De internationella klimatförhandlingarna handlar om att hitta lösningar för att stabilisera halten av växthusgaser i atmosfären och att uppnå tvågradersmålet. För att uppnå målet finns olika utsläppsmål att sträva mot. Ett är ett utsläppstak där varje land inte får släppa ut mer än 2 ton CO2-ekv/capita per år för att tvågradersmålet ska uppnås. Ett annat utsläppsmål är att minska de nationella utsläppen med en viss procentsats. EU:s del i minskningen ligger på 80-95 % till 2050.Som en del av arbetet mot målet presenterade EU i mars 2011 en färdplan för ett utsläppsnålt samhälle.

In the 1970?s it was predicted that in the beginning of the 21st century there would be a timber shortage in Sweden and a large scale introduction of the exotic tree species lodgepole pine started. An introduction of a foreign tree species means a risk of a negative influence on the forests ecosystem. Today, the stands that were established in the 70?s are middle-aged and the effect on the forest floor vegetation can be studied.

Användandet av etiska standarder som inbegriper sociala, miljömässiga och ekonomiska värden har blivit allt mer vanligt under de senaste åren. Detta på grund av en större efterfrågan från konsumenter. En av de branscher där intressenter efterfrågan ett större samhällsansvar (CSR) är inom livsmedelsbranschen. Ett företag som idag erbjuder certifieringar i Sverige inom livsmedelsbranschen är Kiwa Sverige. Företaget har känt av en ökad efterfrågan av CSR-standarder från sina kunder.

The construction of buildings and paved surfaces changes the natural water balance.Precipitation generates surface runoff and storm water instead of infiltrating into the soil.Storm water has come to be considered as a major source of pollution in lakes and streams inthe vicinity of urban areas. Reduction of pollutants in storm water is a key action in order toprotect sensitive recipients and maintain high water quality. Storm water is traditionallytransported by storm sewers to the nearest recipient. In recent years the approach to stormwater management has changed; storm water should primarily be disposed of on site, throughlocal disposal of storm water, LOD. LOD is created by a combination of the function ofseveral smaller local facilities and the general sewer system.

Ytvattenfärgen i barrskogsbältet har sedan industrialismen på mitten av 1900-talet förändrats noterbart. Orsaken till detta är brunifiering och innebär att organiskt material från barrskogen samlar sig i sjöar. En påtaglig effekt av detta fenomen är förändringar i vattenfärg, ju mer löst organiskt material (dissolved organic matter, DOM), desto mörkare vattenfärg. Löst organiskt kol (dissolved organic carbon, DOC) kan komma från två olika källor som visat sig påverka vattenfärgen olika. Alloktont DOC är producerat utanför sjön i de omgivande markerna och ger mörkare färg än autoktont som är producerat inom sjön.

Herbicide resistance is the result of an evolutionary process where a population gradually changes from being susceptible to being resistant to an herbicide. The resistance mechanism is usually a change in the biochemistry of the weed, but in some cases changes in morphology or growth rhythm. The change is caused by random mutations. Two resistance mechanisms are found in black-grass; target site resistance and metabolic resistance.Black-grass is a tufty, winter annual grass weed, which is mainly found in milder climates. Black-grass is a big problem in Southern Europe.

This study forms part of the R&D project "Improved survival of bird chicks in organic fields" managed by the Rural Economy & Agricultural society in Uppsala. The skylark (Alauda arvensis) is a species that has decreased drastically in Sweden as a consequence of more intensive cropping. Studies in England have shown that skylark reproduction can be greatly improved within conventional fields, at a low cost, by establishing patches of bare ground (skylark plots). Within conventional farming, herbicides can be used in case a weed problem arises due to implementation of these skylark plots, whereas this is not allowed in organic farming. This study examined the effects of skylark plots on the weed culture in organic autumn-sown (winter) cereals and whether weeds might cause long-term problems to farmers. The study was conducted in two parts; a field study and a review of the literature regarding the weeds observed. The field study was carried out in 2007 during three weeks in June and three weeks in July, on eleven organic fields with winter cereal in the vicinity of Uppsala.

Transformation of inorganic mercury (Hg) to methyl mercury (MeHg) is a biotic process that is proposed to be conducted primarily by sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB). The formation of MeHg is of great interest because it is the mercury species that biomagnifies to the greatest extent in the aquatic food webs; about 90 % of all Hg in fish is MeHg. Our understanding of factors involved in the production of MeHg is very important for making a reliable risk assessment. The purposes of this study were to investigate the different factors that control the solubility of Hg and the production of MeHg in a contaminated lake sediment. The lake Ala-Lombolo, Kiruna municipality, is well-known to be contaminated by mercury from different sources. Sediment cores were sampled at three different locations (N, SW and SE) in the lake and divided in three different layers; 0-5, 5-10 and 10-15 cm.

