Degrowth - a Sustainable way of Thinking |
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"Degrowth" according to Wikipedia:
"Degrowth thinkers and activists advocate for the down-scaling of production and consumption—the contraction of economies—arguing that overconsumption lies at the root of long term environmental issues and social inequalities. Key to the concept of degrowth is that reducing consumption does not require individual martyring and a decrease in well-being.[2] Rather, 'degrowthists' aim to maximize happiness and well-being through non-consumptive means—sharing work, consuming less, while devoting more time to art, music, family, culture and community."
"Degrowth thinkers and activists advocate for the down-scaling of production and consumption—the contraction of economies—arguing that overconsumption lies at the root of long term environmental issues and social inequalities. Key to the concept of degrowth is that reducing consumption does not require individual martyring and a decrease in well-being.[2] Rather, 'degrowthists' aim to maximize happiness and well-being through non-consumptive means—sharing work, consuming less, while devoting more time to art, music, family, culture and community."
The movement arose from concerns over the perceived consequences of the productivism and consumerism associated with industrial societies (whethercapitalist or socialist) including:
- The reduced availability of energy sources (see peak oil)
- The declining quality of the environment (see global warming, pollution, threats to biodiversity)
- The decline in the health of flora and fauna upon which humans depend
- The rise of negative societal side-effects (see unsustainable development, poorer human health, poverty)
- The ever-expanding use of resources by first-world countries to satisfy lifestyles that consume more food and energy, and produce greater waste, at the expense of the third world (see neocolonialism)