What if growth is not the solution?

I was just revising a presentation for one of my classes on the topic of economic growth, in the presentation I present a few alternative approaches to assessing "success" on the national and international level. Proponents of steady state economics and the degrowth movements suggest that in "(over)developed" economies there is no longer a strong correlation between  economic growth and the well-being of that society. Much like choice and wealth - going from having nothing to something is certainly a good thing, but the relationship is not always a linear one. In biology, growth is good to a certain point, and then it's not a good thing... people are starting to understand that the same is likely true with economic growth.

That being said, I pulled up all references to economic growth  in the recent US Presidential and Vice-Presidential debates, as I believe it drives home the point just how deeply ingrained the idea of growth as THE path to wellness is in North America - and how challenging it will be to challenge this underlying assumption at the policy level.

 

Wn Wn: an eco-feedback tool for the office

Here is a rough video on my final project, which was part of the Concordia University Year end Design Exhibition.

International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas
WHERE: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
WHEN: May 13-19, 2012
SPEAKERS INCLUDE: David Suzuki, William Rees, Mary Evelyn-Tucker, John Fullerton, Alain Gras, Joan Martinez-Alier, Serge Mongeau, Elizabeth Peredo Beltrán, Juliet Schor, Peter Victor, François Schneider

WANT SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE?
MONTREAL CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES TO GROWTH

Sustaining our future means rethinking the relationship of economic growth to human well-being and environmental integrity.  The International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas meets this May in Montreal to explore the possibilities of a post-growth world.

From May 13-19, 2012, Montreal will host academics, activists, artists, environmentalists and indigenous peoples for the International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas.  A fixation on economic growth is at the root of our environmental issues and social inequalities. Degrowth challenges traditional economic paradigms that fail to account for environmental and social costs and are obsessively driven by GDP and other flawed measures of well-being. Degrowth aims to achieve human happiness and well-being with less material consumption.  Family, music, art, culture, community, and meaningful employment are some values that drive more qualitative increases in well-being.

These issues are a priority for many people around the world, as demonstrated most recently by the Occupy Movement.  A new way forward that increases both environmental and social justice is essential.

Building on degrowth conferences in Paris in 2008 and Barcelona in 2010, the conference will place the décroissance movement that began in Europe in the context of the Americas.  The Conference will be hosted jointly by Concordia University, HEC, Université de Montréal, McGill University, and UQAM. Registration is now open at http://montreal.degrowth.org

For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact Bob Thomson at montreal(at)degrowth.net

McGill's Material Analysis Tool

Here's a project I've been working on with the Design Department of University Services of McGill University. 

"The Materials Analysis Tool (MAT) is a free online ranking system that distills manufacturer information to assist you in the selection of building products that are more cost effective, healthy and environmentally responsible.

MAT was developed at McGill University as a short cut through the mountains of information provided by manufacturers to designers about their products. MAT isn’t a certification for products, but is rather a database of manufacturer information seen through the lens of sustainability and a way for McGill University staff and contractors to choose products that best reflect the values of the University."

Currently manufacturers are adding their products to the database, and we are hoping that in the next few months the project will become fully functional and used by University Services of McGill University as well as the other institutions in the Montreal area.

You can visit the website and check it out for yourself here: http://www.materialanalysis.ca/

International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas

Next May, Montreal universities will host the first International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas. This conference presents an opportunity for students and the general public to interact with scholars, artists and professionals interested in reshaping society into one that is more just and sustainable.

"Twenty years after the Earth Summit in Rio, the linkage of sustainable development to economic growth requires profound rethinking. It has not offered a convincing solution to one of the most dramatic crises in history: how to avert ecological collapse while enhancing social justice and improving life’s prospects. In advance of Rio plus 20, our Conference seeks to challenge and move beyond the sustainable development agenda. A degrowth perspective will help us visualize and build towards a truly prosperous world." Read more...

There is an open call for proposals with the intent to "build a degrowth movement in the Americas with rigorous examination of issues, involving academia and social movements, arts and sciences, thought and living experiences. For this purpose it will be a "slow" one-week long conference to experience degrowth." Read more...

The Clinton Global Initiative for Universities

Again from a recent email I received, this may be of interest to some folks out there: 


"The Clinton Global Initiative for Universities is an initiative created by ex-President Clinton to engage the youth of the world to commit to social justice and concrete action that could help people in their community, and in their world.

The main activity of the Clinton Global Initiative for Universities is to raise awareness about the CGI U general meeting. In 2011, the meeting assembled thousands of student leaders, dignitaries, and national youth organizations together to discuss issues of global importance. The speakers included Mandy Moore, Sean Penn, and Bill Clinton himself.

Students can apply to this meeting by committing themselves to solving a social issue. This can be in conjunction with efforts that they are already putting in to solving either problems at the local, national, or international level. CGI U aims to foster these commitments, and then help support them with any resources available at our disposal.

While applications and commitments are on hold for CGI U 2012 as the final meeting date and place are being set, interested applicants can apply for the campus representative team at http://www.cgiu.org/about/campus_representatives.asp."

Materials Analysis Tool Animation

I've been keeping busy working on a project with McGill's University Services to develop a tool to help their designers and consultants make more sustainable building and maintenance product choices. The tool is called MAT, short for Materials Analysis Tool.

