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Bioplastics are alternatives of conventional petroleum-based plastics. Bioplastics are polymers processed from renewable sources and are biodegradable. This study aims at conducting an environmental impact assessment of the bioprocessing of agricultural wastes into bioplastics compared to petro-plastics using an LCA approach. Bioplastics were produced from potato peels in laboratory. In a biochemical reaction under heating, starch was extracted from peels and glycerin, vinegar and water were added with a range of different ratios, which resulted in producing different samples of bio-based plastics. Nevertheless, the environmental impact of the bioplastics production process was evaluated and compared to petro-plastics. A life cycle analysis of bioplastics produced in laboratory and petro-plastics was conducted. The results are presented in the form of global warming potential, and other environmental impacts including acidification potential, eutrophication potential, freshwater ecotoxicity potential, human toxicity potential, and ozone layer depletion of producing bioplastics are compared to petro-plastics. The results show that the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, through the different experiments to produce bioplastics, range between 0.354 and 0.623 kg CO2 eq. per kg bioplastic compared to 2.37 kg CO2 eq. per kg polypropylene as a petro-plastic. The results also showed that there are no significant potential effects for the bioplastics produced from potato peels on different environmental impacts in comparison with poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid and polypropylene. Thus, the bioplastics produced from agricultural wastes can be manufactured in industrial scale to reduce the dependence on petroleum-based plastics. This in turn will mitigate GHG emissions and reduce the negative environmental impacts on climate change.

With China’s urban renewal, parks have developed into significant green recreational areas in cities. This paper analyzed social media texts and compared the evaluation outcomes of the 50 most popular urban parks in Beijing from various perspectives, such as the characteristics of various groups of people, park types, and the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of recreational activities. The importance–performance analysis method was used to analyze the main factors affecting visitors’ satisfaction with parks. The research found the following: (1) Positive evaluation of parks was related to environmental construction, event organization, etc., and negative evaluations focused on ticket supply, consumer spending, etc. (2) Visitors of different genders and from different regions focused on different aspects of parks. (3) In terms of traffic accessibility, historical and cultural display, parent–child activity organization, and ecological environment experience, people had diverse demands from various types of parks. (4) People were more likely to visit parks located within the range of all green belts in springs and parks located in the second green isolation belt in the fall. (5) The number of non-holiday reviews of parks was higher than that of holiday reviews. (6) Managers could improve visitor satisfaction by improving the infrastructure and management of parks.

Virtual water flows have a profound impact on the natural water system of a country or region, and they may help conserve local water resources or exacerbate water scarcity in some areas. However, current research has only focused on the measurement of virtual water flows, without analysis of the causes of virtual water flow patterns. This study first obtained virtual water flow patterns across provinces by constructing a multi-regional input–-output (MRIO) model of the Yellow River basin in 2012 and 2017, and then analyzed its driving factors by applying the extended STIRPAT model to provide directions for using virtual water trade to alleviate water shortages in water-scarce areas of the basin. We found the following: (1) The Yellow River basin as a whole had a net virtual water inflow in 2012 and 2017, and the net inflow has increased from 2.14 billion m3 to 33.67 billion m3. (2) Different provinces or regions assume different roles in the virtual water trade within the basin. (3) There is an obvious regional heterogeneity in the virtual water flows in different subsectors. (4) Per capita GDP, tertiary industry contribution rate, consumer price index, and water scarcity are the main positive drivers of virtual water inflow in the Yellow River Basin provinces, while primary industry contribution rate, per capita water resources, and water use per unit arable area promote virtual water outflow. The results of this paper present useful information for understanding the driving factors of virtual water flow, which could promote the optimal allocation of water resources in the Yellow River basin and achieve ecological protection and high-quality development in this area.

To alleviate the pressure of energy utilization of buildings, more attention was focused on the utilization of GWSHP (groundwater source heat pump) systems. However, there have been many debates on feasibility. This paper is to study the suitability and feasibility of GWSHP systems in different climate zones. A simulation model of a GWSHP system is established based on TRNSYS software in the severe cold climate zones A and B, cold climate zones, hot summer and cold winter climate zones, and the hot summer and warm winter climate zones. Simultaneously, the reliability and energy-saving benefits of GWSHP systems in typical residential buildings situated in different climate zones are deeply analyzed. Results reveal that the operating performance of GWSHP systems is considered as the best in the climate zones that need both heating and cooling loads for residential buildings. In contrast, the energy-saving benefits of the GWSHP system in typical residential buildings are deemed to be higher in the cold climate zones and severe cold climate zones. Overall, compared with the ASHP, the economy of the system is generally better based on economic analysis.

