Undercover policing and the spectre of ‘domestic extremism’: the covert surveillance of environmental activism in Britain

The spectre of environmental ‘domestic extremism’ has long been postulated by police leaders and security analysts in Britain. It is a narrative that has justified the commitment of enormous amounts of government resources towards police intelligence work directed at non-violent direct action campaigns. Most controversially, this has included the long-term infiltration of environmental (and other) activist groups by undercover police. This article provides a critical analysis of the justifications put forward in support of the covert surveillance of environmental activists in Britain. The paper proceeds by way of a single case study – a high profile, environmental direct action protest in the north of England – in order to reveal the levels of abuse, manipulation and deception at the basis of undercover protest policing. Through their court case, the activists involved with this action were able to obtain rare insights into the police authorisation documents for the undercover operation that had led to their arrests. An analysis of these documents provides us with a glimpse of the contradictory justifications given by senior police officers for infiltration – now under scrutiny by a public inquiry.     

The Impact of the Physical Home Environment for Family Carers of People with Dementia: A Qualitative Study

Background: The majority of people with dementia are cared for by their families at home. This study aimed to elicit family carers' perceptions on home environmental aspects and strategies with the view to identify barriers and facilitators when caring for a person with dementia at home.

Design and methods: Thirteen co-resident family carers were engaged in semi-structured in-depth walking interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Home environments can pose a number of challenges and opportunities. Aspects of the architectural and interior environment (e.g. size, condition, layout and accessibility, familiarity) are perceived as important (Theme 1) as well as a plethora of environmental strategies that encourage independence and comfort at home (Theme 2). Carers' scepticism, timing, costs, property characteristics and mistrust to services are some barriers to implementing environmental strategies (Theme 3).

Conclusions: Carers improvised solutions via trial and error and need further education on strategies to create an enabling and comfortable home environment.     

Accounting for the Performance of Environmentally Significant Behavior: The Symbolic Significance of Recycling

The scientific community has pronounced climate change unequivocal and its consequences disastrous. Yet Americans' behavioral response to the global social problem of environmental degradation has been largely confined to the individual act of recycling. This article examines why Americans are not doing more to address climate change and other environmental issues. Taking a cognitive sociological perspective, I describe how Americans think about environmental issues and pro‐environmental behavior. I draw on Swidler's concept of a “cultural tool kit,” to examine the cultural narratives Americans use to account for the small amount of pro‐environmental behavior they perform. The act of recycling functions as a synecdoche for pro‐environmental behavior in general, allowing individuals to over‐claim the significance of a modest amount of pro‐environmental behavior. I argue that Americans' failure to engage with environmental issues at a collective level is rooted in the individualized culture of American environmentalism.     

Potential of decentralized wastewater management for urban development: Case of Bangkok

Decentralized wastewater management (DWWM) has recently gained much attention in wastewater management (WWM) due to its build-as-you-go principal. Rapid urban development and the widespread impact of wastewater require sustainable ways to test the DWWM approach. This paper aims to examine and discuss the potential of Bangkok’s current WWM approaches for urban development, focusing on decentralized management approaches. General WWM approaches were examined using case study research methods. Three WWM cases were selected for detailed investigation. Residential wastewater user surveys and expert interviews were used to support system performance findings of service providers and recipients, as well as to draw lessons learned. Results show that DWWM is economically and technically efficient, demonstrating potential for sustainable urban development (SUD) in the study area. The competitive cost found is a result of less sewer line, simple technology, and limited additional costs, while the high efficiency is a result of good operation and maintenance. Also the reclaimed water has been used for landscape irrigation of the urban greenery. Sustainability of the system lies in social value of public amenity it provides, and the urban planning implication that it could be an option for smart growth. The results also show that even in an inner urban area DWWM does not conflict with any SUD considerations. Thus, the study recommends using DWWM for new development within both public and private properties based on Bangkok’s case as part of long-term urban development.     

What can microblog exchanges tell us about food safety crises in China?

The affordance of microblogging services has made them an ideal tool for communicating risk and crisis. However, research on social media and risk communication is still in its infancy. This study, following the uses and gratifications framework, attempts to give some insight into the way micro-bloggers communicate about risk by investigating food safety communications on the microblogging service in China. A content analysis was conducted on 6186 microblog posts relating to 12 recent food safety incidents in China. A series of bivariate chi-square tests was conducted to test the association between micro-bloggers and gratifications. The results indicate that different types of micro-bloggers gratify different needs. Compared to other types of micro-bloggers, the general public tends to use microblogging to express opinions on food safety incidents, regulation and/or policy, rather than simply disseminating information; members of the public enjoy fewer multimedia affordances in their microblog posting but express more negative feelings. Although we anticipate growth in the use of social media in environmental health communication, caution is still needed: communication in China still follows a traditional top-down pattern.     

更新发展观念 做好基层环保工作

环境保护是我国的一项基本国策。当前基层环保工作与党和政府的要求还很不适应 ,观念滞后 ,措施不力 ,投入不足 ,政策失灵 ,基层环保工作面临严峻挑战。只有改革现行管理体制、增加财政投入、重视基础能力建设、抓好环保人才工程 ,才能促进基层环保工作走进“新天地” ,开创新局面     

法律视角下的海洋环境责任强制保险制度——墨西哥湾原油泄漏事件对我国海洋环境责任保险制度的启示

随着科学技术的发展,日渐频繁的海上石油勘探、开采、运输活动使海洋环境污染事故频频发生,对海洋生态环境造成恶劣影响。2010年4月,位于美国墨西哥湾的"深水地平线"钻井平台发生原油泄漏,造成了前所未有的环境灾难和难以估量的经济损失,而相关单位并未投保针对性较强的足额商业保险,充分暴露了当事国的海洋环境责任保险制度缺陷。我国目前尚未建立完善的环境责任保险制度,墨西哥湾原油泄漏事件对我国海洋环境责任保险法律制度的构建与完善,具有毋庸置疑的警示作用。     

从西雅图的信看美洲印第安人的自然观

原始民族的自然观对现代社会在面对环境危机时重新思考人与自然的关系可以提供一些启发。从 1 9世纪一位印第安酋长的信可以看出 ,美洲印第安人的自然观有不少与西方当代环境哲学的一些重要思想 ,特别是生态学关于要破除人与自然间疆界的主张和生态系统中存在着丰富的生命联系的洞见 ,以及生物中心论与生态中心论提倡的尊重生命的思想有很多契合之处     

环境教育师资培训基地建设规范初探

本文对环境教育师资培训基地的选址、培训的方式、开设课程的内容、师资力量、教学管理制度、实验室（所）建设等问题提出了建议和设想。     

清代河湟地区的土地垦殖与环境变迁研究

清代是河湟地区农业持续发展时期,土地垦殖的速度加快,到乾隆年间位于河川谷地的农田均已开垦出来,但随着人口增加,土地的开垦逐渐伸延及山坡地。坡地、山地的增加,对山体植被破坏较大,水土流失加剧,造成部分农田的荒废及环境面貌的改变。