Podcasts about Donella Meadows

Full ep notes at wickedproblems.earthI have a confession to make. Even with a self-image as a world-weary cynic, I'm as vulnerable to manipulation as anyone else, especially for stories I grew up with.The Limits to Growth came out the year I was born. I grew up in the US in the 80s. So we heard a lot of things like this:So even though I'm late to it, I was delighted to have come across the work of Katy Shields, who presents (and co-produced with Vegard Beyer) a beautifully executed 3-episode audio documentary series about Limits to Growth, which makes its principal author Danella Meadows the main character.Hearing Katy's telling of the story of this extraordinary woman who tried to warn us against the future we now inhabit, often in her own words - thanks to an unpublished book outline by Danella to which Katy got exclusive access - made me a bit embarrassed to have previously accepted the bracketing of Limits to Growth in the same category of far more problematic stuff like Malthus, Ehrlich's The Population Bomb or (the MAGA-right fave) Jean Raspail's dystopian novel The Camp of the Saints. Many such works seem not so troubled by population growth per se as much as the hue of the babies being produced.While I'm not completely convinced by the arguments Meadows made and Katy Shields/Vegard Beyer excavated and made fresh, Katy does have an excellent series of essays where she takes forward the thinking of Meadows et al as a way to investigate how economics was hijacked by the opponents of Limits to Growth.In this Conversation00:00 Introduction: Questioning Growth00:32 Meet the Guest: Katy Shields02:21 Discovering 'Limits to Growth'04:38 The Impact of Systems Dynamics07:30 Critiques and Misunderstandings09:37 Danella Meadows' Influence11:23 Uncovering Unpublished Diaries14:43 Life on Foundation Farm18:51 Economic Theories and Climate Inaction19:12 The Abundance vs. Scarcity Debate20:08 Historical Influence on Modern Economics21:41 The Chicago School's Dominance23:26 Challenges in Modern Economic Education28:54 Donella Meadows' Legacy31:15 Visioning a Sustainable Future34:34 Future Directions and Final ThoughtsAt the top of the episode we clip a 1994 speech by Danella Meadows that is an extraordinary few minutes that seem to foreshadow the ‘abundance discourse' currently all the rage on the centre-left.Which is not actually to shame those who, I believe in good faith, believe that ‘perpetual growth' is the only potential solution to the challenges of the mid-21st century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change. I'm thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change.In this episode of Mental Models for Managing Change, we explore Leverage Points — a systems thinking model that helps change leaders identify the small, high-impact interventions that can shift entire systems.Popularised by Donella Meadows, Leverage Points reveal why some efforts lead to deep transformation, while others barely make a dent. Ali Juma unpacks this model through a real-world example from Toyota's production system and shares five places where change managers can look for untapped leverage.If you are tired of pushing hard with little traction, this episode will help you focus your energy where it counts most.Send us a textAli Juma @The Inner Game of Change podcast Follow me on LinkedIn

This week Carter and Nathan read Donella Meadows' Thinking in Systems. A foundational primer on systems thinking, the book explores how stocks, flows, feedback loops, and leverage points shape everything from ecosystems to organizations. Join them as they discuss how systems thinking applies to software engineering, the hidden structures behind burnout and tech debt, and how to make high-leverage changes in complex systems.-- Books Mentioned in this Episode --Note: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.----------------------------------------------------------Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows https://amzn.to/4cMB35k (paid link)Tidy First?: A Personal Exercise in Empirical Software Design by Kent Beck https://amzn.to/3RoB9pR (paid link)Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code by Martin Fowlerhttps://amzn.to/43Wqk5Q (paid link)Fundamentals of Software Architecture: An Engineering Approach by Mark Richards and Neal Fordhttps://amzn.to/3Y7CNjk (paid link)One Nation Under Blackmail, Vol. 1: The Sordid Union Between Intelligence and Crime that Gave Rise to Jeffrey Epstein by Whitney Alyse Webbhttps://amzn.to/3RsMt4f (paid link)Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newporthttps://amzn.to/3EH8MAe (paid link)The Software Engineer's Guidebook: Navigating Senior, Tech Lead, and Staff Engineer Positions at Tech Companies and Startups by Gergely Oroszhttps://amzn.to/3ExwPSa (paid link)What Is ChatGPT Doing ... and Why Does It Work? by Stephen Wolfram https://amzn.to/4iuSUim (paid link)----------------00:00 Intro 01:41 About the Book03:43 Thoughts on the Book08:07 Covering the Foundations and Defining Terms16:36 Feedback loops22:31 Overconfidence and why models lead us astray.35:56 Paradigms and Framing49:30 Leverage Points01:02:04 Final Thoughts----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io

L'auteur du fameux rapport « The Limits To Growth » fait le point, 50 ans après… VF doublée de l'épisode 77.En 1972 Dennis Meadows co-publiait le rapport « Meadows » (oui c'est bien lui !) avec une petite équipe du MIT (pilotée par son épouse Donella Meadows). Pour réaliser cette étude, l'équipe a développé World3, un modèle informatique novateur qui simulait les interactions entre la population mondiale, l'industrie, la pollution, les ressources et l'agriculture. En modélisant leurs influences mutuelles et leurs boucles de rétroaction, World3 a permis d'explorer différents scénarios d'évolution de notre civilisation.Ce rapport est aussi appelé rapport du Club de Rome, ou «The limits to growth ».Il dit en bref qu'une croissance infinie dans un monde fini n'est pas possible et que tôt ou tard, nous allons atteindre des limites physiques et commencer à décroître.Et d'après les modélisations de l'époque, ce « tôt ou tard » arrive autour de 2030…Cela fait 50 ans que les conclusions de ces travaux sont discutées et débattues, mais aussi 50 ans que la modélisation informatique de l'époque fonctionne, que nous suivons la trajectoire anticipée à peu de choses près.Alors que nous parlons de pic pétrole, de risques d'approvisionnements en métaux rares, de la nécessité de diminuer rapidement nos émissions, que la croissance économique ne semble plus reposer que sur de la dette, bref, alors que nous semblons atteindre les limites à la fois de notre planète, de nos ressources et de notre capacité à croitre, ce fameux rapport revient sur le devant de la scène.ITW enregistrée le 20 septembre 2021NB : Ceci est la version doublée en VF (grâce à une IA et avec une voix artificielle). Vous pouvez retrouver l'interview en anglais dans l'épisode 77.---Retrouvez tous les épisodes et les résumés sur www.sismique.frSismique est un podcast indépendant créé et animé par Julien Devaureix.

Nous sommes en 1972. Année de la publication d'un ouvrage intitulé « The Limits to Growth » (Les Limites à la croissance), mieux connu sous le nom de « Rapport du club de Rome », ou encore « Rapport Meadows », du nom de ses principaux auteurs, les scientifiques Donella et Dennis Meadows. La réflexion porte sur les liens entre conséquences écologiques de la croissance économique, limitation des ressources et évolution démographique. À cette époque, nous sommes à la fin de ce que l'on appellera, plus tard, les Trente Glorieuses, ces années qui couvre la période d'après-guerre jusqu'au mi-temps des années septante. Une parenthèse marquée par un progrès technique élevé, la reconstruction économique de pays dévastés, le plein emploi, une croissance forte de la production industrielle, une démographie en forte hausse particulièrement en Belgique, en France, en Allemagne de l'Ouest, aux États-Unis et au Canada. Une période traversée par de nombreux mouvements sociaux. Il est des époques qui refusent de mourir : Les Trente Glorieuses sont de celles-là. Mais pourquoi une telle nostalgie pour ces années ? Est-ce bien raisonnable ? Il y a-t-il eu vraiment libération sexuelle ? Le bonheur par la consommation : est-il advenu ? Les humains étaient-ils plus ou mieux politisés ? Faut-il régler leur compte aux Trente Glorieuse ? Comment dépasser le mythe qu'elles représentent aujourd'hui ? La mélancolie pour ce passé, peut-être idéalisé, nous empêche-t-elle de faire face aux défis présents et à ceux qui nous attendent ? Avec nous : Vincent Martigny, politiste et historien des idées, professeur à l'Université de Nice et à l'école polytechnique. « Les temps Nouveaux – En finir avec la nostalgie des Trente Glorieuses » (ouvrage collectif) ; Seuil. Sujets traités : Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, réflexion, croisance, évolution, trente Glorieuses, après-guerre, nostalgie, consommation, mythe, mélancolie Merci pour votre écoute Un Jour dans l'Histoire, c'est également en direct tous les jours de la semaine de 13h15 à 14h30 sur www.rtbf.be/lapremiere Retrouvez tous les épisodes d'Un Jour dans l'Histoire sur notre plateforme Auvio.be :https://auvio.rtbf.be/emission/5936 Intéressés par l'histoire ? Vous pourriez également aimer nos autres podcasts : L'Histoire Continue: https://audmns.com/kSbpELwL'heure H : https://audmns.com/YagLLiKEt sa version à écouter en famille : La Mini Heure H https://audmns.com/YagLLiKAinsi que nos séries historiques :Chili, le Pays de mes Histoires : https://audmns.com/XHbnevhD-Day : https://audmns.com/JWRdPYIJoséphine Baker : https://audmns.com/wCfhoEwLa folle histoire de l'aviation : https://audmns.com/xAWjyWCLes Jeux Olympiques, l'étonnant miroir de notre Histoire : https://audmns.com/ZEIihzZMarguerite, la Voix d'une Résistante : https://audmns.com/zFDehnENapoléon, le crépuscule de l'Aigle : https://audmns.com/DcdnIUnUn Jour dans le Sport : https://audmns.com/xXlkHMHSous le sable des Pyramides : https://audmns.com/rXfVppvN'oubliez pas de vous y abonner pour ne rien manquer.Et si vous avez apprécié ce podcast, n'hésitez pas à nous donner des étoiles ou des commentaires, cela nous aide à le faire connaître plus largement.

What could the tech world look like if it served the needs and interests of people instead of bots? If it tackled the world's most pressing problems instead of creating memes? If it created communities of founders who change the system that funds innovation?Aniyia Williams has some ideas about that.In this week's episode, Aniyia Williams—inventor, “systempreneur,” and Director of the Responsible Technology team at the Omidyar Network—shares her mission to rid the tech world of dependence on VCs and help build a more healthy & responsible tech future for everyone.To learn more about Aniyia Williams' work helping to make a more diverse and responsible culture for founders and tech, visit her website aniyiawilliams.com.And if you haven't yet read Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows (highly recommended by English and Aniyia) you can find it here:https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/thinking-in-systems/--If you aspire to be a System Catalyst and need resources to help you on your journey, subscribe to our newsletter. To learn more about our mission and our partners, visit systemcatalysts.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel This podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.Views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of System Catalysts or Hueman Group Media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elke zaterdag- en zondagochtend tussen 6 en 7 uur horen NPO Radio 1-luisteraars de mooiste cultuurtips in Een Uur Cultuur. In deze aflevering ontvangt Eva Koreman schrijver en theatermaker Anoek Nuyens (https://www.instagram.com/anoeknuyens/). Haar voorstelling 'Beste Mensen (https://www.bureauvergezicht.nl)' ging in november in premiere. Anoek deelt haar cultuurtips met Eva en de luisteraar. De tips van Anoek: Essay: Te groot om ons voor te stellen (https://www.jeugdbibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.437967891.html/te-groot-om-ons-voor-te-stellen/), Donella Meadows (https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/the-limits-to-growth/) Kookboek: Emma de Thouars (https://www.singeluitgeverijen.nl/nijgh-van-ditmar/boek/solo/) Podcast: Hoop ten tijde van zwartgallig klimaatnieuws (https://www.groene.nl/podcasts/de-groene-amsterdammer-podcast/afleveringen/wan-hoop-ten-tijde-van-zwartgallig-klimaatnieuws) Museum: Naturalis (https://www.naturalis.nl/natuur-ontdekken-gaat-altijd-door?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAgoq7BhBxEiwAVcW0LIZVvU0fLwPbvv8ZOoLdTY3Vxcz1DTG_1UZtQ4McbR00bFACYQ7N9BoCYUsQAvD_BwE) Theater: Proefkeuken (https://proefkeukentheater.nl) Muziek: Opus 1 (https://open.spotify.com/track/5VevjU6qvYhRm3Aoj3N3Ax?si=e0cd27e3a7094000) Kindercultuur: Cinemini (https://www.eyefilm.nl/programma/cinemini/63168), Artis groote museum (https://www.artis.nl/nl/artis-groote-museum?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAgoq7BhBxEiwAVcW0LMtNKLI71QzBR7HXf0qmMGW4Zl2BsvmrabGVQBVaEEL3NhBGos84PRoCzSIQAvD_BwE) Gratis: Tolhuistuin pop-upmuseum (https://tolhuistuin.nl/nieuws/nieuw-pop-up-museum-bij-tolhuistuin-het-klimaatmuseum), de Danskamer (https://tolhuistuin.nl/evenementen/de-danskamer-14) Heb je cultuurtips die we niet mogen missen? Mail de redactie: eenuurcultuur@vpro.nl

