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C. Factors that Affect Options <br />There are important factors that must also be acknowledged, which limit our capability to <br />achieve our desired ends, or limit our capacity to grow while maintaining quality of life. <br />♦ Carrying Capacity <br />Carrying capacity is the limit of the natural environment to accommodate growth. All <br />resources: land, water, air, energy are finite in nature. Nature (of which humans are a part) <br />can only stand so much pollution, and only so much harvesting of resources. When pushed <br />beyond these limits the ecological integrity of an ecosystem fails. <br />♦ Individual Capacity <br />This refers to the limits of people's individual resources of time and energy for participation. <br />♦ Cost of Government Services <br />Community priorities and tax funds available determine provision of government services, <br />including human services. <br />♦ Lack of Information and Access to Information <br />Lack of information and easy access to information limits government's ability to make <br />informed decisions and policies. Information is gathered and re- gathered since there is no <br />centralized database that organizes all existing data. <br />♦ Multi - national, Global, Corporate Economy <br />Living in the shadow of the multi - national, corporate, consumerist world means confronting <br />powerful economic forces when the changes we desire conflict with their goals and <br />assumptions. <br />0 <br />