Dear Reader,

I believe the problem with police departments and ICE, for example, may be a problem of the means justifying the ends.   Are people in the top echelons of the means getting frustrated with the way things are in the world and putting it down upon the backs of ICE agents and police officers to do the impossible?  The volatile functioning of police officers and ICE can be very destructive to our humanity and our society, as well as our communities.   However, you’ll notice that the detrimental impacts and the positive feedback loops always go down to the people causing inflection points based on extreme negative energy, riots, and extreme protest involving heckling.   The means in this case have destructive energy, gun violence at their discretion and prerogative.    The weighing up of processes, procedures, laws, rules, regulations, policy, best practices, and pollution contributes to making poor decisions on the battlefield.  This is especially true when the top-down assigns the impossible to agents and police officers.   Therefore, the problem lies at the top in the King’s castles, and kingdoms means functioning.   If I were the responsible one in the situation, I would immediately shift everybody towards the end functioning side of the equation.   This will get everybody contributing to holistic justice, health, safety, environmental justice, and social justice, and to mitigating the problems faced by people in our country who are from other countries.   Most of the people who are so-called illegal in our country have been impacted by a long period of time of destructive means functioning and pollution themselves, and have been impacted by inflection points, leading them down the road towards gang functioning.   This is an indicator that these people needed help long ago but did not get it.   From my perspective, it’s time to help these people rather than fight them with deadly violence and deadly force.  If they are truly violent, they need to go directly to locked hospitals so they can get the care that they need to get started in this country, or get sent back to their original country under holistic circumstances.  However, most of these people are seeking a better life in the United States and flee their home countries because of the detrimental conditions found there.  Most people are suffering in a preventable way, and ought to be included and accepted in our world rather than fighting the continual battle that they’ve been facing for an extended period of time.   It would be ends functioning to get these people accepted and included in our society, whether in the United States or their home countries.   If the top-down means were functioning as ends functioning, they would’ve understood that getting people to help those who need it in the first place would’ve been the desired course of action.

I believe we are witnessing a critical misalignment in how our societal institutions, particularly those entrusted with maintaining order and managing borders like police departments and immigration enforcement agencies, are being directed and operated. The core issue, as I see it, stems from an overreliance on a “means-justifying-the-ends” philosophy, where processes and enforcement mechanisms overshadow the ultimate human outcomes they are intended to serve.

This orientation often places frontline officers and agents in an impossible bind. They are frequently tasked from the highest echelons with executing directives that are inherently flawed or unattainable through conventional, often punitive, methods. This top-down pressure, combined with an exhaustive labyrinth of regulations and procedures, often leads to decisions made under duress that prioritize control over compassion, and short-term compliance over long-term stability. The result is a cycle of reactive measures that inadvertently fuel social volatility.

We observe the devastating consequences of this approach in communities across our nation and beyond. It erodes trust, fosters deep-seated resentment, and can escalate into cycles of civil unrest, protest, and even violence. When institutional actions are perceived as destructive and inhumane, they inevitably contribute to a breakdown of social cohesion, impacting our collective humanity and the well-being of our communities.

Consider, for instance, the complex challenges surrounding immigration. Many individuals categorized as “undocumented” are not inherently malicious actors, but rather people fleeing desperate circumstances – whether due to political instability, environmental degradation, economic hardship, or systemic violence in their home countries. Their journeys are often a direct consequence of long-standing global “means-functioning” failures and deep-seated societal inequities. When these individuals arrive, our current systems frequently fail to recognize their fundamental needs, instead resorting to enforcement tactics that exacerbate their trauma and marginalization, sometimes inadvertently pushing vulnerable populations towards more precarious or even illicit activities due to lack of viable alternatives. They are, in essence, populations who have been denied critical support for far too long.

My conviction is that we must fundamentally reorient our approach from one fixated on the “means” to one driven by desired “ends.” This paradigm shift would mean prioritizing comprehensive human well-being, genuine holistic justice, and sustainable societal health. An “ends-functioning” model would focus on achieving holistic justice, ensuring public safety through preventative measures, promoting environmental stewardship, and championing social equity for all.

Practically, this would translate into investing in support systems for vulnerable populations, including those seeking refuge. Rather than expending vast resources on punitive enforcement, we should channel efforts into providing essential aid, pathways to integration, and opportunities for dignified lives. For individuals who demonstrably pose a genuine threat, the appropriate response lies not in brute force, but in specialized, therapeutic interventions within secure medical or rehabilitative facilities, ensuring they receive the care needed to address underlying issues, or, if absolutely necessary, humane repatriation under conditions that uphold their dignity and safety. Most people are simply seeking a better, more secure life, and they deserve to be met with empathy and inclusive policies that facilitate their acceptance, either within new communities or in strengthened home countries.

