Ten Commandements of the Energy Ethic for Survival of Man in Nature

 

 

1. Thou shall not waste potential energy.

2. Thou shall know what is right by its part in survival of thy system.

3. Thou shall do unto others as best benefits the energy flows of thy system.

4. Thou shall revel in thy systems work rejoicing in happiness that only finds thee in this good service.

5. Thou shall treasure the other life of thy natural system as thine own, for only together shall thee all survive.

6. Thou shall judge value by the energies spent, the energies stored, and the energy flow which is possible, turning not to the incomplete measure of money.

7. Thou shall not unnecessarily cultivate high power, for error, destruction, noise, and excess vigilence are its evil wastes.

3. Thou shall not take from man or nature without returning service of equal value, for only then are thee one.

9. Thou shall treasure thy heritage of information, and in the uniqueness of thy good works and complex roles will thy system reap that which is new and immortal in thee.

10. Thou must find in thy religion, stability over growth, organization over competition, diversity over uniformity, system over self, and survival process over individual peace.

 

Howard T. Odum: „Environment, Power, and Society“, 1971, 244.