Together Everyone Achieves More

Industrial ecologists have been concerned with the impacts that industrial activities have on the environment, especially with use of the planet's supply of natural resources and with problems of waste disposal. Two principles of Industrial Ecology that approach issues and solutions involving sustainability are “Design for the Environment” and “Gather and Use Energy Efficiently.”

            “Design for the Environment” is used to prevent pollution and any risk that could potentially harm humans and the environment. One example would be promoting green cleaning and recognizing safer consumer and industrial products through safer product labeling. Green cleaning can also describe the way residential and industrial cleaning products are manufactured, packaged and distributed. The packaging of textiles and materials can do great harm to the environment if the materials used are not environmentally friendly.

            The second principle is “Gather and Use Energy Efficiently,” which is the efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products or services. In the Interior Design industry an example would be the use of insulation in residential and commercial buildings, by using less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable room temperature. In the book Textile Futures they state that, “Technology holds exciting applications for the future, but so does Mother Nature.” One way to use the applications of Mother Nature would be the placement of windows in a building or home. In cooler climates, designing buildings with south-facing windows increases the amount of sun entering the buildings, minimizing energy use, by maximizing passive solar heating.  Also, in the book Sustainable Fashion and Textiles they state that, “designing light is not just about materials but also construction.” A buildings location and surroundings (such as trees, landscaping, and hills) can play a big part in controlling its temperature and the amount of light emitted by blocking wind and adding shade.

            The primary goal of Industrial Ecology is to promote sustainable development. Hopefully all industry leaders and consumers such as our selves can jump on board with the same goal. Together, everyone achieves more.