Although
she started out as an environmentally-concerned housewife who learned economic
theory on her own to better argue her cause, Hazel Henderson's revolutionary economic
ideas have successfully challenged traditional economic views, convincing governments
to adopt more sustainable environmental and people-friendly economic policies.
Today,
Dr. Henderson is a world-renowned futurist, evolutionary economist, environmentalist,
and television producer with 8 published books and a globally syndicated newspaper
column, with editorials appearing in more than 400 newspapers in 27 languages.
Hazel
Henderson's work centers around the idea that traditional economic theory is not
really a neutral science but is actually politically motivated. A true measure
of a nation's progress cannot be based simply on bottom-line numbers like the
GNP, prime rate and the number of unemployed. The value of factors like health,
safe, clean communities, volunteerism and protected natural resources must be
added to the equation. In addition the hidden costs of environmental destruction,
stress on workers, and the violence and tension in communities caused by the current
profit-only driven economic model must be taken into account.
Hazel
Henderson has actively promoted ethical investing as a way to transform the current
economic system, co-founded via3.net a British online alternative sustainable
commerce portal and has developed an index which more accurately measures the
quality of life than traditional economic indicators.
