aimed to determine how sustainability was integrated into policies and strategies of 14 HEI in Portugal within the framework and goals of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) 2005- 2014. Based on grounded theory strategy, multi case studies and documental content analysis a deductive approach was undertaken. Pre-selected key terms based on literature search were used for the content analysis. Documentary research on polices, plans and programs from the Governmental Great Planning Options as Governmental Constitutional Plans and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science was performed through the analysis of the possible forms of implementation of DESD, and their consequent impacts on strategies of the public Institutions taking part of the Portuguese Council of Rectors. Given that 2014 was the final year of DESD 2005-2014 and 2005 was the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) assessment year, the approach of sustainability in public policies and strategies in the Portuguese HEI is on schedule. Notwithstanding some international drivers and a few practical examples at University level, preliminary results showed that ESD is still in its early stages of development and that there is a lack of national integrated strategies or policies. There is an absolute need for a change in the paradigm of Portuguese HEI and several barriers to overcome, both through learning and application of best practices from other European and worldwide countries.
- Household sustainable consumption: an evaluation of environmental awareness materialsPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Martinho, Ana Paula; Ventura, P; Nunes, P.European Union (EU) has been putting increasing emphasis on sustainable use and management of natural resources, especially since the adoption in 2001 of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and the Sixth Environment Action Programme. Some objectives and priority areas for action are the achievement of a significant overall reduction in the volumes of waste generated through waste prevention initiatives, better resource exploitation efficiency and a shift towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns. There is wide global recognition that unsustainable patterns of consumption have serious social and environmental impacts. ‘Changing consumption patterns’, as identified by Chapter 4 of Agenda 21, remains a challenging, yet significant component of the drive to achieve sustainable development. Sustainable consumption does not mean about consuming less, it is about consuming differently, consuming efficiently, and having an improved quality of life. It also means sharing between the rich and the poor. The change of these consumption patterns could only be achieved through the use of correct and efficient environmental awareness/education campaigns. The purpose of the study is to conduct a state of the art of environmental awareness materials related with European household sustainable consumption. The search materials were compared and evaluated in terms of: aims; type of materials; target public; applicability and contents. The results of our research demonstrated that internet is a powerful tool and can contribute to the awareness of the general public about these issues. The problem of internet downloaded materials is the lack of their quality evaluation before them as available on the web. Weaknesses were found in terms of technical, scientific quality and their ability for learning-teaching. Some of them are very rudimentary, contributing little to the general public’s awareness. Also their interactivity could be better if taking into account the currently power of web base tools.
- Meta-evaluation of sustainability indicators: from organizational to national levelPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Ramos, Tomás B.; Bell, S. And Morse, S.Apesar da diversidade de métodos e ferramentas para avaliar o desenvolvimento sustentável em qualquer nível, desde o organizacional até o nacional, os indicadores são uma das abordagens mais utilizadas. No entanto, essas ferramentas geralmente não incluem a avaliação do próprio instrumento de medição de desempenho. O principal objetivo deste capítulo é apresentar uma estrutura conceitual para projetar e avaliar a eficácia dos próprios indicadores de sustentabilidade. Para colocar a ferramenta proposta em prática, um conjunto de fatores-chave de boas práticas e indicadores de avaliação de meta-desempenho é proposto. Esta estrutura permite avaliar o quão apropriado é um conjunto de indicadores de sustentabilidade e permite uma avaliação do desempenho geral das atividades de monitoramento, avaliação, reporte e implementação de indicadores e seus resultados / impactos. O envolvimento das partes interessadas é um componente essencial da estrutura proposta, explorando o papel que poderia ser desempenhado pelas partes interessadas (não especialistas e especialistas) como metaavaliadores informais. A avaliação dos indicadores de sustentabilidade pelas partes interessadas também pode ser usada como uma forma indireta de avaliação formal dos resultados, permitindo a validação cruzada. A estrutura proposta deve ser implementada por meio de etapas graduais e priorizadas para mitigar dificuldades práticas, devido à complexidade dos processos de avaliação e relato institucional. Casos de aplicação de sucesso em todo o mundo demonstram a utilidade desta abordagem e como esta ferramenta pode apoiar a melhoria contínua no desempenho de iniciativas de indicadores de sustentabilidade em andamento, permitindo maior orientação, objetividade e transparência nos processos de avaliação de sustentabilidade.
