Prince Charles spoke yesterday about the relationship about the economy and the environment, stating that unrestricted economic growth around the globe  could destroy the environment. In a BBC talk, the future king discussed how climate change and depletion of natural resources stemming from growth may wreck havoc on nature. Reuters reports.

Charles, next-in-line to succeed Queen Elizabeth, said a new economic model must be found because the Earth can no longer support the demands of a growing “consumerist society” where growth is an end in itself.

“Just as our banking sector is struggling with its debts… so Nature’s life-support systems are failing to cope with the debts we have built up there too…If we don’t face up to this, then Nature, the biggest bank of all, could go bust.”

Now, while it might seem slightly, I don’t know, ironic, for a British monarch to criticize unchecked economic growth and spending, Charles has always been a staunch advocate of environmental issues. As the article reminds us, “His own farm went organic in the 1980s, he publishes details of his estate’s annual carbon emissions and has developed a sustainable village in western England called Poundbury.” So, his call for a refocusing our economics doesn’t stem from some ivory tower completely disconnected from reality. And, let’s be honest. He’s probably not wrong, anyhow.

So, how do we slow economic growth, or at least realign it to be more environmentally friendly? I suppose that’s the billion-dollar question. Ummm…anyone got any ideas?