Revealing Materials: plastics in alternative food economies

This article draws upon recent geographical work on assemblage to reconsider how we understand alternative food economies. In particular it brings attention to the devices upon which these economies rely—specifically plastics. Since the mid-twentieth century, plastics have developed close and complex relations with our agrifood systems; they facilitate commodity valuation and product circulation worldwide but are also recognised as problematic due to their environmental and human health impacts. Despite this paradox and the attention plastics increasingly receive, we know little of their relations with alternative food initiatives (AFIs). How do plastics inhabit alternative food economies? What associations and circulations become performed? What do these markets look like from a device-oriented perspective? To address these questions, the paper draws on fieldwork undertaken in Brisbane (Australia) with two AFIs—a weekly organic market and an online box program/wholesaler. Using visualisation and an assemblage approach discloses the presences, flows, functions, and tensions of plastics in AFIs. In this way, plastics are revealed but also act to reveal alternative food economies. This analysis steps away from evaluations of AFIs’ (in)effective challenge to neoliberalisation to consider them as complex, processual, sometimes ambivalent efforts that not only distribute ‘good food’ but engage in important ways with things like plastics.     

Temperature-dependence of ultraviolet absorption cross-sections of alternative chlorofluoroethanes: 2. The 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoro ethane -HCFC-124

The temperature-dependent ultraviolet absorption cross-sections of CF₃-CHFCI (HCFC-124) have been measured between 170 and 230 nm for temperatures ranging from 295 to 210 K, with uncertainties between 2 and 4%. These results are compared with other available sets of determinations. Temperature effects are discussed and the photodissociation coefficients, presented with their temperature dependence, are calculated. Implication of the temperature dependences on the stratospheric chemistry is also discussed. Parametrical formulae are proposed to compute absorption crosssection values for wavelengths and temperatures useful in modelling calculations.     

Welcome to Woodside: Inverbrackie Alternative Place of Detention and performances of belonging in Woodside,South Australia,and Australia

Alternative Places of Detention (APODs) are a new way of detaining asylum seekers in Australia. The establishment of APODs creates a new formal structure of belonging in Australia which challenges everyday practices of belonging and senses of belonging at the local and national scale. This paper examines practices of belonging which emerged following the establishment of the Inverbrackie APOD in Woodside, South Australia. Using a critical discourse analysis approach, informed by the insights of theories of performativity, this research explores the competing stories of two broadly defined groups (opponents and supporters of Inverbrackie) engaged in a dialogue about asylum seekers, refugees, immigration detention and belonging. While opposition to the APOD was vocal and frequent in the lead-up to the establishment of the detention centre, once the Inverbrackie APOD became operational opponents’ voices began to fade. On the other hand, supporters continued to say things—and more importantly continued to do things—to nurture belonging for asylum seekers in Inverbrackie, Woodside, and Australia.     

Recent studies on surface water–groundwater relationships at hydro‐projects in India using environmental isotopes

Environmental isotopes (²H or D, ¹⁸O, ³H), along with geology, hydrochemistry and in situ physicochemical parameters (EC, T, DO, pH) were employed to study surface water (reservoir, lake)–groundwater (spring) relationships at (1) Nagewadi, a minor irrigation project in the State of Maharashtra, Western India; (2) Kanhirapuzha reservoir in the State of Kerala, Southern India and (3) Ghatghar Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project in the State of Maharashtra, Western India for the purpose of understanding the seepage/leakage and its associated problems. The studies concluded that the springs found downstream of the Nagewadi project originate from the reservoir and not from the abutments or shallow aquifers. The Kanhirapuzha reservoir receives a substantial base‐flow component compared to riverine inputs. The reason for the water‐logging problem at a nearby downstream village during the non‐summer periods is due to the change in the upstream groundwater flow direction under reservoir filling conditions and is not due to reservoir leakage. Most of the springs in the approach tunnel to the underground power house of the Ghatghar Project originate from the lower reservoir and not from the upper reservoir or the overburden rock matrix. The above case studies illustrate the diversity of environmental isotope applications in surface water (reservoir, lake)–groundwater (spring) relationships related to sustainability of hydro‐projects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reviewing urban revitalisation strategies in Rio de Janeiro: from urban project to urban management approaches

