Put the “Eco” is an Economic Development Tool: Regional Eco-Economic Assessment David Jaber Natural Logic May 9, 2007

“Regional Eco-Economic Assessment” Towards an Integral Economy Goals Identify business sectors to develop given environmental and community quality-of-life needs Identify business sectors to investigate for efficiency and waste reduction opportunities Identify “gaps” in the regional “ecosystem” of businesses where new revenue streams and sectors can be created by turning byproduct wastes into a resource.

Investigation for a city, county, or multi-county region Create a baseline of environmental impacts and economic contribution, by industry sector ID –The industries that give the largest contributions per amount of impact –The industries to investigate for environmental improvement Evaluate productivity (econ benefits per amount of environmental “non-product”) Evaluate the contribution of “nature’s services” Potential matches of non-products with resource needs Project Outline

Products: Value-added, job creation Non-Products: Solid waste, hazardous wastes, wastewater Energy: Electricity and natural gas use Materials: Water, supplies Nature’s Services: land area, rainfall, sunlight Aspects for Investigation

Framework TNS Conditions –Material from the earth’s crust must not accumulate in the earth’s living systems –Man-made substances must not accumulate –Maintain health, diversity, and abundance -- pre- industrial -- of the earth’s living systems –Equity for all in sustaining and enriching life

Permaculture Ethical Principles Care for the earth (husband soil, forests and water) Care for people (look after self, kin and community) Fair share (set limits to consumption and reproduction, and redistribute surplus) Ethics Source: Holmgren, David. “Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability”

Framework (continued) Permaculture Design Principles 1. Observe & Interact 2. Catch & Store Energy 3. Obtain a Yield 4. Apply Self-regulation & Accept Feedback 5. Use & Value Renewable Resources and Services 6. Produce No Waste 7. Design From Patterns to Details 8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate 9. Use Small and Slow Solutions 10. Use and Value Diversity 11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal 12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change

First Step: Identify Area Industries Commerce lists by region IMPLAN

Second Step: Define Indicators and Gather Data Economic –Value-Added Environmental –Toxics (TRI) –Energy Use (DOE) –Solid Waste (state/local) –Water (state/local, USGS)

Third Step: Calculate “Nature’s Services” Solar Potential Rainfall Land Usage

Fourth Step: Analyze Results Compare –Economic contribution to environmental impact –Resource use to nature’s services

Fourth Step: Analyze Results Compare cross-industry outputs to cross-industry inputs

Aspirations Expand nature’s services –Open space as flood control, groundwater regeneration, air cleansing –Biodiversity Social Indicators –% of Living Wage –Human Rights ratings –Employee injuries/lost work-days Make results web-based

Streamlining the Process

Web-based tools Quick access to data Easily review resource productivity trends, key ratios, key comparisons

Natural Logic Strategy and Planning Strategic sustainability assessments Sustainable economic development Workshops and webinars Metrics and Reporting Measures that Matter workshops Indicators development Business Metabolics™ KPI management system Sustainability reporting David Jaber