Strong, attractive and difficult to get, money is the world's most valuable paper. One cannot even begin to argue this. It is a resource that stands at the center of progress - and at times destruction. Most refer money as being the root of all evil. Inversely, I believe that it can also stand at the front as being a tool that aids the progress of good deeds.

Similarly, sustainability of the environment often favors countries that show signs of economic growth. Research has shown that developing countries, like most in my African region, are at a greater disadvantage when it comes to ensuring environmentally sustainable societies.

A poor society does not have the means to improve its environmental standards but also makes things difficult because they rely extensively on nature?s resources.  Something I have noticed, for example in Zimbabwe, is that people are too busy trying to put food on the table for today than creating sustainability for the future. So in most third world countries environmental issues are the last things they worry about. Money stands at the center of these worries. Let us briefly examine how economic growth improves the way in which we use our minerals.

Developed countries are more technologically advanced than developing ones. And if digital media is replacing physical media, it greatly reduces the reliance on our natural resources. For example online newspapers, games on mobile phones, eBooks, e-mails and online videos rely very little on physical goods. Dematerialization results in the material entering a country falling, and eventually we should expect to see declining volumes of waste leaving.

Also in developing countries there is higher demand by consumers for buildings and machines. In most African societies the sign of great wealth is shown by the size of land, number of cars and number of children they have. Inversely countries like UK spend their money on experience rather than buying new goods.

In the light of the above, although we have a moral obligation to insure future generations are not disadvantaged, we also need to consider that there are those in the present that are disadvantaged and require different environmental policies that will not overwhelm their economies. For example we can reinvent recycling as not only as an environmental solution but also a business opportunity - especially for those in developing counties.

Lesedi Evans Shumba