Creating sustainable prosperity in the United States

Gary T. Gardner

The United States finds itself at a critical juncture, as environmental degradation and resource depletion threaten the capacity of the economy to generate wealth for the indefinite future. Despite growing awareness of the need to build a sustainable economy, U.S. output continues to be characterized by linear flows of materials, heavy dependence on fossil fuels, disregard for renewable resources, and resource use that is strongly connected to economic growth. Entire sets of assumptions, beliefs, and practices will need to be overturned if the United States is to build a sustainable economy in the decades ahead. This report shows that creating a sustainable U.S. economy will require a thoughtful and strategic set of national, state, and local policies that would remake the economic playing field under a new set of principles. Renewable resources cannot be consumed faster than they are...