Industrial Ecology: Adapting Technology for a Sustainable World

Abstract

Throughout history, economic activity has taken place in what may be called an open system of materials flow. People have historically taken natural materials, transformed them into products for their use, and then discarded worn-out products and any materials left over from the production process. This practice often forced early peoples to change location as the build-up of wastes rendered existing settlements uninhabitable. This practice is no longer feasible in modern times, as we can no longer avoid the wastes that we create, and disposing of them is becoming more and more of a burden. This would suggest that an open industrial system such as ours will have to be replaced by one that has more control over the flow of materials. To do so will require a new paradigm for our industrial system- an {open_quotes}industrial ecology{close_quotes} whose processes resemble those of a natural ecosystem.