• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.605-614
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• 2022

Two major problems currently threaten human survival on Earth: climate change and the rapid aging of the population in developed countries. Climate change is a result of the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere due to the increase in the use of fossil fuels owing to economic and transportation development. The rapid increase in the age of the population is a result of the rise in life expectancy due to the development of biomedical science and technology and the improvement of personal hygiene in developed countries. To avoid irreversible global climate change, it is necessary to quickly transition from the current fossil fuel-based economy to a zero-carbon renewable energy-based economy that does not emit GHGs. To achieve this goal, the dairy and livestock industry, which generates the most GHGs in the agricultural sector, must transition to using low-carbon emission production methods while simultaneously increasing consumers' preference for low-carbon diets. Although 77% of currently available arable land globally is used to produce livestock feed, only 37% and 18% of the proteins and calories that humans consume come from dairy and livestock farming and industry. Therefore, using edible insects as a protein source represents a good alternative, as it generates less GHG and reduces water consumption and breeding space while ensuring a higher feed conversion rate than that of livestock. Additionally, utilizing the functionality of medicinal insects, such as silkworms, which have been proven to have certain health enhancement effects, it is possible to develop functional foods that can prevent or delay the onset of currently incurable degenerative diseases that occur more frequently in the elderly. Insects are among the first animals to have appeared on Earth, and regardless of whether humans survive, they will continue to adapt, evolve, and thrive. Therefore, the use of various edible and medicinal insects, including silkworms, in industry will provide an important foundation for human survival and prosperity on Earth in the near future by resolving the current two major problems.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1195-1206
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• 2011

This study was conducted to apply LCA (Life cycle assessment) methodology to lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production systems in Namyang-ju as a case study. Five lettuce growing farms with three different farming systems (two farms with organic farming system, one farm with a system without agricultural chemicals and two farms with conventional farming system) were selected at Namyangju city of Gyeonggi-province in Korea. The input data for LCA were collected by interviewing with the farmers. The system boundary was set at a cropping season without heating and cooling system for reducing uncertainties in data collection and calculation. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to find out the effect of type and amount of fertilizer and energy use on GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emission. The results of establishing GTG (Gate-to-Gate) inventory revealed that the quantity of fertilizer and energy input had the largest value in producing 1 kg lettuce, the amount of pesticide input the smallest. The amount of electricity input was the largest in all farms except farm 1 which purchased seedlings from outside. The quantity of direct field emission of $CO_2$, $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ from farm 1 to farm 5 were 6.79E-03 (farm 1), 8.10E-03 (farm 2), 1.82E-02 (farm 3), 7.51E-02 (farm 4) and 1.61E-02 (farm 5) kg $kg^{-1}$ lettuce, respectively. According to the result of LCI analysis focused on GHG, it was observed that $CO_2$ emission was 2.92E-01 (farm 1), 3.76E-01 (farm 2), 4.11E-01 (farm 3), 9.40E-01 (farm 4) and $5.37E-01kg\;CO_2\;kg^{-1}\;lettuce$ (farm 5), respectively. Carbon dioxide contribute to the most GHG emission. Carbon dioxide was mainly emitted in the process of energy production, which occupied 67~91% of $CO_2$ emission from every production process from 5 farms. Due to higher proportion of $CO_2$ emission from production of compound fertilizer in conventional crop system, conventional crop system had lower proportion of $CO_2$ emission from energy production than organic crop system did. With increasing inorganic fertilizer input, the process of lettuce cultivation covered higher proportion in $N_2O$ emission. Therefore, farms 1 and 2 covered 87% of total $N_2O$ emission; and farm 3 covered 64%. The carbon footprints from farm 1 to farm 5 were 3.40E-01 (farm 1), 4.31E-01 (farm 2), 5.32E-01 (farm 3), 1.08E+00 (farm 4) and 6.14E-01 (farm 5) kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ lettuce, respectively. Results of sensitivity analysis revealed the soybean meal was the most sensitive among 4 types of fertilizer. The value of compound fertilizer was the least sensitive among every fertilizer imput. Electricity showed the largest sensitivity on $CO_2$ emission. However, the value of $N_2O$ variation was almost zero.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.399-407
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• 2008

Importance of climate change and its impact on agriculture and environment has increased with a rise of greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentration in Earth's atmosphere, which had caused an increase of temperature in Earth. Greenhouse gas emissions such as methane($CH_4$) and nitrous oxide($N_2O$) in the field need to be assessed. GHGs fluxes using chamber systems in the fields(2004~2005) with pepper cultivation were monitored at the experimental plots of National Academy of Agricultural Science(NAAS), Rural Development Administration(RDA) located in Suwon city. $N_2O$ emission during pepper growing period was reduced to 74.0~82.1% in sandy loam soil compared with those in clay loam soil. Evaluating $N_2O$ emission at different levels of soil water conditions, $N_2O$ emission at -50 kPa were lowered to 13.2% in clay loam soil and 40.2% in sandy loam soil compared with those at -30 kPa. $CH_4$ emission was reduced to 45.7~61.6% in sandy loam soil compared with those in clay loam soil. Evaluating $CH_4$ at different levels of soil water conditions, $CH_4$ emission at -50 kPa was lowered to 69.6% in clay loam soil and 55.8% in sandy loam soil compared with those at -30 kPa. It implied that -50 kPa of soil water potential was effective for saving water and reducing GHG emissions. From the path analysis as to contribution factors for $N_2O$ emission, it appeared that contribution rate was in the order of mineral N(51.2%), soil temperature (25.8%), and soil moisture content(23.0%) in clay loam soil and soil moisture content(39.3%), soil temperature (36.4%), and mineral N(24.3%) in sandy loam soil.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.722-727
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• 2010

