Monbiot on a "World Turned Upside Down"

Indeed...He looks at the strange phenomena of businesses begging the government to intervene and put stiffer environmental regulations in place--and of governments refucing to do it.

These corporations recognize that the human life on earth ending because of environmental devastation is really bad for business, but also know that, without some form of regulation, it will be hard to break out of that short term mindset that has been championed even more vehemently over the past two decades. The decadence of this market driven logic is beginning to show, but it isn't something the market itself has any mechanism to control. To say that it is up to consumers is ridiculous because it would take some form of earth shaking devastation (other than two consecutive hurricanes over the heated gulf) to make people willing to dish out the extra dough for greener products--and even that is assuming the market has provided these choices. Until the government intervenes and puts some sort of luxery tax on environmentally decadent practices and products, there won't be any change. It sounds like some companies recognize this and it is now that people could finally wake up and remember that, not only are we consumers, but also citizens. It would be a fairly nostalgic idea at this point, but it just might work. We've already sought protection for rock star nipples and men kissing, perhaps we could flex that muscle for something more important--like say, the future of the planet. I suppose time will tell...yes time...we'll just wait until someone decides to do something...until the time is right...yup...just until then...