My very point is that there should be an economic arm to any ecology movement.
Growth isn't necessarily bad, but when it's based on extraction of non- renewable resources, combined with planned obsolescence, and a greedy "race to the bottom" that pushes sales via low prices without regard to the true costs (to people or other living things, or to Earth as a whole), then we have the current disaster. Growth that is healthy is fine, eg, sustainable growth because you are producing something useful (goods or services). The two best things I have seen on the subject are E F Schumacher's SMall Is beautiful (still the best explanation), and what I think is the "Cliff's Notes" version of that: "The Story of Stuff." THe EF Schumacher Society works on truly sustainable AND ecological economies, but their approaches are not yet mainstream. Ithaca HOURS was originally closely connected with the EFS folks. Currently, I am very excited about the BALLE efforts starting here: Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. Jan Norman and about 60 local businesses are involved! It is an international movement. In spite of my enthusiasm for local economies, I think Katie's point is still very well-taken; a lot more economic savvy is needed. Locally- based, (tho regionally and internationally linked) economies cannot continue to be the exception; they need to become the norm. Easier said than done, but worth trying. Margaret On Nov 24, 2008, at 6:51 AM, Katie Quinn-Jacobs wrote: > Sure, it's becoming easier for people to appreciate the pitfalls of > growth capitalism, but is there any other viable option ready to step > in? I see the lack of economic savvy as the weak link in the > sustainability revolution. How do we organize markets without growth? > Is there an economic arm to this movement? > > -- Katie Q-J > > > > Margaret McCasland wrote: >> ekos: Greek for "house;" root of both "economy" and "ecology" >> >> My new "Good Housekeeping" mantra: "What's good for America (and >> Earth) is good for General Motors." >> >> FYI, if you're too young too remember, a rewording of: "What's good >> for GM is good for America," an iconic misquote. See discussion >> below, >> from a blog which is an interesting in and of itself: >> >> >> http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/writing/newsrls/12-02-05a.htm >> For decades, GM symbolized the U.S. economy. In the 1950s, GM >> President Charles Wilson was reported to have said, "What's good for >> GM is good for America." Although his actual statement was "…what was >> good for the country was good for GM, and vice-versa", the point is >> that the auto industry was one of the largest and most successful >> economic entities in the country. Almost 10 percent of the national >> economy was directly or indirectly tied to the auto industry, and >> American-made cars were the standard around the world. . . . >> >> >> NOTE: I find the balloon analogy interesting, because another >> possible >> balloon-based-vision is of a "constant growth model" simply >> exploding. Earth needs an economic model--a Good Housekeeping >> approach-- that is NOT based on constant growth. --Margaret >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >> area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> [email protected] >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org >> >> > > -- > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County > area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
