"Natural Capitalism"

"Natural Capitalism" as a middle ground sounds great. Being environmentally conscious doesn't mean going back to living like cave men. Personally that is an extreme my mind immediately jumps to. Adapting some minimalist tendencies may do us all some good, but using the awesome knowledge we posses to creatively design ways to enforce a new industrial revolution leading to a more sustainable future is positively inspiring! Products of everyday life that are produced by companies with a zero waste operation that enhance not only the lives of us humans, but the lives of the creatures in our environment that are being "annihilated." This task can sound very daunting considering the sacrifices that may have to be made in order to pull it off, but Paul Hawken gives me hope. "'How many of you spend too much time with your children or know someone who does?' Nobody raised a hand." The proof that our communities and families even have lost their connection to one another is depicted in this question. An overall theme I have taken from the reading pushing everything else aside is: appreciating and forming better connections w/ each other and looking at long term benefits are key to changing the paradigm of American culture today. I'd say that's happening with many organizations globally right now.

As far as Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins (amazingly appropriate last names) claim on the "capitalism" we quote today not being true capitalism, I am of totally ignorance. I guess over the years I've just coupled my pessimistic thoughts (ahem, realism some would say) of this culture w/ the term, putting a western spin on it. Financial Capitalism: An economic system based on a free market, open competition, profit motive and private ownership of the means of production. Capitalism encourages private investment and business, compared to a government-controlled economy. Investors in these private companies (i.e. shareholders) also own the firms and are known as capitalists. Ah! Now that that is clear, the Lovins have a point.

The most shocking revelation for me during the last part of this reading came w/ Jim Motavalli's dwelling into Hydrogen energy for new methods of transportation and such. Last I knew, Hydrogen wasn't a sustainable alternative to oil because it is produced from coal and nuclear energy, which are frowned upon now, and storing it is somewhat apprehensive. Reading it can be cultivated from wind and solar recyclable energies as well was exciting! The fuel-cell working as a battery lasting obscenely long gives a stepping stone to a non oil dependent method of transportation. If the experts can expand on this and major corporations start pushing it in our faces there may be big changes in our lifetime!

Paul Hawken Inspires