Industrial ecology comes of age.

Edited by Reid Lifset and colleagues of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the bi-annual Journal of Industrial Ecology (MIT Press) is an excellent resource for anyone seeking to find solid, peer-reviewed information about this little-studied and emerging field. The topics range from ecological efficiency in industry to studies on material and energy flow. In the Winter/Spring 2005 edition, the contributors address consumption--both on the part of industry and that of consumers. The study of consumption and the environment, the magazine argues, "is moving out of its early phase," and now fundamental questions are being asked: Is consumption really "good" for us, or is it environmentally and psychologically damaging? If we're so well off, why are rates of depression doubling every decade? Articles include a look at sustainable consumption of food (by Rensselaer economist Faye Duchin), an analysis of U.S. house size (Alex Wilson of BuildingGreen), and a discussion of work hours (by Harvard sociologist Juliet Schor). Betsy Taylor of the Center for a New American Dream also opines that, for economists and scientists, "It's time to talk." The journal also includes reviews of relevant books and offers lists of material for further reading.