Ecotechnology is an
applied science that seeks to fulfill
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
needs while causing minimal ecological disruption, by harnessing and manipulating natural forces to leverage their beneficial effects. Ecotechnology integrates two fields of study: the '
ecology
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overl ...
of technics' and the 'technics of ecology,' requiring an understanding of the structures and processes of
ecosystems
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...
and societies. All
sustainable engineering that can reduce damage to ecosystems, adopt ecology as a fundamental basis, and ensure conservation of
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity' ...
and sustainable development may be considered as forms of ecotechnology.
Ecotechnology emphasizes approaching a problem from a
holistic
Holism () is the idea that various systems (e.g. physical, biological, social) should be viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts. The term "holism" was coined by Jan Smuts in his 1926 book '' Holism and Evolution''."holism, n." OED O ...
point of view. For example,
remediation of rivers should not only consider one single area. Rather, the whole
catchment area
In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people ar ...
, which includes the upstream, middle stream and downstream sections, should be considered.
Construction can reduce its impact on nature by consulting experts on the environment.
Sustainable development requires the implementation of environmentally friendly technologies which are both efficient and adapted to local conditions. Ecotechnology allows improvement in economic performance while minimizing harm to the environment by:
* increasing the efficiency in the selection and use of materials and energy sources
* control of impacts on ecosystems
* development and permanent improvement of cleaner processes and products
* eco-marketing
* introducing environmental management systems in the production and services sectors
* development of activities for increasing awareness of the need for environmental protection and promotion of sustainable development by the general public
During ''Ecotechnics '95 - International Symposium on Ecological Engineering'' in
Östersund
Östersund (; sma, Staare) is an urban area (city) in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth-largest lake, Storsjön ...
,
Sweden, the participants agreed on the definition: "Ecotechnics is defined as the method of designing future societies within ecological frames."
See also
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Afforestation
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees ( forestation) in an area where there was no previous tree cover. Many government and non-governmental organizations directly engage in afforestation programs to create forests ...
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Agroforestry
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Analog forestry
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Biomass
Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms biom ...
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Biomass (ecology)
The biomass is the mass of living biological organisms in a given area or ecosystem at a given time. Biomass can refer to ''species biomass'', which is the mass of one or more species, or to ''community biomass'', which is the mass of all sp ...
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Buffer strip
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Collaborative innovation network Collaborative innovation is a process in which multiple players contribute towards creating new products with customers and suppliers.
Collaboration can occur in all aspects of the business cycle, depending on the context:
* Procurement and suppl ...
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Deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then land conversion, converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban area, urban ...
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Deforestation during the Roman period
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Desertification
Desertification is a type of land degradation in drylands in which biological productivity is lost due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile areas become increasingly arid. It is the spread of arid areas caused b ...
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Ecological engineering
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Ecological engineering methods
Ecological engineering uses ecology and engineering to predict, design, construct or restore, and manage ecosystems that integrate " human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both".W.J. Mitsch & S.E. Jorgensen (1989), "In ...
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Energy-efficient landscaping
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Forest farming
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Forest gardening
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Great Plains Shelterbelt
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GreenTec Awards
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Hedgerow
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Home gardens
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Human ecology
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Institute of Ecotechnics
The Institute of Ecotechnics is an educational, training and research charity with a special interest in ecotechnology, the environment, conservation, and heritage. With its U.K. headquarters in London, England and its U.S. affiliate in Santa ...
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Macro-engineering
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Megaprojects
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Mid Sweden University
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Permaculture
Permaculture is an approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems. It includes a set of design principles derived using whole-systems thinking. It applies these principle ...
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Permaforestry
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Proposed sahara forest project
The Sahara Forest Project aims to provide fresh water, food and renewable energy in hot, arid regions as well as re-vegetating areas of uninhabited desert. The founding team was composed of Seawater Greenhouse Ltd, Exploration Architecture, Max Fo ...
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Push–pull technology
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Sand fence
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Seawater Greenhouse
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Sustainable agriculture
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Terra preta
''Terra preta'' (, locally , literally "black soil" in Portuguese) is a type of very dark, fertile anthropogenic soil ( anthrosol) found in the Amazon Basin. It is also known as "Amazonian dark earth" or "Indian black earth". In Portuguese its ...
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Thomas P. Hughes
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Wildcrafting
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Windbreak
A windbreak (shelterbelt) is a planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted in hedgerows around the edg ...
References
Further reading
*Allenby, B.R., and D.J. Richards (1994), ''The Greening of Industrial Ecosystems''. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.
*Braungart, M., and W. McDonough (2002). ''Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things''. North Point Press, .
*Huesemann, Michael H., and Joyce A. Huesemann (2011)
''Technofix: Why Technology Won't Save Us or the Environment'' Chapter 13, "The Design of Environmentally Sustainable and Appropriate Technologies", New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada, , 464 pp.
*Von Weizsacker, E.U., C. Hargroves, M.H. Smith, C. Desha, and P. Stasinopoulos (2009). ''Factor Five: Transforming the Global Economy through 80% Improvements in Resource Productivity'', Routledge.
External links
Ecotechnology research at Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden{dead link, date=July 2017
The Institute of Ecotechnics, London, U.K.ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles, Transport Canada, Ottawa, CanadaEco Technology Show, 11-12 June 2015, Brighton, U.K.
Environmental science
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