This is a long but critically important post that’s based on a brilliant paper from the Sustainable Development Commission. It’s written by Herman Daly, an ecological economist who pioneered sustainable development guidelines for the World Bank. The paper was adapted and posted by Nate Hagens on May 5, 2008.
The article is not an easy read, but then the solutions to our environmental and economic crises won’t come easily, either. If you’re willing to put some time into reading it, I promise you the value received will be many times the investment. (A good ROI, not easy to find right now!)
Nate Hagens writes,
“I post this not only because Herman is one of my tribal elders but because his eloquence, courage, and foresight on these issues have historically been, and continue to be, ahead of the curve. During his resignation speech from the World Bank 15 years ago, Herman recommended the Bank take “a few antacids and laxatives to cure the combination of managerial flatulence and organizational constipation giving rise to such a high-pressure internal environment.” To improve interactions with the external world he prescribed “new eyeglasses and a hearing aid.””
Like his speech, Daly’s paper amounts to a bold prescription for much that ails us.