ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some insights, tools and principles that may lead to leaps in the environmental efficiencies of technology. It deals with environmental technologies and then discusses the characteristics of sustainable innovations. The chapter considers technological systems and systems innovation at a high level—the system involves all those elements that contribute to produce a product or service for a consumer. For sustainable development, innovations at systems levels are also needed. While environmental technologies are concerned with producing goods and services with minimal pollution, sustainable technologies have a far broader aim. A sustainable technology means more than merely producing goods without pollution or ecological destruction. Brainstorming sessions to generate alternative modes of need fulfilment are very important in opening our minds to alternative ideas. The chapter also presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book.