Project: Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) datasets - These data have been generated as part of the internationally-coordinated Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6; see also GMD Special Issue: http://www.geosci-model-dev.net/special_issue590.html). The simulation data provides a basis for climate research designed to answer fundamental science questions and serves as resource for authors of the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-AR6). CMIP6 is a project coordinated by the Working Group on Coupled Modelling (WGCM) as part of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Phase 6 builds on previous phases executed under the leadership of the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI) and relies on the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA) along with numerous related activities for implementation. The original data is hosted and partially replicated on a federated collection of data nodes, and most of the data relied on by the IPCC is being archived for long-term preservation at the IPCC Data Distribution Centre (IPCC DDC) hosted by the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ). The project includes simulations from about 120 global climate models and around 45 institutions and organizations worldwide. Summary: These data include the subset used by IPCC AR6 WGI authors of the datasets originally published in ESGF for 'CMIP6.CMIP.CAS.FGOALS-g3.historical' with the full Data Reference Syntax following the template 'mip_era.activity_id.institution_id.source_id.experiment_id.member_id.table_id.variable_id.grid_label.version'. The FGOALS-g3 climate model, released in 2017, includes the following components: atmos: GAMIL3 (180 x 80 longitude/latitude; 26 levels; top level 2.19hPa), land: CAS-LSM, ocean: LICOM3.0 (LICOM3.0, tripolar primarily 1deg; 360 x 218 longitude/latitude; 30 levels; top grid cell 0-10 m), seaIce: CICE4.0. The model was run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China (CAS) in native nominal resolutions: atmos: 250 km, land: 250 km, ocean: 100 km, seaIce: 100 km.

Project: Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) datasets - These data have been generated as part of the internationally-coordinated Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6; see also GMD Special Issue: http://www.geosci-model-dev.net/special_issue590.html). The simulation data provides a basis for climate research designed to answer fundamental science questions and serves as resource for authors of the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-AR6). CMIP6 is a project coordinated by the Working Group on Coupled Modelling (WGCM) as part of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Phase 6 builds on previous phases executed under the leadership of the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI) and relies on the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA) along with numerous related activities for implementation. The original data is hosted and partially replicated on a federated collection of data nodes, and most of the data relied on by the IPCC is being archived for long-term preservation at the IPCC Data Distribution Centre (IPCC DDC) hosted by the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ). The project includes simulations from about 120 global climate models and around 45 institutions and organizations worldwide. Summary: These data include the subset used by IPCC AR6 WGI authors of the datasets originally published in ESGF for 'CMIP6.ScenarioMIP.CAMS.CAMS-CSM1-0.ssp245' with the full Data Reference Syntax following the template 'mip_era.activity_id.institution_id.source_id.experiment_id.member_id.table_id.variable_id.grid_label.version'. The CAMS-CSM 1.0 climate model, released in 2016, includes the following components: atmos: ECHAM5_CAMS (T106; 320 x 160 longitude/latitude; 31 levels; top level 10 mb), land: CoLM 1.0, ocean: MOM4 (tripolar; 360 x 200 longitude/latitude, primarily 1deg latitude/longitude, down to 1/3deg within 30deg of the equatorial tropics; 50 levels; top grid cell 0-10 m), seaIce: SIS 1.0. The model was run by the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China (CAMS) in native nominal resolutions: atmos: 100 km, land: 100 km, ocean: 100 km, seaIce: 100 km.

