Sustainable isn’t a bad word. It just needs to be defined well. Imagine life on Earth, if the original rules were set to degrade the conditions for survival. As ludicrous as that sounds, it’s possible we’ve done so with the rules of a global market economy—a titanic structure susceptible to turbulence. Or is the global economic system causing turbulence? The…
Building a sustainable timber industry to create jobs, increase local economic value, reduce wildfire risks, increase water quality, and protect biodiversity. Pondering the immense challenge to balancing our social, economic, and environmental needs we often sense conflict; that such needs are fundamentally incompatible. But an alternate reality exists. Applying ecological and economic rules to managing some of our most important…
(Primeval lessons for sustainable economies in a turbulent century) Medical researchers study other mammals (e.g., primates, rodents, pigs) to understand the structure of the human body, and to develop modern medical solutions to improve human health. This systems science approach led to the polio vaccine for humans, exploratory medicines for heart disease (e.g., studying vampire venom to explore medicine for…
(to destroy or restore our economies in a turbulent 21st century) One of Earth’s most generous lessons for business is to “diversify.” Understanding the importance of diversity in something as complex as an economy is another matter entirely. How do economists measure diversity? And why measure it unless there are clear benefits of diversity to our communities, states, and nations?…
“Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context – a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.” – Eliel Saarinen (Finnish-American Architect) To put Saarinen’s quote to the test, imagine trying to move an acre of Costa Rican tropical jungle—plant by plant, shovel…
(Applying two primeval trade rules to maintain thriving economies in a turbulent century) Earth’s ecosystems provide endless insights for our economies, but the most impactful rules many not be the ones we often envision when walking through a prairie or a jungle. For instance, three foundational components are continually interacting to govern the healthy functioning of economies and ecosystems: diversity,…
(The benefits of restoring a balanced trade pyramid in a turbulent century) Following Sri Lanka’s economic collapse of 2022, I visited this tropical island nation to meet with economists, businessowners, farmers, and others. My aim was to better understand some of the causes of economic implosion, and the process of recovery. Preparing for the journey, I pondered how much is…