Humanity’s biggest challenge is sustainability. How does our avaricious species live within the natural constraints of the planet? Certain global trends suggest we may inadvertently be answering that question. Superficially appearing to be matters for concern, these trends may to the contrary be setting us on a path to sustainability.
Continue readingTag: growth
Views from the Beltline: Population decline is a boon, not a bust
Great concern is being expressed about declining populations. Most recently we have read that even China, the most populous nation on Earth, now experiences a declining population, joining Japan, South Korea, Russia, Italy and others. More countries would be in their company if it wasn’t for immigration, including Canada. Our
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Canmore rejects growth—a note of encouragement
Canmore is no Banff, but it is a charming and popular mountain town in its own right. Just outside of the famous park and just over an hour from Calgary, Canmore is less touristy, and far less commercialized than its internationally famous neighbour fifteen minutes to the west. Homier than
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: The Baby Boosters
According to the Worldometer (the world population clock), at 12:22 p.m. today the planet’s population of Homo sapiens was 7,769,974,138 with a net gain (births over deaths) of 114,862 so far this morning. You might think this was more than enough of us, given that we are multiplying on the
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Have We Lost the Ability to Govern Ourselves?
It was October, 1980, and US elections were just a few days away. Ronald Reagan took to the airwaves and asked Americans “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” Reagan was talking about how voters were doing materially. Were they able to get a job? Could they
Continue readingThings Are Good: Planning for a Zero-Growth Economy
The economy is sometimes referred to as an entity outside of human control – it isn’t. We control the economy through policies and practices in each nation. The last half century focussed on growing the economy at the expense of all else from social care to the environment. We’ve seen
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: THE MAKING OF A CAREGIVER
In this recipe, the essence of the caregiver is kept aside, similar to the starter in sour dough bread. This ‘starter’ will be needed to make and re-make the caregiver into different shapes and sizes as needs for her or him arise. Recipe for Making A Caregiver Start with a
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Another Sign? I Sure Hope Not.
Something has changed over the past two years. My home is bordered along the back by a row of large cedar trees. When I moved here some 15 years ago one of the delights I discovered was being awakened in the mornings by the chirps and songs of a seemingly
Continue readingScripturient: Taking credit for the work of others
A short while ago, I received an unsolicited email from the interim (and soon to be departing) CAO, John Brown, with the subject, “Ideas. Observations. Musings . Opinions . Facts ?” (yes, written just like that…). Although he says he never reads my blog, it inspired me to write this post.
Continue readingEscaping the growth trap
The recent meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Washington resulted in the usual conversation about economic growth—the need for more of it. That we are exhausting our planet’s resources faster than it can replenish them, that we are sucking it dry, did not apparently make
Continue readingEscaping the growth trap
The recent meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Washington resulted in the usual conversation about economic growth—the need for more of it. That we are exhausting our planet’s resources faster than it can replenish th…
Continue readingEscaping the growth trap
The recent meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Washington resulted in the usual conversation about economic growth—the need for more of it. That we are exhausting our planet’s resources faster than it can replenish th…
Continue readingMichal Rozworski: Beltway Bullshit, my interview with JW Mason on Bernie’s economics
My interview with JW Mason on how wonk critics of Sanders’ economic ideas reinforce low expectations was transcribed for Jacobin under the great title, “Beltway Bullshit.” Michal Rozworski: There’s been a big debate recently around Bernie Sanders’s economic ideas. It was precipitated by Gerald Friedman’s claim that Sanders’s plans would lead to 5 percent nominal economic growth over a […]
Continue readingMister Trudeau and the impossible dream
Oh, if only the economy could grow forever. We could buy more stuff tomorrow and more the day after tomorrow, and in their time our children could buy even more, and our grandchildren yet more again. There would be no limits.
This is the future our le…
Continue readingMister Trudeau and the impossible dream
Oh, if only the economy could grow forever. We could buy more stuff tomorrow and more the day after tomorrow, and in their time our children could buy even more, and our grandchildren yet more again. There would be no limits. This is the future our leaders envision, the future
Continue readingMister Trudeau and the impossible dream
Oh, if only the economy could grow forever. We could buy more stuff tomorrow and more the day after tomorrow, and in their time our children could buy even more, and our grandchildren yet more again. There would be no limits.
This is the future our le…
Continue readingMichal Rozworski: Podcast: The return of the modernist left
In the past few years, what has been loosely called the modernist left has seen some revival. Whether coming out of the ultimate failures of the Occupy movement, dissatisfaction with moralistic lifestyle politics or an attempt to analyze the current conundrum of moribound but hegemonic capitalism, some have returned to the idea of the […]
Continue readingMichal Rozworski: Podcast: The return of the modernist left
In the past few years, what has been loosely called the modernist left has seen some revival. Whether coming out of the ultimate failures of the Occupy movement, dissatisfaction with moralistic lifestyle politics or an attempt to analyze the current conundrum of moribound but hegemonic capitalism, some have returned to the idea of the […]
Continue readingThings Are Good: Community-Owned Green Businesses Seeing Great Growth
Community-Owned sustainable energy companies aren’t new, but they are successful! One of the reasons Germany’s push to a sustainable energy grid has worked is that local community own and operate solar farms, wind farm, and so on. Now that citizen-empowering model is According to a new report from the United
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Connecting the Dots on Climate Change
One of the biggest failures in climate change reporting is the tendency to focus on particular aspects without considering the bigger picture. What does sea level rise have to do with droughts or floods? What is the role of changing ocean circulation patterns? How do these impacts all factor into
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