I agree with your comments. A really good read on this is The Last  
Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann. As he notes, The end of  
oil will be a main factor in adjustment. The earth can sustainably  
accommodate approx 1 billion people living somewhere between our  
lifestyle and an indigenous lifestyle. Another great read is  
Sustainable Operating Systems/ The Post  Petrol Paradigm by Michael  
Richards.   If all else fails read Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer.  
Daryl Andersen
On Sep 25, 2008, at 10:56 PM, Thomas Mathews wrote:

> Cindy,
>
> You note that ". . . economic prosperity, as we currently define  
> it, depends on growth."
>
> This summarizes the problem perfectly. Our mainstream economists  
> define a healthy economy as being a growing economy. A recession is  
> defined as a cessation of economic growth.
>
> Yet it occurs even to bright middle school students that on a  
> finite planet endless growth is impossible. But being an "adult"  
> means denying this obvious fact.
>
> In an underdeveloped country, economic growth is needed just to  
> provide enough for everyone. But in over-developed regions like the  
> US, growth serves mainly to provide more wealth for the already  
> rich. And despite the events of the past two weeks, it is the rich  
> who run the country, including its media, and who keep alive the  
> myth that growth equals prosperity.
>
> We clearly need a new economics, one which defines prosperity as  
> sufficiency, not growth.
>
> Richard Douthwaite has written a very good book whose title  
> summarizes these issues. (The Growth Illusion: How economic growth  
> has enriched the few, impoverished the many, and endangered the  
> planet, New Society Publishers, 1992, 1999.)
>
> Tom
>
>
>
> Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial  
> challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and  
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