The HERM/HREM:

"The gamblin’ man is rich, and the working man is poor. I ain’t got no home in this world any more." -Woody Guthrie

We have a worldwide social system called Economics. It is now at a point where it is doing extreme harm to humanity and life on Earth. We can change this outcome by providing for our physical needs—food, shelter, and education—within the economic system. Physical Economics requires that human survival be measured in energy units. These energy units then become the starting point of value, or "0," because they can’t be manipulated. These energy units then become the starting point of value, or "0," of economic function. We call this the HREM, or Human Renewable Energy Measure.

The HREM represents our lifetime share of physical needs in energy units. Possibly, one hour a day or one day a week of work-life qualifies an individual for these basic needs. Then people can devote time to satisfying their wants in the free market or participating in non-money-making activities.

Calculations can be made that make possible the distribution of basic physical human needs worldwide. For example, Physicist Dr. David Borton, RPI, expresses human energy in his approximation that 5 human energy work hours = 2 megajoules, which can be converted into calories, BTUs, or other expressions of energy. Without the ability to measure the energy unit equivalents of human survival needs, we cannot defend human life. Presently, economics converts selected human work energy and natural resources into subjective profit units and takes no responsibility for the resulting damage. Life demands better.

An expanded definition of work more closely imitates the methods Nature uses to pursue equilibrium and make life possible, according to E.O. Wilson in his book, "The Diversity of Life," Nature uses diversity to promote equilibrium. Within economics, an expanded definition of work would serve a similar purpose by creating more choice.

Economist and physicist John Nash’s "Game Theory" recognizes a process that already occurs in economics and uses nature's motivator, survival. Each person has an ultimate threat to their lives or the lives of their family, which makes sure a bargain is struck. Because of the diminishing diversity caused by profit economics, we are seeking bargains in a limited pool of choices. Survivors have limited skills and are more vulnerable to change and catastrophe. This is similar to how monocropping makes food plants vulnerable to insects and disease.

We have arrived at a turning point. Economics impacts us all, and we are born into its structure that distorts and destroys through a bargaining process that holds our lives at stake. We need physical economics that draws value from and protects life by measuring and providing for human physical needs in energy units, not fluctuating currency values based only on profit.

Authors:

Jeff Beller, a 40+ year expert consultant on renewable energy for New York State Research and Development and the Federal Government, is co-founder and vice president of the non-profit Renew the Earth 501(c)(3) and founder of the internet broadcasting entity Bridges Programming, bridgesprogramming.org. The originator of the HREM concept (human renewable energy measure), thehrem.org

Susan Caumont, a renewable energy advocate and educator, is president of the 501(c)(3) Renew the Earth (renew-the-earth.org), a natural science illustrator for the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, and a graduate of RISD (the Rhode Island School of Design). Programmer, engineer, WRPI, Troy, co-founder, programmer, and commentator, Bridges Programming co-originator, and writer for the HREM concept. thehrem.org

Dr. David Borton, a physicist and retired professor at RPI, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is an expert in solar energy. Currently a builder of solar boats. Collaborator on the HREM concept.