333
Because of the difference in geographic and temporal scales, meso/macro scale
metrics are often more focused on societal goals and outcomes than those at the
establishment level. Social issues are often focused on the availability, exchanges,
and distribution of resources and outputs from all facilities (e.g., all farms, power
plants, and rivers), whereas the owner or operator of a single establishment at a
single address only has direct control over local operations.
The spatial extent of the impact of a single establishment is compounded by the
global nature of supply chains; a single establishment can have regional impacts
(e.g., air emissions or water consumption) or even global impacts (e.g., the establishment could use steel from another country).
Another major distinction between the establishment and meso/macro scales is
the extent of the temporal boundary used when analyzing the system. At the establishment level, the temporal boundary is defined by the lifetime of the establishment. For example, the analysis of a power plant starts with the extraction of
materials used to manufacture the plant and ends with decommissioning and subsequent disposal of these materials. At the meso/macro scale, there are no welldefined beginning and end times (e.g., the steel-production industry has been
around for over a century). The extent of the temporal boundary is defined somewhat arbitrarily by the analyst, which for planning purposes is often defined to be
a year; for example, the annual water consumption by all power plants within
a basin.
12.3.1 Scales and Decision-Makers
As noted in Sect. 2.6.3, in practical situations, the unifying identity of a system is
typically the question (or problem) that is being addressed: “how do we manage a
system in a certain context and in which food, energy, and water are critical interacting components, to achieve desirable outcomes?” The key word and key phrase in
such a question are “context” and “desirable outcomes.” Answering the question
will require defining issues of spatial and temporal scale (defining its boundaries
and external factors) metrics, data, modeling, and computing.
12.3.2 Spatial Scales
Throughout the sciences, it is common to utilize micro-, meso-, and macro-scale
approaches. While the meaning of these terms is somewhat different in various
scientific fields, there is significant commonality.
Micro-scale approaches look at a system in terms of individual elements.
These can be biophysical elements operating under fundamental laws of nature or
anthropogenic elements such as consumers, firms, families, workers, or public
utilities operating under social forces such as laws, economics, or cultural factors.
12 Questions and Scales
Because of the difference in geographic and temporal scales, meso/macro scale
metrics are often more focused on societal goals and outcomes than those at the
establishment level. Social issues are often focused on the availability, exchanges,
and distribution of resources and outputs from all facilities (e.g., all farms, power
plants, and rivers), whereas the owner or operator of a single establishment at a
single address only has direct control over local operations.
The spatial extent of the impact of a single establishment is compounded by the
global nature of supply chains; a single establishment can have regional impacts
(e.g., air emissions or water consumption) or even global impacts (e.g., the establishment could use steel from another country).
Another major distinction between the establishment and meso/macro scales is
the extent of the temporal boundary used when analyzing the system. At the establishment level, the temporal boundary is defined by the lifetime of the establishment. For example, the analysis of a power plant starts with the extraction of
materials used to manufacture the plant and ends with decommissioning and subsequent disposal of these materials. At the meso/macro scale, there are no welldefined beginning and end times (e.g., the steel-production industry has been
around for over a century). The extent of the temporal boundary is defined somewhat arbitrarily by the analyst, which for planning purposes is often defined to be
a year; for example, the annual water consumption by all power plants within
a basin.
12.3.1 Scales and Decision-Makers
As noted in Sect. 2.6.3, in practical situations, the unifying identity of a system is
typically the question (or problem) that is being addressed: “how do we manage a
system in a certain context and in which food, energy, and water are critical interacting components, to achieve desirable outcomes?” The key word and key phrase in
such a question are “context” and “desirable outcomes.” Answering the question
will require defining issues of spatial and temporal scale (defining its boundaries
and external factors) metrics, data, modeling, and computing.
12.3.2 Spatial Scales
Throughout the sciences, it is common to utilize micro-, meso-, and macro-scale
approaches. While the meaning of these terms is somewhat different in various
scientific fields, there is significant commonality.
Micro-scale approaches look at a system in terms of individual elements.
These can be biophysical elements operating under fundamental laws of nature or
anthropogenic elements such as consumers, firms, families, workers, or public
utilities operating under social forces such as laws, economics, or cultural factors.
12 Questions and Scales