"Industrial Ecology" explores the assumption that industrial activities should not be considered in isolation from the wider world but rather in terms of an industrial ecosystem functioning within the natural ecological system or biosphere. The industrial system, in a similar way to a natural ecosystem, essentially consists of flows of materials, energy and information, and furthermore relies on resources and services provided by the biosphere. It is important to stress at the outset that the word 'industrial', in the context of "Industrial Ecology", refers to all human activities occurring within the modern technological society. Thus tourism, housing, medical services, transportation and agriculture are all a part of the industrial system. And the word 'ecology', here, refers to the science of ecosystems.