We can't have the humanists talking just to humanists and the scientists talking just to scientists. Most of all we need to develop a dual capitalism that gives equal value to human-made and natural resources. For half a century, Odum has championed a switch in the way we think about nature, from being her conqueror to becoming her partner. Such a partnership requires new concepts of value in our natural resources, he said. It also may be essential to sustaining the world's burgeoning human population growth with clean air, potable water and wholesome food.
Ecology is a great interface subject.
Our present economics are based on a market system, involving only things we make to the exclusion of the goods and services of nature. We don't buy and sell air. We pay a little for water but we don't pay for nature's work of producing and cleaning the water. So the result is non-market goods and services aren't valued. They are taken for granted.