Eco-friendly for Sustainable Development copyright 2011 harwaimun
By 2020, the world needs 80 billion tons of nature resources. Annual global greenhouse gas emissions may shoot up to over 70 gigatonnes. Temperature is expected to increase to a frightening 4-6 o C in the long run.
Saruman, the wizard character in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: The old world will burn in the fire of industry. The forest will fall and new order will rise.
The evolution Growth Output Development Social factors Sustainability Time & environment
Sustainable development is founded on the belief of synergy (mutual and positive reinforcement) between the co-exist of development and environmental conservation. >> not a zero-sum trade off >> three pillars of economics, environment & social >> intergeneration
Unsustainable Development Debate Over-population Act of nature Greed Labor supply Food & resource scarcity E.g. Volcano, earthquake, Tsunami, drought Maximize profit Luxury lifestyle War Low wage High input, high output Externalities Exploit labor Social imbalance Unnecessary goods Property speculation Debt Corruption Opportunity cost Mass destruction
Wikipedia definition: Eco-friendly (also environmentally friendly, nature friendly, and green) are synonyms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment.
Eco - friendly environment and lifestyles minimal or no harm on the environment
Over-sized Population Not Eco-friendly Good Mercantilist school Asian Miracle Unsustainable Krugman Malthus Sustainable development can be pursued more easily when population size is stabilized at a level consistent with the productive capacity of the ecosystem. Our Common Future
Greed is Good? Good Adam Smith Prisoners Dilemma Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures, the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind. Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987)
Unethical profitmaximizing production Luxury & corrupted lifestyle War Unsustainable Externalities Exploit labor Social imbalance Unnecessary goods Property speculation Debt Corruption Opportunity cost Mass destruction Eco-system change Bigger impact natural disaster
Towards Sustainable Eco-friendly Development Moral society as in religion teachings Christianity urged his believer to be compassionate and warns them to be on guard against all kinds of greed as a person s life does not consist of an abundance of possessions See Matt. 19:21 (New International Version) & Luke (14: 12-14; Good News Bible) Buddhism teaches that by the thirst for the riches, the foolish man destroys himself as if he was his own enemy. Islam believes that it is difficult for a person laden with riches to climb the steep path that lead to bliss Hinduism believes that when one has the golden gift of commitment, he/she has everything Taoism teaches that one who know he/she has enough is rich
Moral society as in philosophy teachings Confucian s ren (written as 仁 ) - Ren is epitomized in the concept of shu ( 恕 ) that teaches the golden rule of do not do to other what you do not like other to do to you >> Perfect Man. Kantian ethics - Categorical Imperative require everyone to treat any person not only as mean but always at the same time as an end. One should choose the end that is right and not the end that is good as the later could be good for particular person (e.g. capitalist, political lobbyist) or own self while the former is universally applicable. Adam Smith s idea of free market originated from his Theory of Moral Sentiments that uphold moral value in society and economics.
Sustainable population and agriculture state Industrialization need not to be stopped but should be highly selective but over passion on industrialization has to be curbed and agriculture states should be restored. Continuous increases in agriculture price may add incentive for countries to revert completely or partially to modern agriculture based economy
Agriculture is one of the ways to earn merit as long as it is embarked ethically or in a halal way. Besides returning profit to the planters, they will also get merit if the agriculture outputs (from gardening to commercial planting) benefit other people and animals. However, agriculture activities should be cultivated on rightful soil, ethical in buying inputs (example fertilized) and paying workers. Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (2009), a religious leader and Chief Minister of Kelantan state