Business leaders have been taken into the Green bosom in an effort to break down the walls between them. But as far as some business is concerned, it might as well be the Berlin Wall for all the east and west have in common.

Clearly there is some stereotyping going on. Many in business would tell you the Green idea of economics is a BarterCard and an honesty box at the end of the driveway beside the paper bags of organic fruit. And likewise, many Greenies would denounce capitalism as innate and insatiable greed fuelled by the Cambodian sweat shops churning out over-priced over-hyped labels. But if you put the suits and sandals aside, there are successful examples of the two worlds merging as one. And in the near future, whether they like it or not, there will need to be more collaboration between the two, so they might as well get to figuring it out now.

Increasingly environmental issues are creeping into the business world, rising fuel costs for example. The jury is still out on the peak oil date, but that too, is likely. So here, the corporates must not only look to decreasing consumption, but also to alternatives. This is where there is a strong argument for private investment in energy research.

Likewise for the Greens, competition from China means it is simply not good economic sense to turn your back on the world's fastest growing economy, no matter how valid the cause. Marry the two ideas, a trade agreement with a view to labour market standards, and you might be getting somewhere.

No one will ever give you a bad reason for something they want to do, which is why business on a whole has a great argument for the endless number crunching. It is also why the Greens have a great argument for energy efficiency and organics.

If you look at the state of the Western World and New Zealand's place in it, the answer lies in an increasingly explorative innovative economy that tackles the big issues like climate change, energy generation and fuel consumption. Business plus Greens equals a good balance. It will be interesting to see if opposites really do attract.

Katie Duncan

Political Reporter

Newstalk ZB