Every day, all over the world, billions of people play their part in humanity's global growth economy. Money is the god, material wealth the principal virtue, and market economics the ruler of our times. But this economics of consumption is full of hidden costs. It is drawing us ever deeper into social, ecological, and economic crisis. We are trading the health of the Earth and our communities for freeways and the free market. This pioneering work in green economics shows us a way out of this destructive obsession with economic growth. It explores a new concept of wealth and wealth creation; it describes a new economics synthesis between the market, state, families, and communities; it sets out what governments and people can do to build a sustainable society - to create prosperity and a fairer world in a healthy environment. Paul Ekins is one of the foremost thinkers in a new field, working to bring economics into line with the realities of our time and show people how economics affects all our lives. Mayer Hillman and Robert Hutchison contribute their specialist knowledge of social policy issues.