Task 5 - Sustainability and Capitalism

Read the text- Balser, E (2008) 'Capital Accumulation, Sustainability & Hamilton Ontario'

Write a 500 word critical summary of the text which explicitly adresses the following questions

1. How is sustainability defined in the text?
2. What are the main characteristics or tendencies of Capitalism
3. Define a 'crisis of Capitalism'. Offer an example.
4. What solutions have been offered to the sustainability question? Are these successful or realistic? - If not why are they flawed?
5. Is the concept of sustainability compatible with Capitalism?


Donella Meadows often defines sustainability as ‘inter and intra generational equity in the social, environmental, economic, moral and political spheres of society'. The text defines sustainability as ideological. 'Sustainability is a communal concept', it needs everyone to buy into it and to be thinking about it. Although in the text is also says that the responsibility is often being left to the individual and technology. 'The attempt to engage in sustainable lifestyles and make environmentally conscious decisions has largely fallen to the individual and through technology'

Capitalism interferes with attaining sustainability, the thirst for money and profit within a market. It is constantly looking for new things to commodity. 'Capitalism is constantly expanding' causing crisis. Capitalist views run alongside sustainability potentially harming communities. An example of this is the BIOX plant being built on a poor communities green space in the North End of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Hamilton has one of the highest incidents of low income per household. 'The environment crisis is no different, it exists at a threshold in which constant new technologies, policies or ideas push it past these limitations, and deferring the apocalypse for yet another day'.

Capitalism thrives from making a profit. The reason the plant was set up in Hamilton was because it was a cheap place to be and the communities were poor so couldn’t reject the idea. It was built on the only green space there but the tremors from the plant damaged people’s homes. There were also violations of resident’s health and safety due to sulphuric acid and flammable chemicals. However these were not the only problems, there was constant noise and air pollution. These problems were not thought to be a sacrifice therefore the whole point in the plant being sustainable contradicts itself and becomes more about cost efficiency therefore disregarding the original aims. 'Instead of ending this cycle, it has only perpetuated it'.

The idea of using bio- diesel as a sustainability solution is because it is an 'alternative 'clean' fuel that is becoming an increasing popular alternative to regular diesel fuel and because the use of recycling helps to reduce waste production.' This idea started off a small business, and is now a very large business which becomes capitalist itself. 'What began as a small time, agricultural project, which hoped to maximize the efficiency of agricultural practices, has become a huge environmental business'

For bio diesel to be effective it has to be used by a lot of people therefore more plants had to be built. Unmistakably, it turns out the largest producer of bio diesel is in the North End Hamilton, BIOX. 'While the BIOX plant represents the ecological integrity and economical prosperity that is deemed so important for sustainability, it is certainly at the sacrifice of social equality'

Capitalism has now returned, so it seems it is a never ending cycle and the concept of sustainability is not compatible with private enterprise. 'The situation in the North End is not, the intention of promoting sustainable practices and technologies. Somewhat, it became a central and compulsory victim to make sure that bio-diesel production was capable and the product was affordable.