ABSTRACT
The concepts of the steady state economy, sustainability, and ecological living are all based on the fact that the earth’s resources and ability to absorb waste are finite. The service economy includes leasing rather than purchasing automobiles, household appliances; travel; domestic services; and adult learning of various sorts. Ecological living is absolutely dependent on the ability to get more goods and services out of less extraction and pollution, that is, on decoupling. There are two problems with the idea that the service economy will lead to decoupling. First, many services are as energy- and material-intensive as the purchase of goods. Second, the service economy is an addition to agriculture and manufacturing, not a substitute for them. The classes and similar services add to the total energy and material consumption of a society. Their consumption per dollar may be lower than other sectors, so they may reduce the average consumption per dollar of the society slightly.