Publicado originalmente el 19 de abril de 2022: En este episodio de #PodcastLaTrinchera, Christian Sobrino nerdea con el ex senador, abogado y rockero Ramón Luis Nieves sobre la reforma de nuestro sistema energético: la creación del Negociado de Energía, la privatización de la AEE, la energía renovable y otras fuentes de energía, el costo de la luz en Puerto Rico, la deuda de la AEE, entre otros temas.Este episodio de La Trinchera es presentado a ustedes por:- Solar Innovation, un pionero en el campo de la ingeniería eléctrica con más de 30 años de experiencia y 6 años en la energía renovable, especializándose en resolver los retos más complejos de la industria. En Solar Innovation crean soluciones completamente personalizadas para que obtengas el máximo retorno de tu inversión. Solar Innovation ofrece el mejor servicio al cliente en la industria. Llamen al 787-777-1846 o escribe a info@solarinnovationpr.com para obtener una cotización gratis y descubre cómo transformar tu energía en ahorro y sostenibilidad.- La Tigre,  el primer destino en Puerto Rico para encontrar una progresiva selección de moda Italiana, orientada a una nueva generación de profesionales que reconocen que una imagen bien curada puede aportar a nuestro progreso profesional. Detrás de La Tigre, se encuentra un selecto grupo de expertos en moda y estilo personal, que te ayudarán a elaborar una imagen con opciones de ropa a la medida y al detal de origen Italiano para él, y colecciones europeas para ella. Visiten la boutique de La Tigre ubicada en Ciudadela en Santurce o síganlos en Instagram en @shoplatigre.- San Juan Lincoln, donde encontrarán una exclusiva colección de vehículos de lujo diseñados para satisfacer todas sus expectativas. Por ejemplo, pueden ver allí la nueva Nautilus con una pantalla “wraparound” de 48” o la Corsair Plug In Hybrid con un rendimiento de 78 millas por galón. Pueden visitarlos en la Avenida Kennedy en San Juan para explorar lo que una SUV de lujo debe ser. Su equipo está listo para ofrecerles una experiencia inigualable. Para más información u orientación, llamen al 787-782-4000.Por favor suscribirse a La Trinchera con Christian Sobrino en su plataforma favorita de podcasts y compartan este episodio con sus amistades.Para contactar a Christian Sobrino y #PodcastLaTrinchera, nada mejor que mediante las siguientes plataformas:Facebook: @PodcastLaTrincheraTwitter: @zobrinovichInstagram: zobrinovichThreads: @zobrinovichBluesky Social: zobrinovich.bsky.socialYouTube: @PodcastLaTrinchera"Dos poderes le dan forma a la política energética: análisis en el trasfondo y política en la vanguardia. Las fuerzas políticas son ruidosas, interesadas y en el caso de política energética, bien conocidas." - Donella Meadows

Erik Distler is responsible for overseeing AEG Sustainability, the organization's corporate sustainability program. In this capacity, he focuses on global strategies and tactics that address operational impacts and capture and measure data across key environmental metrics, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and waste reduction. He also supports AEG's global business units in the implementation and execution of sustainability initiatives, manages external partnerships related to sustainability, facilitates the sharing of best practices, and ensures that sustainability is a source of value across the company. Distler has worked at the intersection of environmental and social responsibility in sports and entertainment for more than ten years. Before joining AEG, he built and led the sports-focused sustainability strategy and program at Nike. Prior to Nike, he was with the Green Sports Alliance where he oversaw relationships with corporate partners, live entertainment events, professional sports leagues and clubs, sports governing bodies, and collegiate schools and conferences, as well as working extensively with ESPN. He also spent time as a sustainability consultant with PwC. Distler began his career in accounting and finance, where he worked for Deloitte and The Siegfried Group LLP for the first seven years of his career. He received his Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Sustainable Management from Presidio Graduate School and his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Iowa State University, graduating with Honors and High Distinction.. Erik Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: How AEG manages sustainability at large events like music festivals Piloting initiatives at smaller events to apply learnings and replicate at larger events Incorporating reusable materials at events in partnership with Our World Advice and recommendations for sustainability professionals Erik's Final Five Questions Responses: What is one piece of advice you would give other sustainability professionals that might help them in their careers? I would say have as many conversations as you can. Sustainability departments are often departments and functions that are in service to the business. We tend to operate as internal consultants. So how can we be everywhere at the same time? How can we ensure that every part of the business has the opportunity to build sustainability into their work? How do we consult to provide subject matter expertise to the business? The work we do within the department is measurement and data and setting sustainability targets and all that kind of exists within our function. But it all starts with having conversations. I wouldn't be afraid to sit down with someone and ask them more questions than provide statements on how they feel, how they perceive sustainability, where they feel as though it's working, where it's not working, what can we do more of that really helped build out our sustainability strategy. Do a little bit of a needs assessment on what stakeholders and partners value. The only other thing I'd say too secondary is, don't be afraid to start somewhere. I think we often feel as though the challenges we're up against are audacious and global and all encompassing, and they are. It can sometimes feel like we're out at sea against a massive challenge on our own  when we think of climate issues. That can freeze one up. It can stifle movement. You can feel like, "well, what can I do? I can't possibly make a difference." It's amazing what just taking one small step can lead to. There's been this kind of backlash against incrementalism in the space, like we need big changes, not incremental changes, but I don't know that I agree with that. I think an incremental quick change that you can grow on and iterate from can turn into something very big. So don't be afraid to start somewhere. Start with something that you can measure, for sure. But have those conversations and turn those small steps into big steps. What are you most excited about right now in the world of sustainability? There's a lot to be excited about. When realizing the gravity of the issue that we're facing, I think it's important to find sources of encouragement and hopefulness. There's really no other way. There's a line by Walt Kelly from his pogo comic strip many years ago that says, “we are confronted with insurmountable opportunities.” I use that and refer to that a lot. Try to figure out what is the opportunity in front of us and be optimistic about it. I think there's an excitement around the external forces. They're becoming louder and more influential, and that's encouraging. Our fans, our partners, our sponsors, our artists and entertainers. There's more of a voice and more influence that is being laid upon us and expected from us. I think collaboration is increasing cross-sector research companies that are competitive coming together in a pre-competitive way. Higher education institutions are pulling us in to do research that will help us in our business. We're seeing a lot of that. There's also a healthy kind of push, pull and engagement among our partners and sponsors. There's that untapped space with partnerships and sponsorships where it's determining inventory and the assets and how sustainability can be valued and monetized, but the conversations that we're having with partners or potential partners around shared goals, targets, aspirations, and what we can do together to help achieve our individual sustainability goals, kind of matches up. There's a lot of energy and excitement around that. What is one book you would recommend sustainability leaders read? One is Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows. It's a book that'll retrain your brain to consider the interconnectedness of literally everything around you. And then Natural Capitalism by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins. It's that seminal book on environmental economics. What are some of your favorite resources or tools that really help you in your work? I read Green Bizz, 3BL and Triple Pundit. We get a lot of resources from our longtime partner, Schneider Electric. We've worked with them for many years and they have webinars and lots of sessions and thought leadership that we use a lot. I also keep up on the guidance from the GHG protocol, the EPA, the UN. In our space in particular, there are two organizations that are co- holding up the movement, Green Sports Alliance on the sports side and a more newly formed music sustainability alliance on the music side. We look to these two entities to hold and convene us, and there's a lot of good research and thinking coming out of those orgs as well. Where can our listeners go to learn more about you and the work being done at AEG? Our website, aegworldwide.com. There's an About Us dropdown at the top, and we have a somewhat newly revamped sustainability page and more changes coming. We're building out a microsite off that page when we have our next generation sustainability goals finalized. We'll have all that good stuff up there. We also have case studies or what we call sustainability stories up on that page. Also under About Us, you can read about our social impact and DEI functions as well. We have a Twitter account, we recently rebranded it from AEG One Earth to the handle, @AEGSustain or the account name, AEG sustainability. We're trying to get information up there. And of course, LinkedIn is a great place to reach out to myself or anyone from our sustainability team.

Support Bionic Planet: https://www.patreon.com/bionicplanet  Guests: Jim Pittman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamespittman/) Matt Orsagh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-orsagh-a1b8417/) Steve Rocco (https://www.linkedin.com/in/steverocco/) Books Referenced: Ecological Economics (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77985.Ecological_Economics?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZDNVmbxl5B&rank=1) The Limits to Growth (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/705418.Limits_to_Growth?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=1uh5jgBt1O&rank=1) The Web of Life (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26155239-web-of-life) Thinking in Systems (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3828902-thinking-in-systems?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Q81KDn3a1D&rank=1) Energy and Civilization (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31850765-energy-and-civilization?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=pCNkYwiE3S&rank=1) Sustainability is for Everyone (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19107270-sustainability-is-for-everyone?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=sX3sH8kdj5&rank=1) Less is More (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53328332-less-is-more?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12) Donut Economics (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57410899-donut-economics?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_15) Technical Revolutions in Financial Capital (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60509.Technological_Revolutions_and_Financial_Capital?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=TcwHjED9BR&rank=1) The End of Nature (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199359.The_End_of_Nature?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_17) In Season 9, Episode 110 of Bionic Planet, titled "Ecological Economics, Systems Thinking, and the Limits to Growth," we delve into a thought-provoking discussion with ecological economists Jim Pittman, Matt Orsagh, and Steve Rocco. The episode explores the fundamental concepts of ecological economics, systems thinking, and the difference between overshoot and tipping points. The conversation begins with a reflection on the limitations of using GDP as a measure of a nation's health, as highlighted by economist Simon Kuznets, the inventor of GDP. The guests emphasize the importance of rethinking economic health and well-being, shifting from a focus on GDP growth to a more holistic approach that includes human and planetary health. The discussion then delves into the historical context of the environmental movement, referencing influential books like "The End of Nature" by Bill McKibben and "The Limits to Growth" published in 1972. The guests highlight the interconnectedness of human activities, climate change, biodiversity loss, and the urgent need to address these issues before reaching irreversible tipping points. The conversation also touches on the concept of degrowth, which proposes an equitable downscaling of production and consumption to enhance human well-being and ecological conditions. The guests emphasize the importance of transitioning from individual self-interest to collective optimization, drawing parallels with the behavior of slime molds in response to scarcity. The episode concludes with a call to action for reevaluating our current economic paradigm, shifting towards a more sustainable and equitable model that prioritizes health and well-being over GDP growth. The guests stress the urgency of addressing planetary boundaries, overshoot, and the impending tipping points that threaten the stability of our ecosystems. Overall, the episode provides a thought-provoking exploration of ecological economics, systems thinking, and the imperative need for transformative change to ensure a sustainable future for humanity and the planet. Timestamps Introduction to Ecological Economics and Systems Thinking Discussion on the Influence of Popular Books on Climate Change Awareness Evolution of Climate Change Discourse and Scientific Consensus Introduction to the Limits to Growth and Systems Modeling Discussion on the Flaws of GDP as an Indicator of Success Importance of Systems Thinking and Tipping Points Degrowth as a Response to Overshoot and Tipping Points Challenges and Opportunities in Transitioning to a Degrowth Paradigm The Role of Slime Molds in Understanding Resource Allocation The Urgency of Addressing Planetary Boundaries and Resource Scarcity The Need for Collective Action and Policy Changes in the Face of Environmental Challenges Reflections on the Evolution of Economic Thinking and the Path to Sustainable Development Quotes "Goals for more growth should specify of what and for what." - 00:00:23-00:00:34 "It's the difference between knowing that your two packs a day could very well give you cancer and hearing the doctor clear his throat and say, 'I've got something to tell you.'" - 00:01:06-00:01:17 "Degrowth is just the end result there. It's not like we want that. It's just like you need it because you've got to go on a diet." - 00:06:24-00:06:34 "We know that the enemy is carbon and we know it's ugly face. We should put a big fat price on it. And of course, add to that, drop the subsidies." - 00:07:16-00:07:26 "Earth Overshoot Day from the Global Footprint Network using the ecological footprint methodology." - 00:44:29-00:44:40 "If something cannot go on forever, it will stop. And of course, it will stop. It's unsustainable." - 00:45:01-00:45:11 "We're using Earth as though we had 1.6 Earths to use. That's the consumption and the rate of resource use we're using." - 00:44:51-00:45:01 "Most of all, when proposing GDP as an indicator, Kuznets did not intend for it to be used in the way that we're using it now." - 00:46:21-00:46:32

In 1972, a team of young scientists at MIT published a study exploring what would happen to human civilization if people kept pursuing endless economic growth on a finite planet. They weren't just disbelieved, they were ridiculed. The story of Donella Meadows and The Limits to Growth.Reported and produced by Katy Shields and Vegard Beyer, with co-hosts John Biewen and Ellen McGirt. Story editor: Loretta Williams. Archival audio of Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, Aurelio Peccei, Jay Forrester, and others. Interviewee: John Fullerton.Original music by Nora Beyer. Additional music by Michelle Osis and Lili Haydn. Music consulting by Joe Augustine of Narrative Music. Art by Harper Biewen. "Capitalism” is a production of the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, in partnership with Imperative 21. 

