The Economic Road to Sustainability – 2

Knowledge is power and it should be in the hands of the consumer. How to buy ethically in modern times? – a guest-post by Rhianna Blackthorn.

After looking at the relationship between the economy and the environment, today there is a new factor coming into the mix: consumerism.

In the face of climate change and environmental degradation, it is now evident that every aspect of our existence must be analysed for the long term well being of our species.

The Economic Road to Sustainability

How are economics, consumerism and the environment linked together? – a guest-post by Rhianna Blackthorn.

In part one of this introduction we learn about the value of environmental goods and services and the difficulty to account for it in our economic system.

It’s Time to Control Them

They are ungovernable and wild and they do what they want.

That’s why it’s time to find a way to control Transnational Companies. Therefore, the Forum for a New World Governance wants to generate “the breakthroughs and changes necessary for building a new, fairer and more sustainable world governance.”

The Sustainability Compass

Imagine we’d know which way to navigate towards a sustainable development of our planet.

A planet which has boundaries – or with more positive words “a safe operation space for humans”. We must respect it. Yet, that is not enough. We must also seek to find socially just solutions. That is when we can speak of inclusive and sustainable development.

No More Running Free

Enough is enough. It’s time companies are put on a leash. If not, they continue ignoring Human Rights and the environment.

Around fifty Swiss organizations – amongst which Amnesty International Switzerland, Solidar Swiss, Berne Declaration Greenpeace and the International Comission of Jurists –  are fed up with the way companies which are based in Switzerland are behaving in the world.

What is Wealth Anyway?

In Buthan they collect data on Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Product.

“Real wealth has no money flow until humans impose one.” The same goes with happiness. We all know that money doesn’t make people happy, but still we believe that

We Are Not That Bad, Really!

Companies don’t like when you mess with their image. That’s why five of the six nominees for the Public Eye Award reacted on it.

Let’s see how they try to legitimize their behaviour. To wrap up quickly, the six companies were nominated as the worst cases of contempt for the environment and human rights.

Food for You, Me and the Environment

So yesterday we had a little reminder of all the people out there who are starving. We also named some of the responsible for it.

Today, it’s time to look at a possible solution. One which can even solve many more problems we are facing in the world today.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Fairtrade. It’s one of these things everybody knows it would be better but no one finally does it. Until now.

2012 is a great year, the Fairtrade Foundation based in the UK has thought and will be launching later this year a big Fairtrade event to encourage you and me to buy our stuff fair.

Seeds Running Through Fingers

What is the most important thing for securing our future in food production? Seeds.

Now let’s imagine somebody would take the seeds away and say “they’re mine!”. Well, that’s what is happening. In the global food system we have today seeds are no longer a free good.