Authentic leadership, operating from an “ends-functioning” perspective, would recognize that proactive investment in human dignity, social safety nets, and equitable opportunities is not merely compassionate but profoundly strategic. It prevents the very crises that our current, means-obsessed systems are perpetually struggling, and often failing, to contain. It is time to embrace a vision in which our collective efforts are geared toward building a more just, healthy, accepting, and inclusive world for everyone.

Sincerely,

Richard Thomas Simmons

We should be living in a society where the ends justify the means. However, it’s been more than 200 years where the means of justified the ends.   Our society is inundated with laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, process, complexity, conflict, chaos, pollution, and controversy.   Controversies can be anything from laws, investigations, borders, boundaries, barriers, wars, riots, crime, terrorism, and anything else you can imagine that employs the means instead of the ends.   The way I look at the ends should be a sustainable, striving world filled with thriving, ecosystems, natural environment, humanity, communities, and individual people.  Too often, those that are thriving are those that are associated with the means rather than the ends.   This concept often creates a detrimental feedback loop when it involves the ends.   Is it any wonder why regular people are being impacted so much in our world today?   In order to solve this problem, we need to have everyone everything everywhere on earth focus on the ends rather than the means or make it such that that means are about sustainable, striving and holistic, well motivated positive energy people Contributing nothing but upward spiral positive energy negative feedback loops to our planet and our people.  When we have thriving ecosystems of our natural environment and our people, it creates nothing but positive energy negative feedback, loops, impacting us more and more and more of the same over time.   This concept gets ecosystems whether They are natural ecosystems or humanity, ecosystems, or a combination of both working together for all of humanity as a multiplier effect.   Therefore, the means, can transition to more holistic, prescription advice, holistic, justice, environmental, health, and safety.   Many will be able to work together with others for restoration roles.   These concepts are all ends related.

It strikes me that our global civilization stands at a critical juncture, grappling with a fundamental paradox. For far too long, our collective efforts have been ensnared in a convoluted labyrinth where the *means* of progress – the intricate frameworks of laws, regulations, economic models, and political processes – have inadvertently overshadowed the *ends* they were ostensibly designed to serve. This preoccupation with the mechanisms themselves has fostered an environment rife with unnecessary complexity, conflict, and systemic inefficiencies.

We witness daily the consequences of this imbalance: a world increasingly characterized by societal discord, environmental degradation, and widening disparities, all arising from an operational ethos that often prioritizes procedural adherence over substantive impact. Whether manifested in geopolitical tensions, localized disputes, or the sheer bureaucratic inertia that impedes effective action, the emphasis on the ‘how’ rather than the ‘why’ seems to generate a continuous cycle of challenges.

My vision for a truly flourishing world is one where humanity consciously and consistently prioritizes its ultimate objectives. These ‘ends’ encompass a sustainable planet teeming with vibrant, interconnected ecosystems, thriving communities rooted in equity and resilience, and individuals empowered to realize their full potential in harmony with one another and the natural environment. Such a world is not a utopian fantasy but a tangible outcome achievable through deliberate, collective design.

Regrettably, those who often reap the greatest rewards in our current system are frequently the architects or beneficiaries of these intricate means, rather than those genuinely contributing to the profound ends of planetary well-being. This creates a detrimental feedback loop, further entrenching the existing paradigm and exacerbating the struggles faced by everyday people.

To transcend this critical juncture, we must instigate a profound paradigm shift. Imagine a world where every policy, every innovation, and every collective action is rigorously evaluated and optimized for its direct contribution to these overarching ends. This necessitates a unified global commitment – a conscious decision to reorient our energies, resources, and ingenuity towards creating self-reinforcing systems that foster positive, regenerative growth for both humanity and the planet. It’s about designing our means to be inherently conducive to a sustainable, holistic, and abundantly motivated future, ensuring that every endeavor contributes to an upward spiral of collective flourishing.

