The Forgiveness of the Commons

The world has changed significantly since Garret Hardin’s 1968 piece The Tragedy of the Commons. While the state of the commons has become more tragic in almost every measurable way, there is a rapidly growing movement across the planet to try and repair our badly damaged relationship with the natural world. This movement consists of millions of peoples from diverse backgrounds, cultures and all levels of economic development. It has provided a platform for shared purpose between competing and often adversarial actors. It is characterized by small daily gestures, local autonomous planning and grand, sophisticated designs. These actions in aggregate signal an aspirational synthesis with transformative potential.

Will the commons have the capacity to forgive apathy and avarice? We have driven roughshod over the topography - with not so much as a backwards glance - for so long that our tracks are long and deep.  We have spewed toxins into the atmosphere at alarming levels that desperately need to be stabilized and, over time, decreased. We have degraded the soils and plants with very little regard for future generations while putting our very sustenance at risk. We have fouled our oceans, the planet’s life support system, in an almost unspeakable manner.      

 Will we finally be able to understand that proper stewardship of the planet actually holds up extremely well to a cost benefit analysis? The crude and corrupt commodification of our natural resources has created negative equity that has left our sustainability balance sheet deeply in the red. Increased investment in enhanced efficiencies, sustainable building practices, and renewable energy sources and technologies provide the greatest potential for new growth markets. This type of integrated investment will pay significant economic and ecological dividends and will allow us to resume our intergenerational responsibility. The global economic contraction has already forced reduced consumption across the board. Although this appears to be a long overdue correction on a karmic level, it has and will create much hardship.  There will be many who suffer disproportionately and the rest of us should take heed. The best we can offer these people and ourselves is a dedication to working towards rebuilding in a sustainable manner that exemplifies our better human natures.

We may not be forgiven by the commons, but we can begin to forgive ourselves. The restorative power of nature should never be underestimated.