In this episode we explore the alternative economy and way of living that is Degrowth. Anitra Nelson and Terry Leahy join us in a discussion of this movement which is gaining traction around the world.
We all know that our global habits of consumerism are destroying the planet… but what is the alternative? Never buying anything new again? Some new tech solution that will save us all? Overthrow the government and hope that the new regime is somehow free of corruption and self interest?
Anitra and Terry think that Degrowth is the answer. After speaking with them for an hour for this show it was clear that there was a lot more that we could have delved into. Have a listen and see what you think of Degrowth… do you think it is the answer?
This episode was created in 2020 as part of a series called Saltgrass: Turning the Goldfields Green, which was created with support from MASG, MAINfm and the Community Broadcasting Foundation.
Anitra Nelson is Associate Professor, Honorary Principal Fellow at the Melbourne
Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne (Melbourne,
Australia). An activist-scholar with special interests in post-capitalism and
non-monetary economies, in collectively establishing and maintaining caring
local-to-global communities, and living in environmentally sustainable ways –
Anitra is author of Small is Necessary: Shared Living on a Shared Planet (2018),
co-author of Exploring Degrowth: A Critical Guide (2020), and co-editor of
Housing for Degrowth: Principles, Models, Challenges and Opportunities (2018)
and Life Without Money: Building Fair and Sustainable Economies (2011) See
more here: https://anitranelson.info/
Terry Leahy is a sociologist and a conjoint lecturer with University of Newcastle,
Newcastle (Australia). His research focuses on sustainable food security,
philosophy of the social sciences, responses to the environmental crisis and
anarchist theory. Two recent books, published with Routledge, are Humanist
Realism for Sociologists (2016) and Food Security for Rural Africa: Feeding the
Farmers First (2018). The latter explains why food security projects in Africa
are failing to make significant impacts and how they might work better. He
is co-producer of a documentary on a permaculture project in Zimbabwe, The
Chikukwa Project (2013).
Links:
Anitra’s book with Vincent Liegey ‘Exploring Degrowth’
Anitra’s latest book, including a chapter by Terry Leahy ‘Food for Degrowth’
Other Degrowth books and sites mentioned:
Fireworks Series by Pluto Press
Other references:
Saltgrass Podcast 