Sincerely,

Richard Thomas Simmons

Resilience is a common characteristic for many ecosystems. However, pollution can impact the resilience of an ecosystem, especially when it comes to humanity. Humanity is being inundated, all the time with pollution from all levels of all scales.  Most noteworthy is the complexity that is created in extreme capitalistic economy, where government produces huge amounts of laws, rules, regulations policies, and procedures that everyone must follow.   The fragmentation, borders, boundaries, and barriers that are created from this complexity impact us even more.  This is a especially true because the economy has us running ragged at an extreme fast pace.   All of these things contribute to illness manufacturing, and people getting sick.   Some people get sick by getting stressed out from our society. Some of these people take drugs, alcohol, experience, promiscuous, sex, and engage in pornography.   These things can lead to downward spiral feedback, impacting resilience.   Sometimes a downward spiral feedback loop is reached, causing an inflection point leading people to a downward spiral event. Sometimes the inflection points lead to crime, violence, terrorism, homelessness, psychological illness, and more.   I don’t know how people can say that the economy is resilient when you consider the number of detrimental impacts that are manufactured by the economy itself.   The economy behaves such that It does not pay attention to anything else other than making money and quarterly earnings.  Things are changing, I know, with the invention of the sustainability index people are starting to think about the so-called externalities, the natural environment, natural resources, and our society.   However, most of the time corporations invest in sustainability officers and give money to charities and nonprofit groups to get themselves off the hook for being responsible. This kind of phenomenon is also known as greenwashing.  I am interested in a new way of direct investment into so-called externalities from corporations and reciprocally as a cycle. People will invest in those corporations when they do great works by investing in tangible impact and externalities.   When these impacts are mitigated, the resiliency of the ecosystems improve such that they become resilient once again. However, it could take a very long time.

The innate resilience of natural ecosystems is a well-established principle, allowing them to absorb disturbances and recover. However, this inherent capacity is severely undermined by pervasive anthropogenic pollution, creating a profound ripple effect that directly impacts human well-being and societal stability. We find ourselves immersed in pervasive environmental degradation, stemming from pollutants of every conceivable scale and origin, constantly eroding the foundational strength of our natural world.

A significant exacerbating factor in this systemic fragility is the intricate web woven by contemporary hyper-capitalistic frameworks. These systems, often bolstered by an overwhelming proliferation of governmental laws, regulations, and policies, inadvertently create immense bureaucratic overhead and societal friction. This structural complexity fosters fragmentation, erecting artificial barriers and boundaries that impede harmonious coexistence and holistic problem-solving. Compounded by an economic ethos that demands an unrelenting, accelerating pace, individuals and communities are stretched to their breaking point.

The cumulative effect of this systemic pressure manifests as a pervasive ‘illness manufacturing’ mechanism, where chronic stress and anxiety become endemic, leading to widespread physical and psychological ailments. For many, this societal strain precipitates maladaptive coping behaviors—an escalation in substance abuse, compulsive behaviors, and other forms of escapism—which, in turn, initiate self-reinforcing negative feedback loops, further eroding personal and collective resilience. These inflection points can tragically cascade into severe societal pathologies, including rising rates of crime, violence, terrorism, homelessness, and profound psychological distress.

It becomes increasingly difficult to champion the ‘resilience’ of an economic system that demonstrably produces such extensive societal and environmental harm. Its singular, often myopic, focus on maximizing quarterly earnings and shareholder value blinds it to the broader, catastrophic ramifications of its operational model.

While there’s a growing awareness, evidenced by the development of sustainability indices and increased discourse around environmental and social ‘externalities,’ current corporate responses often fall short. All too frequently, this engagement manifests as corporate social responsibility initiatives or the appointment of sustainability officers, which, while seemingly positive, can sometimes border on ‘greenwashing’ – a superficial attempt to assuage guilt or public scrutiny without enacting fundamental systemic change. Donations to charities, while benevolent, rarely address the root causes of environmental degradation or social inequity directly attributable to core business practices.

My interest lies in pioneering a more impactful approach: a model of direct, substantial corporate investment specifically targeting the mitigation and regeneration of these very externalities. This isn’t merely about charitable giving, but about integrating genuine environmental and social remediation into the core business strategy. Crucially, this would foster a reciprocal cycle: consumers and investors, recognizing these tangible commitments to positive impact, would be empowered to direct their capital towards truly responsible enterprises. Through such dedicated and reciprocal engagement, we could begin the arduous, yet vital, process of restoring ecological and societal resilience. This will undoubtedly be a long-term endeavor, demanding sustained commitment and transformative shifts in economic priorities, but it offers a credible path towards a more equitable and sustainable future.  Adopting the We-Me  unidiversity research explorer cycle with the location enabled integrated device will help the situation immensely because people will allocate their energy towards restoration and invest in these corporations that are investing in so called externalities As a cycle.  The integrated device provides for exploration, living, learning, loving, and anything else imaginable while allocating energy towards restoration and restoring resilience.   

