Capitalism in Action

In the wake of Earth Hour, and with the growing momentum in environmental awareness, I think it is time to capitalize with real action. I have come to the conclusion that the action required to turn the tide now will not come through governmental policies or "corporate responsibility", but from the people of the world. I think it is time to make capitalism achieve something other than serving the personal ambitions of a few while ultimately destroying the environment. Here's what I propose:

I suggest that a cooperative network be formed to begin collecting ideas for creating sustainable products. The premise would be anything that can be made from products grown on land you already own, or materials that can be sourced from within the communities that are infinitely recyclable. The products would come from sustainable sources, be environmentally friendly in their use, and would either easily compost or be recycled into new products. I would suggest starting with the simplest items that are necessary for daily existence. This could be anything from food, soap, candles, utensils, etc.

When there are enough product ideas generated, community-based cooperatives could be formed to sell the goods. Essentially, small stores could be opened to sell the products to the public. The stores would be run essentially as social entrepreneur operations, where the net profits are either reinvested into expanding the business, distributed among the cooperative members, and/or donated to community charities.

I think that food, being the most essential human need, would be a good place to start. Members of the cooperative could use their own gardens to grow organic fruits and vegetables, which the stores would purchase for resale. Likewise, an outlet could offer locally produced organic eggs, dairy products, meat, etc. It may be worth looking at existing farmers' markets or co-ops within a community to see what could be purchased or sourced. Any food or consumable product requiring a container could be sold using a reusable container, which the store could then take back, wash and have available for reuse. People may wish to own their own containers, which could be purchased from the store and marked with their names. The important thing would be to find ways to eliminate the wastefulness of packaging for distribution.

Considering the other essentials for daily life, items such as cloth, clothing, utensils, and dishes can be produced locally and sustainably. I am certain there are many things I'm not thinking of, which is why a collective would be so valuable. Innovative ideas for new products could be shared among the cooperatives to help expand what could be offered. I think it would be important to standardize some products to ensure consistency and quality. That could be voted on among the network of cooperative members. Likewise, I think it would be helpful to create a single name or brand for the network of cooperatives to be easily recognized in each community.

The crux of this proposal is simple: if we continue to allow businesses and government to control the production and distribution of goods, we will never fully achieve sustainability in the world. I think it's time to start over, and build the world we would want to live in. If we take the concepts of permaculture and apply them on a broad scale, I think we will start moving in the right direction. If you are interested in contributing to this discussion, follow this link to the Treehugger forum to add your thoughts or suggestions. I will watch be watching the post to gauge the level of interest, and determine where to go from there. If you like this idea, discuss it with others and leave your comments on the forum. Take care.