Many people still think that doing business is all about making money, that it involves nothing more than simply accumulating wealth by producing and selling goods. Entrepreneurs, however, need to rethink their objectives, and start focusing on the well-being of other people. They can take advantage of useful services, creative ideas, and ethical actions, in order to truly improve people’s lives and the environment. If they really wanted to, they could create a very different, much greener economy.
According to the author, it is completely old-fashioned, out-dated, and unrealistic to ignore environmental issues. He also says that it is unacceptable, given the current state of the planet, to continue cutting down forests, building coal-fired power stations, and dumping tonnes of waste into rivers. We need a different approach.
A hundred years ago, there was no need to understand and improve the relationship between the economy and the environment, and people assumed that the Earth’s resources were unlimited. This led to a phase of systematic exploitation, unbridled consumerism, and materialistic freedom. This phase, however, must now come to an end, as the situation has become critical.
We are facing the consequences of having exploited the environment for too long, and we need to restore balance and stop expropriating natural resources. Yet, many people refuse to face reality and insist on continuing to do business as they always have in the past. The result is that there is now a dramatic disconnect between life on Earth and the way trade and business is conducted.