Innovative Industrial Ecology Education Can Guide Us to Sustainable Paths

Abstract

Many activities labeled “industrial ecology” are as ancient as human society (e.g. reusing materials, using waste from one process to fuel another). The idea, however, that industrial ecology is the “science of sustainability” has gained prominence only in recent decades. Within this landscape, industrial ecology is becoming more formalized — there is a journal, an international society and increasing numbers of educational efforts dedicated to the topic. While industrial ecology has become a fairly common reference in various types of literature, its inclusive nature makes it difficult to define — much like the concept it strives to support — sustainability. Hence, while there is general agreement among practitioners that education dedicated to industrial ecology is important, there is not agreement on the specific direction this should take. The metaphor —applying ecological principles to industrial systems — is de facto interdisciplinary. This creates philosophical and administrative conflict when designing courses and programs. There are several approaches evolving that employ the industrial ecology concept, but each has quite distinct foci. A simplified delineation of these approaches might include: 1) Focus on developing innovative technology/models; 2) Focus on quantifying processes and identifying “best” technologies and/or best uses for technology/models; 3) Focus on societal factors (economic, behavioral, paradigmatic) to find alternative ways to do things using existing technologies. The ideal approach is likely some combination of these three. However, in designing a formal curriculum, it is not feasible (nor necessarily desirable) to cover all three in depth. For industry leaders (and policy-makers) understanding the values and limitations in each is important. If industrial ecology is to promote sustainability, then decisions about how it is taught will greatly influence efforts to define and reach sustainability. Understanding the tradeoffs and opportunities inherent in the diverse directions that industrial ecology education is moving is important if we wish to continue to identify and clarify pathways to sustainability.