22: Industrial Ecology Intro Flashcards
Industrial Ecology
the means by which humanity can maintain desirable carrying capacity through economic, cultural and TECHNOLOGICAL evolution. Systems view in which one seeks to optimize the TOTAL MATERIALS CYCLE from cradle to grave. Factors to be optimized include resources, energy, and capital.
Industrial ecology metaphor
ecology = the network of all industrial processes interacting with and living off of each other – Robert Frosch
Circular economy idea:
A TYPE I ECOSYSTEM
system in which resources and waste are both unlimited
Individual Firm City Sector Globe
A TYPE II ECOSYSTEM
In which energy, resources, and waste are all limited
Only type that exists.
Some intrafirm, interfirm, and intersector linkages.
A TYPE III ECOSYSTEM
In which energy is created with zero waste.
All system types require energy
all result in dissipation of materials
can’t violate 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics
ENERGY (AND MATERIAL) LOSSES
life cycles of products have largest impact at youngest stage of creation
EMBODIED VS EMBEDDED ENERGY IN MATERIALS
Ø The energy per unit mass used to make a
material (or product) from its ores and
feedstocks.
Ø Only a portion of embodied energy can be
recovered from the material. This is it’s
embedded energy. (The difference is what is
lost in various steps of conversion.)
Ø The conversion efficiency of most material
production processes is low, 5-35%
Key diffs bw natural and current industrial system
NATURAL SYSTEM
Natural system:
uses few elements
is cyclic
subsystems ahve evolved that use “waste” as a resrouce
Closed loop; no waste bc each subsystem provides sustenance for others
indicator of well-being: equlibrium
Key diffs bw natural and current industrial system
INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM
uses most of periodic table
is linear-materials to products to waste
lack of subsystems that thrive off of waste
open loop; waste destroys sources on which it depends
indicator of well-being: growth
