What is the carbon footprint of a decent life?
A very important question.
But a very difficult answer.
To read this make my PhD work day worthwhile:
What it means to live well is always going to be a subject for debate.
But several things are clear at the outset.
Firstly, it is nonsense to suppose that people can flourish without food, clothing and shelter.
Sustainable living must deliver the material provisions necessary for a reasonable level of nutrition and physiological health.
But equally it is clear that material needs do not exhaust our appetite for material goods.
Much of what we mean by living well can be characterised as social and psychological - rather than material - in nature.
Once material needs are met, people's ability to flourish depends on their
"ability to give and receive love,
to enjoy the respect of [their] peers,
to contribute useful work,
and to have a sense of belonging and trust in the community"
(Jackson, 2009).
I love this man, Tim Jackson.
It is never too much to remind the Prosperity without growth.
It seems simple, possible and optimistic.
Especially "give and receive love" :)
But a very difficult answer.
To read this make my PhD work day worthwhile:
What it means to live well is always going to be a subject for debate.
But several things are clear at the outset.
Firstly, it is nonsense to suppose that people can flourish without food, clothing and shelter.
Sustainable living must deliver the material provisions necessary for a reasonable level of nutrition and physiological health.
But equally it is clear that material needs do not exhaust our appetite for material goods.
Much of what we mean by living well can be characterised as social and psychological - rather than material - in nature.
Once material needs are met, people's ability to flourish depends on their
"ability to give and receive love,
to enjoy the respect of [their] peers,
to contribute useful work,
and to have a sense of belonging and trust in the community"
(Jackson, 2009).
I love this man, Tim Jackson.
It is never too much to remind the Prosperity without growth.
It seems simple, possible and optimistic.
Especially "give and receive love" :)