A proposal to make the economy compatible with life
If we want to live long, healthy, and secure lives, the economy must develop in a way that keeps the environment in perfect shape. This is possible.
The mechanism
Pilot’s Wage is a consumer-driven reimbursement system.
Every product has an ecological value:
it is the share of its production costs spent on fully ecological inputs (renewable, non-exhaustible, and recycled resources).
Consumers receive one third of that ecological value as a price reduction.
Example
You buy a shirt for €100. 50% of its production costs are fully ecological.
- Ecological value: €50
- Your reward: €15
- You pay: €85
Why this works
People respond to incentives.
If ecological products come with a price reduction, consumers choose those with the highest ecological value.
- Consumers buy the most ecological products
- Producers increase the ecological value of what they produce
As a result, economic activity develops within the limits of Nature.
Why it is affordable
Today, large amounts of capital are used to deal with environmental damage caused by our present ways of living. That capital is sufficient to fund the Pilot’s Wage, because maintaining systems in good condition costs less than repairing them.
The Pilot’s Wage is fully financeable with that capital.
For the younger generation
If you are young, you may wonder whether the future will be stable. The answer depends on how the economy develops.
The Pilot’s Wage provides a clear direction.
- Consumers demand products with the highest ecological value because they receive an immediate price reduction with every purchase
- Producers make their products more ecological
- Economic activity develops within the limits of Nature
This safeguards the integrity of Nature and supports a stable future.
Why it matters
An economy guided by the Pilot’s Wage:
- Keeps the environment in perfect shape
- Ensures that all production respects the limits of Nature
- Creates conditions where people can live in security and with sufficient well-being
When people live in security and share compatible levels of well-being, they live in peace.
What follows
When a simple and clear idea is understood, it becomes easy to express.
If enough people state clearly, “Pay the Pilot’s Wage,” the direction of the economy becomes evident.
Next step
This site explains the full concept:
The Pilot’s Wage: Towards the Ethical Market Economy
Closing
The solution exists.
It is simple.
It is clear.
It is effective.
The direction is known.
Pay the Pilot’s Wage.
Hoeilaart, April 26, 2026 Willem Adrianus de Bruijn