Before continuing my search to find out what people are doing as individuals to change their lives and what governments are doing to move towards a better future, I need to keep calm. Don't panic! In my task of trying to find 'simple' answers I'm struggling.
Academics and economists have long acknowledged the dilemma of physical growth within a finite and vulnerable planet. Many volumes have been written ... but politicians pursue growth because without it our world as we know it would collapse. Perhaps they dare not acknowledge the day by day evidence that growth is bringing environmental destruction and ecological disaster.
Every now and then my struggling through Tim Jackson's 'Prosperity Without Growth' brings me a flash of clarity which helps me to see the wood for the trees. After discussing the fact that technological improvements (sustainable energy, low-carbon vehicles, reusing materials, recycling and the rest) will never be enough to solve our problems he says:
'That doesn't mean transition is impossible. On the contrary, we've already seen how little effort has truly been dedicated towards achieving it. But it's also abundantly clear that we wont make much progress without confronting both the economic structure and the social logic that lock us into the 'iron cage' of consumerism'
In other words, I need to try to understand:
How we can all begin to see that we can prosper and flourish without all our material 'stuff' and
How we can move towards a different economic structure. Can that be made simple?!!!
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