Crosspost from E/E: Biophysical economics, from Malthus and Mill to Bartlett and Daly

[GliderGuider]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=185595&mesg_id=185595

[jwirr]

1. Finally some reality. The idea that population can affect the planet

is basic. I do not worry so much about this portion of the equation because one pandemic can fix the population and most likely will. What upsets me is the way every economist I know leaves the two major threats (global warming and oil depletion) out of the picture. I read both Krugman and Reich and even they are dealing with the economic situation as if it is merely about jobs and money. If we are truly serious about fixing this mess we need to take the whole reality into consideration. At the moment the only person I know of who has done that is James Howard Kunstler. Are there any other writers/economist/etc who are looking at the whole picture? My daughter told me to look at the TV program called Jeremiah because it did but she is wrong they are just dealing with a pandemic and its aftermath.

Edited to ask who the Daly is they are referring to is?

[GliderGuider]

2. Herman Daly is the father of modern ecological economics

Daly's Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Daly

For my take on how economists like Krugman and Roubini miss the big picture, read the article From Despair to Hope.

[jwirr]

3. Thank you. I have finally found some of the niche I want to be in and

work with. Do you think the President has any idea about this?

[GliderGuider]

4. The president? No.

He may have some advisers who are ecologically aware, but the requirements of political power work against having that kind of awareness at the top levels. See Political Will, Political Won't.