Abundance

Many ecological and social issues are framed in terms of resource scarcity. It is certain that there are only finite amounts of material resources available for human uses, however are there enough resources for everyone? Those who frame the challenges that face us with an abundance mindset tend to answer "yes". For example, fresh water makes up only a small fraction of the Earth's water, and many people have trouble obtaining enough for basic necessities. However, this is a problem caused largely by misallocation. If fresh water were directed toward productive ends (bathing water, irrigation of crops) instead of aesthetic ends (flush toilets, lawn sprinklers) these problems would be greatly alleviated.

Abundance contributes to resilience and is an essential component of thrivability. Let's create an economy of abundance, i.e. let's take steps towards post-scarcity. A gift economy works best in a context of abundance.

This article is issued from Appropedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.