This week in Portland startup news, Silicon Florist turns 17 years old, an innovative look at the Oregon Innovation Index 2024, BLUPRNT wants to help you with your marketing using AI, and Bend Venture Conference tickets are available. PORTLAND STARTUP LINKS - Silicon Florist is 17 https://siliconflorist.com/2024/08/07/wondering-when-the-whole-wiser-part-happens-silicon-florist-is-17-years-old/ - Oregon Innovation Index 2024 AI chatbot https://wiseox.ai/mascot/66ac14301d1c420027106b2b - Donella Meadows systems intervention framework https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/ - BLUPRNT https://visionandstory.com/ - Bend Venture Conference https://www.bendvc.com/ ABOUT SILICON FLORIST ---------- For nearly two decades, Rick Turoczy has published Silicon Florist, a blog and podcast that covers founders, startups, entrepreneurship, tech, news, and events in the Portland, Oregon, startup community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup or tech enthusiast, or simply intrigued by Portland's startup culture, Silicon Florist is your go-to source for the latest news, events, jobs, and opportunities in Portland Oregon's flourishing tech and startup scene. Join us in exploring the innovative world of startups in Portland, where creativity and collaboration meet. ABOUT RICK TUROCZY ---------- Rick Turoczy has been working in, on, and around the Portland, Oregon, startup community for nearly 30 years. He has been recognized as one of the “OG”s of startup ecosystem building by the Kauffman Foundation. And he has been humbled by any number of opportunities to speak on stages from SXSW to INBOUND and from Kobe, Japan, to Muscat, Oman, including an opportunity to share his views on community building on the TEDxPortland stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj98mr_wUA0). All because of a blog. Weird. https://siliconflorist.com #entrepreneur #blogger

In this episode, we chat with Beth Hunter, founder of Foodbridge, a non-profit dedicated to shifting our food and agriculture system to more regenerative and sustainable practices. Beth has been at the forefront of environmental advocacy since she co-founded the pioneering environmental organization, Equiterre, and helped create the first CSA network in Quebec in the 1990s. In this conversation, we explore the complex issues involved in industrial farmers transitioning to more ecological practices, the role of culture in industrial vs. small-scale ag, and why we need bold collaboration with big food companies in order to create meaningful change at all scales of farming. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to the podcast, download our episodes, and rate them! Your support means the world to us. Thank you! Timestamps [1:40] Equiterre story, Supermarket Tours in the 90s, Hungry For Justice booklet [7:16] History of CSA's [24:37] Working with Greenpeace on responsible seafood campaign [32:20] Addressing "systems" to create real change, local food in hospitals and institutions [40:55] Foodbridge, transitioning industrial farmers to more regenerative practices [48:01] Cost of transition is too high for farmer's to bear alone [51:23] Cultural divide as barrier to transition [55:26] Bold collaborations with big food and ag, difficulty of measuring ecological benefits [1:15:28] Role of personal actions and responsibility [1:18:54} Donella Meadows and how to change systems [1:23:13] Power of marketing, spreading awareness, cultural wave of change [1:29:54] Collaborating With The Enemy by Adam Kahane and advice to live by Sponsors Bootstrap Farmer https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/ Tessier https://info.serres-guytessier.com/en/tessier-mgi10 Use promocode MGI10 for 10% off and free shipping on your first purchase for the Eastern North American regions (Ontario, the Maritimes, and the states of Vermont, Maine, New York, and New Hampshire). Links/Resources Market Gardener Institute:  https://themarketgardener.com/  Masterclass:  https://themarketgardener.com/courses/the-market-gardener-masterclass/  Newsletter:  https://themarketgardener.com/newsletter Blog:  https://themarketgardener.com/blog  Books: https://themarketgardener.com/books Growers & Co: https://growers.co/ Heirloom: https://heirloom.ag/ The Old Mill: https://www.espaceoldmill.com/en/ Follow Us Website: http://themarketgardener.com  Facebook: http://facebook.com/marketgardenerinstitute  Instagram: http://instagram.com/themarketgardeners  Guest Social Media Links Beth Hunter: LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/beth-hunter-44a1034a Website: https://www.foodbridge.ca/  JM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanmartinfortier Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanmartinfortier 

After a full season of trying to escape more than a dozen evil -isms (fun things like capitalism, industrialism, extremism, and otherism), Rob, Jason, and Asher come to one conclusion: there is no true escape -- at least not for those of us who want to help their communities collapse and re-emerge gracefully. Join the boys as they explore what the cult classic Groundhog Day has to teach us about navigating the endlessly insane world of modernity and reflect on key lessons and actionable steps we can all take to navigate the Great Unraveling of environmental and social systems.Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.Sources/Links/Notes:Trailer for the cult classic Groundhog DayArticle: "Harold Ramis didn't intend 'Groundhog Day' to be Buddhist, but it's a dharma classic" by Perry Garfinkel in Lion's RoarArticle: "Was Modernity Inevitable?" by Tom Murphy in Do the MathArticle: "Hospicing Modernity: Not a new idea" by Eliza Daley in ResilienceArticle: "Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System" by Donella Meadows, published by the Donella Meadows ProjectMultisolving InstituteBook: A Darwinian Survival Guide: Hope for the Twenty-First Century by Daniel R. Brooks and Salvatore J. Agosta, published by MIT PressSupport the Show.

Alrededor de la mitad de la población española lee de manera semanal, una cifra superior a la de países como Italia, Francia o Estados Unidos. Más allá de trasladarnos a otros universos y ayudarnos a evadirnos, la lectura es también una herramienta para comprender mejor el mundo en el que vivimos. Rusia, América Latina, los desafíos tecnológicos… con motivo de la Feria del Libro de Madrid 2024 y desde nuestra perspectiva de análisis internacional y vocación por explicar el mundo, para este episodio nuestros investigadores e invitados aportan sus recomendaciones más personales. En el decimocuarto episodio de la cuarta temporada de Conversaciones Elcano, celebramos la Feria del Libro de Madrid dedicando este episodio a los libros y su impacto en nuestra comprensión del mundo. Miguel Otero y Judith Arnal charlan con Cristina Manzano, directora de relaciones externas de la Secretaría General Iberoamericana (SEGIB) y miembro del Consejo Científico del Instituto Elcano, Áurea Moltó, directora de la RedElcano, y José Juan Ruiz, presidente del Real Instituto Elcano.   Listado de libros recomendados: Estados Unidos

Vandaag het gesprek met Jolijn Hooghwinkel. Jolijn is (klimaat)activist, denker en schrijver. Ze verdiept zich in systeemverandering en wil mensen graag inspireren om de fundamenten van onze kapitalistische maatschappij ter discussie te stellen. Ook denkt ze in haar werk graag na over de manier waarop we met niet-menselijke dieren omgaan en hoe we een rechtvaardige samenleving kunnen realiseren waarin alle mensen en andere dieren kunnen floreren. Laten we beginnen… Wat ik zoal leerde van Jolijn: 00:00 intro 02:35 Waar schreef ze haar essay voor de vraag, Hoe komen we in de donut economie? 04:45 Wat was de impact van het winnen van deze scriptie voor Jolijn? 05:40 Waarom laten we het toe dat bedrijven elders mensen en grondstoffen kunnen uitbuiten. 06:30 Van buiten organisaties vechten tegen de machtsstructuren. 09:45 We zouden de rol van de multinationals in de maatschappij aan de kaak moeten stellen. 15:15 Je gaat niet direct een hele grote groep mensen achter je krijgen. 17:40 Helemaal afzonderen buiten het systeem past ethisch niet. 25:05 De machtspositie die we geven aan het groot kapitaal in de maatschappij verleend hebben. 26:00 In de economic board, de naar de toekomst van de gemeente kijkt, niet meer het groot kapitaal laten plaatsnemen, maar op een democratische manier met burgers kijken welke toekomst willen we samen. 27:00 Waar zitten die machtspunten en hoe gaan we die verschuiven naar een democratische uitvoering in plaats van hoe kunnen we die macht meer in het gareel houden? 32:50 De lobby van bedrijven is niet democratisch. 33:15 De verantwoording die we verwachten van politici is er niet voor bedrijven. 34:10 Er staan ook dingen niet op de politieke agenda zoals bijvoorbeeld grond bezit en de ontwikkeling van Ai, waar we meer gezamenlijk als burgers over na moeten denken. 35:35 Waarom is het onvermijdelijk? 36:00 Het eerste stuk, van bepalen gaan we iets ontwikkelen, dat is ons al ontnomen en dat is zeer ondemocratisch. 38:50 Hebben we gevraagd om de elektrische fiets? 41:10 Iedereen op de wereld heeft schone energie nodig en daar hebben we deze kostbare grondstoffen voor nodig. 46:00 Als we afscheid nemen van het kapitalistisch systeem wat moet het dan worden? 48:00 Een systeem is veel weerbaarder wanneer er zelforganisatie plaatsvindt. 49:00 De macht moet bij ons liggen en niet bij het groot kapitaal. 53:30 Jouw creativiteit en jouw denkvermogen staan volledig ten dienste van het bedrijf waar je werkt bij een volle werkweek. 1:00:15 Energie en creativiteit aan de mensen teruggeven als een voorbeeld van regeneratief denken. 1:02:20 Wat is de rol van de politiek en een regering in deze nieuwe wereld? Meer over Jolijn Hooghwinkel: https://www.wetenschappelijkbureaugroenlinks.nl/gaia-essaywedstrijd/vergeet-grote-bedrijven-geef-ruimte-aan-het-experiment https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolijn-hooghwinkel-536694b5/ Andere bronnen: She is reconnecting business leaders back to earth – Erin Remblance Amsterdam Economic Board Het effect van de omgeving op ons duurzame gedrag – Linda Steg Uit de kleren - VPRO Tegenlicht met Caterina Occhio en Lara Wolters die al 5 jaar strijd voor de anti-wegkijk-wet. Cannibal Capitalism - Nancy Fraser (boek) Je gedrag veranderen voor een fijner leven – Chantal van der Leest Met inner development naar detech technologie – Jan Willem de Graaf Thinking in systems - Donella Meadows (boek) Propaganda - Edward Bernays (boek) John Maynard Keynes - een 15-urige werkweek over 100 jaar (2030) Naomi Klein en de ruk naar rechts - VPRO Tegenlicht Rebellen tegen reclame - VPRO Tegenlicht met de Franse stad Grenoble en burgemeester Éric Piolle die alle straatreclames wil verbannen uit de stad. Kohei Saito - Japanse filosoof - o.a. van Capital in the Anthropocene Video van het gesprek met Jolijn Hooghwinkel https://youtu.be/OsoYKnKDi1A

A wide range conversation of almost two hours- second episode will follow soon- with Henry Dimbleby, founder of Bramble Partners, a venture capital firm, that invests in businesses seeking to improve food security. Before Bramble Partners, Henry co-founded Leon Restaurants and the Sustainable Restaurant Association and also served deep in the heart of the UK government as he was appointed lead non-executive board member of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.In this exchange we discuss everything from Donella Meadows in complex systems to what that means for all of us trying to influence these systems and policies and how you actually change policy. How it was to manage the COVID crisis from within the UK government, keeping food on the shelves of the supermarkets and local shops, and trying to drastically improve school meals and their accessibility for children living in poverty in the UK. Plus, a deep dive into the junk food cycle, the differences between ultra-processed food and junk food, and the crazy ultra-processed food addiction we all, or mostly, have fallen victim to. And finally, how eating lentils can change everything.---------------------------------------------------Join our Gumroad community, discover the tiers and benefits on www.gumroad.com/investinginregenag. Support our work:Share itGive a 5-star ratingBuy us a coffee… or a meal! www.Ko-fi.com/regenerativeagriculture----------------------------------------------------More about this episode on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/henry-dimbleby.Find our video course on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/course.----------------------------------------------------The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.Send us a Text Message.https://groundswellag.com/2024-speakers/ https://foodhub.nl/en/opleidingen/your-path-forward-in-regenerative-food-and-agriculture/Support the Show.Feedback, ideas, suggestions? - Twitter @KoenvanSeijen - Get in touch www.investinginregenerativeagriculture.comJoin our newsletter on www.eepurl.com/cxU33P! Support the showThanks for listening and sharing!

Sorti en 1972, « The Limits To Growth » est rédigé par deux scientifiques américains : Dennis et Donella Meadows. Connu sous le nom de « Rapport Meadows », il modélise l'impact des croissances démographiques et économiques humaines sur les ressources environnementales mondiale. Ces scientifiques affirmaient que si l'humanité continuait à poursuivre sa croissance économique sans tenir compte des coûts environnementaux, elle allait droit dans le mur. Le livre va se vendre à des millions d'exemplaires, être traduit dans des dizaines de langues et avoir un retentissement mondial. Il avait été commandé par les membres du Club de Rome. Un club d'industriels, de scientifiques, d'économistes menés par un grand patron italien, Aurelio Peccei. On en parle avec Philippe Roman, économiste et chargé de cours à l'ICHEC et l'UCLouvain, et Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, l'actuelle Présidente du Club de Rome. Merci pour votre écoute L'Histoire Continue c'est également en direct tous les samedis de 9h à 10h sur www.rtbf.be/lapremiere Retrouvez l'ensemble des épisodes de l'Histoire Continue sur notre plateforme Auvio.be https://auvio.rtbf.be/emission/l-histoire-continue-19690 Et si vous avez apprécié ce podcast, n'hésitez pas à nous donner des étoiles ou des commentaires, cela nous aide à le faire connaître plus largement.

