Ten Principles of a Green Economy

Ten Principles of a Green Economy

GreenEconomics.net has this enlightening article on what constitutes a green economy. It begins with the following statement:

“Green economics is the economics of the real world–the world of work, human needs, the Earth’s materials, and how they mesh together most harmoniously. It is primarily about ‘use-value’, not ‘exchange-value’ or money. It is about quality, not quantity for the sake of it. It is about regeneration–of individuals, communities and ecosystems–not about accumulation, of either money or material.”

It then list the following interrelated principles that cover key dimensions of a green economy:

  1. The Primacy of Use-value, Intrinsic Value & Quality
  2. Following Natural Flows
  3. Waste Equals Food
  4. Elegance and Multifunctionality
  5. Appropriate Scale / Linked Scale
  6. Diversity
  7. Self-Reliance, Self-Organization, Self-Design
  8. Participation & Direct Democracy
  9. Human Creativity and Development
  10. The Strategic role of the Built-environment, the Landscape & Spatial Design

It also stresses the importance of community by saying “The basis for self-regulation in a green economy would be community, and intelligent design which provides incentives for the right things.” And, in another article, “Community is the nexus through which a green economy’s qualitative wealth, organizational efficiencies, and participatory democracy revolve.”

Read the full article >>

(Photo by Thomas Hawk)


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