We already have made enough mistakes to know that we have to do things differently. But in order for us in business to change the way we do things, we must get signals from government and financial institutions that will promote sustainability instead of discouraging it. Many of the economic signals we now receive are counterproductive. Our countries fiscal institutions tax what is good for people, such as salaries, savings and wealth creation. Then, they turn around and use that same income to subsidize such things as fuel consumption, water use, pesticide use, and garbage disposal, in this way encouraging overconsumption, pollution, and misuse of resources.
Governments provide large subsidies to citizens of large cities.
A striking example is Mexico City, where clean water is pumped more than 1,000 meters in elevation, provided to people almost free of charge, and then discarded without treatment. Public transportation is also subsidized, and education is not financed by the local government, as it is in the rest of the country. The Autonomous University of Mexico, which has some of the lowest academic standards in the country and the highest cost per student, is also the only Mexican university where even the wealthiest students pay tuition of two cents per semester. Our societies must develop a new set of economic incentives that will lead us to ecoefficiency. For the business community, eco refers both to economics, as in increased profitability, productivity, and competitiveness, and also to ecology, or less impact on the environment.