The Blue Economy
The Blue Economy does not recycle, it regenerates!
Do not ask too much of the Earth,
do more with what it already produces.
The red economy is the one we know and which leads to the current world bankruptcy. It is an economy that borrows from everyone, from Nature and from humanity, without thinking of paying it back one day.
The green economy requires companies to invest more and more and consumers to pay more, for results and products that are certainly environmentally friendly, but equivalent or even less. Difficult in times of crisis! Despite its laudable goals and efforts, the green economy has failed to become sustainable or viable.
Are we going to seek to live in harmony with the Earth and its representatives or are we going to continue our consumerist and destructive extravagances?
Are we going to learn to produce and cohabit peacefully or are we going to self-extinguish, drowned under our excesses and our waste?
Blue Economy
A new economic and social model
The Red Economy
Destructive
Linear
Individualist
Wealth inequality
Dependency
The red economy is the consequence of progress and innovation, in which there is no concern for the excessive consumption of natural resources to support the production of energy and manufactured goods.
The Green Economy
Protector
Circular
Collective
Lesser evil
Resilience
It is under the label of green economy that the first alternative energy production projects based on solar and wind power were born. It is an economy that is intended to be resilient, but which does not offer a definitive and permanent solution.
The Blue Economy
Regenerative
Ecosystem
Symbiotic
Abundance
Autonomy
The Blue Economy as defined by Gunter Pauli is that of the regeneration of ecosystems in a logic of abundance and autonomy. Drawing inspiration from nature in order to take what is necessary and to function in symbiosis with it.
Abundance at your fingertips
The Blue Economy does not recycle, it regenerates! It is an economic model that does not produce emissions or waste but creates jobs, social cohesion and does not cost more.
If nothing changes, we will need another Earth.
And the first step will be to find ways to convert waste into raw material for other uses and to look for what is readily and abundantly available, at a lower cost because little has been recovered so far. This is how nature works.
Ecosystems never evolve into monopoly situations dominated by a minority. For in Nature, every ecosystem achieves self-sufficiency. What seems limited at first sight is, when we pay attention, abundant and diversified. Better still, the greater the abundance, the greater the efficiency (doing more with less) and diversity (each species benefiting the others).
Doing less is bad!
Gunter Pauli
Some people dream to escape reality,
others dream of changing reality.
Soichiro Honda
New perspectives, new production systems
Activities from the Blue Economy, capable of offering employment to all, are within our reach. In Nature, everyone contributes to the best of his or her ability and no one is considered useless (in contrast to our modern societies where millions of young people are searching in vain for a job and a purpose in life). New production systems and business models will be based on the way Nature uses physics and biochemistry to build complete systems, working in harmony, without waste or energy loss.
As we move from a linear perception to a cyclical, evolutionary and regenerative model, we can also shape our behaviors and practices to ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met, and that our Blue Planet, with all its inhabitants, is moving toward a better future.
Innovating for the good of all
Competitiveness is about harnessing and optimizing the innate virtues and values that connect the untapped local potential… Like a natural system, where seeds lie fallow to germinate with amazing vigor at the first rain, releasing joy and happiness when the conditions for a spirit-filled life are met in balance and harmony.
Innovative business models are able to bring competitive products and services to market that meet basic needs, while creating social capital and improving conscious living in harmony with nature.
The Blue Economy meets the basic needs of all with what we have, introducing innovations inspired by nature, generating multiple benefits, including jobs and social capital, by offering more with less.
Crises are a form of pressure that can give us the energy to find new solutions.
The 19 principles of the Blue Economy
Drawing inspiration from nature
(and water)
- Focus on Physics (with the help of geometry and mathematics)
- Knowing not to be linear
- Optimizing and co-evolving
- Resisting through diversity
- Going beyond organic (and biodegradable)
Changing the rules
of the game (of business)
- Interconnecting problems creates opportunities
- Putting Nature back in the direction of its evolution
- Keeping the commons free and clean
- Meeting basic needs first (for all)
- Using what you already have
- Replace something with nothing
- Value everything: everything has value, everyone creates value
- Being healthy and happy
Living on your
territory
- Capitalize on the economies of perspective
- Generating multiple opportunities from one initiative
- Vertically integrate (primary and secondary sectors)
- Manage without a business plan (or Excel spreadsheets)
- Decide from the financial statements (balance sheet & income statement)
- Putting ethics at the heart