This study was conducted to estimate the carbon footprint and to establish the database of the LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) for barely cultivation system. Barley production system was separated into the naked barley, the hulled barley and the two-rowed barley according to type of barley species. Based on collecting the data for operating LCI, it was shown that input of fertilizer was the highest value of 9.52E-01 kg $kg^{-1}$ for two-rowed braley. For LCI analysis focussed on the greenhouse gas (GHG), it was observed that carbon footprint were 1.25E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ naked braley, 1.09E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ hulled braley and 1.71E+00 $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ two-rowed barley; especially two-rowed barley cultivation system had highest emission value as 1.09E+00 kg $CO_2$ $kg^{-1}$ barley. It might be due to emit from mainly fertilizer production for barley cultivation. Also $N_2O$ was emitted at 7.55E-04 kg $N_2O\;kg^{-1}$ barley as highest value from hulled barley cultivation system because of high N fertilizer input. The result of life cycle impcat assessment (LCIA), it was observed that most of carbon emission from barely cultivation system was mainly attributed to fertilizer production and cropping unit. Characterization value of GWP was 1.25E+00 (naked barley), 1.09E+00 (hulled barley) and 1.71E+00 (two-rowed barely) kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.728-733
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• 2010

This study was carried out to estimate carbon emission using LCA and to establish LCI database of potato production system. Potato production system was categorized into the fall season potato and the spring season potato according to potato cropping type. The results of collecting data for establishing LCI D/B showed that input of fertilizer for fall season potato production was more than that for spring season potato production. Input of pesticide for spring season potato production was much more than that for fall season potato production. The value of field direct emission ($CO_2$, $CH_4$, $N_2O$) were 2.17E-02 kg $kg^{-1}$ for spring season potato and 2.47E-02 kg $kg^{-1}$ for fall season potato, respectively. The result of LCI analysis focussed on the greenhouse gas (GHG), it was observed that carbon footprint values were 8.38E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for spring season potato and 8.10E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for fall season potato; especially for 90% and 6% of $CO_2$ emission from fertilizer and potato production, respectively. $N_2O$ was emitted from the process of N fertilizer production (76%) and potato production (23%). It was observed that characterization of values of GWP were 8.38E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for spring season potato and 8.10E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for fall season potato.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.356-370
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• 2017

The energy savings and $CO_2$ emission reductions obtainable from the situation that the Smart Grid system (SGs) is assumed to be applied in Korea up to 2030 is quantitatively analyzed with many reported data. For calculation, SGs is divided into five sectors such as Smart Transmission and Distribution (ST&D), Smart Consumer (SC), Smart Electricity Service (SES), Smart Renewable Energy (SRE) and Smart Transportation (ST). Total annual energy savings in 2030 is estimated to be approximately 103,121 GWh and this is 13.1% of total electricity consumption outlook. Based on this value, total amount of reducible $CO_2$ emissions is calculated to 55.38 million $tCO_2$, which is 17.6% of total nation's GHG reduction target. Although the contribution of energy saving due to SGs to total electricity consumption increases as years go by, that of $CO_2$ emission reduction gradually decreases. This might be because that coal fired based power generation is planned to be sharply increased and the rate of $CO_2$ emission reduction scheduled by nation is very fast. The contributable portion of five each sector to total $CO_2$ emission reductions in 2030 is estimated to be 44.37% for SC, 29.16% for SRE, 20.12% for SES, 5.11% for ST&D, and 1.24% for ST.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.189-203
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• 2010

The objective of this study is the estimate of $CO_2$ emissions by the energy consumption of functional technology introduced by classifying energy use in households according to functions as well as energy resources. This study also intends to provide the practical basis data in order to establish specific alternatives for GHG mitigation in residential sector with examining the cause analysis affecting $CO_2$ emission increases from 1995 to 2007. The results of this study show a 6.6% increase in the total $CO_2$ from 60,636 thousand tons in 1995 to 64,611 thousand tons in 2007 by using energy in residential sector. Heating is the greatest $CO_2$ emission sector by use, followed electric appliances, cooking, lighting and cooling. Heating sector shows 56.6% reductions from 71.5% in 1995 and as do cooling and electric home appliances, with a 2.4% increase from 0.6% and a 21.8% increase from 14.2% respectively. To analyze factors resulted in $CO_2$ emissions in residential sector, the relevant indicator change rate from 2005 to 2007 was examined. The results find that population, the number of household, housing areas, family patterns, and family income resulted in the $CO_2$ emissions increase in residential sector from 1995 to 2007. On the other hand, carbon intensity and energy intensity contribute to $CO_2$ reduction in residential sector with -2% and -38.7% respectively because of the energy conversion and the improvement of energy efficiency in electronic appliances. This study can be used as a reference when taken account of the reality and considered the introduction of highly effective measures to increase the possibility of mitigation potential in residential sector hereafter.