Page 115 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

94 Cha pte r Six

Beyond discovering innovative technologies, another valuable
lesson that humans can learn from nature is how to organize a com-
plex web of material and energy transformations in a way that gener-
ates absolutely no waste. In ecological systems, food webs have
evolved so that every bit of biomass is consumed by some organism
occupying a particular niche. Even the detritus that falls on the forest
floor provides nutrients for microorganisms, which in turn enrich the
soil. The concept of industrial ecology* suggests that industrial systems
can operate in a similar fashion—converting waste materials from
production or consumption activities into “food” for industrial pro-
cesses. As shown in Figure 6.4, every company is part of a broader
network of material and energy flows that provide pathways from
natural resources to consumers of goods and services. Rather than
discarding their wastes, it is likely that companies, as well as consum-
ers, could discover alternative uses in their own supply chain or in
other industry sectors, and thus convert them into by-products. To
achieve this type of system-level innovation will require new forms
of collaboration among different industries, as well as support from
state and local regulatory authorities and other stakeholders. How-
ever, today the environmental and economic motivations for seeking
industrial ecology opportunities are stronger than ever. Around the
world, some promising examples have already emerged, as discussed
in Section C.3, Design for Recyclability, in Chapter 8.

FIGURE 6.4 Industrial ecosystems convert natural resources into economic
goods and services.

*Other metaphorical terms related to this concept include industrial metabolism
and industrial symbiosis.