The 2007 Conference represents a significant move for the International Society for Industrial Ecology to expand the range of topics and themes beyond those at previous conferences. Responding to calls from member of the Society and others, social science considerations have been incorporated into traditional technical perspectives. Sustainability took an explicit presence. Further, themes have been integrated into the globalizing process so that industrial ecology can reflect a broad diversity in social and economic conditions. Consumption had also been present, but emerged to broaden the historic focus on products and production.