Welcome to the Era of Peak Everything

Although there's debate about whether we've in fact reached 'peak oil' levels, the term itself refers to the demand for the natural resource eventually outstripping the available supply. According to Tamminen, scientists and policy makers have identified a number of other precious natural resources that may soon be in short supply. Peak wood, peak water, and even peak fish, are driving global leaders and corporations to rethink their sourcing, extraction, and production strategies.

"These peak trends have motivated retailers like Walmart, Tesco, and Target to set standards for suppliers around sustainable sourcing, because executives I have spoken with are concerned their shelves will one day be empty or prices will exceed their customers’ budgets, which in turn impacts corporate bottom lines," says Tamminen.

"Make no mistake, peak anything is a warning signal that smart consumers will increasingly use to make more sustainable choices and to plan for a resource-constrained future. And that should peak the interest of any business person or politician."