I avloppsreningen på Hallsta pappersbruk i Hallstavik reduceras dagligen tonvis med organiskt material innan avloppsvattnet släpps ut i den intilliggande Edeboviken. Bruket är ett så kallat integrerat pappersbruk vilket innebär att man tillverkar både pappersmassan och pappret på plats. Det är främst vid framställningen av massa som det organiska materialet löses ut ur veden och hamnar i processvattnet som så småningom når brukets avloppsreningsverk. På bruket tillverkas papper i olika ljusheter, vilket kräver olika stora insatser i form av blekkemikalier så som väteperoxid och hydrosulfit (även känt som ditionit). Blekningen varierar över tid i produktionscykler och det är sedan tidigare känt att en ökad blekning av massan löser ut mer organiska föreningar.

There has always been global warming on earth and it is because of it that the earth is inhabitable. Without global warming the temperature on earth would be around -18 ° C instead of today's + 15 ° C. Global warming is generated by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane which trap long wave radiation in the earth's atmosphere. The problem today is that the global concentration of green house gases has significantly increased since the 1750's as a result of human activity. Today's values widely exceed the preindustrial values.

Aquaponics is a food production system consisting of a consecutive cultivation of plants and aquatic animals, fish or shellfish, in recirculating water. The plants feed on the nutritious effluents from the fish tank and bacteria converts ammonia from the fish tank into nitrate that is absorbed by the plants. The plants receive nutrition and the fish gain purified water. The environmental impact of the production of fish meal and fish oil used in conventional fish feed includes a large consumption of fossil fuels with subsequent carbon dioxide emission. The aquaponic system can be made environmentally sustainable and self-supporting if supplemented with a vermicompost/vermiculture for the production of worm protein as a fish feed. Vegetable waste from the hydroponic part of the system can be reused as worm feed in the compost and the protein rich worms can be harvested, dried and grinded and brought back to the aquaculture as fish feed. As a first step in this direction, I have investigated the effect of recycling of vegetable waste in vermicomposts on the growth and number of earthworms (this was evaluated after harvesting). The hypotheses were that earthworms can be cultivated in the vegetable waste and that by adding manure to the vermicompost it is possible to obtain a nutrient content adequate to support a continuous worm harvest, in other words create a vermiculture. Eisenia fetida and Dendrobaena veneta were grown in 20 L bins containing peat mixed with either poultry or cattle manure. The proportions were 70% peat and 30 % manure. Discarded plant parts from lettuce cultivation was added to the vermicomposts (35 g per week) and water was supplied with 0.8 L per week.

Textiles are made in an unsustainable way and there is a need to find alternative ways and material to reduce the negative impacts on the environment, humans and animals. Problems like pollution, excessive water consumption and loss of soil fertility is a result of this lack of diversity. It is a necessity to find innovative alternatives in other fabrics due to the unsustainable use of cotton and polyester fibers. As in many other countries in the Western part of the world, in Sweden there is a rapid turnover and increased selling of clothes that result in increased textile waste. About 15 kilogram of textiles (net inflow) is consumed per person each year.

To produce milk of good standard the feed for the animals kept for milk production is an important part in the work of quality. This makes it important to feed them with good forage, especially when feeding with silage. The process of making silage is very complex and requires a careful handling to be successful. The fundamental idea is to create an anaerobic environment in the herbage to favour the desirable micro-organisms, in this case the lactic acid bacteria. This environment is created by careful handlings were the importance is to pack the crop well and cover it as soon as possible to exclude oxygen.

AbstractThe purpose of project is to study the possibility for Borås Energy & Environment to build and run a commercial ethanol production facility in Borås. The project also studies the technology for the production of ethanol using renewable energy, e.g. lignocelluloses with focus on two processes, svag-syra hydrolyse and enzymatic hydrolyse. The technology of the process is based of hydrolysation of biomass (hemicelluloses and cellulose) to sugar and extract it to ethanol. These two techniques will compare with each other to determine which of them that it?s more suitable for ethanol production.

AbstractDrinking water is an important resource on Earth both for humans and animals. Although most of the surface is covered by water only a small quantity is available as drinking water. Our manner of living creates a lot of pollution which has an environmental impact. Groundwater has a protracted turnover time in the soil and it can take many years before the effects of human impact are detected. The Swedish environmental object is ?Good groundwater quality? which aims to provide a safe and sustainable supply of drinking water today and in the future.