Bernadette O'Regan

Use of embodied energy and ecological footprinting to assess the global environmental impact of consumption in an Irish city-region

The objective of this paper is to compare the carbon emissions produced as a result of product consumption by the residents of an Irish city-region, that is Limerick City and its environs. The resulting carbon footprints are used to compare imports of food items, manufactured products and construction materials with domestic production as well as changes between 1996 and 2002. The total ecological footprints (EF) associated with product consumption are also calculated by aggregating the theoretical land required to sequester carbon emissions and the terrestrial land area appropriated for agricultural production and industrial activity. It is suggested that this approach be used to allocate producer or consumer responsibility for environmental impacts from trade.

A System Dynamics Model of Mining Industry Investment Decisions within the Context of Environmental Policy

This paper describes a detailed computer model developed using the Powersim simulation program in the system dynamics tradition. The model comprises over 180 interrelated variables, providing a means of examining the effects of varied environmental, fiscal and corporate policies on the flow of investment funds and mineral resources between a number of simulated mining firms and competing countries. An outline of the system dynamics method is presented, followed by a high-level overview of the model structure. Examples of the application of the model are then discussed.

The application of the ecological footprint in two Irish urban areas: Limerick and Belfast

The ecological footprint is now a widely accepted indicator of sustainable development. Footprinting translates resource consumption into the land area required to sustain it, and allows for an average per capita footprint for a region or nation to be compared with the global average. This paper reports on a project in which footprints were calculated for two Irish cities, namely Belfast in Northern Ireland and Limerick in the Republic of Ireland for the year 2001. As is frequently the case at sub-national scale, data quality and availability were often problematic, and in general data gaps were filled by means of population proxies or national averages. A range of methods was applied to convert resource flows to land areas. Both footprints suggest that the lifestyles of citizens of the cities use several times more land than their global share, as has been found for other cities.

A comparative analysis of the application of sustainability metric tools using Tipperary Town, Ireland, as a case study

Purpose – The paper aims to assess two sustainability metric methodologies, material flow analysis (MFA) and integrated sustainable cities assessment method (ISCAM), as applied practically to an Irish settlement, in order to compare utility and transparency for stakeholders and policy makers.Design/methodology/approach – Both methods were applied to an Irish settlement, namely Tipperary Town, with MFA measuring efficiency of resource usage, as measured by urban metabolic efficiency, and the ISCAM method simulating alternative scenarios as well as calculating the divergence or otherwise of current or business as usual (BAU) trends from more sustainable scenarios.Findings – It was found that both methods have high data requirements, presenting a need for proxy analysis and disaggregation, with the ISCAM method requiring data functionally matched to a time series and over a long time framework. The ISCAM method may also require more advanced extrapolation methods than the simple linear extrapolation employed...

A case study of the health impacts in an abandoned lead mining area, using children's blood lead levels

An environmental investigation was initiated following the deaths of cattle from lead poisoning in a former Irish lead and zinc mining area. A study was undertaken to determine blood lead levels (BLL) of children living in the area over a period of three years. Dust and soil samples were collected for environmental lead exposure assessment. The BLL of the children decreased by ∼10% in each of the three years of the screening programme. These levels are at, or below, findings from similar BLL studies undertaken in former mining areas worldwide. The study in this report suggests that the elevated environmental lead (Pb) levels are not currently being transferred to humans. Community awareness of environmental health issues has increased significantly in recent years, creating the need for more detailed scientific studies that can identify potential environmental health problems. The Silvermines project was one such study. The objective of this article is to report the study findings.

An appraisal of virtual networks in the environmental sector

Purpose – To provide information to practitioners and researchers on how virtual networks can enhance the cooperation between organisations to help find sustainable solutions for complex environmental problems.Design/methodology/approach – Along with the derivation of a theoretical classification of virtual networks, practical examples of material flow management (MFM) are described. The analysis of best practice is conducted to present actual developments along with virtual forms of cooperation within the environmental community.Findings – The practical success of virtual networks in the environmental sector shows the direction of the future development. By using internet‐based information and communication tools, virtual networks are not limited by national borders and are able to enhance the cooperation of organisations in a global way. This means that virtual networks are essential instruments in developing complex solutions in the face of the global environmental challenge.Research limitations/implic...

