Revisiting Donut Economies

<p>Oxford University Crankstart Intern Suzi Darrington, is once again in the Listeners Chair. This is the fourth of eight episodes where she’ll reside in that seat.</p> <p>Many say we bounce around subjects on this podcast, but you listeners guide us in the direction you want us to take the conversations, with the questions you send. Most come back to the environment, although it&#39;s not always obvious.</p> <p>The podcast&#39;s overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.</p> <p>Steve in Bredbury, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, is back with another question: “How can we find a solid economic future without destroying the ecosystems on which we rely? Hospitals are really struggling with the current model that just isn’t working. I heard one trust that runs hospitals in Bournemouth and Poole has seen their energy costs rise from 4m last year to a projected 14 million next year. Should bodies like hospitals be supported outside of the economic systems we rely on, or is it impossible to do that, with the outside still actually being within the system?”</p> <p>Suzi believes we should have an economy designed with people and environment in mind, rather than for just profit. This should be the foremost purpose of the economy. A donut style economy is designed to make us happy rather than to make profit. It’s designed within the planet’s boundaries. She feels that for real change to happen, people’s attitudes need to change, as many are living the neo liberal lie, believing that problems will sort themselves out. </p> <p>Suzi brings up inelastic goods, which are items people need to live, such as water, or fuel for their vehicles. Then wonders if there’s a split between the younger and older generations, where the former are more sympathetic to the cause, whereas the older generation cling to the idea that the free market’s hand will sort everything out? She isn’t trying to make a blanket statement here though that young people get it and older people