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NON-ECOLOGICAL ECONOMISTS

Typical economists generally support basic economic policies which may slowly but surely be killing the long-term future economic health of the U.S.! Even university professors in economics may be in a deep dogmatic sleep. There are few, if any, critical debates on vital economic issues affecting the ecology of the Earth.

For example, wealthy nations worldwide are allowed to use up the natural resources of poorer nations without paying full price for permanent losses to the Earth's resources! In fact, as the Gross National Product (GNP) of nations increases, the factoring in for environmental losses, costs and damage and for the social welfare, in general, is actually decreasing!

Can economists, who provide the public and politicians with all the economy's vital statistics these days, be partially blamed for the continual demise and destruction of the planet's natural resources?

The growth of the GNP in all nations may be increasing the unaccounted-for environmental social costs faster than the increases in the growth of the GNP is increasing the countable, productive benefits! Growth that increases costs by more than it raises benefits in society is called "anti-economic" growth.

However, anti-economic growth may never show up in the GNP because nothing is ever subtracted from the GNP, they only add to the GNP or amounts are not accounted for at all in the GNP. What is possibly needed is more study and concern for ecological economics especially at the university level.

SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE: ADBUSTERS MAGAZINE SPRING 1997

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