permaculture

[Kevin Snorf <fronsk@cats.ucsc.edu>]

Asmittedly, I didn't follow the industrialism thread well. I was highly
captivated by the question though and have been thinking about it alot.
Anyway, I read this today and wanted to share it with the list....

"In some countries, the very nature of a "product" is challenged. The
Swiss and Germans are pioneering "product-life extension" industrial
policies, in which the use of a product is sold, rather than the product
itself. A company gets its profits from continuing stewardship of the
things they make and through service to the user. Agfa-Gevaert has
adopted this approach with its copiers; the German auto makers are
moving in this direction. The products are designed to last, to be
maintained, improved, and disassembled for reuse rather than bought and
dumped. Business itself can then de-materialize into more and more
service functions, giving further hope that "industry" and "ecology"
might co-exist after all."

> See http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC41/PinchotE.htm for original article. 
> Context is a great site!

Hope that's helpful. I liked the idea. 
- Kevin Snorf