‘Til Sustainability Do You Part: Arranging a Marriage Between Degrowth and the Circular Economy
By Erik Assadourian, John Mulrow, Resilience.org
But advocates of the circular economy rarely grapple with a central truth: the circular economy depends on a significant and sustained period of economic degrowth. Instead they tend to focus on innovations that deliver efficiencies and unlock new economic opportunities.
Primitive Skills, Primeval Connections
By Erik Assadourian, Future Perfect
Learning primitive skills offers an opportunity for people to reconnect to the environment and to gain a deeper understanding of sustainable living. The U.S.-based MAPS Meet provides a forum to learn these skills.
Having your Bit of Cake and Eating it Too?
By Erik Assadourian, Worldwatch Institute
Downsizing, the film by Alexander Payne, which follows Paul Safranek (Matt Damon) as he decides to shrink himself to 5 inches tall and moves to the downsized colony of Leisureland, had great promise as a conversation starter about sustainability, and in some ways it succeeded, but in many ways it reinforced the same myths society regularly perpetuates.
Why we must talk about population
By Erik Assadourian, Resilience
Focusing on some of the tactics of stabilizing population growth without offering an understanding of the urgency of the crisis we face undermines overall population efforts.
Puerto Rico: A Potential Experiment in Degrowth?
By Erik Assadourian, Resilience.org
I’m sure that some will criticize the insensitivity of the timing of this essay. How can you talk about Puerto Rico, climate change, and degrowth at this tragic time? But what time is better than now? There are only going to be more disasters and more tragic times ahead. And if after each one we spend billions on rebuilding costly infrastructure, the resulting carbon emissions are going to contribute to disasters elsewhere in the future.
Final Notice
By Erik Assadourian, Resilience.org
A Final Notice from the Earth to the residents of Washington, DC: "Do whatever is needed to become a carbon-neutral species as quickly as possible, or you can kiss your city, and your whole civilization, goodbye."
School Days in 2040: Beatriz’ Day at the Freire School of Activism
By Erik Assadourian, Worldwatch Institute
At this school students are activists first, students second. They’re learning by doing and, in the process, bringing about positive social change in their city, their country, and their world.
Capital Questions
By Erik Assadourian, Future Perfect
The University of the District of Columbia is leading the charge in transforming the food system in a city challenged with high levels of poverty, obesity, and population growth.