-Pollution extremes

-Borders, boundaries, barriers

-Different political systems

-Lack of similarity and unique diversity

-Lack of holistic loving

-Lack of holistic caring

-Lack of holistic sharing

-Lack of holistic giving

-Lack of holistic forgiving

-Lack of holistic, genuine kindness striving

-Lack of holistic comfort

-Lack of holistic joy

-Lack of holistic hope

-Lack of holistic unity

-Lack of holistic equity

-Lack of holistic faith

-Lack of holistic, sustainable striving for happiness

-Existence of fascism like behaviors

-Existence of Naziism behaviors

-Existence of takings, extraction, exchange, exclusion of ideas and creativity

-Lack of evenness

=Different economic systems

-Lack of holistic rationality

-Global Competition for natural resources

-War existence

-Lack of Eco geosystem approach

-Nonacceptance of everyone

-Non-inclusion of everyone

-Lack of sharing

-Native American Indian effect

-Loss of local cultures

-Excessive greed

-Militarism

-Lack of level playing field

-Lack of local prioritization

-Industrial extremes

=Redundant goods

-Excessive Price points

-Lack of continual adaptation towards desired future condition

-Lack of expressed Need for organics

-Lack of common sense

-Lack of common values to strive for

-Too much preventable suffering

-Ignorant political systems

-Killing

-Lack of prioritizing science

-Lack of desire to live, learn, love, explore

-Borders and boundaries

-Fragmentation

-Complexity

-Too many laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures,

-Conflicting structures

-Conflicting functions

-Prioritization of commerce

-Corporation control

-Nationalism

-Infinite variabilization

-Control, conflict, controversy,

-Lack of steady state mosaic

-Lack of Prioritization of ecosystems and the environment

-Lack of similarity Earth ethic

-Too much top/down control

-Imperialism

-Autocracy

-Dictatorships

-Extreme capitalism

-Extreme socialism

-Lack of holistic adaptive capitalism

-Lack of holistic, sustainable striving and thriving

-Volatility

-Lack of Consistency

-Lack of Holistic adaptive food systems

-Lack of Holistic adaptive health care

-Too much materialism

-Lack of divine spirituality

-Need for holistic prosperity

-National security

-Chaos

-Environmental injustice

-Social injustice

-Lack of holistic freedom

-to be continued

One of the reasons we go on vacation is to experience other cultures and learn new things to bring home. What are the other reasons?   Regardless of the reasons, whether you like to vacation a lot or spend the rest of your time at home, the Unidiversity Earth Research Explorers Cycle with a spatially enabled, integrated device is advantageous in both situations.   On one hand, if you stay in your home community, you’ll be able to learn as much as possible about your community, its history and its future, as well as all its characteristics.   On the other hand, if you spend most of your time away from home and your home community, you’ll be able to learn an extensive amount of information from the We-Me cycle.   In essence, you’ll be able to learn new things all the time if you spend most of your time on the road or exploring new places.   Imagine trying to balance both scenarios. In a way, the situation would give you the best of both worlds: an intensive way of living and an extensive one as well.   Consequently, you will be able to decide how much time you like to stay at home in your own community by percentage and how much time you want to be away exploring other places.   I suspect most people will spend a high rate of the time at home learning about their own communities, ecoregions, and areas within a day’s drive.  I suspect a small relative percentage of time will be spent exploring on the planetary scale by traveling around the world.   Either way, from broad scale to fine scale, one can learn as much as possible by exploring these places.  

People will be exposed to culture, geography, geology, natural resources, food, ecology, earth science, oceans, reefs, beach geomorphology, streams, ponds, lakes, birds, maps, navigation, wildlife, skiing, spirituality, events, environment, shopping, herbaceous plants, trees, fish, ferns, fungi, forests, ecosystems, farms, exploration of anything, art, history, etc. and a great appreciation of the cumulative totality of areas and places.   Either way, whatever type of life you choose, you’re welcome to maximize the experiential exploration from local to regional to planetary scale.   Imagine the comparing and contrasting, as well as the pattern recognition, that you could learn while living, learning, loving, and exploring nature.   Moreover, with the We-Me integrated device, which is specially enabled, you can keep track of all your explorations, events, learning, and everything else.   This can be compared across different locations, years, people, and generations.   Therefore, you can keep the cumulative totality of all your experiences in life and share them with your children, etc.  One can perform change detection across generations or at any temporal scale.  The experiential endeavors you can pursue are truly limitless and beyond imagination, including contributing to problem-solving.

