What Is Emergy For?
This is a very practical and straightforward question, and it deserves a straightforward answer. Odum had this to say:
Whereas environmental issues are now typically characterized by adversarial decision making, rancor, and confusion, these conflicts may not be necessary in the future. A science-based evaluation system is now available to represent both the environmental values and the economic values with a common measure. Emergy, spelled with an “m,” measures both the work of nature and that of humans in generating products and services. By selecting choices that maximize emergy production and use, policies and judgements can favor those environmental alternatives that maximize real wealth, the whole economy, and the public benefit. – HT Odum, Environmental Accounting, 1996, p.1
If you have asked, or been asked, ‘What is emergy for?’, here is a summary of applications of this theory and method:
1. Measuring the sustainability of production processes
2. Evaluating environmental resources
3. Mitigation
4. Mining and minerals
5. Impact assessment
6. Risk assessment
7. Evaluating fuels and electricity
8. Evaluating development alternatives
9. Emergy of states and nations
10. Evaluating information and human service
11. Creating understanding!