This paper describes key urban development strategies pursued during the last seven years by the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil. It discloses internal processes, organisational restructuring of the municipality and institutional changes geared to increase effective urban management and resource mobilisation required to implement multiple sector programmes and key projects in several locations in the city like Favela Bairro and Rio Cidade Programmes, The Rio Strategic Plan, etc. It is argued that the formation of interdepartmental working groups for better horizontal articulation of policy making and implementation, the creation of the financial and accounting unit, the decentralisation of authority towards sub-municipality levels, and capacity strengthening of its personnel – among other things – have made a positive impact on the performance of local government. The paper further highlights a significant change towards policies of urban consolidation and revitalisation of declined areas of the city supported by heavy public investments and the effort towards broader civil society involvement in municipal projects. Municipal autonomy, problem-solving and result-oriented type of planning and management and organisational change are some of the lessons pinpointed by the paper for a city of that size and complexity.     

Multiple Identities and Representations: Experiences in the Study of People's Life-worlds in Rural Malawi

This paper argues that in generating perceptual meanings of social actors as data, researchers need to deal with multiple representations, identities and categorisations of their own and those of their informants. The need to also consider power dynamics that develop in the communication process between the “researcher” and the "researched" in the process of generating data is also emphasised. The paper suggests that an analysis of image‐conflicts can be used to reveal the “hidden meanings” during these research encounters and improve the quality of research findings.     

IMU/DGPS supported photogrammetry in China

<正>People'sRepublicofChinaisoneofthemostrapidlydevelopingcountriesintheworldtoday.Thereisagreatdemandonhighlyactualandaccuratespatialinformationofthewholecountry,especiallyofWestChinawhichbecomesthefocusofdevelopmentoftheChinesegovernmentrightnowandinthenextyears,butwherestillnotenoughtopographicmapsareavailable.ThisraisesgreatchallengestothesurveyingandmappingcommunityinChina.FacingthenewchallengestheChineseAcademyofSurveyingandMapping(CASM)starteditspioneerworkearly2002toexplorenewtechniquesandtechnologiesavailabletodaytowardincreasingthemapproductivity.WithimportofaCCNS/AEROcontrolsysteminNovember2002,thefirstDGPS/IMU-basedphotogrammetricprojectinChinawassuccessfullyaccomplishedjointlybyCASM,theGermany-basedcompaniesIGIandTechedge.Twophotogrammetricblocksof1:4,000and1:20,000photoscales,respectively,wereflowninAnyang,China.Directgeoreferencingandintegratedsensororientationwereconducted.Resultsachievedwereprovenbyusinggroundcheckpointsandcomparedwiththoseofaerialtriangulation.Orthophotosgeneratedbasedondir     

IMPACTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE ON MAJOR PROJECTS AND URBANDEVELOPMENT IN CHINA''S COASTAL PLAINS

LIntroductionSeaIevelnse(SLR)isacertainresu1tcausedbyclimaticwampandunreasonableanthropogedcaCtivities,itwillbringaboutaseriesofnegaivethesonenvironmentalevoltalonandsocio-econonucdevelopmentincoastalarea.Cboaisavastcowtrywithl8,OOOkmand14,OOOkmofcontinentalandislandcoastlinesrespeCtively.Over3Ohaddleandbigcitiesandneariy2Oimportantharbours,includingTianJin,ShanghaiandGuanghouarelocatedinthecoastalareawhere4lpercentofthenation'spopulahonandoveY5operedofGNP(GrossNationalProduCt)iscon…     

"南水北调"西线工程对地质环境影响和对策

以四川西部高原地质环境脆弱为据，提出了“南水北调”西线工程应引以重视的地质环境问题，并以科学发展观提出了对策。     

边坡工程加固需求度评价及其应用

稳定程度不足的边坡通常都需要进行加固。但在加固系统设计时工程师们必须搞清边坡的哪些部位应进行重点加固 ,哪些部位只需要一般加固 ,甚至不需要加固 ,以便合理地布置加固措施。在工程地质力学综合集成方法论 (EGMS)的基础上 ,作者提出了边坡工程加固需求度 (DRD)的概念及其应用方法。