Stephanie is back with a book recommendation: "Thinking in Systems" by Donella Meadows. This book has helped to bolster her understanding of complex systems in environmental, organizational, and software contexts, particularly through user interactions and system changes. Joël describes his transformative experience watching last week's total solar eclipse. Together, they explore how systems thinking influences software development and team dynamics by delving into practical applications in writing and reading code, suggesting that understanding complex systems can aid developers in navigating and optimizing codebases and team interactions. Transcript:  JOËL: Hello and welcome to another episode of The Bike Shed, a weekly podcast from your friends at thoughtbot about developing great software. I'm Joël Quenneville. STEPHANIE: And I'm Stephanie Minn, and together, we're here to share a bit of what we've learned along the way. JOËL: So, Stephanie, what's new in your world? STEPHANIE: I have a book recommendation today [laughs]. JOËL: Oh, I love book recommendations. STEPHANIE: It's been a little while, so I wanted to share what I've been reading that I think might be interesting to this audience. I'm reading Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows. Joël, are you familiar with systems thinking theory at all? JOËL: Very superficially. Hearing people talk about it on, I guess, X, now Twitter. STEPHANIE: Yeah. Well, what I like about this book is the subtitle is A Primer on Thinking in Systems [chuckles], which is perfect for me as someone who also just kind of understood it very loosely, as just like, oh, like, I dunno, you look at things holistically and look at the stuff, not just its parts but from a higher perspective. JOËL: Yeah. Is that accurate sort of your pre-book reading overview? Or do you think there's a bigger thing, a bigger idea there that the book unpacks? STEPHANIE: Yeah. I think I'm only, like, a third of the way through so far. But what I have enjoyed about it is that, you know, in some ways, like, intuitively, that makes a lot of sense about, like, oh yeah, you want to make sure that you see the forest for the trees, right? But one thing I've been surprised by is how it's also teaching me more technical language to talk about complex systems. And, in this case, she is talking about, essentially, living systems or systems that change over time where things are happening. I think that can be a little bit confusing when we also are, you know, talking about computer systems, but, in this case, you know, systems like environments, or communities, or even, you know, companies or organizations, which is actually where I'm finding a lot of the content really valuable. But some of the language that I've learned that I am now trying to integrate a little bit more into how I view a lot of just, like, daily problems or experiences involve things like feedback loops that might be reinforcing or balancing and different, like, inputs and output flows and what is driving those things. So, I've appreciated just having more precise language for things that I think I kind of intuited but didn't exactly know how to, like, wrap up in a way to communicate to someone. JOËL: Do you think the idea of thinking in terms of things like self-balancing versus sort of diverging input loops is something that's useful when actually writing code? Or do you think of it a little bit more in terms of, like, teams and how they organize general problem-solving approaches, things like that? STEPHANIE: I think the answer is both. I actually gave this quite a bit of thought because I was trying to wrap my head around her definition of a system and how we talk about systems sometimes, like, a codebase, for example. And the conclusion I came to is that, really, it's not just the code static by itself that we care about. It's how it gets exercised, how users use it, how developers change it, how we interact with it when we, like, run tests, for example. So, that was really helpful in kind of thinking about some of the problems we see in engineering organizations as a result of software being a thing that is used and written by humans, as opposed to it just existing in memories [chuckles] or, like, it's in a storage system somewhere. Like, that means it's kind of lifeless, and it's not changing anymore. But the point of kind of this framework is trying to understand it as it changes. JOËL: So, kind of that blurry line between humans and computers and where those two overlap is where a lot of that systems thinking almost, like, mental model or vocabulary has been most helpful for you. STEPHANIE: Yeah, I would say so. So, Joël, what's new in your world? JOËL: So, I did the thing. I traveled to see the total solar eclipse this past weekend. It was mind-blowing. It was incredibly cool. I really loved it. For any of our listeners who have never seen a solar eclipse, in the coming years, have an opportunity to see one. I'd say it's worth traveling to see because it is really impressive. STEPHANIE: Cool. What did it look like when it happened, when it was 100% eclipsed? JOËL: So, what really impressed me was the fact that, like, most of the cool stuff happens in that, like, last half a percent. So, like, 95% eclipsed, still not that impressive. If that's all I'd seen, I would be disappointed. And then, in that last little bit, all of a sudden, everything goes dark. It's sort of, like, that twilight past sunset. You've got a glow on the horizon. The stars are out. STEPHANIE: Wow. JOËL: The animals are behaving like it's past sunset. They're getting ready to go to sleep. STEPHANIE: Whoa. JOËL: The sun itself is just a black dot with this, like, big fiery ring around it. Like all those pictures, icons, photos you see online, or drawings that look over the top, those things are real. That's what it looks like. STEPHANIE: Wow, that's really neat. Could you see it without looking through the eclipse viewers? JOËL: So, when you hit totality, you can look at it with a naked eye, and it is, yeah, magnificent. STEPHANIE: Oh, that's so cool. How long did it last? JOËL: So, it depends where you are in the path of totality. I was pretty much dead center. And it lasts, I think, three and a half minutes is what we had. STEPHANIE: That's so cool. So, for me, here in Chicago, we did not have complete totality. It was about, like, 95%. So, I was watching it, just from that perspective. And I would say, yeah, it was not nearly as cool as what you described. It kind of just was like, oh, it got dark. It almost looked like I was viewing the world through sunglasses. I did have one of those viewers that I used to, like, look at the sun and see how much of it had been covered. But yeah, it was cool. But what you said, I think now I feel like, wow, I really should have [laughter] traveled. I could have traveled just a few hours, you know, to, like, Indianapolis or something to have been on the path. That would have been really neat. And I don't think the next one will be until 2044 or something like that. JOËL: Yeah. And that's the thing, right? I think if you're within a few hours of the path of a total eclipse, it is absolutely worth traveling to totality. The downside of that is that everybody else has the same idea. And so, you will be fighting traffic and a lot of things, especially if it goes through some, like, populated areas, like it did this time. STEPHANIE: Yeah. Well, that's really neat that you got to see that. That's, I don't know, it sounds like not exactly once in a lifetime, but definitely very rare. JOËL: For sure. I think with this experience now; I would definitely consider traveling again if there's one, like, anywhere near where I live, or, you know, maybe even, like, planning a vacation around going somewhere else to see one because it's short. You know, you're there for three minutes, and you see something cool. But that was really impressive. So, something that really struck me when you were talking earlier about systems thinking is that you mentioned that it gave you a sort of a new vocabulary to talk about things. It almost gave you a sort of different way of thinking or some other mental models that you could use to apply when you are interacting in that sort of fussy boundary between people and code. And I think that this idea of having language and having mental models is something that is incredibly valuable for us as programmers in a few different areas. And I'd be curious to see particularly for when we're reading other code, reading code that someone else has written or, you know, yourself from six months ago, do you have any sort of mental models that you like to reach for or techniques that you like to use to sort of give yourself that almost vocabulary to understand what somebody else is trying to do with their code? STEPHANIE: Yeah, I would say so. You know, as you were talking about, like, how do you read code? I was thinking about how I read code is different from how I would read a book [laughs]. I almost rarely just read everything line by line and, like, file by file, you know, in some order that has been presented to me. I am usually a lot more involved. It's almost, like, more like a choose your own adventure kind of book [chuckles], where it's like, oh, go to this page to check if you want to check out what happened down this code path [chuckles]. JOËL: Right, right. Oh, if you're reading a novel, are you the kind of person that will read the ending first? STEPHANIE: Absolutely not. [laughter] JOËL: You have strong opinions here. STEPHANIE: Even when I, like, really want to... okay, sometimes I will, like, maybe just kind of flip to the back and just see, like, oh, how many more pages or chapters do I have [laughs] left? If I am itching to know what might happen. But I definitely don't start a book by reading the end. I think there are people who do that, and maybe that works for them, but I don't understand it. [laughter] JOËL: But maybe that's the thing that you do with your code. STEPHANIE: Yeah. When I read code, it's almost always with some kind of intention to understand a particular behavior, usually kind of kicked off by some action, like, done by the user or something automated. And I want to understand that process from start to finish. So, I'm less likely to read a whole class file [chuckles], as opposed to just following method and the messages that are sent along the way in a process. JOËL: That makes sense. Do you tend to sort of go from kind of the origin point and then follow it down, or sort of the opposite, find some, like, terminal node and then work your way back? STEPHANIE: Oh. JOËL: And I could imagine this in a more concrete sense in a Rails app. You find, like, the route that you're going to hit because you know it's a URL, and then you find the controller, and then you read through the action. And then, you maybe follow a service and something like that or look into the view. Or maybe the opposite: there's a particular page that gets rendered. You look at a method, a helper method that gets called in a view, and then you sort of, like, follow a backtrace from there. STEPHANIE: Yeah, I think both. It depends on what information I have available to me, I think. I can think of, recently, I was trying to figure out the process for which, like, a user in this application I'm working on can downgrade the tier of their account, and I didn't know what to grep for. And so, I asked, like, "Hey, like, what are the entry points for a user being able to do this?" And someone gave me a couple of routes, and that was great because then I got to see, oh, that this is possible in multiple ways. Like, the user can do it themselves, or the admin can do it, and that was really helpful. Other times, I think I have been able to find a keyword on a page and start from, like, a view or a component, or something like that, and then work upwards. JOËL: I love that question that you asked, "What are the entry points for this thing?" I feel like that's a fantastic question to sort of ask yourself when you're feeling stuck, but it's also a great question to ask other people that might know. Do you find that you read code differently when you're just trying to, like, maybe understand a broader subsystem? Maybe you're sort of new to this area and you have to add a feature, as opposed to maybe you're debugging something and trying to understand why things went wrong. Are those two different kinds of reading? STEPHANIE: Yeah, that's also a great point because I do think there's another time when I've just scanned the file structure of an app and looked at the model's directory and just kind of been like, okay, like, maybe some things are namespaced. And that helps me just know what the main concepts that I have to be dealing with or that I will be dealing with are. But I find that sometimes less fruitful because of kind of what I mentioned earlier about thinking in systems, where I'm not sure how important those things will be yet because I don't know how they're used. They could not be used at all [laughs]. And then, I think I'm potentially, like, storing information that is not actually relevant in my brain. JOËL: That's tough, right? Because systems are so big, we can't hold them entirely in our brain. So, sometimes, selectively deciding what will not be loaded in there is just as important as what will. STEPHANIE: Yes. And I think that is actually advice that I would give to devs who are trying to get better at reading code. And this one's hard because when I am working with more early-career developers, it's hard to figure out, like, what are they seeing? How are they interpreting the code on the page? Because oftentimes, I see that they are getting stuck on the details, whereas I would like to encourage them to just be like, you don't really need to know what's going on in that method right now. Does the method name kind of communicate enough to you, like, what this thing is doing without having to understand all of the details? But my advice would be to start figuring out what to ignore [laughs] because, like you said, it's impossible to, like, hold all of that information at one time. What do you think about that advice and, like, how do you teach that to someone? JOËL: I think you're sort of hinting at two different ways of reducing the amount you have to load in your mind. The way I think about it, I think of it sort of spatially, so you can reduce the breadth of things you have to load into your head, so, realize, wait, there's all of these methods, and I don't need to know all of the methods in the file. There's only this one entry point I care about and everything downstream of that, and you just sort of prune everything off to the side, ignore it. That's not relevant right now. But there's also sort of a depth. How deep of implementation do you really need to have? Maybe you only need to know about the high-level concepts. And then, you sort of, like, do this pruning where you say, "I'm not going to go deeper than this level," because the implementation is not really relevant to what I'm trying to understand right now. I mostly need to know what are these classes and how do they interact with each other? Or something along those lines. And, ideally, you're may be doing a little bit of both. You probably don't need to go all the way to the deep implementation of every method, but you also don't necessarily need to know all of the high-level concepts and all of the objects in the system that interact. So, being able to prune in sort of both dimensions, breadth and depth, helps you to, I think, narrow the window of what you need to learn. STEPHANIE: Yeah, that's a really great point. I have a couple more strategies that I just thought about as you were talking about that. One is kind of on the journey to let go of some things that I can't understand in the moment. If they seem important, I will write them down and, like, put them somewhere in a list to come back to later and be like, "This is a thing I don't fully understand yet," and just be okay with that. I think, for me, there is some anxiety of like, oh, like, what if I'll need to know about it later? And at least putting it down somewhere as like, okay, like, I've done something with that anxious [laughs] energy of, like, recognizing that I don't understand this right now, and that's okay. But I can revisit it later. And then, another one is almost the opposite, where it's like, what are my landmarks as I'm navigating through a codebase? Like, what are the files that I'm consistently opening? Because so many of the roads lead to this object. Even when I'm kind of going through different paths, it's like, I can hook into, like, the behavior that I'm looking for from these landmark objects or models because they are really important in this domain. So, it's like, I don't necessarily need to remember every step of the way, but if I can recall some of the more important methods, then I can kind of find my way back. JOËL: Do you just try to, like, memorize those, or do you write them down? Like, how do you make a method or an object a landmark for you? STEPHANIE: That has felt a little more, like, it becomes more, like, muscle memory, I think, because I'm revisiting them pretty frequently. I don't know, it's somehow the act of repeating, like, going through those files just gets encoded somewhere in my brain [laughs], and I don't have to worry as much about forgetting them. JOËL: Strengthening that neural pathway. STEPHANIE: Yeah, exactly. JOËL: Or whatever is happening in the brain there. STEPHANIE: [laughs] JOËL: I like what you were saying earlier, though, about taking notes and sort of almost, like, a breadcrumbs approach. We did an episode almost two years ago where we talked about note-taking for various purposes and note-taking as an exploration exercise, and then note-taking when debugging, where we went deeper into that topic. And I think that would be really relevant to any of our listeners. We'll link that in the show notes. STEPHANIE: Yeah. Leaving breadcrumbs. That's a great metaphor or just a way to describe it. Because I have a little shorthand for if I am leaving myself notes in a codebase as I'm trying to understand what's happening, and it's just, like, putting my initials in a comment and, like, including some observation or commentary about what I'm seeing or a question. JOËL: Also, just a kind of meta observation here, but in the last, you know, 10-15 minutes we've been talking about this, we're already creating our own set of metaphors, and language, and mental models around understanding code. We're talking about breadcrumbs, and landmarks, and looking at code through a broad versus deep lens. That's exactly what we're talking about. STEPHANIE: Joël, do you have any mental models that you use that we haven't really gotten into yet? JOËL: I don't know if they're mental models per se, but I lean very heavily into diagramming as a form of understanding code. And maybe that's a way of sort of reducing the number of concepts because instead of now sort of thinking in terms of, like, lines of code, I'm thinking in terms of maybe some boxes and arrows, and that's a much higher-level way of looking at a system and can give me some really interesting insights. And there are a ton of different diagrams you can use for different things, and I guess all of them are based on a different maybe mental model of what a system is. So, for example, I might actually write out the method call graph starting from some endpoint and just sort of saying, "Hey, when I call this method, what are all of the methods downstream that get called? And is there anything interesting at any of those steps?" Variation on that if you're looking at, let's say, some kind of performance thing would be, like, a flame graph where you have sort of that but then it also shows you the amount of time spent in each of the methods. And that can give you a sense of where your bottlenecks are. Another one that I really like is thinking in terms of a finite state machine. So, sort of following data, how does it change in response to different events that can come into the system? And I'm not talking about, oh, you're using one of the, like, state machine gems out there for your Rails app. This is more of a way of thinking about programs and how they act. You can have just a plain, old Rails app, and you're thinking about, okay, well, how does a cart turn into an order, turn into a fulfillment request at the warehouse, turns into a tracking number for shipping? Modeling that as a state machine. And also, you know, can it move back along that path, or is it only linear move forward? Any kind of multi-state form a wizard often has paths where you move back. It's not linear. That very easily can be drawn out as a state machine. So, that is something that I really like to pull out when I'm trying to understand a, like, complex workflow. STEPHANIE: Yeah, I think we've talked about this before a little bit, or maybe not even a little bit, a lot [laughs]. But I know that you're a big fan of Mermaid.js for creating diagrams in markdown that can be embedded in a pull request description or even in a commit message. When I was hearing you talk about state machines and just all the different paths that can lead to different states, I was like, I bet that's something that you would create using a diagram and stick for yourself and others when sharing code. JOËL: Yes, Mermaid does support state machines as a graph type, which is really cool. Another thing that you can do is embed those in tools like Obsidian, which is my current note-taking tool. So, if I'm doing some sort of notes as a sort of exploratory tool, I will often start writing a Mermaid graph directly in line, and it will render and everything. That's really nice. If I'm not in Obsidian and I just need some sort of one-off graph, I'll often lean on Mermaid.live, which just gives you an editor where you can write up some Mermaid code. It will render it, and then you can copy the PNG into somewhere else and share that with other people. So, if I just need a one-off thing to share in Slack or something like that, I like to lean on that. Another type of diagram that I use pretty frequently is an entity-relationship diagram, so sort of what database tables are related to what others. On larger apps, there's just so many tables, and maybe a bunch of JOINS and things like that, and it's sometimes difficult to get the picture of what is happening, so I'll often draw out a graph of those. Now, it's not worth doing the entire database because that will be huge and overwhelming. So, I'll find, like, five or six tables that are relevant to me and then try to answer the question: How are they related to each other? STEPHANIE: Yeah, I like that. I was going to ask if you do it manually or if you use a tool because I've worked in various apps that have used the Rails ERD gem that will generate an entity-relationship diagram for you every time the schema changes. But there's something very compelling, to me, about the idea of trying to just figure out if you know the relationships, if you could draw them out, as opposed to having a tool do it for you. JOËL: Exactly. STEPHANIE: And I think, like, also, you do have information that might not be encoded in the system. Like, you actually know, oh, these two tables are related, even if no one has defined an association on them. I think that is important in understanding actually how the system is working in real life, I guess. JOËL: Agreed. So, we've been talking a lot about how we can use different tools, different mental models to take code that somebody else has written and kind of, like, almost read it from disk and load it into our brains. But what about the opposite? We're faced with a business problem, and we want to sort of write it to disk, turn it into code that somebody else will then read or that a machine will execute. I hear that happens occasionally. Are there sort of mental models or ways of approaching tackling a more, like, amorphous problem in the real world and turning that into code? Like, are they just the inverse of what we do when we read code, or are they, like, totally different set of skills? STEPHANIE: For me personally, I don't follow this framework very strictly, but I think more intuitively how I like to go about it is more behavior-driven where...because that is the language of maybe our cross-functional partners. They're saying like, "Hey, like, when this happens, I want to be able to do this," and I kind of start there. Maybe I'll pick up some of the keywords that they're repeating pretty frequently as like, oh, like, this is a concept. Actually, lately, the past couple of weeks, I've been test-driving almost all of my code as I work on a totally, like, greenfield feature. And that has been working really well for me, I think, because we did explore more granular, both, like, granular and abstract concepts when we were spiking this feature. And so, we had come up with some domain models. I had kind of thought about, like, how they might interact with each other. But when you then have to actually, like, code that, there are so many little nuances and things to keep track of that I found test driving things from, like, behavior and user stories. Those are really helpful in keeping me, like, on track to making sure that I didn't just have all these little pieces of domain concepts that then didn't really interact in a meaningful way. JOËL: Yeah, the sort of very, like, user or customer-centric approach to thinking about what is this app doing? Is a great way to think about it. And I guess the sort of translation of that, that first step of translation into code is some sort of, like, system spec. STEPHANIE: Yeah, exactly. JOËL: I like that because, you know, we have all these other abstractions that we use as developers. But at the end of the day, our customers and even, you know, our product people aren't thinking in terms of, like, objects and classes and all these other fun abstractions that we have. They're thinking in terms of behaviors and, you know, maybe subsystems, workflows, things like that. And then it's up to us to translate that into whatever paradigm of our language that we're using. STEPHANIE: Do you do things differently from me? JOËL: I don't think that I do it necessarily differently. I think it's one of several tools I have in my tool belt. Something that is similar but from a slightly different angle is inspiring myself with a lot of the ideas from domain-driven design. You know, we've been talking a lot about this idea of, like, mental models and having a vocabulary, things like that, about sort of the way that we work, but that exists at the product level as well. And what if we could encode a lot of that into our application itself? So, is there a distinction between a subscriber and a payer in our system? Is there specialized vocabulary around different other concepts in the app? Maybe instead of just having those be things that product people talk about, what if we made them actual named entities in the system and have maybe our object graph, at least in some way, reflect the sort of idealized model of what our business actually does? That often means that you're thinking of things at a higher level because you're thinking of things at the level that our product people are thinking about them. You might be thinking of things in terms of user journeys, or product workflows, or things like that, because you say, "Oh, well, a new payer has been added to this group account. And that has started a subscription, which then means that a user has access to these corporate features that they didn't have when they were in a solo account." Like, I've just thrown ten different sort of product terms out there that, you know, if there are concepts in our code can help us think about less of the implementation. What does the app do, or how does the app do it? And more in terms of, like, product terms, what does the app do? How do people experience the behavior, or maybe how does data change over the life cycle of the app? So, those perspectives, I think, have helped me distill down sort of more vague product ideas into things that I can then start turning into code. STEPHANIE: Absolutely. I think one way that this framework ends up falling short, at least for me a little bit sometimes, is making connections between behaviors that are similar but not exactly the same. Or when you think about them in more isolated ways, like, it's easy to miss that, like, they are the same idea and that there is, like, something a bit higher level that you can connect them, that you can create a more abstract class for, even though that's not actually how people talk about the things. One example I can think of is things like concerns that are both related to domain language but then also, like, kind of specific to how things work in the code as a system because you might not necessarily call something a subscribable from a product perspective. Do you have any thoughts about identifying those pieces? JOËL: So, what's interesting is I think there's a little bit of, like, layers above and below, the sort of domain layer where you're talking in terms of, like, what the product team would use. When you're doing a lot of the implementation, there will be things that are just, like, that's how we implemented them. They're in the nitty gritty, and they're not terms that the product team would necessarily use. Things like array and string they're low-level details. We have to use them. That's not really relevant to the world of payers, and subscribers, and things like that. So, they're sort of lower layer. And I think that's totally fine to have things where we sort of have things that are sort of programmer only, as long as they're sort of contained within this higher-level layer because that allows people new to the app to sort of see what are the different things in the application to think about things in a higher level. It also allows for smoother communication with the product team. So, ideally, you don't have a concept in the app that is the same as something that the product team, but you just both gave it different names, and then that's really annoying. Or maybe the dev team created something that's, like, almost exactly the same as what the product team talks about, but with some, like, slight variations. Now, you're just going to be talking past each other in every planning meeting, and that will be incredibly annoying. STEPHANIE: Yeah. At one point, when I was trying to communicate, like, async about how a feature works, and there was like the product word for it and then the dev word for it, I would have to type out both [chuckles] because I wanted to make sure that no one was confused about what we were talking about, which was the same thing that just had two names. And yeah, I don't know how many seconds of my life I'll never get back as a result [chuckles]. JOËL: Were these concepts that were identical and had just different names, or was this like, oh, well, our internal subscribed user is almost the same as when product talks about and, I don't know, employee, but our subscribed user has a couple of other extra behaviors that employees don't have, and now there's, like, this weird, like, overlap? STEPHANIE: Yeah, both situations I have found myself in, but I think this one they were virtually identical. Like, they could be used interchangeably to mean the same thing by people who understand both of those definitions, but the problem was that we still had two words [laughs]. JOËL: Yeah, yeah. I'm a big fan of, where possible, converging on the product team's definition. Although because code forces you to be more precise, sometimes that can then force some conversations with the product team about, like, "Hey, so we've been hand waving around this concept of a subscriber. Turns out we think there's actually two different kinds of concepts at work here: the person who's consuming the content and the person who's paying for it. And are they really the same thing, or should we sort of think about these as two different entities? And, in that case, what should the name be?" And that can force a really, I think, healthy conversation between development and product. STEPHANIE: Yeah, I like that. You mentioned there was, like, a higher level and a lower level, but I don't think we've gotten to the higher one yet. JOËL: Yeah. Sometimes, you want to build abstraction sort of over. You're talking about the idea of, like, subscribable things. I think that's where I'm a lot fuzzier. It's much more case-by-case. Where possible, I'd like to introduce some of those things as domain vocabulary so that we'd say, "Well, look, we have a, like, family of products, and they're all subscribable." And maybe, like, the adjective doesn't matter quite as much to our product people, but, you know, because we're using a module in Ruby, we want to lean into the adjective form, and that's fine. But I would at least want some loose connection there. STEPHANIE: Yeah, that makes sense because I think that ultimately makes for a better product. If we're thinking about, like, how to present a hierarchy of information to a user, like a navigation menu, we would want to group those things that are under that family together, ideally, so that they know how to interact with it. JOËL: Another thing that I think falls maybe under, like, this higher-level umbrella are things like design patterns. So, maybe because we want to be able to sort of, like, swap things in and out, we're using some form of strategy pattern. That feels like maybe it's a little bit higher level. It interacts with a lot of the domain concepts, but our product team doesn't really need to think in terms of, like, oh, strategies, and swappable things, and, like, flex points in your architecture. So, those would not necessarily be domain vocabulary. Although I could see, like, maybe there's a way where they do get a domain name, and that's great. STEPHANIE: Oh, I think maybe this is where I disagree with you a little bit. Well, actually, I agreed with what you said at the end [laughs] in terms of how maybe they should be part of the domain vocabulary because I think...I've seen product not fully understand the complexity of the application as it grows over time. And that can lead to sometimes, like, not as great product experience or experience for the user, like, interacting with this product. And maybe that is something we want to, as developers, if we're starting to see and feel and have maybe even introduced a pattern for...I can't claim to have done this too much, but it's definitely a skill I want to hone in on. But, like, how do I communicate to product folks so that we understand, oh, like, where is it possible for these different types of a subscriber to diverge? Because that is important, I think, in determining the future of a product and, like, where we want to invest in it and where we should focus, like, new features. JOËL: And oftentimes, when there is that kind of divergence, there probably will be some sort of product-level thinking that needs to happen there. Are we saying, "Hey, we have one of three types of subscribers, and we want to think about that"? Or maybe we want to say, "We have three different ways of processing an application." Maybe it's derived automatically. Maybe it's a dropdown that you have to pick. But let's say it's a dropdown. What do we name that dropdown with the, like, kind of processing that we want to do to an application? The thing that we want to name that dropdown that's probably a good name for that, like, group of strategies, assuming we implement with a strategy pattern. Maybe we're doing it differently. STEPHANIE: Yeah. The more you talk about that, the more I'm convinced that that's, like, the way I want to be working at least, because you have to know what's there in order to, like, name it. You know, you have to face it, essentially [laughs]. Whereas I think a lot of applications I've worked on fall into the trap of all of those things are obscured way down in the depths of the user flow, where it's like, oh, suddenly, for some reason, you can, like, have a dropdown here that totally changes the behavior, even though you've gotten this far in either the stack trace or even just, like the user journey, as I know you like to branch early in your code. JOËL: [laughs]. STEPHANIE: But you should also branch early from a user's experience [laughs]. JOËL: In general, I'm just a big fan of having a communication loop between development and product, not only sort of receiving a lot of useful information from the product team about what we want to build. But then because we're encountering this more, like, technical spec that we're writing, have those conversations bubble back to product and say, "Hey, so we talked about a dropdown where there are sort of three different ways of processing an application. Let's talk a little bit more about what it means to have three different ways of processing. And what do we want to name that? Is that accessible to everyone, or are they sort of one-to-one tied with a type of user?" And all of a sudden, that has just generated probably a lot of questions that product never even thought to ask because they're working on an infinite canvas of possibilities. And it's really helped you as a developer to have better names to write your code and sort of better sketch out the boundaries of the problem you're trying to solve. So, I think it's a really healthy loop to have. I strongly encourage it. So, we've spent a lot of time talking about thinking about behavior and things like the domain-driven design movement. But a few other things I want to shout out as being really helpful, one is an exercise where you take a problem statement and just underline all of the nouns. That is a great way to get a sense of, like, what is going on here. More generally, I think a lot of what we're talking about falls under the umbrella of what you might call analysis. And so, digging into different analytic techniques can be a great way to better understand the problem that you're working through. One such tool would be decision tables. So, you have a problem, and you say, "Well, given these inputs, what should the outputs be?" STEPHANIE: Cool. If there were any techniques or tools that we missed in terms of how you load code in your brain or generate code from your brain [laughs], we would love to know. You can write in to us at hosts@bikeshed.fm. JOËL: On that note, shall we wrap up? STEPHANIE: Let's wrap up. STEPHANIE: Show notes for this episode can be found at bikeshed.fm. JOËL: This show has been produced and edited by Mandy Moore. STEPHANIE: If you enjoyed listening, one really easy way to support the show is to leave us a quick rating or even a review in iTunes. It really helps other folks find the show. JOËL: If you have any feedback for this or any of our other episodes, you can reach us @_bikeshed, or you can reach me @joelquen on Twitter. STEPHANIE: Or reach both of us at hosts@bikeshed.fm via email. JOËL: Thanks so much for listening to The Bike Shed, and we'll see you next week. ALL: Byeeeeeeee!!!!!!! AD: Did you know thoughtbot has a referral program? If you introduce us to someone looking for a design or development partner, we will compensate you if they decide to work with us. More info on our website at: tbot.io/referral. Or you can email us at: referrals@thoughtbot.com with any questions.

