The industrial ecology

ABSTRACT:

        Industrial ecology is the main topics of industrial ecology Subject. Here also come Ecology, Ecosystem, Industrial ecology, Industrial system, Relation between industrial ecology and industrial system. Then describing and discussing the similarities and differences between an ecosystem and an industrial system. Then describing and discussing the actual definition of industrial ecology in the main body of this assignment. Here we can also see that the result and the conclusion at the ends of the body. At the end of this assignment we see the references which I have added to see the original information.

Introduction:

        At first we need to know what is ecosystem and what is industrial system? So we need to know, what is ecology? Ecology is a broad biological science and can be divided into many sub-disciplines using various criteria. Many of these fields overlap complement and inform each other (refer 1).So I think Ecosystem is a system which we see the natural world where every thing is running automatically called natural system is one kind of ecosystem. On the other hand industrial system is a system where we get a product or energy when we add some materials. Discipline that traces the flow of energy and materials from their natural resources through manufacture, the use of products, and their final recycling or disposal.

        Secondly we need to know, what is industrial ecology? Industrial ecology is an interdisciplinaryframework for designing and operating industrial systems as living systems interdependent with natural systems (refer3).we also get in our textbook, Industrial ecology consciously incorporates the word ecology, a term originated with reference of biological system. In my assumption, Industrial ecology is one of the systems which we can contribute by the industry. It is very difficult to identify the actual definition of industrial ecology.

Aims and Objectives:

        The objectives of this assignment are to describe and discuss the similarities and differences between ecosystem and industrial system and also we will describe and discuss the definition of Industrial ecology in practice and research.

        In our main goal is describing and discussing elaborately and find the main difference and similarities between ecosystem and industrial system and also we try to find and learn the actual definition of industrial ecology.

Methodology:

        Through gathering information from Chapter 4 of Graedel and Allenby (2003) and Chapter2 of Erkman and Ramaswamy (2003), and other on-line sources about the similarities and differences between ecosystem and industrial system and also collect the information about the definition of Industrial ecology. Here I have given two questions answer and also discuss of that questions to broader our knowledge and to give a more realistic view of industrial ecology.

• Describing and discussing the similarities and difference between an ecosystem and an industrial system:

• Similarities between ecosystem and industrial system:

          In the ecosystem we see that where use some materials and energies on the other hand industrial system we also use some materials and energies.

          If we consider the things that we get ecosystem is a cycling system and industrial system also a cycling system.

          If we consider the natural things like that biological system then we see that ecology is a one kinds of food chain and industrial system when a product finally

          out from the system then the system also go to the beginning process.

          So it is also one kind of food chain.

          Some waste out from every system, most of the time we see that in ecosystem can recover their waste naturally and industrial system also tries

          to recover their waste.

  For example:

          In biological systems, trees use nutrients to produce nuts, which are eaten by squirrels, and the nut resources are used to produce baby squirrels. Some of those babies become food for foraging mammals and birds. The squirrels is thus both pray and predator, secondary producer and consumer. A similar situation exists in industry, where a factory acting as consumer may receive disk drives, housings, and key boards as a consumer and assemble computers as a secondary producer.

• Differences between ecosystem and industrial system:

•         In the ecosystem we see that where the physical energy don’t come directly like as a nutrient but industrial system where physical energy come from directly like as a mechanical or human being.

          In the ecosystem we get the primary condition and sometimes we get the secondary condition like as gas, coal, oil. But the industrial system only we get the secondary condition like as electricity, light etc.

          And at last in the ecosystem we see some wastes but maximum wastes can recover naturally but industrial system we see the waste more and most of the time it can’t recover to use the system.

• Describe and discuss the definition of Industrial ecology in practice and research:

•         Industrial ecology explores the assumption that industrial activities should not be considered in isolation from the wider world but rather in terms of an industrial ecosystem functioning within the natural ecological system or biosphere.

          However here there is no standard definition of industrial ecology. Industrial ecology more or less follows three key elements which is below

  1. Industrial ecology is a systemic, comprehensive, integrated view of all the components if the industrial economy and their relations with the biosphere.
  2. It emphasizes the biophysical substratum of human activities.
  3. It considers technological dynamics.

          So we can say that if we can recover our industrial system then we get the actual industrial ecology. We can recover it by restructuring the industrial system.

          We can restructure the industrial system by using four main elements

  1. Optimizing the use of resources.
  2. Closing material loops and minimizing emissions.
  3. Dematerializing activities.
  4. Reducing and e laminating the dependence on non renewable sources of energy.

          If we consider in this four elements to restructure of our industrial system then we can see the industrial ecology.

  Results:

          We have already described and discussed our topics elaborately in the body assignment. We also have described the definition of industrial ecology but it is very difficult to find the definition of industrial ecology.

  Conclusion:

          In end of this assignment, my assumption is that the industrial system is not the same of the industrial ecology.

  References:

  1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology_(disciplines)
  2. Industrial ecology(webside)
  3. www.indigodev.com/IE.html
  4. Industrial Ecology(text book)

     Graedel and Allenby (2003)

  5. Industrial Ecology

     Erkman and Ramaswamy (2003)