Industrial ecology
Industrial Ecology
Industrial Ecology (pronunciation: /ɪnˈdʌstriəl iːˈkɒlədʒi/) is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the sustainable combination of environment, economy, and technology. The term is derived from the words 'industrial', a concept that emerged in the 18th century with the industrial revolution, and 'ecology', a term that originated from the Greek words 'oikos' (house) and 'logos' (study), thus meaning the study of households.
Overview
Industrial Ecology involves the study of material and energy flows through industrial systems. The global industrial economy can be modeled as a network of industrial processes that extract resources from the Earth and transform those resources into commodities which can be bought and sold to meet the needs of humanity. Industrial ecology seeks to quantify the material flows and document the industrial processes that make modern society function. Industrial ecologists are often concerned with the impacts that industrial activities have on the environment, with use of the planet's supply of natural resources, and with problems of waste disposal. Industrial ecology is a young but growing multidisciplinary field of research which combines aspects of engineering, economics, sociology, toxicology and the natural sciences.
Related Terms
- Life Cycle Assessment: A technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling.
- Material Flow Analysis: An analytical method to quantify flows and stocks of materials or substances in a well-defined system.
- Industrial Symbiosis: A type of industrial ecology where direct exchanges of materials and energy occur among companies located close to each other.
- Eco-efficiency: The efficiency with which ecological resources are used to meet human needs.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Industrial ecology
- Wikipedia's article - Industrial ecology
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