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Dublin, 22 January 2013 1
“Happy Degrowth”
Social Movement ofEconomic Downsizing
and Self-Sustainability (the Italian experience)
Dublin, 22 January 2013 2
What is GDP....A Country’s gross domestic gross product measures market transactions. It ignores social costs, environmental impacts and income inequality.
Ie. Increased crime rates do not raise living standards but they can lift GDP by raising expenditures on security systems and home insurances.
Dublin, 22 January 2013 3
GDP is a metric developed in 1930/40s tobeat the great depression and the global war.. It did not serve us well inthe first place, so why dowe keep using it?
In reality increased GDP does not make us any happier... It does not measure our well-being in terms of social interactions or richness of our lives
Dublin, 22 January 2013 4
A Contry’s GDP
measures “everything
except what which
makes life worthwhile”
Robert F. Kennedy
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Material possessions slow us down.. It takes time, money and energy to keep up with the Jonesses
Instead of GDP why don’t we follow the economy of happyness and the gift economy?
We need less than we think...
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We have a choice...
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Who is doing what? Bhuthan has measured citizens’ well-
being using gross national happiness since 2008
It plans to become the first country in the world to turn its agriculture completely organic and it’s already called the “poster child of sustainable development”
More than 95% of the population has clean water and electricity, 80% of the country is forested and, to the envy of many countries, it is carbon neutral and food secure.
They have no fossil fuels or nuclear
Dublin, 22 January 2013 8
Other examples...Transition Towns:
Brixton Energy is a not-for-profit co- operative based in south London.
They create cooperatively owned renewable energy projects -
financial revenues stay within the local community and providing training and employment for local people generating energy in Brixton
Transition Town Totnes (TTT) is a dynamic, community-led and run charity that exists to
strengthen the localeconomy, reduce the cost of living and build our resilience for a future with less cheap energy and a changing climate.
Dublin, 22 January 2013 9
In 2011 in Italy 1.75 million bicycles were sold, about 2,000 more than the number of new cars registered.
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What is degrowth...
Degrowth is a downscaling of production and consumption that increases human well-being and enhances ecological conditions and equity on the planet.
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It calls for a future where societies live within their ecological means, with open, localized economies and resources more equally distributed through new forms of democratic institutions. Such societies will no longer have to “grow or die.” Material accumulation will no longer hold a prime position in the population’s cultural imaginary. The primacy ofefficiency will be substituted by a focus on sufficiency, and innovation will no longer focus on technology for technology’s sake but will concentrate on new social and technical arrangements that will enableus to live convivially and frugally. Degrowth does not only challenge the centrality of GDP as an overarching policy objective but proposes a framework for transformation to a lower and sustainable level of production and consumption, a shrinking of the economic system to leave more space for human cooperation and ecosystems.
Degrowth....
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By 2015 the UN is scheduled to announce the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of international objectives to improve global well-being
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Degrowth is...… pizza and songs at your friends’ place
instead of a restaurant... the smell of homemade jams and
shattered pots in the kitchen... taking turns in whatching each other’s
kids once a week ... cycling to work or taking the bus... packing your lunch from home... visiting your friends instead of phoning
them... supporting your community with
projects and ideas... reducing our footprint, staying local
and sharing the resources... relying on friends, family and
community to meet your needs
Dublin, 22 January 2013 14
Degrowth in practise... Buy less, consume less, work less Go slow and enjoy the journey Cook and eat simple things Handmade, homemade and DIY Value and protect your
community Create, participate, share,
educate yourself Respect everything and everybody
Dublin, 22 January 2013 15
What’s a time bank?
Members join the time bank and offers their expertise for free in exchange of other services that they might need in the future.. Ie: a webdesigner can help me build a site, I can cook and decorate a cake for your son’s birthday.. The person who receives is not necessarily returning the favour to the same person...
Dublin, 22 January 2013 16
The barter and the gift economy
It’s the highest form of economy where you give and receive freely without attaching value to the single transaction or items exchanged.
Dublin, 22 January 2013 17
What can we do...
A variety of food is available for free... Why don’t we organize a Sunday picnic and go mushrooms and wild hers picking?
Nettle and porcini risotto anyone?
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A vegetable garden of the size of ¼ acre can feed a family of 4 people for a year
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Homemade with love...
Oat milk50gr organic oat1lt hot water (70/85°C)sweetener of choice (date, agave or maple syrup)
Blend with handmixer for 2-3 minutes and until there is a slight foam on the top. Filter the liquid with a mesher or cheese cloth. Whatever is left after the oat milk has been poured into the bottle can be used, mixed with flour and ingredients of your choice, to make cookies.
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Saurkraut
Hummus
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Soaking Chickpeas
Soaking soya beans
(Dried pulses are cheaper and healthier than ready made ones – you decide what ingredients to add when cooking)
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Homemade pasta(In Italy is mostly associated with Sunday meals at your gramma’s place – it’s a real treat)
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Deodorant20gr bicarbonate of soda20gr corn starch20gr coconut oil6 drops of essential oil(tea tree, sage, peppermint)
Melt the coconut oil, addthe dry the ingredients andlast the essential oil. Mix and pourinto a container (you can recicleone). Leave it for 4/5 hours to solidify.
To apply, just rub a finger on it, itwill start to melt and you can apply it on the skin. It will last up to 24hSourse: www.cosmesitascabile.it
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Handmade Soap Orange and
Turmeric Tea Tree oil and
oat
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Handmade liquid soap(recycle whatever container you have)
Dublin, 22 January 2013 26
Most important.... Get creative!!!
Why don’t you ask a friend to
assemble this together over a cup
of tea??
Coffee’ table made with recycled
and painted fruit boxes
Dublin, 22 January 2013 27
Homemade mittens made by recycling old jumpers
Dublin, 22 January 2013 28
Homemade lunch pockets. Can be washed and re-used. This means less plastic or paper bags.
Dublin, 22 January 2013 29
Dublin, 22 January 2013 30
http://www.transitiontowntotnes.org/
https://brixtonenergy.co.uk/
http://www.goodshomedesign.com/sweater-mittens-sweater/
www.naturalmentefelice.com
www.unocookbook.com
Useful links:www.degrowth.org
www.transitionnetwork.org
http://www.slideshare.net/degrowthconf/happy-degrowth-vs-unhappy-growth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrowth
http://leipzig.degrowth.org/en/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/29/feldheim-germany-renewable_n_1173992.html
http://newlifenewpurpose.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/diy-bag-style-heat-retention-oven-from-upcycled-materials/
Dublin, 22 January 2013 31
Thank you for you time
Q&A