If humanity wishes to continue to do business as usual, it must learn to adapt to the consequences of climate change and the decreased availability of renewable resources. Responding to rapid climate change will take the cooperation of the credentialed scientists who gather the evidence and the general public. It is in the best interest of human economy to preserve natural capital, which is essential to keeping the human economy afloat. The collapse of the biosphere threatens all component species, including humankind; consequently, nurturing the biosphere is a matter of self-interest.