What if we stopped making so much stuff?
THE BLUE TREE
Business English
CEFR B2
Upper
Intermediate
warm up
Answer the questions below. Listen to sample answers. Report back what you heard.
- How has the quality of life changed in your neighbourhood in the recent decade?
- Do you think it is fair for our generation to use up Earth resources without considering future generations?
- “Our happiness does not depend on how much stuff we accumulate” – agree or disagree.
part one
key language
watch the video
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?
part two
key language
watch the video
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’?
part three
key language
key language
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?
part four
key language
key language
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’?
part five
key language
key language
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?
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?
COMMENTS
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