SUSTAINABILITY Class 6: Individualization and Fulfillment POLI 294 P. Brian Fisher

Last Class and Agenda  Last Class: US Public Op on Environ & Individualization Today:  Quick orientation to global trends  Word clouds Comparison  Fulfillment Survey  Happiness/Fulfillment

3 Massive Historical Changes Social Triumph at a Price:  Economic Growth  Population Growth  Massive Increase in Energy Use (primarily driven by fossil fuels)

3 Marked Results from 20 th Century 1. Econ Growth: Exponential increased economic growth & living stnds (because of ↑ pop, ↑ tech) 2. Environmental Harm: Increases in widespread environmental degradation (from burning of fossil fuels for energy consumption & waste) 3. Inequality: Modern expansion, while liberating to many, brought severe inequality

+ Sachs, Common Wealth, pp Economic Convergence: per capita income in poor countries will continue to converge with rich  World Economy will be MUCH bigger by 2050  Avg income for developing countries will be ~$40k, which is the avg income for US in 2005, while in US it will be ~$90k. 2. More People, but higher incomes for more people  ** Must stabilize population at 8b; then econ growth can be positive if we can manage environmental side effects. 3. Asian Century: Historic shift in the economic gravity of World 4. Urban Century: Continuing urbanizing trends  Means that cities have tremendous potential, but also will be sites for major destruction: pollution, disasters, and disease with higher density 5. Poverty Trap: Poorest billion are not achieving econ growth, which is dangerous: 1. Death from starvation 2. Lack basic needs (food, water, nourishment, shelter) 3. Lack political and economic stability 4. Most population growth 5. Most enviro destructive 6. Most potential for conflict 7. Cycle is self reinforcing, not self-correcting  requires global policies and funding 6 Trends that will Shape the 21 st Century

+ Sachs, Common Wealth, pp Environmental Challenges: Rapid econ growth (in a linear system) means unprecedented enviro destruction; climate change will intensify many of the challenges  I = P*A*T (IPAT equation)  By 2050: P = increase 40% (1.4 fold increase) A = increase 4 fold P * A = 6 fold increase I (env harm) = 6 times more destruction, if T is constant Technology works both ways: can protect or destroy  If world is already unsustainable, what will a 6 fold increase in the destruction do?  Based on this equation, two things must happen if we agree A is necessary, reduce P (population) and make technology sustainable Environmental Challenges in the 21 st Century

Education & Sustainability 

POLI 294 Word Cloud

Comparing Word Clouds Word Cloud – Survey April 2012Word Cloud – POLI 294 Aug 2012

Comparing General Campus Word Cloud – General Campus Sept 2011 Word Cloud – POLI 294

Can $$ buy Happiness (Sci Am)  American families who make over $300,000 a year donate to charity a mere 4% of their incomes.  People who had won between $50k & $1mil (in 1970s dollars) were less impressed by life’s simple pleasures than people who experienced no such windfall.  although wealth may grant us opportunities to purchase many things, it simultaneously impairs our ability to enjoy those things.  Argument: “having money raises our aspirations about the happiness that we expect in our daily lives, and these raised aspirations can be toxic…Unfortunately, raised aspirations don’t only lead us to take things for granted and impair our savoring abilities. They steer us to consume too much, tax the planet's resources, overspend and undersave, go into debt, gamble, live beyond our means, and purchase mortgages that we can’t afford.

Ways to be happy from $$  Spend on 1. activities that help us grow as a person (guitar lessons), strengthen our connections with others (dinners with colleagues, car trips with friends), and contribute to our communities (catering a fundraiser, donating to the needy) 2. activities and experiences (e.g., rock climbing expeditions, wine tasting family reunions) rather than material possessions 3. many small pleasures (e.g., regular massages, weekly delivery of fresh flowers) rather than on one big-ticket item (like a new car or flat-screen TV); and 4. something that we work extremely hard to get and have to wait for (whether it’s a concert, trip, or gadget) and relish the feeling of hard-won accomplishment and anticipation

Happiness/Income (US)