A Walk on the Human Side of Industrial Ecology

Industrial ecology is fundamentally a social and organizational construct. The article explores the centrality of human decision, imagination, skill, and process in effective industrial ecology applications. The role of self-organizing systems, social process, business drivers, industrial network theory and practice, environmental management systems, human resource strategies, and learning organizational constructs are presented as critical components of the industrial ecology concept and implementation. Broad inclusion of these conceptual and operational frameworks will assist in the spread of industrial ecology. Reductionist approaches to industrial ecology are challenged to seek systemic and socially cognizant strategies.