[joe_the_user]

What makes you think that what's cost effective (in terms of money, of course) for a given company involves optimally conserving resources?

The obvious counter-example is that polluting is very cost-effective in an unregulated environment there are others - such as this.

[quotemstr]

> What makes you think that what's cost effective...involves optimally conserving resources

The words "cost" and "effective "perhaps?

> Polluting

Pollution is an economic externality. If I buy a shift and throw it out unworn, I've wasted only my own resources. (I'm paying for the landfill of course.)

You could argue that my wasting that shirt hurt you because I could have instead spent those resources on productive activity that benefits you, and therefore I had a duty to keep it -- but that's just communism with extra steps.

[Atreiden]

Are you under the impression that the planet has effectively infinite carrying capacity and ability to support an "optimal market" indefinitely?

[mulmen]

What if I dump toxic industrial waste in the river upstream of your house? I pay for access to the river. Does that hurt you?