ABSTRACT
The ‘Daly Triangle’, which relates natural wealth to ultimate human purpose through technology, economy, politics and ethics, provides a simple integrating framework. Sustainable development indicators could rise if, say, total electricity use goes down through more efficient technology that provides light or turns motors with less current. Across levels it means keeping the throughput needs of built capital appropriate to the sustainable yields and absorptive capacities of natural capital and keeping labour and management needs appropriate to the sustainable use of human capital. Relative to built capital, human capital probably delivers more well-being from less money, less built capital, and less material and energy throughput than any other investment. Somewhere within the concept of social capital, combined with clever technical design of built capital and loving development of human capital, is the capacity to meet material needs materially and non-material needs non-materially with great efficiency in the use of ultimate means.
