Global economic growth carries with it many threats to the thin, fragile biosphere in which human life exists. As such threats are recognized, societies adopt regulations to control the danger. However, regulation that only commands is inadequate to the ultimate task, which is the creation of industrial activity that harmonizes with natural cycles.

In this chapter we explained interim progress that is making regulation more flexible and focused on the greatest risks to human health. Then we enumerated forces in the business environment that create incentives in industry to operate more sustainably. These forces have led to the adoption of more eco-efficient management styles. The trend is clearly toward less-polluting, less-resource-intensive economic activity. The reality, however, is that while leading corporations are more environmentally proactive, sustainability is as yet a remote ideal.