What is the value of this apple blossom tea bag? 10p! Because it cost me £2 for a pack of 20.
Another question: what is the value of walking through an apple orchard with the blossom out? Hmmm not so easy to work out…
I have recently been learning about something called: Natural Capital…
Natural capital is all about using money to value nature, and this year it has been given lots of backing from our government. The government is putting a price on nature…
Now….
if you’re like me, you might think that this is a bit sterile, and something for accountant’s ….
But take a closer look and I think there is something more exciting than what accountants fail to see…
A chance for humans to reconnect back to nature which i think… is priceless!
So what is Natural Capital and how do we value nature?
As I understand it accountants collect environmental data then calculate its value…. For instance in the orchard they don’t just calculate the apple blossom tea but
And the good news is that the accountant’s data shows us that places with lots of nature is worth more than places without…
SOUNDS GREAT!
But wait, one question I have yet to get to the bottom of is…
Where is the data on the magic of nature… Humans connection with the environment?…
So, before I get too carried away with the magic of nature, let us talk about the government: this year the government has released something called the 25 year plan and has an emphasis on Natural Capital….
Politicians are going green, environment issues are going mainstream, … and Natural Capital has a promising future…
Here’s an example for you….
The city council in Washington DC used Natural Capital accounting to pay for their city drainage…
Like many cities, the water and sewage goes underground into big concrete pipes which goes into the sea, and…
This was until Goldman Sachs built a $25 millon drainage system above ground in green open spaces. Which has:
Goldman Sachs have created and made money from
Thanks to Natural Capital accounting It is a win win.
WAHEY, SOUNDS GREAT!
But wait… where does the magic of nature fit in here? Is nature going to be the next victim of the capitalist money system? A capitalist system where we going to lose the magic of nature?
Well, I think no….
And I like the idea that Natural Capital has yet to value the magic of nature… I run an organisation called ‘What Happens Next’…, an environmental project with the vision to create value directly from plants.
We provide resources on how to make things like
What I like is the idea of celebrating the lavender tea… And celebrating the magic of nature…. That’s why i called it seed to celebration because it’s all about balancing the
In conclusion, capitalism is saving the planet… But let us not forget to celebrate the magic of nature.
If I was given a chance I would go Washington DC to council and tell them that what they need to do in their new green space is to
Because I think however much we put a value on nature, celebrating the magic of nature is priceless..
1 Comment
superb article!!! when will the next article be released?