The Great Unraveling

Although this course focuses on SOLUTIONS, in this unit we will look at the problems mankind faces at this point in history. We need to understand the problems — together with their interrelated nature — so that we understand what it is that we’re striving to solve.

3 stories of our time, by Joanna Macy (short read)

In this course we’re going to examine what The Great Turning might look like and feel like.

What is Sustainability? –

In order to become problem-solvers, we need to understand what problems we are setting out to solve. Right now, mankind is facing several sweeping problems, simultaneously …

What is Sustainability?

• The Problems: Climate change
  • The problem of climate change –
  • Global heatmaps 1880-2015 – NASA (YouTube 0:30)
  • Do the Math – Bill McKibben (YouTube 5:47)
  • CO2 concentrations demo –
  • Keep the oil in the soil and the coal in the hole – uncredited graphic from COP17 (UN climate conference), probably from tck tck tck organization

• The Problems: Peak everything
  • Preparation: Before you do this next section, find 5 large objects from your surroundings (5 large pillows, 5 large stuffed animals, or 5 pots from the kitchen, whatever). Have these 5 large objects with you as you go through the following material.
  • • Understanding “peak” – We use the concept of “peak oil” to understand what “peak” means with respect to any resource
      • Peak oil visually explained – Scott McLean (YouTube 3:05)
      • Understanding “peak” –
    • Biocapacity and ecological footprint – “Ecological footprint” animation by Alexandre Magnin (YouTube 6:13)
    • “How the footprint works,” Global Footprint Network (read) … maybe move this to DigDeeper?
    • 5-planets-worth-of-consumption demo – (YouTube 1:39)
    • Reflection: How many planets do we need if everyone lives like you? Calculate your ecological footprint (online quiz)

• The Problems: The Economy
  • Biocapacity and the economy –
  • The Impossible Hamster, by New Economics Foundation, 2010 (YouTube 1:09)

Reflection:

• Grieving the ways of the past, based upon Elizabeth Kübler-Ross and Joanna Macy, written by Joanne Poyourow (pdf)

Learn: What We Can Do about all this

• Energy Futures, from David Holmgren, explained by Joanne Poyourow
• The Great Turning – Joanna Macy (YouTube 5:38)
• 3 Dimensions of the Great Turning, from Joanna Macy, explained by Joanne Poyourow
• How to create greater, faster change – Joanne Poyourow

Reflection:

Action:

DigDeeper – supplemental material if you wish to learn more (pdf) … for now, accumulating at GoogleDrive

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