What if it's true that “We can not solve our problems using the same level of thinking that created them”? - Attributed to Albert EinsteinCould it be that our building science understanding is limited? Could it be that even the clarity of understanding we gain by viewing homes and buildings as a systems of systems, assemblies, materials and products interacting according to the laws of science and nature - is necessary but not sufficient to cause us to build that way? Building science is a necessary understanding but it is proving insufficient to cause the change we want at the pace we need. What do we need to add to the building-as-a-system perspective? What will it take to get past Knowing How to get us to Actually Doing what it takes to design and build for the outcomes we need? Using that concept as a lens, this episode seeks to expand the building-as-a-systems view into the society-as-a-system view in order to find ways to allow the power of building science to have proper impact in society. Anyone working in the AEC knows that the barriers to change are solid and weighty. This is what motivates our search for Leverage. Leverage is a force multiplier. Leverage creates a large powerful force using a smaller force. We need leverage to multiply the force we can exert to cause change to happen in the AEC. Following the insights from Donella Meadows(2), we focus on the concept of Leverage Points - those “places within a complex system where a small change in one area can have pervasive positive impacts”. What we will discover is that according to Donella our mental models of the world, our industry, and our role in it - our deeply held, often unexamined, paradigms, are points of power that bring leverage. Please join us for this rich and thoughtful exploration to find sufficiency. What will it actually take to bring the future we want into the present we have. Bring your caring hearts and curious minds and let's have some fun!Reference: Donella Meadows, Thinking in Systems: A PrimerBSPS, SIGN UP PAGE TO GET ON OUR MAILING LIST, WE NEVER SHARE IT. https://positiveenergy.pro/the-building-science-philosophical-societyDONELLA MEADOWS BOOKCHAPTER 6 https://donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Leverage_Points.pdfWiki on Donella Meadowshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donella_MeadowsDonella Meadows Project - Academy for Changehttps://donellameadows.org/Check out the Systems Thinking Resources page!https://donellameadows.org/systems-thinking-resources/Book: Thinking in Systemshttps://donellameadows.org/systems-thinking-book-sale/TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited by Nico MignardiProduced by M. Walker