The human spirit is intrinsically driven by a profound desire for discovery, extending far beyond the fleeting pleasures of a mere holiday. We seek to immerse ourselves in diverse cultures, absorb novel perspectives, and acquire insights that enrich our very being. This inherent quest for understanding forms the bedrock of what I envision as a holistic approach to experiential learning—a continuous cycle of exploration that profoundly benefits us, whether our journey leads us across continents or deep into the heart of our own communities.

Consider the dual yet complementary paths of this integrated journey. On one hand, an intensive engagement with your immediate surroundings offers unparalleled opportunities for profound local understanding. Imagine dedicating time to meticulously unraveling the intricate tapestry of your home region and community: its foundational history, evolving demographics, unique ecological features, and the social dynamics shaping its future. This deep dive fosters an intimate connection to your roots, revealing the subtleties and significance often overlooked in daily life.

Conversely, embracing extensive exploration by venturing beyond familiar horizons unlocks a world of broader comprehension. Traveling allows us to engage with disparate ecosystems, immerse ourselves in distinct cultural narratives, and confront global challenges firsthand. This outward exploration cultivates a wider lens through which to view humanity’s shared experiences and the intricate interconnectedness of our planet.

The true transformative power, however, lies in harmoniously balancing these two modes of living. By consciously alternating between intense local immersion and extensive global discovery, individuals can forge a remarkably rich existence—one that combines the rooted wisdom of home with the expansive insights gained from abroad. This dynamic interplay allows you to define your personal ratio of engagement, perhaps dedicating a significant portion of your time to exploring your ecoregion and surrounding areas within a day’s journey, while reserving distinct periods for venturing further afield, perhaps across continents.

Regardless of scale—from the microscopic details of local flora to the macro patterns of global climate—this dedication to exploration ensures continuous learning. Your journey will expose you to a breathtaking array of phenomena: the nuances of human culture, the majesty of geographical formations, the bedrock principles of geology, the intricate webs of ecology, the origins of diverse culinary traditions, the wisdom embedded in spiritual practices, nature exploration, and the artistry expressed across generations. You will develop an unparalleled appreciation for the cumulative totality of human and natural heritage.

Furthermore, envision a powerful, integrated digital companion designed to meticulously chronicle every facet of your experiential endeavors. This intelligent platform would serve as a living journal, meticulously logging your explorations, significant events, intellectual discoveries, and personal reflections. It would offer advanced analytical capabilities, allowing you to compare observations across different locations, track personal growth over various years, cross-reference experiences with fellow explorers, and even conduct longitudinal studies comparing insights across generations.

This innovative tool called the We-Me transforms fleeting moments into an enduring legacy, enabling you to curate a cumulative repository of your life’s experiences. You can then share these invaluable insights with your descendants, offering them a living testament to exploration and learning. The possibilities for personal growth, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and profound understanding unlocked by such a dedicated approach are genuinely limitless, stretching beyond the current bounds of our imagination.

The most detrimentally impacting problem on earth is The cumulative totality current condition economy, and Current condition, prioritization and lack there of.      I am not against having an economy however I am against a free for all winning at any cost economy.   Too many industries in corporations are Striving for short term, profits, and overlooking long-term sustainability, even though we have a sustainability index on the stock market.   Basically, there are no checks and balances with the economy today. It’s a free-for-all kind of condition where anybody can invent anything and come up with any type of redundant product imaginable.  It’s too bad we couldn’t do impact assessment on every new idea that comes along.   The multitude of factories that produce similar items as other factories are proving to be a huge waste of energy on our planet.  The concept of competition impacts the natural environment and people overtime because of  lack of  prioritization of so-called externalities in our environment and society.  I am also a proponent of seeing our planet as an exploration instead of just a shopping exploration expedition.   We ought to experience biodiversity in our natural environment, rather than shopping all the time.  Consequently, the diversity of our environment, seems to get traded for biodiversity in the shopping mall.   Maybe we should look at things that we buy as more like gear, supplies, or durable goods rather than often inadequate commodities for consumption reasons only.

The prevailing global economic framework, rather than serving as a robust engine for collective well-being, appears to be our most significant existential challenge. My concern isn’t with the concept of an economy itself, but rather with the unchecked, “winner-take-all” ethos that currently defines it.