We are just in the testing stages right now and are hoping to launch mid-to-late September. In the meantime, I'm working on a short promotional video to for McGill's Sustainability Projects Fund, the organization that funded the project.

Here is a little teaser - this short animation introduces the criteria that are used in the framework of analysis for  MAT.

Business Beyond Tomorrow Conference

Later this week (March 11th-12th) three of Montreal’s business schools, John Molson School of Business, Desautels Faculty of Management and HEC Montreal, will be hosting “Business Beyond Tomorrow”,  a sustainability conference for business leaders, professors, and students to share ideas on how the corporate world can develop and implement initiatives for a more sustainable future.

I'll be acting as a moderator for a panel discussion on Green Building. The whole event promises to be interesting as there are a number of great speakers and participants. Seems like an excellent opportunity to be involved and to meet people who are working in and on corporate sustainability

Oil Sands / Tar Sands: A Balanced Discussion

Tomorrow evening I'll be participating in a public dialogue about the Alberta oil/tar sands industry. I was invited to speak by Concordia's David O'Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise. 


The talk was initially part of Concordia's MBA Speaker series, and was simply a presentation by the President of the Oil Sands Developers Group as part of a continuing, government backed $25 million PR campaign, until the DOBCSE decided that this was a topic that needed some perspective. As a result, Cam Fenton from Climate Justice Montreal and myself were asked to share our thoughts on the developments in this industry from an environmental and sustainable business perspective. 


All are welcome. 


Price: $3 in advance, $5 at the door, includes snacks.
Concordia University, Hall Building H-767, 1455 De Maisonneuve W.

Wednesday, March 2 · 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Click here for the facebook event page. 

Desautels Business Conference on Sustainability

I'll be speaking again at this year's Desautels Business Conference on Sustainability. This year's theme is "REdefine, REdesign, REbusiness". The conference is using the recent economic crisis and the ongoing ecological crises to revisit the concept of doing business, doing well and doing good. 

On Friday, January 21st I will deliver a presentation on "Creativity, Diversity and Transformation" where I will work with students to recognize some assumptions that many of us carry about - about change, the status quo and changing the status quo. I hope to communicate how important it is for us to harness the power of the wildly creative energies that surround us to make our business more human, while at the same time making them  more innovative.

The full conference will be held January 20-22 at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec - you can get more details on the full program at the website.

300 Years of Fossil-Fueled Addiction in 5 Minutes

A public service announcement from the Post Carbon Institute.

The piece is written and narrated by PCI Senior Fellow and "Peak Everything" author, Richard Heinberg, and animated by Monstro Design.

Converting Plastics into Oil

More on the theme of energy being everywhere, and in keeping with Braungart and McDonough's Cradle to Cradle, "Waste = Food" concept, below is a short presentation featuring Akinori Ito of Blest Co, a Japanese company that has developed a machine that is able to convert plastics back to fuel oil.

More details on the concept can be found at the World 2.0 website.

Integrated Design Charette

On Monday November 1st, at the at the EQuilibrium™ Housing Forum — True Stories: Sustainability in Action - I've been granted the opportunity to present the the Integrated Design Process for the Abondance, Le Soleil project. I'll be introducing the concept of a design charrette and it's role in the implementation of a systemic, facilitated integrated design process. The conference presents to people in the larger building community the successes and challenges of the development of three net zero home building projects in the province of Quebec. 

The fundamental importance of the integrated design process was one of my personal take-away lessons form having participated in the development of the Abondance Montreal project. Not only were we able to understand the project from a variety of perspectives and work out complex design issues as a group - but when challenges arose (and they always do in construction projects), the sense of collective ownership and commitment to the team that was developed through the collaborative design and development process was invaluable in over coming challenges. It's a civil and incredibly democratic way to work.


If you weren't aware there are these advanced homes in the province - you can actually visit the projects to learn more about them. Visiting these sites provide an excellent opportunity to witness the culmination of many years work the teams involved.

10:10 No Pressure

Wow. Well, you can't fault someone for trying (most things), below is an short film for the organization 10:10.

I suppose one way to broach the notion that not doing something about climate change is fundamentally suicidal, is with dark humour. It's an uncomfortable notion, but many feel that there is folly in our current laissez-faire approach to climate change. I guess the folks at 10:10 were thinking that subtleties are best reserved for non-urgent situations. However, given how defensively some have reacted to the piece, it might not be terribly effective in terms of bringing people "into the fold" of environmental action. But strangely enough, that is not likely the point of this campaign.

For those who "get it" this wee film could likely serve as a kind of in-joke, reminiscent of the now famous Apple/PC ads. As a result of that particular campaign, PC people might think Apple users are - more than ever - self-righteous assholes (not my opinion, btw). However, Apple users will be more likely to further identify with their computing choice, as they come out looking like the cool kids in those pieces. Cool kids, in the case of the "No Pressure" film, are the folks not blown to jelly-coloured bits (the majority of those depicted in the film).

The film was pulled within hours of its release, as it was said to cause some embarrassment for the organization. But I think these clever folks are well aware of the power of the internet and are letting the video live on, in YouTube-land. It'll likely have a bigger impact post-pull than it ever could have without this controversial chatter around it.