Externalities?

Traditional economics assumes that the services rendered by ecosystems are "externalities" and places no value on them, or on their destruction. A more enlightened economics that takes account of the triple bottom line of environment, financial, and social equity is growing in acceptance.

As I've mentioned before on this blog I find George Monbiot to be especially perceptive on matters of the environment and as it turns our he is also well versed on matters relating to economics. Check it out:

This Stock Collapse Is Petty When Compared to the Nature Crunch

Thanks to Lamar Mitchell for the link.