This relentless pursuit of immediate financial gain by numerous industries and corporations consistently overshadows the imperative of long-term environmental and social sustainability. Despite the existence of superficial “sustainability indices” on financial markets, the reality is a stark absence of meaningful checks and balances. This environment fosters an explosion of often redundant products, consuming vast resources and energy for items that offer little genuine advancement or societal benefit. The sheer multitude of factories producing identical or near-identical goods represents an egregious waste of planetary resources.

The hyper-competitive nature of this system inherently disregards what are termed “externalities”—the profound and lasting impacts on our natural environment and societal fabric that are not factored into production costs. Over time, this systemic oversight erodes both ecological integrity and human well-being.

Furthermore, I believe we must fundamentally reorient our collective perspective towards our planet. Instead of merely viewing Earth as an expansive shopping ground, ripe for exploitation and consumption, we should embrace it as a magnificent realm for exploration, understanding, and profound experience. The authentic biodiversity of our ecosystems is tragically being supplanted by the fleeting “biodiversity” found on retail shelves. Perhaps a crucial shift lies in how we perceive the items we acquire: not merely as disposable commodities, but as essential gear, supplies, or durable goods intended to facilitate enriching lives and experiences, fostering a deeper connection to our world rather than mere material accumulation. In the future, in the absence of a detailed impact assessment, we ought to explore using people scoping and broad-based impact assessment, and, most importantly, planning to help people make decisions that not only impact the economy but also their own well-being. Consequently, we need an ecological economy that is in context with the needs of our people, or societies, communities, regions, and our natural environment.

Dear Colleague,

Natural resources and energy can be used as surrogates for a consumptive industrial economy.   Electricity and other fuels, such as fuel oil, should be used as surrogates to understand the consumptive practices of our industrial economy. Not only that, but it may also serve as a surrogate for the economy itself.   Along with that is the sustainability index, which determines how well an industry or a farm, for example, is contributing to sustainable practices and a holistic, adaptive economy.   The consumption of fuel oil, gasoline, natural gas, propane, and electricity will indicate where the major industries are based on their consumption patterns.   The data and cumulative knowledge associated with the surrogates will enable tracking progress if we use them as indicators over time.   Indices can be used for incentive purposes when an industry is doing very well, conserving the resources that it consumes.  Depending on the sustainability index, an organic farm may not have to pay for electricity or fuel oil, for example.  Overall, the surrogate indices will be able to track the economy and determine suggestions and ideas for improvement and continual adaptive striving towards the desired future condition on Earth. Not only that, but we will also be able to learn and explore different areas to generate new ideas and suggestions to continually improve.

I wish to outline a refined conceptual framework for understanding and steering our economic trajectory, one that places resource consumption at its analytical core. We propose a strategic approach where the metabolic flows of natural resources, electricity, and key energy commodities serve as primary indicators, offering unparalleled transparency into the operational mechanics and consumptive patterns of our industrial economy.

Specifically, the aggregate and disaggregated consumption data for vital resources such as electricity, fuel oil, gasoline, natural gas, and propane can function as surrogate indicators. These metrics provide a precise lens through which to gauge the intensity and character of economic activity, extending beyond mere financial indicators to reveal the fundamental resource demands driving our systems. Indeed, their holistic application could even serve as a foundational surrogate for assessing the overall health and direction of the economy.

Central to this framework is the development of a robust Sustainability Index. This index would objectively quantify the commitment and performance of various economic entities—from multinational industries to individual agricultural enterprises—in adopting and advancing truly sustainable practices. Its design would aim to foster a dynamic, holistic, and adaptive economy, moving beyond superficial greenwashing to measure tangible environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.

By analyzing the consumption footprints of these essential resources, we can pinpoint critical industrial hubs, identify sector-specific intensities, and understand the real-world impact of economic processes. The resultant rich data, when transformed into cumulative knowledge, becomes an indispensable tool for tracking progress over time, forecasting future resource demands, and identifying areas ripe for innovation and intervention.

Furthermore, this sophisticated indexing system presents a powerful mechanism for implementing incentive-based practices. Imagine an organic farm, for instance, demonstrating exceptional performance on its Sustainability Index; it could be granted significant reductions or even exemptions on its energy costs, such as electricity or fuel oil. Such targeted incentives would directly reward exemplary resource conservation and sustainable innovation, thereby catalyzing widespread adoption of beneficial practices across all economic sectors.

Ultimately, the strategic deployment of these surrogate indices will empower us not only to comprehensively monitor and understand economic dynamics but also to formulate data-driven recommendations. This continuous feedback loop will foster adaptive striving, guiding our collective endeavors towards the realization of a truly regenerative and prosperous future for both humanity and the planet.

