Balancing Act - Triple Bottom Line Report on Australia
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 06. 3.05
I admit it. I’ve been slack. We’ve had this story for over a week and haven’t shared it with you. Part of the problem is: I haven’t yet found time to read the 807 pages of the Report. But you can download it from the CSIRO (Australia’s peak scientific research body) and be amazed by the findings. In short, it calculates “how much energy, water, land, employment (and so on) is embodied in every dollar in the Australian economy. The report is a resource for government and corporate decision-makers, as well as individual consumers.” The idea is to look at the economy through the lens of a triple bottom line (TBL) - profit, people, planet. The results might surprise you. Did you know, for example, that a glass of fruit juice or milk used as much water to produce, as running your shower for five minutes. Or says the media release, anyhow. When we've digested some more of this tome we’ll get back to you.
Though, it's not as if Australia needs any more figures to indicate we need to change. We are, per capita, the high greenhouse gas emitters. In some states we have higher land cleaning rates than the Amazon. From memory we are second only to North America for solid waste per person. Our rate of species extinction is through the roof. Sydney only has 39% full dams and Perth is looking to desalinate sea water to lets its residents have a drink. But Jared Diamond was just here promoting his book “Collapse”, saying we are one of the best developed countries at recognising our issues (acting on them might be a bigger ask.) But Balancing Act is yet another attempt to be honest about the problems — and the solutions. Via PressWire ::Balancing Act
I am reminded of Redefining Progress and their GPI (Genuine Progress Indicator): http://www.redefiningprogress.org/projects/gpi/