Land Developers and Sustainable Economics
October 2008

As previously forecast in this column, a series of financial “Black Swans” is now upon us. These major disruptive events, which by definition were unpredicted by the establishment experts, now include the failures of Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Merrill Lynch, Wachovia, and Washington Mutual, with more surprises undoubtedly on the way.

While there have been numerous authorities working day and night to solve the problem, it is important to note that these same people were the ones that were managing the financial system in the first place. According to Professor Nouriel Roubini, no professional independent economist was consulted by Congress or invited to present his/her views at the Congressional hearings on the Treasury Department's rescue plan. This brings to mind some words of wisdom from Albert Einstein - “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”.

As pointed out in the recently published book, Bad Money – Reckless Finance, Failed Politics and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism, the failure of the current financial system was not only predictable, but this same kind of thinking was also responsible for the fall of the last two global economic powers – the Netherlands followed by Britain. As is established in the book and elsewhere, the current credit crisis interrelates with our energy crisis and all the other economic failures the global economy is now suffering through. It all comes down to deficit spending by both public and private entities.

Ironically, the current financial meltdown is confirmation of a prediction made in 1995 when, as a land developer and the past-president of the Florida Native Plant Society, I authored an article entitled “Earth Restoration – The Bridge to a New Global Culture“, wherein I said, “The existing world order is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and will not be capable of sustaining itself much longer by exploiting dwindling world supplies of natural resources and by deficit government spending…The good news is that out of these huge problems will come the pressure to replace our old system with new political and business structures that will provide for a sustainable global economy”.

How do we make our civilization more sustainable?

As outlined in our February 2008 SLDI newsletter, “Collaborative innovation is needed to unlock the future as the world is facing a variety of challenges”, and current efforts to create new sustainable land development models hold great promise for breaking the hold of failed outdated economic ideology. According to CityscapeIntelligence, "... One of the greatest challenges is that right now we have a very low level of current knowledge about how to build sustainably in our (Middle Eastern) environment… “ On a more promising note, Cityscape reports that Masdar City, Abu Dhabi is planned to be a fully sustainable city which incorporates the highest quality of life with the lowest environmental footprint. Masdar City will be carbon-neutral, use only renewable energy sources, and produce zero waste.

In the United States, news of the nation’s first fully eco-sustainable city has just been announced. At 41,300 acres and a new SLDI member, Florida's Destiny is ranked as one of the state’s largest private land acquisitions and will create working greenspace where the ecosystem is integrated into its infrastructure in order to preserve the overall quality of the environment.

The problems – and answers – have been known for many years. It will ultimately be the visionary risk-taking land developers, the business structures we organize, the innovative technologies we use, and the quality of services we retain, that will get us there.

Your participation and comments are welcome.

Terry Mock
Executive Director
Sustainable Land Development International

Promoting land development worldwide that balances the needs of people, planet & profit, for today and future generations.

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• Oases of Capital
  (September 2008) In one of the most serious economic downturns in recent history, as major financial institutions clamp down on loans and lines of credit, some pools of money remain that can offer capital support for sustainable projects.
  Source: Sustainable Land Development Today

• SLDI Sponsored Summit: Sustainable Energy Solutions
  (September 2008) SLDI is helping to position the land development industry at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions. SLDI sponsored its first conference on sustainable energy at the Grand River Conference Center in the SLDI headquarters hometown of Dubuque, Iowa.
  Source: Sustainable Land Development Today

• Now is the Time to Rebuild Markets Responsibly
  (September 17, 2008) Investors must ensure the credit crunch doesn’t happen again by thinking and acting responsibly.
  Source: Responsible Investor

• The Ivory Tower goes Green
  (September 10, 2008) The time is right for chemistry to show it can be part of the solution, not part of the problem, many say. As the principles of green chemistry and sustainability in general play a greater role in the chemical industry, there is a growing need to educate chemists in this area.
  Source: Chemical & Engineering News

• Sales of Organic Produce up 30% in year
  (September 2, 2008) All the leading supermarkets have expanded their range of organic food rapidly in the last year and report dramatic growth in demand.
  Source: London Guardian

• Growing Vertical: Skyscraper Farming
  (September 28, 2008) Cultivating crops in downtown skyscrapers might save bushels of energy and provide city dwellers with distinctively fresh food.
  Source: Scientific American

• Iowans Rally for Green Energy Growth
  (September 28, 2008) Iowa officials called on Congress and the next U.S. president to create 2 million new jobs in two years through a $100 billion investment in renewable fuels.
  Source: Des Moines Register

• Cleveland's Sustainability Ranking improves dramatically in National Survey
  (September 23, 2008) We're all still chasing Portland as America's most environmentally sustainable city - but Cleveland is apparently greening, a national study says.
  Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

• Jailbirds Creating Eco-havens in Prison
  (September 23, 2008) Thousands of prisoners across the country are turning their jails into some of the most species-rich sites in the country and a newly found interest in conservation is aiding their rehabilitation.
  Source: London Observer

• The Greening of Gardening
  (September 22, 2008) Gardens are more than just yard decorations for the green-thumbed: they also express a worldview. As concern over climate change grows, environmentally sensitive gardens are becoming more popular.
  Source: New York Times

• Renewable Energy may dim if Tax Break Ends
  (August 18, 2008) From large-scale wind farms to solar panels on homes, schools and businesses, the renewable-energy industry is experiencing rapid growth in Wisconsin and elsewhere.
  Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

• The State of the White River: Cleaner, but Room for Improvement
  (August 13, 2008) The presence of smallmouth bass, crane flies resembling giant mosquitoes, mussels and other species sensitive to pollution indicates the White River in Indiana is cleaner today than in the early 1970s.
  Source: Muncie Star Press

• Thou Shalt go Green
  (September 11, 2008) The Rev. Richard Cizik, one of the most prominent public voices of America's evangelical movement, has become well-known the past few years for pushing a theme not usually associated with the evangelical movement: taking care of the Earth.
  Source: Colorado Springs Independent

• Pumping the Biofuels, from Rio to the Humber
  (September 28, 2008) The energy giants want sustainable solutions, but is growing crops for fuel the right answer?
  Source: London Times

• Tainted Waters of Chesapeake Bay
  (September 28, 2008) Despite a generation of efforts to clean up the Chesapeake, development and farming along Maryland's rivers still foul the bay.
  Source: Baltimore Sun

Editor's Note: SLDI News Service may feature press releases submitted directly by organizations in SLDI's network. This content is not specifically endorsed or supported by SLDI and is not subject to SLDI's editorial process.