Sincerely,

Richard Thomas Simmons

It appears that environmental, safety, and health departments in corporations and government are a microcosm of what we need to do on our planet.   This would enable us to be aware of the problems we face on our planet, so we don’t get affected by them.   I did an internship at Lockheed Martin’s environmental, safety, and health department in the 1990s.  I spent time developing a website for Lockheed Martin’s armament systems division. Part of that effort was to put together an MSDS (material safety data sheet) for the website. This information kept people aware of safety considerations regarding chemicals and other aspects of working at the plant.  Industrial hygiene is also a part of environmental, safety, and health departments, which reminds me of natural earth’s striving.   They assess workplace and ecological hazards in advance, rather than just reacting to them later.  They also contribute to significant planning, which is a holistic, preventive approach rather than a reactive or reductionist one.  They also use science and their everyday jobs to assess risk and develop holistic, prescriptive advice.  They promote health and wellness, as well as ways to protect the community and the environment.   In addition, they are also involved in sustainability.   More roles that I found on Wikipedia include air emissions, energy, conservation, waste, water, quality, waste management, noise, contaminated land, occupational health, safety, physical hazards, chemical hazards, biological hazards, radiological hazards, personal protective equipment, communication and training, monitoring, and disease prevention.  Therefore, if we expand many of these roles to the macrocosm of the earth, we would be better off in society, especially when it involves being aware of potential hazards and conditions as a holistic preventive measure.

It’s often tempting to view Environmental, Safety, and Health (EHS) departments within corporations and governmental bodies as a peripheral cost, a necessary regulatory hurdle. However, I’ve long believed this perspective fundamentally misunderstands their profound significance. These teams are not merely cost centers; they are foundational architects of resilience, foresight, and sustainable progress. Their primary mandate is to meticulously identify, assess, and mitigate risks before they escalate, thereby safeguarding human well-being, ecological integrity, and operational continuity.

My own experience during an internship with Lockheed Martin’s EHS department in the 1990s provided an early and vivid demonstration of this proactive ethos. I dedicated considerable effort to developing a pioneering website for their armament systems division, a key component of which was the digitization and accessibility of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). This initiative was groundbreaking for its time, ensuring critical information regarding chemical handling and workplace hazards was readily available, fostering an informed and safer environment for all personnel.

This proactive philosophy is perhaps best exemplified by the field of industrial hygiene – a critical facet of EHS. Industrial hygienists are the vanguard, scrutinizing workplaces and broader environments for potential hazards, not merely reacting to incidents. Their work is steeped in scientific rigor, translating complex data into actionable, preventative strategies. They embody a holistic approach, prioritizing anticipation and careful planning over crisis management, aligning perfectly with nature’s own mechanisms for self-preservation and adaptation.

Beyond immediate workplace safety, the scope of EHS extends into every dimension of sustainability and community welfare. Their expertise encompasses critical areas such as managing air emissions, promoting energy conservation, optimizing waste management, ensuring water quality, mitigating noise pollution, rehabilitating contaminated land, and comprehensively addressing occupational health across physical, chemical, biological, and radiological hazards. They are instrumental in developing robust communication protocols, providing essential training, establishing monitoring systems, and implementing disease prevention programs. Fundamentally, EHS professionals serve as crucial stewards of both human health and environmental prosperity.

Consider the transformative impact if this meticulous, science-driven, and preventative EHS philosophy were to be scaled beyond corporate walls and governmental agencies, embracing the entirety of our planetary ‘macrocosm.’ Investing in and prioritizing these disciplines globally would empower us to anticipate and avert monumental environmental and societal challenges, fostering a future built on awareness, sustainability, and collective well-being. It is a commitment to proactive stewardship, ensuring a healthier and more secure world for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Richard Thomas Simmons

I have noticed a significant amount of Internet communications that involve asking for someone’s opinion, asking for money, and polling.   People ought to be compensated for the time and energy they invest in writing reviews, polls, voting, and whenever they share their data, information, and cumulative knowledge.   The feedback given to corporations helps them immensely, so one ought to be considered worthy of compensation for their efforts and energy.   The same is true when time is allocated to governments, nonprofits, law enforcement, and others.   Therefore, the people need to be compensated above all.

