Green Social Thought

Produce less. Distribute it fairly. Create a greener world for all.

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Topic: Less of What We Don’t Need

  • Degrowth as a Concrete Utopia

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    by

    fitzdon

    The emergence of interest in degrowth can be traced back to the 1st International Degrowth Conference organized in Paris in 2008. At this conference, degrowth was defined as a “voluntary transition towards a just, participatory, and ecologically sustainable society,” so challenging the dogma of economic growth. Another five international conferences were organized between 2010 and…

  • The Reality

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    by

    fitzdon

    Over the past more than ten years I have wandered around almost every tiger sanctuary in India from Kaziranga and Manas in Assam to Idukki in Kerala. I lived in the middle of the Anamallais for seven years. In my childhood and youth in the 1960’s and 70’s, I spent every summer and winter holiday…

  • The Evolution of Greed – From Aristotle to Gordon Gekko

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    by

    fitzdon

    The comfort of rich people depends on an abundant supply of poor people. -Voltaire Greed is as old as time. As long as there are people, greed and avarice will continue to exist. In Ancient Greece they had a special word for it: 'pleonexia'. Pleonexia is a concept that unites greed, covetousness and avarice in…

  • Who is the we in ‘We are causing climate change’?

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    by

    fitzdon

    eople writing on climate change really like to use the word we. “We could have prevented global warming in the ’80s.” “We are emitting more carbon dioxide than ever.” “We need to ramp up solutions to the climate crisis.” That verbal tic was in full effect on Monday, after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its special report on…

  • Gathering degrowth in the American pluriverse

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    briant

    A summary report from the first DegrowUS gathering, September 28-30 2018 in Chicago.

  • Defending degrowth at ecomodernism’s home

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    by

    briant

    In June, the author was invited to speak at the eight annual Breakthrough Dialogue, an annual invite-only conference where accomplished thinkers debate how to achieve prosperity for humans and nature. The Breakthrough Institute, an ecomodernist think-tank, apparently welcomed his presence as a provocateur.

  • A Not-So-Nobel Prize for Growth Economists

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    fitzdon

    How ironic for the Washington Post to opine “Earth may have no tomorrow” and, two pages later, offer up the mini-bios of William Nordhaus and Paul Romer, described as Nobel Prize winners. Without more rigorous news coverage, few indeed will know that Nordhaus and Romer are epitomes of neoclassical economics, that 20th century occupation isolated…

  • Inside Geoengineers’ Risky Plan To Block Out the Sun

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    by

    rsburke

    Some scientists say it’s necessary to save the climate. An indigenous-led opposition says it will only save the fossil fuel economy.

  • California Apocalypse: Fire and Fury

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    by

    rsburke

    In today’s America, random mass murder has merged with ecological devastation.

  • How to save a scorched Earth

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    by

    squirrel

    To usher in a new way of living, the core dynamic of ever-greater production and consumption of goods and resources must be broken, coupled with a societal focus on environmental repair. Systemic interventions are needed that unleash dynamics to push society towards a new mode of living. Two increasingly discussed ideas may do just this.