Towards a closer integration of environmental education and industrial ecology

Industrial processes are known to have different levels of impact on the environment and, as a result, there is a need to foster knowledge of the environmental consequences of industrial activities and check those against their benefits. One of the ways of achieving this is by applying the concepts of industrial ecology to industry’s day-to-day life. Another possible way of pursuing this goal is by using environmental education as a tool towards increasing awareness with regard to the social, political and economic relevance of, as well as the need for environmentally sound industrial activities. On the basis of the need for more specific literature addressing the particularities of the links between industrial ecology and environmental education, this paper outlines the common features of both subjects, provides examples of contexts when such approaches may be integrated and describes the need for more integrated approaches.