Applying the practices of ecotourism to an urban environment is a relatively new concept but a concept that merits development in multiple cities. The concept of urban green tourism (urban ecotourism), as pioneered by Toronto’s Green Tourism Association, is a working example that demonstrates how a city can promote itself, individual businesses and attractions to provide a unique tourism experience and generate demand for sustainability. This paper seeks to outline how urban green tourism can be an effective approach to addressing the issues of tourism in cities – growth, waste, etc., and demonstrates how sustainable tourism options can capitalize on the existing features of a city. The association promotes local businesses, organizations, natural and cultural features through its green map, green guidebook and Website to educate travellers and industry toward greener practices.

Electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanowebs treated with honey were prepared to exploit the high surface area of nanofibers and the many different beneficial properties of honey. Nanowebs fabricated from biocompatible polymers like PVA, and treated with natural substances like honey, may find use in various biomedical applications such as wound bandages. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the incorporation of honey into electrospun PVA nanowebs. Treated nanowebs were characterized by evaluating their antimicrobial properties, breathability characteristics, and tensile properties. PVA nanowebs treated with honey demonstrated adequate breathability characteristics for potential use in wound dressings. In this study, no antibacterial activity was observed after treatment with honey.

Electrospun poly (vinyl alcohol) [PVA] nanowebs functionalized with a commercially available microbiocidal solution Reputex™ 20 were prepared. The active ingredient of Reputex™ 20 is polyhexamethylene biguanides, a safe antiseptic. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the functionalization of PVA nanowebs. Functionalized nanowebs were characterized by evaluating their antimicrobial properties, breathability characteristics and tensile properties. Functionalized nanowebs demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Nanowebs developed from biocompatible polymers like PVA, and functionalized with safe antiseptics, could find many biomedical applications such as wound bandages.

Electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanowebs treated with a mixture of honey and polyhexamethylene biguanides (PHMBs, commercially available as Reputex 20) were prepared and characterized to evaluate their applicability in wound dressing applications. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the incorporation of functional moieties from honey and Reputex 20 into electrospun PVA nanowebs. Functionalized PVA nanowebs were characterized by evaluating their antimicrobial properties, moisture vapor transport characteristics (breathability), and tensile properties. PVA nanowebs treated with a mixture of honey and PHMBs have shown good antimicrobial activity. Additionally, functionalized PVA nanowebs have shown adequate breathability characteristics, a much needed attribute in textile materials used in wound dressing applications. Nanowebs fabricated from biocompatible polymers such as PVA, and functionalized in a combinational fashion, could be used in many different biomedical applications, including wound healing bandages and cell or tissue culture scaffolds.

To determine potential intermediate hosts of Oxyspirura petrowi, a common nematode eyeworm of wild gallinaceous birds, various arthropod species including red harvester ants, beetles, wood cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, and desert termites were screened for the presence of O. petrowi using specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2) of the eyeworm ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA). This is the first study to investigate the intermediate hosts of O. petrowi utilizing molecular techniques. We determined 38% (13/34) of the cockroaches, 27% (3/11) of the crickets, and 23% (68/289) of the grasshoppers which were positive for O. petrowi. Identifying potential intermediate hosts of O. petrowi is essential to better understanding the epizoology of the eyeworm’s transmission mechanics and to controlling infections in wild gallinaceous birds.