Abstract
This paper examines the ideas presented in the proposal of ―natural capitalism‖ by paying attention to three cases that exemplify the conflation of business and market ideals—such as profit and consumption—with environmental change: Whole Foods, Stonyfield Farm, and Walmart. While proponents of natural capitalism offer a mostly optimistic solution to our current environmental crisis that is synthesized by the power of markets, technology, and consumption to halt the perils of environmental degradation, a deeper criticism of these strategies reveals the inherent contradictions of the conflation of environment and capital and its seeming impossibility. While necessary, these critiques mostly fail to examine the complex discursive and political repercussions of actual manifestations of natural capitalism and realistic prescriptions for action. The main objective of this article, then, is to examine these two opposing viewpoints through a theory of articulation as a means for working toward ontology of environmental change.
Highlights
This paper examines the ideas presented in the proposal of ―natural capitalism‖ by paying attention to three cases that exemplify the conflation of business and market ideals—such as profit and consumption—with environmental change: Whole Foods, Stonyfield Farm, and Walmart
I will analyze ―natural capitalism‖—and its proposition that environmental change can be best achieved by business and markets through the conflation of environment and capital—in light of three recent cases that embody its ideals: Whole Foods Market, Stoneyfield Farm, and Walmart
Contextualizing the analysis within the theoretical framework of articulation, I frame these cases within current critiques of natural and green capitalism in order to bring forth the inherent tensions of balancing the need for environmental action against actual capital-driven measures and the practical limitations of current critique of the natural capitalism phenomenon
Summary
This paper examines the ideas presented in the proposal of ―natural capitalism‖ by paying attention to three cases that exemplify the conflation of business and market ideals—such as profit and consumption—with environmental change: Whole Foods, Stonyfield Farm, and Walmart. While proponents of natural capitalism offer a mostly optimistic solution to our current environmental crisis that is synthesized by the power of markets, technology, and consumption to halt the perils of environmental degradation, a deeper criticism of these strategies reveals the inherent contradictions of the conflation of environment and capital and its seeming impossibility. While necessary, these critiques mostly fail to examine the complex discursive and political repercussions of actual manifestations of natural capitalism and realistic prescriptions for action. The Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009 exemplifies the political impact of the environment debate, with countries such as China, Great Britain, and the United States officially recognizing the perils of global warming and the scientific evidence for keeping temperatures from rising more than 2 Celsius
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