is an imaginative writer from Oakland, California known for his intriguing work of speculative philosophy published on Substack as The Spouter.Viewed through a Marxist lens, The Spouter presents an unconventional narrative on petroleum's role in shaping contemporary history.Our discussion spans a range of captivating topics. We examine the historical significance of petroleum and Jed's efforts to ignite a revolutionary approach to climate discourse. We navigate through the complex interplay between humanity and fossil fuels—oil, coal, and gas—analyzing them from various viewpoints: religious, materialistic, Marxist, speculative, and literary. This multifaceted exploration aims to challenge and transform the conventional narrative surrounding climate change.We also wander into the realms of hyperstition and cybernetics, reflecting on the impact of analog technology, typewriters, and the role of speculative philosophy. We touch upon literary masterpieces like Thomas Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow" and Reza Negarestani's "Cyclonopedia," among other intriguing subjects.Jed encourages a spirit of open-minded inquiry. He argues that while you may not align with all his ideas, they serve as a catalyst for sparking new questions and fostering a more nuanced, complex perspective on history and current affairs.Get “Noided” as The Spouter argues…Intro Music Sample from Acediast / “Malformed Canticle of Despondent Langour”, Tristidigezh Records 2022. Time Stamps1:57 - Typewriters and analog technology 4:33 - Finding Inspiration in Cyclonopedia for the project The Spouter6:19 - Schizophrenia Reading and Cybernetics Role of Speculative Philosophy 11:41 - The Concept of Sentient Oil 15:30 - Capitalism and Other Hyperobjects 19:30 - Hyperstition 20:07 - The Global Warming Discourse23:47- Cybernetics, environmentalism and control/fragmentation of reality 34:04 - Communism as hyperobject40:24 - Sentient oil seen thru religious analysis - discussion on the Jinn50:24 - Discussion on return to religion in society 55:10 - How to regain humanism60:21 - Paranoid sensibility / Parapolitical sensibility - Getting “noided”61:55 - Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon 65:35 - On possession by the hyperobject68:14- Jed's book and where to find his writing 70:05 - Material Analysis in Understanding HistoryFurther Reading / Notes from (The Spouter)Cited and RecommendedCyclonopedia: Complicity with Anonymous Materials. Reza Negarestani, Re:Press 2008.Knot of the Soul: Madness, Psychosis, Islam. Stefania Pandolfo, University of Chicago Press, 2018.- Re: JinnThirst for Annihilation: George Bataille and Virulent Nihilism. Nick Land, Routledge, 1992.- Nick Land did coin the term “Hyperstition”, though probably not in this book. This one is probably the most relevant to our conversation.Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia Volume 1. Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. Try to get the translation from University of Minnesota Press, 1983. (I haven't read the Penguin translation.)A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia Volume 2. Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. Minnesota, 1983Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World. Timothy Morton, University of Minnesota Press, 2013.The Ecological Thought. Timothy Morton, Harvard University Press, 2012.- This was what I was reading when the phrase/slogan “Modernity is the process of oil getting into everything” arose – the text might not say exactly that, but this is where it is from, and I consider it foundational to my work.Ecology and Socialism: Solutions to Capitalist Ecological Crisis. Chris Williams, Haymarket Books, 2010- Recommended. Much easier to parse than John Bellamy Foster's ecological socialism.The Closing Circle: Nature, Man & Technology. Barry Commoner, Random House 1971.- An example of good/less compromised ecological writing of the type suppressed by the suspect texts listed below.Cited and Argued WithThe Progress of This Storm: Nature and Society in a Warming World. Andreas Malm, Verso, 2020.Donella Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jorgen Randers, William W. Behrens III. Universe Books, 1971.Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth. James Lovelock. Oxford University Press, 1979.The Ages of Gaia: A Biography of Earth. James Lovelock. Norton, 1988.Books You Should Prioritize ReadingThe Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program That Shaped Our World. Vincent Bevins, PublicAffairs 2020.- Highly recommended gateway drug to noided history.Gravity's Rainbow. Thomas Pynchon, 1973.- I have to convince people to read it, since it's a hard book; believe me when I tell you the effort will pay off. Lots of these “big” books like Ulysses and Moby Dick, maybe the effort isn't worth it for some people. Gravity's Rainbow is worth it for everyone. I know that people are busy and attention spans are short. But anyone who doesn't read it really is missing out on something revelatory and very compelling.Zionism in the Age of Dictators. Lenni Brenner, 1983.- Available online at Marxists.org- Worth reading for anyone who doesn't understand how the settler colonial project of Israel came to be, because it points out something that people don't want to talk about. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leafbox.substack.com

Jorgen Randers est un universitaire norvégien, professeur émérite de stratégie climatique à la BI Norwegian Business School. Pour décrypter la marche du monde, il s'intéresse de près aux concepts et aux méthodes de la prospective et de la dynamique des systèmes. Aux côtés de Dennis et Donella Meadows, il est l'un des principaux co-auteurs du rapport au Club de Rome, The limits to growth, paru en 1972.Dans l'entretien à suivre, Jorgen s'interroge, plus de 50 ans après, sur ce que l'humanité a appris depuis, et spécule au sujet du rôle des États dans le maintien à flot du vaisseau Terre.Entretien enregistré le 9 mars 2023Remerciements : agence Logarythm

