نشریه محیط زیست و توسعه
پیاپی 15 (بهار و تابستان 1396)

Clay minerals are one of the most abundant natural materials that have many industrial applications, while their environmental uses has recieved consideration in the past few decades. In this paper, the most important environmental applications of clay mineral such as landfill liner, adsorption of pollutants, reduction of the need to pesticides and fertilizers and so on have been reviewed. One of the most important characteristics of clay minerals regarding their environmental applications is their sorption capacity that increases through different types of surface modification methods such as acid treatment, alkali, surfactant and salt application that changes them into a cheap and effective adsorbent in water and wastewater treatment. Bentonite is the most-used clay mineral due to its special characteristics such as higher surface area and adsorption capacity compared to the sepiolite and kaolin. In Iran, bentonite is mostly used in drilling and foundry, and little attention has been paid to its environmental applications. Hence, we provide a review of the economic and environmental applications of this mineral.

Using the officially published energy balance sheets for the years 2001 to 2013 in Iran, we statistically analysed the energy supply and consumption status in the country and its relationship with pollutants and greenhouse gases emissions including NOx, SO2, CO, CO2, CH4 and particulate matter (SPM). Our analysis suggested that on average total energy supply and its consumption grew annually by 5.97 and 5.75 percent, respectively. During this period, the emission of NOx, SO2, CO, SPM and CO2 increased by 7.37, 2.87, 4.04, 3.95 and 7.26 percent, respectively. The results demonstrated that the highest energy consumption originated from the household, commercial, public, transportation, industry, power plants, agriculture and refinery sections, respectively. The transportation section had the largest share in emission of pollutant gases among the country's energy consuming sectors. Despite the highest level of energy consumption in the household (52.46%), and the commercial and public sectors, it has the lowest share of air pollution (20%). However, this sectro contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emission (30%). The growing rate of energy demand and consumption and consequently the increase in pollutants emission is an alarm to seriously and sustainably pursue energy management activities in various consumption sectors. Optimizing energy consumption can be achieved by planning and control measures especially in the use of clean energy, improving fuels and monitoring of energy consumption.

The strategic environmental assessment has been suggested and developed given the shortage of environmental impacts assessment in considering environmental policies at strategic levels, especially in the process of policy-making and planning. In fact, the strategic environmental assessment has attracted the attention of planners because it is missioned with introducing environmental considerations to the early stages of decision-making on policies, programs and projects. Also, the strategic environmental assessment, is one of the acceptable methods for achieving the goals of sustainable development in which environmental impacts of policies, programs and projects on the development are evaluated. Therefore, considering importance of the strategic environmental assessment, this paper which is based on library and documental research, tries to investigate the concept and application of strategic environmental assessment. The two methods of SWOT matrix and quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM), which are among the effective methods for implementing the strategic environmental assessment are also reviewed.

Environment and natural resources are the contexts that connect man and nature. That is why sociologists have paid special attention to these systems and review their interactions. Bakhtegan Lake is one of ecotourism destinations near Estahban city (the largest garden city of dry figs in the world) located in Fars Province and is the second largest saltwater lake in the country. Unfortunately, in recent years the lake has been affected by drought and human activities. The main objective of this research was to sociologically study the effects of the lake’s drought on the environmental behavior and individualism of people around it. The survey used field and descriptive method and the satistical sample included 390 individuals of the approximately 66172 people living in Estahban city and Khir shire. Sampling method was stepwise random cluster and data was analysed using SPSS software Ver. 22. The results suggest that significant relationship exists between attention to the drought and environmental behaviors of the people in the region. However, no significant relationship was found between the individualism and the attention to the drought.

Climate change is one of the biggest social and economic challenges of our era and our behavior will have a profound effect on it. One of the strategic measures in this regard is to promote people’s awareness level through education and establishment of green schools. The purpose of green schools is to rebuild the schools teaching methods by focusing on the environment, its sustainability and climate change. The present study aims to provide a model for green schools in Iran. In addition,the paper reviews findings of the most prestigious international institutions in this field, defines green school and its performance and then examins administrative procedures to receive green school certification. Also, by describing the limitations of green schools planning in the country, the paper offers strategies for increasing the effectiveness of these schools. The research method in terms of the aim, is fundamental, and in terms of data gathering, is descriptive.