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ABSTRACTAgricultural recycling of biosolids is coming under increasing regulatory and non‐regulatory pressure. The UK Government and the European Commission are introducing new microbiological standards for (a) sludge, (b) expanded nitrate vulnerable zones, and (c) more stringent maximum potentially toxic element concentrations in soils. Public perception continues to play an important and unpredictable role in the acceptability of biosolids agricultural recycling. Sludge phyto‐conditioning is a low‐technology process, growing grass on sewage sludge to produce a pleasant/low‐odour compost‐like material and reducing bacterial indicators to below detectable levels, whilst retaining the beneficial energy‐recovery aspects of anaerobic digestion.This paper describes the process stream and discusses the benefits for the operator, including treatment to 'enhanced'status and reduction in volume. The process is batch in nature and results in a high‐quality soil conditioner.

Virtual environments present researchers with a range of methodological considerations, both new and old. With the advent of embodied online worlds, experiences with distributed presence, anonymity and multiple modes of engagement increasingly have become the norm. Avatars and their textual counterparts lead us to critically encounter how research can be most meaningfully handled given a terrain in which users are actually embodying themselves digitally, and often in multivalent ways. This article discusses some of the theoretical issues at stake in this form of research, as well as providing several grounded practices to help methodologically negotiate virtual worlds.

Ethnography and Virtual Worlds is the only book of its kind--a concise, comprehensive, and practical guide for students, teachers, designers, and scholars interested in using ethnographic methods to study online virtual worlds, including both game and nongame environments. Written by leading ethnographers of virtual worlds, and focusing on the key method of participant observation, the book provides invaluable advice, tips, guidelines, and principles to aid researchers through every stage of a project, from choosing an online fieldsite to writing and publishing the results. Provides practical and detailed techniques for ethnographic research customized to reflect the specific issues of online virtual worlds, both game and nongame Draws on research in a range of virtual worlds, including Everquest, Second Life, There.com, and World of Warcraft Provides suggestions for dealing with institutional review boards, human subjects protocols, and ethical issues Guides the reader through the full trajectory of ethnographic research, from research design to data collection, data analysis, and writing up and publishing research results Addresses myths and misunderstandings about ethnographic research, and argues for the scientific value of ethnography