Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
cars are thought to be producible using less and less material and energy input,
consuming less petrol and being better recyclable.
Social innovations refer primarily to innovations in management technologies
and organisational structures of all kinds. For example it can be seen as an eco-
logical innovation that universities teach industrial ecology, environmental man-
agement and environmental sociology
11
. Basically, any instance of implementing
(social) technologies
12
which benefit the environment can be seen as an ecological
innovation
13
. Important innovations that are widely discussed are the forms of in-
tegrating environment as an issue in governmental authorities and businesses
14
.
Unsurprisingly, it is always possible to construct
best practice
cases and find insti-
tutional learning processes
15
; people today are more aware about environmental is-
sues. Unfortunately, this social ecological innovation does not necessarily and in-
deed is unlikely to lead to material ecological innovations
16
.
Thus, I take, as a rationality of EM, that technoscientific knowledge is used to
develop solutions within the hegemonic economic framing - while seeking profits.
Industry is perceived to become generally ecologically benign when instances of
environmental considerations can be found. This approach is based on assump-
tions of science being objective, neutral and progressive, disregarding the long
history of pointing out the inherent politics of scientific research with (un)intended
harmful consequences
17
. In opposition to the latter, critical understanding, EM is
carried out within the frame of pragmatism (Prasad and Elmes 2005): “Let's green
the organisation as much as possible!” However, the concrete limitations of this
are usually not addressed. With this impression of rationality of ecological mod-
ernisation let us turn to a case which we use to problematise the knowledge prac-
tices of energy management.
11
Major significant instances of management technologies are e.g. procedural, formalised
and institutionalised Environmental Management Systems (EMS) or Environmental Im-
pact Assessments (EIA).
12
I use the concept 'technology' to emphasise that I am talking of social institutions and
dynamics which are conceptualised as mechanistic or functionalist by EM. For 'social
technologies' see e.g. Bijker (1995).
13
Of course, we find a debate over whether such instances are merely classified and con-
strued as benefiting the environment or whether they really do (and in the latter case the
question occurs whose environment is 'improved').
14
Cf. Christoff (1996, p. 477), Sonnenfeld and Mol (2006), Søndergård et al. (2004), Mol
(2006), Keil and Desfor (2003).
15
Søndergård et al. (2004).
16
Cf. Drake et al. (2003), Pellow et al. (2000), White (2006).
17
Scientific practices and organisations are described as political by a number of people.
One could mention e.g. Bakunin (1916), Kuhn (1970), Bourdieu (1990), Haraway
(1991).
Search WWH ::
Custom Search