The Simpler Way: Editors’ Introduction
By Samuel Alexander, Jonathan Rutherford, Resilience.org
The Simpler Way is an ‘eco-anarchist’ vision of a world where self-governing communities live materially simple but sufficient lives, in harmony with ecological limits. Central themes discussed in the following pages include a radical critique of consumer capitalism; the need for fundamental system change; and a transition theory based on building a new society from the grassroots up.
A Stronger Dose of Medicine Needed to Cure Affluenza: Review
By Jonathan Rutherford, Resilience.org
In Curing Affluenza Australian economist, Richard Denniss puts forward proposals to tackle “that strange desire we feel to spend money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need to impress people we don’t know”. This disease of ‘affluenza,’ he argues, “is economically inefficient… the root cause of environmental destruction and… global inequality”...But in my view his diagnosis, as well as the proposed remedies, are far too mild to adequately deal with our societal ills.
What’s Really Driving the Global Economic Crisis is Net Energy Decline
By Jonathan Rutherford, Medium.com
The implications for the future of the global economy will not be pretty — but if we face up to it, the transition to more sustainable societies will be all the better for facing reality, rather than continuing with our heads in the sand.
How Do You Degrow an Economy, Without Causing Chaos?
By Jonathan Rutherford, Resilience.org
It is likely that the coming oil crunch and global financial contraction will aid our cause and encourage more people to see the sense in localism and de-growth – but, until then, activists must doggedly go on raising awareness wherever they can. Even if it does not feel like it, every conversation counts!
The CSIRO’s Case for ‘Green Growth’ is Flawed
By Samuel Alexander, Jonathan Rutherford, Josh Floyd, Online Opinion
In late 2015 the CSIRO released its Australian National Outlook (ANO) Report ('the Report') which outlined 20 future scenarios for Australia, exploring various global and national sustainability challenges...our new paper argues that even the Report's most ambitious "green growth" scenario is incompatible with long-term sustainability and global justice.