The Challenge of the 21st Century: Setting the Real Bottom Line

This article outlines the gravity of the environmental crisis-pollution, climate change, overpopulation and the unpredictable environmental impacts from our use of science and technology and exploitation of natural resources. We must put the 'eco' back into economics and realise what the conditions and principles are for truly sustainable living. We have to set a new bottom line, a bottom line dictated by the reality that we are biological creatures, completely dependent for our survival and well-being on clean air, clean water, clean soil, clean energy and biodiversity. We are social animals who need strong families and supportive communities, full employment, justice, equity and security and freedom from racism, terror, war and genocide. And we remain spiritual beings who need sacred places in the natural world that gave us birth.