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• Create institutions and business opportunities that allow communi-
ties to finance their own efforts.
• Emphasize economic institutions and arrangements that stress and
highlight economic interdependence.
• Always address questions of distribution and justice first, regardless
of the economic or environmental implications.
This is just a representative sampling of what could be listed. They appear to
be economic questions, but they lead immediately to the issue of distributional
equity and social justice, which will provide the glue for healthy personal and
professional relationships in a vibrant and mutually supportive community.
We all live in a community somewhere. Practical issues and potential proj-
ects arise daily. It is our considered belief that features such as those noted
above would assist in the task of creating an economics of stability, a large
part of which is social justice. They will also help you connect with the fol-
lowing coverage of the third pillar of sustainability.
Economic Stability
Economics is the core of the third pillar of sustainability, the first two being
environmental
integrity
and
social equity
. Although we have made the point
that all three are equally important, it is appropriate to discuss economics
last. Most physical, real-world projects that offer examples against which we
might test the social equity criterion are economic initiatives, because they
employ resources in an effort to support human beings.
In the world of the growth ethic, however, economics comes first. The doc-
trine of
economic feasibility
(narrowly conceived from the sole viewpoint of
private profit) is an acid test. If the profitability test is passed, the product
or process will proceed, even though it may have negative effects on the
environment or on communities. If, on the other hand, it is deemed as nar-
rowly unprofitable, even exceptionally positive implications for either the
biosphere or social equity in general will not be enough to save it from the
discard heap.
It is, therefore, appropriate to consider examples of economic activity, and
thus test the effectiveness of the triple bottom-line framework. It is our inten-
tion that such examples will clearly demonstrate the mutual foundation of
the three pillars. After all, a reasonable mindset is that economics provides
the practical applications, and the environment and the community establish
the constraints. Together, the three address the following question: How can
humans support themselves in a manner that not only protects and main-
tains the resource base but also nurtures healthy and positive relationships
for the quality of life that we all desire and deserve? This is the essence of
socioeconomic sustainability, and it summarizes the gift we, in the current
generation, owe to all future generations.
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