Changing Minds in Big Business

Forest and Bird, Issue 293, 1 August 1999, Page 37

Changing Minds in Big Business

uch of the philosophy of Zero Waste is articulated in a recent book by Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce. In it he argues ‘the ultimate purpose of business is not, or should not be, simply to make money. Business should also ‘increase the general well-being of humankind through service, a creative invention and ethical philosophy. ‘Business people must either dedicate themselves to transforming commerce to a restorative undertaking, or march society to the undertaker, he says. The book provides an intellectual counter to the philosophy of the totally free market economy, and provides a strong economic argument for going easy on the earth. ‘Markets are superb at setting prices but incapable of recognizing true costs, writes Hawken. ‘The market of today is free but its freedom is partially immune to community accountability. Because markets are a price-based system, they naturally favour traders who come to market with the lowest price, which often means the highest unrecognized cost. Paul Hawken argues that the real cost of producing goods needs to be included in their price. Efficiency shouldn’t become synonymous with destruction of the environment. Business must change to serve the needs and wants of its customers, not destroy their environment in the interests of making maximum efficiencies. ‘A restorative economy will have as its hallmark a business community that evolves with the natural and human communities it serves. This necessitates a high degree of cooperation, mutual support, and collaborative problem solving.’ As part of its work, the Tindall Foundation brought Hawken to New Zealand to meet with the leaders of big business. Hawken’s book, The Ecology of Commerce, is published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson at RRP$69.95, but watch out for occasional copies of the paperback edition at around half the price.