What if we stopped making so much stuff?

What if we stopped making so much stuff?

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THE BLUE TREE

Business English

CEF B1

CEFR B2

Upper
Intermediate

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warm up

Answer the questions below. Listen to sample answers. Report back what you heard.

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part one

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key language

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Comprehension

  • ⌚ 0:15 How much stuff do you have?
  • ⌚ 022 What are the benefits of having a lot of possessions?
  • ⌚ 0:29 What is the actual price of having so much stuff?
  • ⌚ 0:34 What is the effect of consumerism on the planet?
  • ⌚ 0:43 What is the big question the film tries to answer?
  • ⌚ 0:51 What do many people believe we should do to prevent a catastrophe?
  • ⌚ 1:01 What is ‘degrowth’ in a nutshell?
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part two

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key language

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Comprehension

  • ⌚ 1:11 How are countries judged?
  • ⌚ 1:27 What are some things GDP counts?
  • ⌚ 1:42 What are some things it does not account for?
  • ⌚ 2:07 What does Kai Heron think about countries focusing on increasing their GDP?
  • ⌚ 2:37 Who coined the term ‘degrowth’? When?
  • ⌚ 2:52 What did the report on ‘degrowth’ predict?
  • ⌚ 3:01 How was the report initially perceived?
  • ⌚ 3:17 How did Nature change its view on ‘degrowth’? 
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part three

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key language

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key language

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Comprehension

  • ⌚ 3:34 What is ‘decoupling’?
  • ⌚ 4:18 What are some of the countries which succeeded in decoupling?
  • ⌚ 4:22 Why is decoupling not enough to solve the problem?
  • ⌚ 4:38 What other crises should we also try to solve?
  • ⌚ 4:58 Why doesn’t Julia Schor like the term ‘degrowth’?
  • ⌚ 5:15 Why does ‘degrowth’ sound scary?
  • ⌚ 5:35 What are the main points of ‘degrowth’?
  • ⌚ 5:54 What are some examples of industries that benefit the entire society?
  • ⌚ 6:01 How may implementing ‘degrowth’ affect our working week?
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part four

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key language

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key language

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Comprehension

  • ⌚ 6:28 What is a milder form of ‘degrowth’ called?
  • ⌚ 6:44 How does Doughnut Economy model work?
  • ⌚ 7:28 Why do people worry that slowing GDP may be bad for us?
  • ⌚ 7:32 Has ‘degrowth’ been implemented anywhere in the world?
  • ⌚ 7:58 What does Zeke Hausefather think about the likelihood of politicians embracing ‘degrowth’? 
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part five

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key language

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key language

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Comprehension

  • ⌚8:19 How could we help even the playing field for other countries to catch up?
  • ⌚ 8:46 What do the Global South urgently need?
  • ⌚ 9:09 How could ‘degrowth’ benefit people worldwide?
  • ⌚ 9:22 How many Earths would we need if everybody consumed as much as a person in the USA?
  • ⌚ 9:42 How do many view increasing GDP?
  • ⌚ 10:12 What is the Human Development Index and how is it different from the GDP?
  • ⌚ 11:02 What policies did Jacinda Ardern implement when she was the Prime Minister of New Zealand?
  • ⌚ 11:29 What do the advocates of ‘degrowth’ want us to imagine?
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DISCUSSION

Alita has attended a conference on ‘degrowth’. Listen to the talk. Read Alita’s notes and then discuss the questions below.

Keynote Speech

Listen to Professor Marcus delivering a key note speech on the topic of Doughnut Economics and the degrowth movement.

Alita’s notes

Go through Alita’s notes from this talk.

Doughnut Economics: A groundbreaking model by Kate Raworth. Defines a “safe and just” space for humanity.
Inner Circle: Represents essential human needs such as health, education, and clean water.
Outer Circle: Denotes the planet’s ecological boundaries like climate stability and biodiversity.
Goal: Operate within the doughnut’s space where basic needs are met without surpassing the planet’s boundaries.

Current Reality:
– Pursuit of continuous GDP growth has often led to overshooting ecological limits and neglecting essential human needs.

Degrowth Movement:
– Not about regression but *conscious evolution*.
– Prioritizes well-being, equity, and sustainability over mere economic growth.
– Focus on *better*, not necessarily *more*.

Redefining Success:
– Success can be more than financial growth—consider well-being, community health, and environmental sustainability.
– Young professionals have the power and responsibility to reshape industries and redefine professional success metrics.

Global Shifts:
– Notable changes worldwide: Cities emphasizing green spaces, businesses focusing on sustainability, and communities practicing shared economies.

Action Points:
1. Educate and Engage : Immerse in these ideas and promote meaningful discussions.
2. Embed in Practice : Integrate sustainability and equity principles into your profession.
3. Empower Others : Influence and inspire change within your professional and personal networks.

