Industrial ecology is the study and implementation of efficient industrial systems coexisting with the natural environments within which they operate.
Practitioners of this school of thought believe that
industrial systems are not separate from, but integral to, the
ecosystems surrounding them. In order for a system to maintain long
term sustainability it must move from an open system – where
input resources are processed and create waste – to a closed
loop system where waste becomes inputs for another part of the system.
Although the concept of closed loop systems originated with bionts
in mind, the philosophies presented by industrial ecology can be
applied equally to non-biont ecologies.
Despite the methodology tracing its lineage back to the atomic age, it
still touches on many aspects of our modern world. When colonizing a
new world, with its own individualized eco-system, new considerations
come into play. Waste management and recycling may not work as they
have in the past. Processes formerly considered safe may become highly
destructive to the new environment. Similar considerations are
important to any terraforming
effort. Understanding how the various systems work together is vital to
a successful, balanced program. The creation of artificial closed loop
systems allows for the success of long-term space travel, and
self-sufficient space habitats.
Today industrial ecologists are able to draw upon thousands of years of
experience on millions of worlds and countless virch
simulations. A new world may be seeded with life from a dozen others,
all selected for compatibility and purpose. If something
isn't already available to do the job, it may be custom
designed to handle the task.
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