After all, sustainability means running the global environment - Earth Inc. - like a corporation: with depreciation, amortization and maintenance accounts. In other words, keeping the asset whole, rather than undermining your natural capital.

The quote, "After all, sustainability means running the global environment - Earth Inc. - like a corporation: with depreciation, amortization and maintenance accounts. In other words, keeping the asset whole, rather than undermining your natural capital," by Maurice Strong, uses a corporate analogy to explain the concept of sustainability. Strong, a Canadian environmentalist and businessman, compares the environment to a corporation, suggesting that just as businesses manage their assets and liabilities, so too must humanity manage the planet’s natural resources. The idea is to maintain the integrity of the earth for future generations, ensuring that natural resources are not depleted or damaged beyond repair.

The mention of depreciation, amortization, and maintenance accounts is a direct reference to how companies manage their assets. Depreciation accounts for the reduction in value of assets over time, while amortization spreads out the cost of an asset. Maintenance ensures that assets remain in working order. Strong applies these principles to the environment, urging that we must protect and sustain natural resources in a way that prevents their depletion or degradation. Instead of exploiting the Earth’s natural capital, we must focus on sustaining and maintaining it for long-term use.

Strong's quote reflects his broader philosophy of environmental stewardship. He advocates for a model of sustainable development where we view the Earth not as a resource to be extracted endlessly but as a valuable asset that needs to be managed responsibly. The idea is to balance economic growth with environmental health, ensuring that the planet can continue to provide for future generations without being undermined by short-term exploitation.

Ultimately, this quote calls for a shift in how we perceive and treat the natural world. Just as corporations take care of their assets to ensure profitability, we must treat the Earth as an asset to be carefully managed and preserved. By viewing the planet as a form of capital that requires attention and maintenance, Strong encourages a more holistic and sustainable approach to development and resource management.