Table of Contents
- Research Article
A Planning Framework for Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Decision-Making PDF Patrick Aaniamenga Bowan This study presents a framework for sustainable planning and decision-making for municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal in the context of developing countries. The framework was developed through a detailed study of MSW disposal in Ghana, using the Wa Municipality as a case study. The methodology and research design for the study was a descriptive and interpretive case study that was analysed through both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The developed framework consists of three main pillars of solid waste management (SWM) elements: MSW generation and characteristics, the baseline scenario of MSW disposal, and MSW disposal environmental performance. The framework can assist waste management decision-makers to take the guesswork out of decisions for waste management planning in developing countries, as the framework incorporates a better picture of how a current waste management system works and what effects changes could have, through an integrated environmental performance evaluation. Furthermore, the application of the framework has the potential to increase the level of decision-makers’ awareness of the environmental burdens of MSW disposal and possibly lead to the reduction of the future undesirable environmental effects of MSW disposal in some developing countries.
- Research Article
Awareness and Application of Green Building Concepts by Construction Industry Stakeholders of Sub-Saharan African Countries PDF Lee Felix Anzagira, Daniel Y. Duah, Edward Badu The notoriety of the construction industry regarding its impacts on the environment has brought to limelight the need for green buildings (GB). GB practices have become topical as the best vehicle for addressing these negative impacts by reducing CO2 emissions, minimising water and energy consumption amongst other benefits. Ignorance of the implementation of green building concepts (GBCs) in developing countries like Ghana accounts for a very slow pace of uptake as opposed to the developed country counterparts. This paper investigates the awareness and application of GBCs among Ghana Construction Industry (GCI) stakeholders. The data for the study was elicited via questionnaire survey of 292 stakeholders. The results indicate 88.4% of the respondents have previous knowledge of GBC with 69.2% of them indicating GB is environmentally friendly. The study revealed GCI stakeholders’ awareness of GBC is high with energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality recording the highest awareness rates of 97.6% and 93.8% respectively. The extent of application of GBCs in Ghana is moderate with energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality highest with relative importance indices of 0.680 and 0.660 respectively. It found the One Airport Square building, Accra is the most popular GB in Ghana. The internet is the most effective medium of disseminating and creating awareness of GB. The findings of this study is useful for stakeholders desirous to improving the momentum of GB uptake in the GCI. This study adds to the body of knowledge as the first study on GB in Ghana context involving all major stakeholders. - Research Article
Farmer-sellers and Markets: Understanding their Participation and Sustainability of Trade in Rural India PDF Mohammad Muqeet Khan, Tanveer Asif The paper analyse the role of farmer-sellers in rural trade of the study area. Their socio-economic condition decides their nature of work participation in the rural markets. For the study, sellers are broadly classified into farmer-sellers and traders. The present categorization has been done keeping in mind the nature and type of market participation in the study area. It is observed in the selected rural markets that the share of farmer-sellers is large as compared to other type of sellers. Due to the agrarian nature of the study area and their higher proportion in the selected markets, they have been selected for the study and classified as farmer-sellers. The study is based on primary data collected through field survey in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Thirty one rural markets have been undertaken for the detailed field work, whereas, fifty per cent farmer-sellers from each selected rural markets were interviewed. - Research Article
What does it Take to be Green? Evidence from Asia and the Pacific PDF Md Sajjad Hosain This paper reviews the green markets, technologies and practices with a particular focus on Asia-Pacific countries as well as provides some policy recommendations facilitating public and private organizations in order to speed up green business development. The paper argues that there are massive potential for gearing up green business expansion in Asia and the Pacific. A number of green businesses are already leveraging private sector capabilities and resources both through direct command-and-control measures and through indirect market-based instruments targeted at not only large firms but also small and medium enterprises. The paper suggests that adopting the greening strategy can be a win-win situation for the stakeholders but it needs to mobilize vast capital resources as well as inspiring technological innovation. The paper ends up providing the options to the Asian and Pacific countries and firms to hold the green “Great Revolution” or to continue with traditional “Short-term” stakeholders’ return from the region’s swiftly declining natural resource base.