Project: Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) datasets - These data have been generated as part of the internationally-coordinated Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6; see also GMD Special Issue: http://www.geosci-model-dev.net/special_issue590.html). The simulation data provides a basis for climate research designed to answer fundamental science questions and serves as resource for authors of the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-AR6). CMIP6 is a project coordinated by the Working Group on Coupled Modelling (WGCM) as part of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Phase 6 builds on previous phases executed under the leadership of the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI) and relies on the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA) along with numerous related activities for implementation. The original data is hosted and partially replicated on a federated collection of data nodes, and most of the data relied on by the IPCC is being archived for long-term preservation at the IPCC Data Distribution Centre (IPCC DDC) hosted by the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ). The project includes simulations from about 120 global climate models and around 45 institutions and organizations worldwide. Summary: These data include the subset used by IPCC AR6 WGI authors of the datasets originally published in ESGF for 'CMIP6.ScenarioMIP.NUIST.NESM3.ssp126' with the full Data Reference Syntax following the template 'mip_era.activity_id.institution_id.source_id.experiment_id.member_id.table_id.variable_id.grid_label.version'. The NUIST ESM v3 climate model, released in 2016, includes the following components: atmos: ECHAM v6.3 (T63; 192 x 96 longitude/latitude; 47 levels; top level 1 Pa), land: JSBACH v3.1, ocean: NEMO v3.4 (NEMO v3.4, tripolar primarily 1deg; 384 x 362 longitude/latitude; 46 levels; top grid cell 0-6 m), seaIce: CICE4.1. The model was run by the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China (NUIST) in native nominal resolutions: atmos: 250 km, land: 2.5 km, ocean: 100 km, seaIce: 100 km.

Positive forced aeration is widely used in industrial composting plants to supply sufficient oxygen, accelerating compost maturity. However, this technology results in significant gaseous emission, especially NH3 and GHGs emissions. To reduce gaseous emissions and investigate aeration efficiency, negative pressure aeration was used during cattle manure þ corn stalk composting in 50 L-scale reactors. Composting with negative pressure aeration at three different flow rates (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 L/min/kg dry weight, named Negative-L, Negative-M and Negative-H treatments) were conducted. Treatment with positive pressure aeration was set as a control (Positive-M, with flow rate at 0.50 L/min/kg dry weight). The results showed that negative pressure aeration changed the temporal distribution of oxygen and temperature. With the same flow rate, the Negative-M treatment maintained a longer thermophilic period, accelerating organic matter degradation (47.6% in treatment Negative-M and 41.4% in Positive-M) and the maturity of feedstock (germination index was 105.9% in Negative-M and 58.5% in Positive-M). Ammonia emissions were significantly reduced by composting with negative pressure aeration. During composting, 36.7%, 15.8%, 16.8% and 16.0% of the initial total nitrogen was lost via NH3 volatilizations in the Positive-M, Negative-L, Negative-M and Negative-H treatments, respectively, indicating NH3 emissions were reduced by ~55% compared to the positive pressure aeration treatment. Even though both CH4 and N2O emission were greater from the negative pressure aeration treatments, the global warming potential was significantly reduced in treatments with negative pressure aeration because of the lower NH3 emission (an indirect N2O source). This indicates the benefit of NH3 emission mitigation was larger than the increase in CH4 and N2O emissions. Positive forced aeration is widely used in industrial composting plants to supply sufficient oxygen, accelerating compost maturity. However, this technology results in significant gaseous emission, especially NH3 and GHGs emissions. To reduce gaseous emissions and investigate aeration efficiency, negative pressure aeration was used during cattle manure þ corn stalk composting in 50 L-scale reactors. Composting with negative pressure aeration at three different flow rates (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 L/min/kg dry weight, named Negative-L, Negative-M and Negative-H treatments) were conducted. Treatment with positive pressure aeration was set as a control (Positive-M, with flow rate at 0.50 L/min/kg dry weight). The results showed that negative pressure aeration changed the temporal distribution of oxygen and temperature. With the same flow rate, the Negative-M treatment maintained a longer thermophilic period, accelerating organic matter degradation (47.6% in treatment Negative-M and 41.4% in Positive-M) and the maturity of feedstock (germination index was 105.9% in Negative-M and 58.5% in Positive-M). Ammonia emissions were significantly reduced by composting with negative pressure aeration. During composting, 36.7%, 15.8%, 16.8% and 16.0% of the initial total nitrogen was lost via NH3 volatilizations in the Positive-M, Negative-L, Negative-M and Negative-H treatments, respectively, indicating NH3 emissions were reduced by ~55% compared to the positive pressure aeration treatment. Even though both CH4 and N2O emission were greater from the negative pressure aeration treatments, the global warming potential was significantly reduced in treatments with negative pressure aeration because of the lower NH3 emission (an indirect N2O source). This indicates the benefit of NH3 emission mitigation was larger than the increase in CH4 and N2O emissions.