Closing Thought:
– In our pursuit of growth, we must remain clear on the direction and purpose of our growth—aim for a balanced, thriving world.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discuss the questions below. Use the information from the lesson and your own experience.

  • Defining Success: What does “success” mean to you, and does it always have to involve making more money or having more things?

  • Nature and Us: Can you think of a time when you felt that taking care of nature was important? Why?

  • Quality over Quantity: Do you believe it’s better to have fewer, high-quality things rather than many things that might not last as long? Why or why not?

  • Local Changes: Have you noticed any changes in your town or city that seem to be good for the environment or the community?

  • Imagining the Future: How do you imagine a perfect city or country? What would be different from the way we live now?

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lesson glossary

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An ER doctor on triaging your “crazy busy” life by Darria Long

An ER doctor on triaging your “crazy busy” life by Darria Long

An ER doctor on triaging your “crazy busy” life by Darria Long
Learn more words

THE BLUE TREE

Entertainment

CEF B1

CEFR B2

Upper
Intermediate

Practise speaking by describing this image
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warm up

Answer the questions. Listen to the sample answers. 

  • What are some common signs or indicators that suggest you may be experiencing burnout from a hectic lifestyle?
  • In your opinion, what are the key challenges in balancing work, personal life, and self-care in today’s fast-paced world?
  • Have you tried any time management techniques or strategies in the past? If so, how effective were they in helping you regain control over your busy schedule?
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part one

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key language

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COMPREHENSION

  • ⌚ 0:20 Would you have risen your hand to the question: “Have you ever used the phrase “Crazy Busy””?
  • ⌚ 0:34 Does Darria use this word in the ER?
  • ⌚ 1:11 How does the Crazy Mode diminish our capability of handling the ‘busy’?
  • ⌚ 1:37 What does the research show about our ability to react to a stressful situation?
  • ⌚ 1:48 What does Darria contrast the “Crazy Mode’ with?
  • ⌚ 2:19 What does being in the “Ready Mode” mean in general?
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part two

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key language

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COMPREHENSION

  • ⌚ 2:35 What is the first step to go from Crazy Mode to Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 2:50 What does it mean to triage? 
  • ⌚ 2:58 What does the work of Dr. Robert Sapolsky show?
  • ⌚ 3:15 What are the colours of triage? What do they mean?
  • ⌚ 3:34 What is part of the problem with Crazy Mode?
  • ⌚ 4:11 How does noise make triaging more difficult?
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part three

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key language

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COMPREHENSION

  • ⌚ 5:19 How does Darria approach the green tasks?
  • ⌚ 5:34 What does the black colour mean in triage?
  • ⌚ 5:51 What are black tasks in our lives?
  • ⌚ 6:12 What is the next step in moving from Crazy Mode to Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 6:28 What does science tell us about the relationship between a number of choices and our decisions?
  • ⌚ 6:40 What is the second step about?
  • ⌚ 7:39 How does planning, autonomating, collocating, and decreasing temptations help with designing?
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part four

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key language

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COMPREHENSION

  • ⌚ 8:09 What is the third step of getting from Crazy Mode to Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 8:44 What matters when we get scared?
  • ⌚ 8:59 How can being scared derail us?
  • ⌚ 9:18 How does Darria get our of her head?
  • ⌚ 9:42 What effect does compassion have on tunnel vision and negative internal monologue?
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part five

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key language

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watch the video

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COMPREHENSION

  • ⌚ 11:04 How did the other patients react when Darria helped deliver a baby?
  • ⌚ 11:13 What happens when you go from Crazy Mode into Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 11:29 What does Darria encourage us to do?
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DISCUSSION

  • Have you ever found yourself in “Crazy Busy Mode”? How did it affect your ability to handle your responsibilities, both at work and in your personal life? 

  • Dr. Darria Long mentions the importance of triaging tasks and prioritizing by degree of urgency. Can you think of a recent situation in your life where proper triaging could have helped you manage your busy schedule more effectively? 

  • According to the presentation, reducing daily decisions can help alleviate stress. How do you currently manage decision-making in your daily life, and can you identify any areas where you could implement automation or planning to make it easier? 

  • Dr. Darria Long talks about getting out of your head and focusing on others as a tactic to disrupt tunnel vision and improve decision-making. Can you share a situation when this approach could be helpful in your life or work? 

  • The presentation emphasizes the importance of being in “Ready Mode” and embracing challenges with confidence. How can you apply the concept of “Ready Mode” to your daily life, and what steps can you take to build resilience and preparedness for handling busy times?

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POLL

Cast your vote in the poll below. How does your answer compare with the other respondents?

Which part of Darria Long's advice on how to get into a Ready Mode do you find the most practical?

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lesson glossary

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COMMENTS

Have you got your own strategies for dealing with Crazy Mode?

Share your views and experience here.