[CamTheCat]

Wikipedia is a great invention. Below are some great introductory articles on some various concepts regarding different views of Green economics.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_economics">Green economics</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-capitalism">Eco-capitalism</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genuine_Progress_Indicator">Genuine Progress Indicator</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_cost_accounting">Full cost accounting</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tax_shift">Green tax shift</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-market_environmentalism">Free-market environmentalism</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_capitalism">Natural capitalism</a><br /> <br /> There is a great article in the recent issue of Adbusters (Jan/Feb 2006 #63) called 'More realistic, humble economists can stop environmental ruin'. It's written by Paul Ormerod and in it he says, “...environmentalists can profit – if I dare link these two words together – from the direction economics is moving. . . there are economists who can think in sensible ways and who will not insist on text book, free market solutions. And environmentalists can strengthen their case by working with and not against them...”<br /> <br /> There are many great environmentally and politically focused articles in this magazine and I hope it ends up being well read.<br /> <br /> What are some of your thoughts on the Green Party's approach to economics, and other Canadian & world economic issues? <br />

[JimS]

"The effects of this compulsive economic activity on the environment are tremendous. Thousands of deleterious intrusions on nature are justified on the grounds that they put income in people’s pockets. Shoddy quality and built-in obsolescence are winked at because they guarantee rapid replacement of goods and sustained economic busy-ness. Financial strictures encourage companies to cut corners and employ inferior, polluting technology rather than up-to-date, clean productive methods. Production is tallied favourably in government statistics without regard to whether it degrades or debilitates people or is functional or ever actually fills a consumer need. Endemic misdirection of effort subverts ecological morality; the sense of humanity’s place in nature is weakened.<br /> <br /> To put the position somewhat differently, instances of environmental degradation are largely symptoms of the deeper problem of a persistent shortage of consumer buying power. Environmentalists routinely denounce exponential economic growth as folly. Unfortunately, without precise understanding of what makes such growth imperative, they cannot suggest anything very practical in the way of alternatives."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.socialcredit.com/subpages_resources/environment.htm">here</a>