It has become increasingly evident that in our interconnected society, individuals are constantly contributing valuable insights, data, and time without adequate recognition or commensurate compensation. Across myriad platforms and initiatives, from meticulously crafted product reviews and active participation in public opinion polls to sharing personal data for market analysis or shaping public policy through citizen feedback, the collective effort expended by the people generates immense, quantifiable value and information gifts for corporations, governmental bodies, and non-profit organizations alike.

This uncompensated intellectual labor and data contribution form the bedrock of countless strategic decisions, product enhancements, service improvements, and policy formulations. When an individual dedicates their precious time and cognitive energy to provide feedback, participate in surveys, or contribute data, they are essentially performing a vital service that directly fuels the growth, innovation, and understanding of these entities. Their opinions, insights, and data are not passive contributions; they are active, invaluable inputs that translate directly into competitive advantages, more effective governance, and impactful social programs.

It is high time we acknowledge the tangible economic and social worth of these contributions. Just as professionals are compensated for their expertise and labor, so too should the people be recognized and rewarded for the invaluable insights and data they generously provide. This isn’t merely a matter of fairness; it’s about establishing a reciprocal (like a cycle) relationship where the value exchanged is acknowledged and respected on all sides.

Therefore, I firmly advocate for a fundamental shift in how we perceive and value public participation. Individuals, as essential contributors to the ecosystem of information and development, deserve equitable compensation for their time, data, and intellectual input, irrespective of whether their contributions benefit a multinational corporation, a government agency, or a charitable foundation. This change is not just ethical; it is a necessary evolution towards a more equitable and sustainable model of interaction between institutions and the individuals they serve.

Holistic prosperity is in context with everyone, everything, everywhere on earth, from local to global. Holistic prosperity means that we’re contributing to our natural environment, humanity, and so-called externalities.   Holistic prosperity can occur once we transition beyond the major problems of today, including all types of pollution.   Holistic prosperity also occurs when people allocate a tremendous amount of positive energy towards our desired future condition on earth.  If we live closer to nature in a natural earth striving way, we will not need to allocate nearly as much arduous effort.  Instead, we would replace significant arduous effort with living, learning, loving, navigation, exploring for the benefit of everyone, everything, everywhere on earth.  Imagine all the positive energy negative feedback loops that are possible when we are all holistically contributing towards the well-being of everyone, everything, everywhere on earth, from local to global.   

At the core of our shared future lies the profound concept of “Holistic Prosperity.” This isn’t a confined ideal or a mere economic indicator; it represents a universal framework for thriving that intimately interweaves every individual, every ecosystem, and every corner of our planet, from the most localized community to the broadest global landscape.

Holistic prosperity means actively contributing to the flourishing of our natural environment, fostering the advancement of all humanity, and mindfully integrating what are often termed ‘externalities’ – those unmeasured impacts – back into the very fabric of our existence. It demands a systemic approach where our actions consistently nurture, rather than exploit, the intricate web of life and creation.

Achieving this transformative state requires a collective evolution beyond the pervasive challenges that currently constrain our world. It necessitates a fundamental shift away from systemic issues such as all forms of pollution, unsustainable resource depletion, and societal fragmentation, towards regenerative and equitable practices. This is a paradigm shift, moving beyond old frameworks that generate scarcity and division.

Crucially, this journey towards Holistic Prosperity is fueled by the conscious and sustained channeling of our collective human energy. Imagine the immense potential unleashed when individuals and communities purposefully direct their creativity, innovation, and compassion towards crafting a desired future for Earth – one defined by vibrant health, profound interconnectedness, and boundless possibility for all.

A core tenet of this vision suggests that when we re-establish a harmonious relationship with nature, aligning our lifestyles and systems with its inherent wisdom, the ‘arduous effort’ often associated with modern life significantly diminishes. Instead of struggling against artificial constraints, we free ourselves to engage in intrinsically fulfilling activities: authentic living, continuous learning, unconditional loving, purposeful navigation, and ceaseless exploration of living. This isn’t about working harder; it’s about living more innovatively, more aligned, and more joyfully.

The profound beauty of Holistic Prosperity lies in its universal benefit. It is a state of thriving designed for everyone, for every living thing, in every place on Earth. Consider the exponential power of such a collective commitment: imagine the positive, self-reinforcing cycles – the ‘virtuous feedback loops’ – that would naturally emerge as we all contribute synergistically towards the well-being of the whole. From local initiatives inspiring global movements, to global awareness informing local action, this interconnectedness fosters an ever-expanding upward spiral of flourishing for all.  Consequently, prosperity comes from all of our investments, especially our time, including our holistic endeavors.

Richard Thomas Simmons