Bio  Fabiola is a pioneer and thought leader in Agile HR and Co-Founder of Just Leading Solutions, a global transformation consultancy for HR and Business Agility. As a seasoned Management Consultant and Executive Advisor, she works with key players around the globe and across the private, corporate, and social sectors. She helps them become more adaptive and innovative by maximizing the potential of their people function. Fabiola is a Switzerland native living in New York. She is an avid New York Rangers fan.   Interview Highlights 03:20 Business Agility 04:35 The Impact of Technology 07:45 How HR Fits into Business Agility 10:35 Making the Change 13:50 Sustainable Initiatives 16:25 Agile HR vs Agility in HR 18:35 Workforce Planning Sessions 30:15 The Agile HR Course   Links ·         JLS Website: www.justleadingsolutions.com ·         Training Overview: Agile HR Training ·         Agile HR Explorer: Agile HR Explorer Training ·         LinkedIn Fabiola Eyholzer   Books & Resources ·         The Connected Company, Dave Gray ·         Thinking in Systems, Donella Meadows ·         The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, Amy Edmondson   ·         The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, Daniel Coyle   Episode Transcript Intro: Hello and welcome to the Agile Innovation Leaders podcast. I'm Ula Ojiaku. On this podcast I speak with world-class leaders and doers about themselves and a variety of topics spanning Agile, Lean Innovation, Business, Leadership and much more – with actionable takeaways for you the listener. Ula Ojiaku So I have with me here Fabiola Eyholzer, she is the Co-Founder and CEO of Just Leading Solutions, a New York based consultancy for Lean Agile People Operations. Fabiola, it's a massive honour and pleasure to have you on this show. Thank you for being my guest on the Agile Innovation Leaders podcast. Fabiola Eyholzer Thank you, Ula, the pleasure is all mine. Ula Ojiaku So how did you get into this, you know, Lean Agile space? Fabiola Eyholzer So it's actually quite an interesting story. It's now 13 years ago when I was running the Swiss market for a European HR consultancy, and we were looking for a new leadership model for our career starters. And I met some Agile coaches and they're like, oh, you have to do Scrum, and I'm like, well, did you hear me say that we are an HR consultancy, we're not a software developer. She's like, trust me, it's the right thing to do, so we did a test run. So we introduced Scrum, which is the predominant Agile practice with our career starters, and it was such an eye opener to see what actually happens when we work in this new way that I knew this is the future, and I decided there and then to quit my job and dedicate the next phase of my career to Agile HR. Ula Ojiaku Wow. And since then, what sorts of organisations or projects or initiatives have you worked on? Fabiola Eyholzer So we've worked on so many different initiatives and with so many different companies and I actually had to look it up, I was in over 21 countries with the topic of HR Agility, and in that time I worked with companies across all industries, across all sectors, from profit, to non-profit, to education. And something that is really interesting is that at the end of the day, it doesn't matter that much what your corporate culture is, what your social culture is, when it comes to the people function, we want to make sure how do we maximise the people function, how do we leverage what we are doing in HR in a way that is highly beneficial for our employees, and with that, highly beneficial for our organisations. And of course, right now we are in that situation that the world of work around us is changing massively, you know, it's just being turned upside down. And this is, on the one hand, really scary, on the other hand, it's a massive chance to really reinvent HR, and really do things differently. Ula Ojiaku Something that stands out to me is you're saying it's an opportunity to reinvent HR and we will get back to that, but before we do, what does business agility mean to you? Fabiola Eyholzer So for me, business agility is really ensuring that our companies are engaging and adaptive and innovative so that they can thrive in that fast paced and constantly changing, highly dynamic environment. And at the core, what it means is that organisations and institutions are shifting away from being well oiled machines to being thriving ecosystems, because adaptability means exploring change, enabling change and being able to be change ready and to manage change to flex their muscles, to explore opportunities very quickly, to act on opportunities and not be scared, not be afraid to pivot and to course correct. And that's what we are seeing right now, that companies have to shift away from a model that served us really well for 150 years to a new system that is always at the edge of chaos, but that's the only way to continue to thrive and be adaptive in that fast paced, highly dynamic environment. Ula Ojiaku And would you say, I've, this is the first time I'm hearing that phrase, edge of chaos, but I do agree, and would you say that in this day and age, because the nature of the work we do, compared to 150 years ago, or even some years ago, it's for the most part getting to be knowledge-based, especially in technology. Is that one of the considerations for the change we need in the way we organise and run our companies or groups or teams? Fabiola Eyholzer Yes, technology is definitely a massive game changer for us, but it's not just about changing the way we work or changing the way our processes work. And quite often when we talk about technology in the HR space, people think about, you know, putting our HR process onto new, fancier digital process, but that's not just what it's about. It's more about understanding how much is technology and everything else that goes hand in hand with that, how is it changing the way that we work, and it leaves us with that very fundamental question, what type of work is left for us humans? If everything around us is being automated, and you know when we think about automation, a lot of people think about assembly line work going away, you know, routine work going away. And that was true 20 years ago. But today, work is being automated in every single field imaginable. And it's not just routine work that is being automated, and that leaves us with that question, what type of work is left for us? The answer is, it's the type of work that requires our passion and our potential for collaboration, ideation, our social and emotional intelligence. And of course, we are solving problems we never had to solve before, so there is no script, and that means we need to organise our companies in a different way. We need to organise work in a different way so that we can manage that ongoing fast paced change and that we can continue to solve problems we haven't solved before. And that's why we need to shift away from being a well oiled machine that has everything already figured out and written into job descriptions and competency models and objectives and KPIs to a company that can create and respond to change very quickly. Ula Ojiaku So given your definition of what business agility means to you and the case you've made for change, in the sense that we're at the edge of chaos and the sorts of work we need to do right now because technology, almost everything can be and will be automated in one way or the other, so where does HR fit in into this, in the light of business agility? Fabiola Eyholzer I can give you a very straightforward, simple answer. The role of HR in business agility is that HR is the secret to business agility, because if we don't align our people approach, and if we don't align our HR practices to the new realities and new demands, we're not going to be successful. So if we don't engage in talent scouting and talent enablement and performance acceleration in a way that is aligned with the new way of working, we cannot achieve business agility. Ula Ojiaku And how ready would you say the HR function is for this sort of transformation? Fabiola Eyholzer So the companies that we work with, or that I have the pleasure of working with, they are ready, or at least they're not scared to try. So they're courageous enough to try. As an industry in human resources, I think we have a long way to go. On the one hand, we see that things are changing and we're trying super hard to change with the times, but quite often we don't have that fundamental understanding that the entire mindset, the entire DNA of the organisation is going to change, and unless we understand that new mindset, that new DNA, we will not be able to change or maximise the people function in a way that is most beneficial for Agile enterprise. So we have a long way to go. Ula Ojiaku How would you know if an organisation's HR function is ready? Are there some indicators that they're ready to go on this journey if they haven't started already? Fabiola Eyholzer One of the indicators is if they have more questions than answers, they're probably there. So, because the companies are just saying, oh, we've done this, we've done that, tick, tick, tick. They're probably not the ones with that growth mindset that Agile organisations need. Okay, so that's one indicator. The other indicator is that they're not satisfied with the status quo and at the same time they are willing to do something about it. So I sometimes say, we have a gut feeling that tells us there must be a better way out there to engage with people, to create a learning organisation, to inspire people. And if we listen to that gut feeling, then we need to be gutsy about it, to change it, to do something about it. And these are some of the things that we see in organisations that we work with, they are not afraid to challenge the status quo. They realise we need to change and we need to change now. Ula Ojiaku And okay, when they have identified, yes, we need to change, we need to change now, what's your typical direction or steer or guidance to these organisations and their leaders in terms of where to start? Would you say, let's take a big bang approach and overhaul everything? Or would it be small iterative steps towards the change? What's your typical approach? How would you advise them? Fabiola Eyholzer So I'm going to give you the consultant answer, it depends. So it depends on the change readiness and change willingness of the company. We have a lot of companies where we have amazing success, when we took one part of the organisation, typically around 500 to 2500 people, where we changed the entire HR approach. We had some companies where we have had amazing success with a big bang where we really transformed the entire HR organisation, but it really depends on how ready are you to explore and also how willing are you, how much do you want to put in, how much energy and passion and resources are you willing to put into that transformation? But one thing that we always do is, we start with training and inspiring people, because we talk about a new world of work. And while this is easy to say, you know, people initially envisioned this is about virtual work, or working from home. Well that's a tiny part of what we're talking about when it comes to this new world of work, and because this new world of work is rooted in such a fundamentally different mindset, we first need to understand that mindset, and we need to speak the same language, because quite often we're using words that have a very different meaning in the Agile space versus the traditional corporate environment. And I can give you an example, for instance, if we talk about hiring for potential, you know, what are we looking for? In the traditional way of looking at potential, it's, does someone have the potential to thrive in that particular role, and does someone have the potential to take the next step in a predefined career trajectory? But that's not what we're talking about when we talk about hiring for potential in the agile space. We are talking about hiring for potential to thrive in an uncertain, complex, ambiguous, volatile world. Does someone feel comfortable with uncertainty, not knowing what their job is going to look like 12 months from now? Does someone feel comfortable with flexing their muscles, with learning and unlearning new things? So it's a very different understanding of a simple work word ‘hiring for potential'. So that's what we're doing, is speaking that new language, understanding why and how this new world is so fundamentally different. Ula Ojiaku Well, that's very, very thought provoking and some of the things in my little experience that I would expect leaders of such organisations to say like, yes, well and good, you know, you inspire us, there's a case for change, but how can we make sure this isn't one of those multiple failed large change initiatives with engagement? How would we know we will make this sustainable? Fabiola Eyholzer So you will never have a guarantee, but what is a massive game changer, and what's crucial to the success of any transformation is your commitment, okay? So you have to stick with it, even, or especially, when the going gets tough. And since we are working in such a different way, it's super easy to fall back into old patterns of behaviour when there are problems that come up, when we need to reprioritise, when something unforeseen happens, it's super easy to fall back, and that's when you have to keep going. And I think that dedication is one of the key aspects. And also what's interesting about agility is when you learn about Agile and how it works, and what the values are, it resonates with us. Of course it does, because it was created for the human economy, so it taps into what we bring to the table. So it sounds super easy and straightforward, let's talk about empowering people, who doesn't want to feel empowered, but then it's, we have to figure out what does that mean for us in an organisation, what does empowerment mean? How do we share that empowerment? How do we allow the teams to explore, to learn, to stumble, to fail, to course correct? It's not always that easy to then actually follow through. And I always say the devil is in the detail when it comes to Agile. You know, it sounds super easy on the surface, but when you dig in deeper, it gets more challenging. Ula Ojiaku It's almost like learning to play a game of chess. Yes, you might know how the different pieces move on the board, but actually the getting into it, it's a lifelong pursuit to become a grandmaster, almost anyway. I really enjoyed going through your course, the Agile HR Explorer course that's on the Scaled Agile platform open to SBCs, but there was something that you mentioned in that course, Agile HR versus Agility in HR. Can you explain for the benefit of the audience, you know, what these two terms mean and how they differ? Fabiola Eyholzer Yes, so the word HR has two meanings. So when people talk about HR, they can either mean the HR department, your compensation specialist, your learning expert, your grading instructor. So all these HR professions, so the entire HR department and that. Or they can mean HR as a discipline, as a function, where we talk about talent acquisition and performance management and learning and development, workforce planning and so on. And because there is that duality to it, we also have a different approach to agility. And that's when you hear those words, Agile for HR, so meaning what can Agile do for the HR department or HR for Agile, meaning what does HR do for the Agile teams, for the Agile organisation, and the approach is slightly different. So when we bring Agile to the HR department, it's all about how do we work in a different way? How do we organise around value? How do we deliver value faster, in a better way? So it's implementing all these Agile practices, the natural practices and ceremonies and artifacts within the HR department. Whereas the other side is really, how do we align all our HR practices to this new way of working, and that's really where the magic happens. So if we shift from recruiting to talent scouting, if we shift from learning and development to talent enablement, if we shift from performance management to performance acceleration, that's when we help the organisation become and stay Agile, that's when we bring business, or enable business agility across the organisation. Ula Ojiaku And there's something you said about workforce planning, you know, so in terms of the function, if I may just go slightly off tangent, it's a question that's been on my mind in the sense that, is there a way that one could approach workforce planning that would undermine the agility of the organisation? So I'm going to give a hypothetical example. So there are some organisations who might be saying, do you know what, in this economy, we need to balance out our talent mix, and we want new, fresh talent who, maybe fresh graduates who are, they will cost cheaper, they probably are up to date with new technologies versus, you know, existing talent who might be more expensive. So is there a way that one might approach workforce planning that could be detrimental, because there are pros and cons to every approach potentially, but in your experience, in the multiple organisations you've supported and continue to support, could there be things we could watch out for that might undermine our agility in that space? Fabiola Eyholzer Yes, so the way that we look at it is when we look at talent and what talent brings to the table, we don't look at it from, is this talent expensive or cheap? It's about how much value does this talent add to the organisation? Okay, so it's a value based way of looking at it, rather than a cost based, right. So that's the first part. The other part is that we, what we want to do with adaptive workforce planning is that we can explore opportunities very quickly, so it has to be a way where it's easy for us to say, hey, we have new initiatives come up that require new skills that we are very proactive about it, that, let's say we need more AI experience or Blockchain experience or whatever it is in the future, if we know that today that there is a high chance that we need it, let's look at the organisation. Do we already have people who have experience or skills in that particular field? Can they train others? Do we have to start building, putting up a training program ourselves? Do we have to get external talent in that can give us a leg up? Can we work with exploratory assignments to get people that experience? So there's so many things that we can do, and the focus with anything that we do in agility is always about now and the future, whereas in the traditional workforce planning, it's more about the past and today. And if you think about it, workforce planners, they don't have a full overview of what are the initiatives the teams are going to be working on six months from now, but we think it's going to be 12 months from now. And that's what we do with the active workforce planning in the Agile space. We have that forward looking approach. We look at our talent pool and say, what's the strength of our talent pool, not just compared to the initiatives that we're doing today, but to the initiatives that we think are coming up. And the beauty about this is, and here you see that we're really applying systems thinking, is that this is then opening up growth opportunities for our employees, because if we want to be an Agile organisation, we need to be a learning organisation first. Ula Ojiaku I do like what you're saying about the adaptive workforce planning and it does align with that, you know, responding to change over just sticking to a plan. How often would you recommend or how often in your view would it be practical to be having these sorts of workforce planning sessions? Fabiola Eyholzer We do it once a quarter with our clients, because that allows you to then also collaborate, because this is about talent management, you know, where do we see things that people need to learn, what they want to focus on, do we need to open up exploratory assignments, do we need to assign people to different teams, all of these things we need to know before we go into our quarterly planning. So if we talk in SAFe terminologies, you want that to happen before your PI planning so that you can make sure that those people topics are part of the backlog. So we work with capacity allocation, all of that, to make sure that we have people topics on that, so that's why we do it once a quarter. Ula Ojiaku Okay. And I would assume, you know, once a quarter, those people topics, because there's also the respect for the individual or the people involved, there would be some factoring in that there will be conversations with the individuals to say, hey, this is what we think is going to happen, what's your opinion? Do you want to go instead of just shifting them into positions and maybe them learning on the day of the PI Planning your team has changed. Fabiola Eyholzer Yes, and, you know, in the Agile space, we talk a good game about empowerment and we know how it works when it comes to work, but of course, empowerment also means empowering people when it comes to their learning and growth journey. So, hey, the people manager, people developer and HR are there to open up opportunities for them, but at the end of the day, they have to be on that journey by themselves, they have to make those steps, they have to go through that door, they have to go out and learn and explore and bring themselves into play. So it's, what's empowerment when it comes to their own growth and learning. Ula Ojiaku Thanks for that Fabiola. Would you say that when you do this adaptive workforce planning, does it make sense for one area or team or division or department to be compared with another? And I'll tie it back, I'll just give you some context, because I've heard of organisations, you know, doing it based on, oh, we want to make sure our cost base is, you know, our overheads, we're cutting it, I know everyone is doing a good job but we want to cut it, can we start measuring this department with that department in terms of workforce planning. I do resonate with that value base, instead of looking at how much they cost, what's the value these people, these talents are bringing? What's your view on, in the process of doing this, comparing one unit or department with another in their workforce planning approach? Fabiola Eyholzer So there are two aspects to it. One is, what data do we measure? And the second part is what do we do with the data? So for instance, when it comes to adaptive workforce planning, for instance, one of the important KPIs that we have is looking at the talent pool strength. So how strong is the talent pool compared to what we're working on right now? What we're going to work on in the next one or two quarters and three to four quarters out. But we're measuring that just so that we have a data point to get us talking. So this is not about comparing my team to your team and my team is better than your team, that's not what this is about. It's more about having a data point that allows us to have a conversation, that allows us to see, are we moving into the right direction? So, and I think that's important to all the KPIs. Why are we measuring them? And what are we doing with the data? And also the question, are we measuring the right things? And something that we often see is that people don't differentiate between leading and lagging indicators. So, for instance, a simple example in HR, we often look at retention rates, which is a great measure to have. But here's the thing, a retention rate is a lagging indicator, a lot of stuff has already happened, you know, and people did that quiet quitting probably long before they actually handed in their notice. So while we want to have that data point, there are other data points that are probably going to be better for us to be proactive, to do things about it. So always think about why are we measuring something? Are we measuring the right things? Are we measuring the things that are easy to measure? And for instance, cost is a data point that is easy to measure, but it doesn't say anything about the value. If someone used a hundred percent of their budget, well, did they do well? We don't know. Maybe they could have done the same thing with 70% of the budget, or maybe they should have gone to 120 and created something amazing for the future. So, really think about why are we measuring things and what are we doing with the data? Ula Ojiaku It just reminds me of a conversation I had and I said, what if we don't look at the cost and what if we also asked, are they meeting the targets that you set for them, the objectives that you set for them, and could they be setting up your organisation to make, you know, quantum leaps of progress by the work they're doing right now. So, and some of these things we can't see into the future, it's only retrospective, and that's where the leading indicators you talked about, although you talked about it differently from, you know, measuring attrition and people leaving and retention and all that, but there are ways of knowing in advance whether our guess is most likely to be correct, and sometimes measuring money or the cost isn't always the best metric, so I really like what you said about that. Thank you. Fabiola Eyholzer And also when you think about it, so many organisations, they want to be innovative and adaptive. At the same time, they focus so much on efficiency and, you know, following a script, following a plan, you know, hitting certain numbers that are set in stone, that they actually lose agility and adaptability and innovation, but they don't see the connection between the two, they don't see the connection between their leadership approach and their HR and finance and legal processes and how that is impacting one way or another how innovative they are, how creative they are. Ula Ojiaku I do recognise we're kind of teetering whenever we talk about the cost, we're teetering between, you know, finance, but they are all intertwined, like you just pointed out, it's all intertwined and it's a delicate ecosystem where you're always going to have to be doing something to stay in balance. What you did yesterday might not necessarily work today, so it's all about sensing and responding and I do appreciate what you've said so far. So what led to your developing the Agile HR course, which is now on the Scaled Agile platform? Fabiola Eyholzer Yes, I co-created or co-founded JLS, I think, nine years ago, and we very early on realised that we need to have a training to sort of do that level setting, get people that foundation, foundational knowledge to succeed in their transformation efforts. And that's when we created a series of different courses, and one of them is the Explore course that you mentioned. It's a one day course, it's great for anyone who's new or fairly new to Agile, Agile HR, you know, someone who wants to know more about it, and this is really an important first step to a longer learning and growth journey. But if you're new to Agile and you're in HR, this is definitely a great training. It's a one day training that gives you, starts out with the new world of work, you know, why is it so different? Why do we have so much pressure on performance management and career models and so on and so forth? Then what is Agile? And we explain Agile, not using technology based examples, but HR examples, you know, what does good design mean in the HR space? So we really explain the Agile manifesto and Agile values and principles from a HR perspective, and then we bring these worlds together and we talk about what is Agile HR and how do we apply that to different HR practices? So it's going to give you a well-rounded introduction to the field of HR Agility. Ula Ojiaku And is this available on the JLS website? Fabiola Eyholzer Yes, so all our trainings are available on our website and also our partner companies offer Agile HR training, you can go to an open enrolment class or you can bring it to your own organisation to train either an entire department or a team. And it's especially valuable when you start out on a new initiative, you know, it doesn't matter whether your company is already Agile or planning to become more Agile, if you're tasked with reinventing performance management or, you know, doing a new initiative, a new project, this is always a good way to get into it and say, okay, how can we make Agile work for us before we then help the organisation be more Agile? Ula Ojiaku We'll definitely have the link to your website in the show notes with your episode. So what I'm hearing is it's available, there are some partners as well that offer this training, which you and your team have curated. But if someone says, no, I want you, Fabiola, to come to do this for us, is that possible as well? Fabiola Eyholzer Absolutely. You can go to our website and contact me or you can hunt me down on LinkedIn, I'm the only one with my name, so you should be able to find me and just send me a message and we can definitely collaborate. Ula Ojiaku Okay. Well, what excites you about what you do currently? Fabiola Eyholzer Oh, I tell people I have the best job in the world because I get to work with amazing people, amazing companies, you know, people and companies who are not afraid to push the status quo, you know, who are courageous to do things differently and who are not afraid to push boundaries, because we're getting into uncharted territory. When you think about human resources, the term HR was first used in 1893 by J. R. Commons. So HR is this year, 120 years old, and of course we've evolved, you know, we changed from personnel management to modern HR and everything, but we're at the cusp of a new era that is going to be fundamentally different from anything else that we've done in the past. And if you think about it, it's never been this exciting to be in HR. We get to reinvent and shape the future of HR, or the people function, whether you call it talent and culture, or employee success or people and culture, whatever term you're using, we are reinventing it, and I'm in the middle of it, so I get to help organisations do this. Ula Ojiaku That's exciting. I can sense the passion and the enthusiasm there. Would you be writing a book on this topic anytime soon? Fabiola Eyholzer Maybe one day. Ula Ojiaku Maybe, okay. Whilst we will be eagerly waiting for your book, what books would you recommend to people who might be wondering, okay, what else could I read to, to get abreast on this, or generally any books that you would recommend that have made an impact or impression on you? Fabiola Eyholzer So one book that had a really big impact on me was The Connected Company. So it talks about the company being more like a city, rather than an engine, and even though it doesn't talk about agility, it doesn't talk about human resources, there is so much food for thought in there, you just have to put that thought in to make that translation into HR, but I thought that was a fantastic book. Then obviously Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows. I'm a systems thinker myself, so that definitely resonated a lot. And of course there are other books like The Culture Code, Fearless Organization, books like that, that can, you know, really give you a lot of food for thought. Ula Ojiaku Thank you very much. These would be in the show notes. And would there be any ask before we round up that you would have for the audience? Fabiola Eyholzer So don't be afraid to push boundaries and to challenge the status quo. As I said earlier, every time you have that gut feeling there is a better way out there, well, chance is that there actually is. So don't be afraid to push boundaries. Don't be afraid to try. And I know everyone sometimes feels that they're in that hamster wheel, that they have so many things to do already that they can't take on something else, but I tell you from personal experience and from my experience working in that field for, for 10 years, it is a game changer. And if you're willing to put in the work, the results are going to be amazing. Yes, actually it's hard work, but it really delivers what it promises. Don't be scared, be courageous, do it. Ula Ojiaku Thank you very much Fabiola for those words of wisdom. It's been a pleasure. I've thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and I hope, you know, we would have some follow up sometime in future. Many thanks Fabiola. Fabiola Eyholzer Anytime. Thank you so much. Pleasure was all mine. Ula Ojiaku That's all we have for now. Thanks for listening. If you liked this show, do subscribe at www.agileinnovationleaders.com or your favourite podcast provider. Also share with friends and do leave a review on iTunes. This would help others find this show. I'd also love to hear from you, so please drop me an email at ula@agileinnovationleaders.com Take care and God bless!   

