The Treadmill of Production

The "treadmill of production" is a concept that rings alarmingly true when examining the sociological implications of environmentalism. The idea is easy to identify in a capitalist society which thrives on the constant flow of money and goods, but while the eroding effect it has on the environment is clear, I believe it holds implications not specifically covered in the theory-ones of clear societal and economic consequence. These implications are directly related to the theory of ecological modernization and the opening it has created for highly effective corporate green-washing. As the previous 'coal industry' example illustrates, many of the most effective methods for environmental preservation come at the expense of a significant portion of the labor force.

While it is true that efforts to find environment-friendly alternatives to destructive practices also carry a new labor demand, much of that "new" demand is more aptly defined as "replacement" demand. Moreover, the type of workers sought after by "new energy" developers or telecommunications companies are not of the same skill set as those who once mined coal, transported goods, or cut lumber to produce paper. In many ways, ecological modernization is not so much a method of slowing the treadmill of production, but rather a means of redistribution toward middle-class, college-educated job seekers.

Furthermore, many of the "new" career fields created through ecological modernization efforts risk carrying the same limited life expectancies of the ones they've been charged with replacing. In an already hemorrhaging job market, a large portion of new positions are within the research and development spectrum. While the pursuit of more economically-efficient methods of production will always make sense within the bounds of a capitalist system, the same cannot be said for environmental research. As researchers in these new fields begin to make headway in terms of reducing companies' ecological footprints, they will necessarily push themselves closer and closer to irrelevance.

The silver lining, however, is that the dangers discussed here have not yet manifested themselves. Though the inherent qualities of modernity pose a difficult challenge, the push for true ecological modernization should not be abandoned. In order to be compatible with capitalist and industrial society, it must not label the treadmill of production as the source of environmental erosion and unfair distribution, but rather consider it the "big picture" challenge for society. As we work to replace the destructive practices of the companies that drive capitalism, we are slowly improving upon the key pieces of a once-unsustainable system. At the same time, we must learn to foresee the potential consequences of our actions more effectively than the generations before us. The treadmill of production is simply an outdated mechanism-something that cannot be eliminated, but rather must be replaced by a newer, cleaner, more conscientious model.