The Environmental Impacts of Private Car Transport on the Sustainability of Irish Settlements

This chapter reports a study that was conducted on the impact of private transportation sustainability levels in a cross section of Irish towns and a city. It explains the scope and purpose of the study, the “Sustainability and Future Settlement Patterns in Ireland (SFSPI)”, and why transport related issues are important to the sustainable development in Ireland. Research methods that were adopted are briefly discusses and an analysis is provided on some of the results of the study on the effects of sustainability on private transport choices in Irish settlements. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of the current state of private transport, and the possible means of reducing future pollution, which results from private car use. Where comparisons are made with settlements in other countries, these are generally restricted to the developed world. The research was carried out in the Center for Environmental Research (CER) at the University of Limerick and it was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency under the National Development Plan. The chapter aims to derive a general framework for the planning of more sustainable transport by: (1) explaining and evaluating methods that were developed to analyze the extent to which transport is sustainable in settlements classified by size, location, functionality and place within the national settlement hierarchy; (2) examining the extent to which transport sustainability is related to the size, location, functionality and place within the national settlement hierarchy; (3) examining the competing idea that transport sustainability increases with settlement population size; (4) examining the idea that accessibility plays a crucial role in the development of more sustainable settlements; and (5) examining the effects of urban development on sustainable transport and the relationship between the rate of population growth and sustainable transport.

An insight into the system dynamics method: a case study in the dynamics of international minerals investment

Abstract This paper presents an explanation of the system dynamics method. It is based on the development of a detailed simulation model designed to examine the effectiveness of various environmental, fiscal and corporate policies on the flow of investment funds and mineral resources among a number of simulated mining firms and competing countries. Emphasis is placed on the development process and the reader is referred elsewhere for presentation and discussion of model output.

Backcasting to identify food waste prevention and mitigation opportunities for infant feeding in maternity services

Food waste in hospitals is of major concern for two reasons: one, healthcare needs to move toward preventative and demand led models for sustainability and two, food system sustainability needs to seek preventative measures such as diet adaptation and waste prevention. The impact of breast-milk substitute use on health services are well established in literature in terms of healthcare implications, cost and resourcing, however as a food demand and waste management issue little has been published to date. This paper presents the use of a desk based backcasting method to analyse food waste prevention, mitigation and management options within the Irish Maternity Service. Best practice in healthcare provision and waste management regulations are used to frame solutions. Strategic problem orientation revealed that 61% of the volume of ready to use breast-milk substitutes purchased by maternity services remains unconsumed and ends up as waste. Thirteen viable strategies to prevent and manage this waste were identified. Significant opportunities exist to prevent waste and also decrease food demand leading to both positive health and environmental outcomes. Backcasting methods display great promise in delivering food waste management strategies in healthcare settings, especially where evidenced best practice policies exist to inform solution forming processes. In terms of food waste prevention and management, difficulties arise in distinguishing between demand reduction, waste prevention and waste reduction measures under the current Waste Management Hierarchy definitions. Ultimately demand reduction at source requires prioritisation, a strategy which is complimentary to health policy on infant feeding.

Integration and resources management of small and medium enterprises

Abstract Presented paper focuses on the selection of appropriate process integration methodologies and their tuning for integrated management of resources in a cluster of small and medium enterprises (SME) allocated in close proximity. Proposed integration aims the improvement of industrial efficiency with strong emphasis on the environmental impact. The resources in question include in the first instance utilities, such as energy and water, but do not exclude transport, waste, services, IT, inventories, etc. Three major methodologies are proposed for direct implementation: The first one explores the concept of integration between areas of integrity , the second utilises the marginal value concept and the third one attempts to amalgamate two successful systems integration tools such as Pinch analysis (thermal, water and oxygen Pinch) and eMergy analysis entering the domain of multiple resources management, including environment consideration and elements of the life-cycle analysis.