RECYCLING
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2766 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
- “Converting … wastes into new products by using the resources contained in them” (adapted from the Template:Ency entity — Template:Ency entity glossary of environmental education terms).
Nature recycles automatically all of its productions, even if this process sometimes covers eons. This is not the case for many human products which artificial character does not allow for their insertion in natural cycles, or because accumulation of waste is too fast to be accomodated by natural processes.
Recycling is a typical systemic theme. It covers practically all the products of human activity, and not only “solid” wastes as stated by the Template:Ency entity — Template:Ency entity glossary.
Indeed, every product terminally becomes waste in the long run. And gases, liquid effluents and most of all, heat resulting from entropy production should be considered.
The systemic problem is to put the use of natural resources and energy as much as possible in a recurrent circuit. This aim implies scientific and technical research, economic rethinking and a change in socio-cultural values and subsequent management politics.
See also
Economics in systemic terms, World engine