~Co-presented with Commonweal's Collaborative for Health and the Environment~ We're now in the dangerous, uncharted territory climate scientists have been warning about for decades. Meanwhile, biologists and toxicologists are sounding the alarm about surpassing the “planetary boundary” for chemical pollution, beyond which both ecosystems and our health are endangered. We know climate change and chemical pollution are related in ways that can accelerate both crises, but does their interlinked nature also offer opportunities? Join Host Kristin Schafer with biologist and systems thinker Dr. Elizabeth Sawin and chemicals expert and clean production advocate Beverley Thorpe as they explore opportunities to prioritize solutions that concurrently address climate change and the global crisis of chemical contamination — while also improving public health, equity and economic vitality. Multisolving Institute a think-do tank that helps people implement solutions that protect the climate while improving, equity, health, biodiversity, economic vitality, and well-being. Beth writes and speaks about multisolving, climate change, and leadership in complex systems for both national and international audiences. Her work has been published widely, including in Non-Profit Quarterly, The Stanford Social Innovation Review, U.S. News, The Daily Climate, and System Dynamics Review. In 2010, Beth co-founded Climate Interactive, which she co-directed until 2021. Since 2014, Beth has participated in the Council on the Uncertain Human Future, a continuing dialogue on issues of climate change and sustainability. She is a biologist with a PhD from MIT who has been analyzing complex systems related to climate change for 25 years. Beth trained in system dynamics and sustainability with Donella Meadows and worked at Sustainability Institute, the research institute founded by Meadows, for 13 years. Beth has two adult daughters and lives in rural Vermont where she and her husband grow as much of their own food as they can manage. Beverley Thorpe Beverley is Co-Founder of Clean Production Action, and has researched and promoted clean production strategies to advance a non-toxic economy internationally since 1986. She was the first clean production technical expert for Greenpeace International on chemical and waste issues. Bev's work on alternatives to PVC, organohalogens and hazardous waste incineration helped drive momentum for safer substitution practices in company practices. As the NGO representative in the first United Nations Environment Programme for Cleaner Production, she promoted the value of public participation in industrial policies. Bev received her degree in Geography from Leicester University, UK and is an annual lecturer at Lund University in Sweden on chemicals policy and corporate practices. She is a past Director of Greenpeace International and a founding board member of the Story of Stuff in the US. She lives in Toronto, Canada. Host Kristin Shafer Kristin is director of Commonweal's Collaborative for Health and the Environment, and three decades of experience in the field of environmental health and justice. After working as a Communications Specialist at EPA and with World Resources Institute in Washington, DC, she moved back to Northern California where she held various roles—including executive director—over her 25-year tenure at Pesticide Action Network (PAN) North America. Kristin holds a Masters in Social Change and Development from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She lives with her husband in downtown San Jose where she loves to bike ride and garden, and currently serves as board co-chair for the community-building urban farm, Veggielution. Find out more about The New School at Commonweal on our website: tns.commonweal.org. And like/follow our Soundcloud channel for more great podcasts.

“First, it's about imagination. What can we imagine better? And then it's about, well, how can we change our incentive systems? How can we change our systems with policies, different incentives?” - Beth BaranyIn this episode of the "How To Write The Future" podcast, “What is Thrutopia with Denise Baden, part 1,” host Beth Barany discusses with Denise Baden, a professor of sustainable practice and Thrutopia writer, what Thrutopia stories are, the research behind her eco rom-com Habitat Man, and how she's raising awareness for the future of climate change.ABOUT DENISE BADENDenise Baden is a Professor of Sustainable Practice at the University of Southampton, UK. She has published widely in the academic realm and also in fiction. Her eco-themed rom-com ‘Habitat Man' was published in 2021, followed by ‘the Assassin' and ‘No More Fairy Tales: Stories to Save the Planet' in 2022. Her most recent research explores the use of storytelling to promote green behaviours, looking at how readers respond to eco-themed stories. In 2018, Denise set up the Green Stories Writing project that challenges writers to embed green solutions in their stories via a series of free writing competitions. These are open to all, and 19 competitions have been run so far, which have resulted in several publications. Denise is listed on the Forbes list of Climate Leaders Changing the Film and TV industry  and speaks regularly on how to write for a cause.  Free 4-story mini-taster of  'No More Fairy Tales: Stories to Save Our Planet' is available here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/q0t8op70mt.More about Denise here: https://www.dabaden.com.RESOURCESThinking in Systems by Donella Meadows: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Primer-Donella-Meadows/dp/1603580557/Free World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec. 2023 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCAMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

In this episode of Dreams With Deadlines, host Jenny Herald dives into the dynamic world of marketing with Renata Lerch. Renata shares her career journey, highlighting the evolution of marketing's role beyond departmental boundaries and the integration of operational strategies in creating a seamless brand experience. From her extensive global experience to her deep dive into different methodologies, Renata explores how these frameworks have shaped her approach to marketing.Key Things Discussed: The integration of operational strategies in marketing, aligning it with broader organizational goals. The power of blending frameworks to foster adaptation and team buy-in. Practical insights into applying methodologies in marketing for improved collaboration, prioritization, and iterative success. Show Notes [00:00:38] The Evolution of Marketing and Agile Methods. Renata discusses her career journey, integrating operations into marketing for a cohesive brand experience. She mentions Lean, Six Sigma, Scrum, and Agile methodologies' impact, emphasizing the need for framework-agnostic approaches with systems and design thinking. [00:04:21] Applying Scrum in a Marketing Environment: Team Composition and Roles. The discussion highlights roles in Scrum translated to marketing teams. The product owner's role as a liaison is crucial, and the scrum master role's absence in small marketing teams is discussed. [00:09:03] Applying Empiricism and Lean Thinking in Marketing: Mindset and Frameworks. Renata stresses mindset shifts, invoking consumer perspectives, fostering collaboration, and using frameworks for decision-making and campaign building. Transparency, data democratization, and benefit mapping are highlighted. [00:14:14] Scrum Ceremonies in Marketing: Sprint Planning and Retrospectives. The importance of sprint planning, flexible sprint duration, and the significance of retrospectives in recognizing wins and enhancing team dynamics is discussed. [00:18:50] Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives: Combining or Delineating? Renata talks about the choice between separate or combined sprint reviews and retrospectives, based on agile marketing leaders' preferences and organization size. [00:20:02] Aligning Backlog, Product Goals, and Sprint Goals in Marketing. Prioritization, deadlines, and the interconnectedness of marketing with other departments shape the marketing backlog. The synchronization of marketing goals with company deliverables is highlighted. [00:28:16] Balancing Iteration and Quality: Definition of Done in Marketing. Renata talks about the challenge of balancing iteration and quality in marketing's definition of done, emphasizing compliance with brand standards, quality, and voice and tone. [00:30:17] Blending Frameworks and Fostering Adaptation in Agile Marketing. Renata discusses blending Scrum and Kanban, adapting to the team's comfort level, and gaining buy-in through iterative, open-minded, and data-driven approaches. [00:33:49] Embracing Scrumban for Visualizing Work and Managing Overload. Renata shares her Scrumban implementation experience, emphasizing the value of visualizing work and understanding team culture. [00:36:09] Overcoming Misconceptions and Embracing Flexibility in Scrumban. The challenge of people confusing Scrum's prescription with Scrumban's flexibility is discussed, focusing on understanding best practices that work for the team. [00:44:43] Quick-Fire Questions for Renata: Dream with a deadline: Renata's dream is to have a team that is highly focused and synchronized, both within the marketing team and across the organization, understanding priorities and interdependencies, and being aware of the company's direction. Advice for embarking on an agile transformation journey in marketing: Start small and iterate. Begin with one team or implement tools like Jira or Trello to initiate the agile process, and then gradually expand and refine the approach. Biggest fail in working with agile methods: Renata shared an experience where the CEO of an organization disrupted agile processes, causing confusion and undermining progress. The key learning was that while bottom-up initiatives can work, without top-level support, it becomes challenging to sustain agile practices effectively. Books that shaped Renata's thinking: Renata highlighted the significance of the book "Systems Thinking" as a paradigm-shifting resource. She also mentioned that books on meditation offer valuable perspectives on agile methodologies. Specifically, she found Donella Meadows' book to be incredible. Relevant links: Jeff Sutherland, Inventor and Co-Creator of Scrum Donella Meadows, lead author of the books The Limits to Growth and Thinking In Systems: A Primer Thinking in Systems, by Donella Meadows About the Guest:Renata Lerch is a visionary leader and Agile marketing expert with a passion for exploring the possibilities of Design Thinking and Artificial Intelligence Applications in Marketing. Renata is a published author, renowned speaker, and trilingual executive, skilled in motivating teams and transforming marketing strategies.Follow Our Guest:Website | LinkedIn Follow Dreams With Deadlines:Host | Company Website | Blog | Instagram | Twitter

Mirela Mus: The Product Owner's View on Understanding and Overcoming Agile Team Self-Destructive Patterns Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Mirela discussed a team that self-destructed, highlighting various anti-patterns and providing helpful tips. She emphasized the negative impact of being overly focused on competition rather than individual work. Toxic personalities within the team and the acceptance of individuals who didn't align with the team culture were identified as destructive factors. