Natural Capitalism

people are remarkably consistent in what kind of future they envision for their children and grandchildren. The potential outcome of natural capitalism and sustainability

To be sure, half the fun of buying consumer goods is getting an ever-growing array of diverse items.

We spend $50 billion a year in health costs because of our dietary choices, and as much as $100 billion on costs related to the effects of polluted air.

Fuel cells are at least as efficient but are silent, clean, reliable, scaleable to virtually any size desired, and ultimately capable of costs five to ten times below those of combined-cycle gas turbines.55

We spend $50 billion a year to guard sea lanes bringing oil from sources we would not need if the Reagan administration had not gutted light-vehicle efficiency standards in 1986.

It has been estimated that only 6 percent of its vast flows of materials actually end up in products.15

economy needs four types of capital to function properly: • human capital, in the form of labor and intelligence, culture, and organization • financial capital, consisting of cash, investments, and monetary instruments • manufactured capital, including infrastructure, machines, tools, and factories • natural capital, made up of resources, living sy

A Hypercar, weighing two to three times less than a conventional car, would require about 92 percent less iron and steel, one-third less aluminum, three-fifths less rubber, and up to four-fifths less platinum.

the Bellcomb47 system of cardboard-like honeycombs sandwiched between sheets of cheap strandwood (pressed like chipboard, but using tough fibrous strands of wood). The sandwiches are prefabricated in many precisely cut shapes that fit tightly together like a child’s miniature house kit—only this kit can be full-sized. Two unskilled adults could ass