Industrial ecology and sustainable development- a viewpoint

Abstract

Industrial Ecology (IE) is a novel approach to achieve sustainable development. It aims to optimize the consumption of natural resources and energy and minimize the generation of waste. Industrial Ecology is the study of the means by which humans maintain a desirable carrying capacity given continued economic, cultural and technological evolution. The concept requires that all industrial systems be viewed not in isolation from surrounding system, but in concert with them. Several examples are discussed to illustrate how this can be achieved.