- Online learning for sustainability: the student perception in an environmental science post-graduationPublication . Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Caeiro, Sandra; Martinho, Ana Paula; Amador, Filomena; Azeiteiro, Ulisses
- Papel da eletro-remoção nas hortas urbanas e cidades-jardimPublication . Ribeiro, Alexandra B.; Mateus, Eduardo P.; Ferreira, Célia
- Recycling of MSWI fly ash in clay bricks: effect of washing and electrodialytic treatmentPublication . Chen, W.; Klupsch, E.; Kirkelund, Gunvor M.; Jensen, P. E.; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Ferreira, Célia
- Reuse of end-of-life fluorescent lamp in geopolymers for construction materialsPublication . Novais, Rui M.; Buruberri, L. H.; Ascenção, G.; Seabra, M. P.; Ferreira, Célia; Labrincha, J. A.Nowadays the volume of generated wastes is reaching critical levels, which associated with the depletion of raw materials, shows that a paradigm shift is mandatory. The possibility of using waste materials as partial replacement of raw materials emerges as an opportunity to mitigate the environmental impact of wastes, while reducing the pressure exerted on the Earth’s natural resources. In this work, a local and unexplored waste material coming from the recycling of end-of-life fluorescent lamps (glass wastes) was successfully incorporated in geopolymers production. Glass wastes were used, without any treatment, a source of amorphous silica to partially replace metakaolin.
- Role of pure and mixed cultures of gram-positive eubacteria in mineral leachingPublication . Johnson, D. Barrie; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Okibe, Naoko; Yahya, Adibah; Hallberg, Kevin B.Research on the biooxidation of sulfidic minerals has tended to be heavily biased towards Gram-negative bacteria, such as Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Currently, just three species of mineral-oxidising Gram-positive bacteria are recognised: Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, Sulfobacillus acidophilus and Acidimicrobium (Am.) ferrooxidans, all of which are thermotolerant prokaryotes. We have isolated and characterised a number of phylogenetically distinct Gram-positive ironmetabolising bacteria, including mesophilic and moderately thermophilic strains. Mesophilic isolates include (i) novel Sulfobacillus spp., some of which are the more acidophilic than all known iron-oxidising bacteria, (ii) "Ferrimicrobium acidiphilum", an actinobacterium most closely related to Am. ferrooxidans, and (iii) a group of low GC Gram-positives which appear to represent a novel genus. Moderately thermophilic isolates include a novel Sulfobacillus sp., an Alicyclobacillus spp. that, in contrast to currently recognised species, grows anaerobically by reduction of ferric iron and thrives in mineral leaching environments, and a new genus/species of iron- and sulfur-oxidising bacterium with the proposed name "Caldibacillus ferrivorus". These novel prokaryotes exhibited varying degrees of mineral leaching efficiencies, with the mesophilic Sulfobacillus spp. being particularly adept at solubilising pyrite at very low (<1) pH values. All novel Gram-positive isolates catalysed the oxidative dissolution of pyrite at lower redox potentials than Gram-negative mesophiles. Mixed cultures of Gram-positive bacteria, either with other Gram-positives or with Gram-negative bacteria, were often more effective mineral-leaching systems than corresponding pure cultures.
- Strengths and weaknesses of an e-learning program in environmental sciences at Universidade Aberta, PortugalPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Martinho, Ana Paula; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Oliveira, Carla Padrel de; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Azeiteiro, UlissesEarlier research studies have shown that e-learning higher education is a powerful system within teaching and education for sustainable development. In spite of the advantages of independency of time and place, compared to traditional face to face, some barriers are found showing the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of e-learning system. This paper aims to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the 1st cycle undergraduate program of environmental sciences at the Portuguese Distance Learning Education University (Universidade Aberta, Portugal). The methods included (i) data analysis relating to the candidate’s enrolment and students’ progression from the Academic Office registry of UAb; (ii) SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of the undergraduate program (iii) inquiry by interview to student’s representatives of management councils and the university ombudsman to evaluate attitudes, barriers and motivators towards e-learning. Although higher levels of motivation, satisfaction and aptitude with e-learning of the 1st undergraduate program in environmental sciences at UAb were identified, weaknesses, namely the need to improve self-organization and time management. Recommendations to overcome the weakness found are given and new educational and teaching paths to achieve sustainability are discussed.
- Waste prevention and education in five european countriesPublication . Matthes, K.; Schelstraete, G.; Sturm, B.; Janela, J.; Bours, M.; Gutschi, A.; Martinho, Ana PaulaThis research assessed the different goals of the EU Waste Framework Directive (2008) concerning waste prevention in five countries of the EU. The countries under research are the home countries of the EVS group members: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal. The research about the status quo of waste prevention revealed that waste preven-tion has not reached yet. All the countries have high recycling rates and low dumping rate, ex-cept Portugal. Although decoupling trends start to appear and the countries are climbing up the waste hierarchy, waste prevention is still a mountain too far. The EVS group also checked if education was included in the waste prevention programmes and education plays a very im-portant role. The group looked for good examples of waste prevention and analyzed them with SWOT. The examples are a success in the home countries and can be implemented in other EU or even worldwide countries.