Because Green is the new Black.
The Challenge to Combine the Profit Motive with Citizenship
May 13, 2010
In the Fall/Winter 2009 publication of Penn Arts & Sciences Magazine, Professor Gregory Urban contemplates what seems to be today’s defining dilemma in his article “Ecology of the Grail: Sustainability and the Human Quest.” Professor Urban reflects on what we as humans have sought for many years, and how our journey toward material wealth has created what Urban coins the “sustainability problem.”
So what is this sustainability problem, and why does it have to be a problem at all? Is it possible to continue living comfortably while pursuing true sustainability? For some, this may seem a conundrum that isn’t worth the time it could take to find an answer, while others might argue that—given the current state of things, and the recent public inclination toward “going green”—we simply can’t afford not to contemplate the issue of sustainability.
Urban “propos[es] a shift in the dominant goal, the grail of human existence, from acquisition of the most material wealth to the pursuit of the best quality of life.” It’s pretty clear what this means for us as individuals, as couples, and as families, but what could it mean for us as business owners, consumers, employees, and community members? What decisions might we make in an effort to improve the quality of not only our own lives, but also the lives of those around us? According to Urban, “[t]he recent push to conceptualize modern business corporations as ‘citizens’ can go a long way toward reprioritizing.” He argues that the corporate citizen carries a responsibility in the interest of bettering the lives of its employees, not just its shareholders or surrounding community.
Urban’s attempt to redefine the “grail of human existence” offers an intriguing read, especially in light of today’s economic climate. To view the full article, visit:
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/sasalum/newsltr/winter09/faculty_opinion.pdf
