The paper examines how some economists have critiqued mainstream economic thinking about the environment. It traces the development of these alternative ideas in the late 20th century. There's a split between those who stick to traditional economics and those exploring more radical concepts in ecological economics. Ecological economists believe in blending various economic approaches and bringing ethics into the discussion, similar to old-school political economy. They argue against the idea that ecological economics is just a blend of mainstream economics and ecology. Essentially, they're pushing for a new way of thinking about how society, economy, and the environment interact.