Putting a price to the priceless
by Bistra Kumbaroska on 27th July, 2012 at 4:49 PM CEST
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.”
Marianne Williamson
A recent article published in Harvard Business Review reminded me how far we are and how far we can go in our passion or concern for environmental sustainability. No one these days seriously denies the need for sustainable business practices. Even those concerned about only business and not the fate of the planet recognize that the viability of business itself depends on the resources of healthy ecosystems—fresh water, clean air, robust biodiversity, productive land—and on the stability of just societies. Happily, most of us also care about these things directly.
Describing George Orwell’s experiment, in the book Embedded Sustainability, Nadya Zhexembayeva and Chris Lazlo give an interesting example of what happens to modern men today: …”I thought of a rather cruel trick I once played on a wasp. He was sucking jam on my plate, and I cut him in half. He paid no attention, merely went on with his meal... Only when he tried to fly away did he grasp the dreadful thing that had happened to him. It is the same with modern man. The thing that has been cut away is his soul, and there was a period — twenty years, perhaps — during which he did not notice it.”
And now what?
The concept of sustainability is evolving and soon, instead of asking either “how can we turn a profit?” or “how can we minimize our impact?” managers will see those as two sides of the same coin. Sustainability will simply be how business is done.
Of course, the bounty of nature is priceless. But the unfortunate effect of our seeing these inputs to well-being as incalculable has been that they are treated as free. That mindset creates problems when resources turn out not to be limitless or indestructible. A failure to price resources also makes it difficult to think clearly about trade-offs, which many decisions relating to sustainability involve. When inputs and outputs can be stated in like terms (which is to say, dollar terms), optimal solutions can be found.
There's nothing enlightening about it. Accept it or not, maybe one day we will have to pay in order to breathe clean air. And only then we might realize how meaningful every step we made in the past was.
With price-tag on it or not - never forget to cherish the priceless.
Bistra | C:F staff
Kedei, i was truly touched by one song where Marianne W. words are read as introduction. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=cMaWsfLYQko&feature=play er_embedded
I've learned a lot about sustainability from meeting people like you and working with C:F. Thus, this inspirational words somehow ring the bell for me. The word sustainability is overused these days, but lets now forget what it really stands for.
28th July, 2012 @ 10:21 AM CEST
Samuel Duru | Action team
Bistra, I love your article and the topic you dwelt on. Nature offers mankind so much to enjoy for free, but we seem to take all that for grant by our unsustainable living. Truly, sustainability must grow in every nook and cranny of the planet: in the economic, social and environmental spheres. Fundamental lifestyle adjustments are required for this to happen.
Although behaviour change is said to be the Holy Grail of sustainability, it’s in our best interest to make a paradigm shift towards sustainable lifestyles. Sustainability must be a culture not an uncouthness.
28th July, 2012 @ 10:33 AM CEST
Bistra... That is a very nice piece there.. you coined the concept and necessity of sustainability perfectly. Your reference quotes are top notch and oh yes that video is simply awesome.... I now have it with me... :-)
29th July, 2012 @ 11:00 PM CEST
Bistra | C:F staff
Thanks to all of you for the lovely words. I am happy to have touched you in some way with this article. In my previous comment, i wrote "The word sustainability is overused these days, but lets NOT forget what it really stands for"
Wikipedia gives a really simple definition: Sustainability is the capacity to endure. I love this sentence!
Let's learn how. Let's make that "how" a habit. A commitment. Words are easier than deeds. But i know we are all at the right place for taking the words seriously, and putting them into action!
30th July, 2012 @ 10:30 AM CEST
Jatin Kataria | Action team | CF Chapters
ohh its really nice.. good one bistra... :)
n yeah, embedded sustainability is the future of business / corporate world.. :)
I really loved d start...
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
4th August, 2012 @ 7:48 AM CEST
Muhammad Jehangir Khan | Action team | CF Chapters
Best one Bistra. amazing... Now Im fully convinced todo MBA ;)
7th August, 2012 @ 5:25 PM CEST
Syed Mehmood Kazmi | Action team
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.”
Marianne Williamson
Great Article!!
23rd August, 2012 @ 3:00 AM CEST
KEDEI INAH
I remebered when Marianne Williamson said that on one of the BET awards, it was really inspiring. For Sustainability is not just a word but my way of life.
27th July, 2012 @ 11:01 PM CEST