“You see growth was my holy grail.
Yes, it was. And it failed.
It couldn’t last, I do agree.
But in the middle of the hustle, you cannot really see.”
Nynke Laverman’s spoken word/song Your Ancestor has really touched me this year.
The same applies to Kim Nicholas’s book Under the Sky We Make.*
For 2023, I wish for us to slow down where we can. The climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis and our overall limited progress on the SDGs require a radical re-think of our systems and action. Degrowth within rich countries appears to have strong (and growing 😉 ) potential.
On a personal level, I cycle everywhere in Melbourne and eat increasingly plant based. In the new year, I want to consider my energy use and how my superannuation is invested. Boat trips from Australia are very clunky (I have looked into it) so I still fly. I combine meetings though and am much, much more selective. I hope you take the actions that feel right for you.**
Of course, it is the big industry actors and government decisions that make a real difference, so it may feel ‘tiny’ to tinker on the individual level. Nevertheless, we have influence: as citizens, consumers, investors, professionals and role models. See also Jan Heilinger’s book on cosmopolitan responsibility for extra motivation.
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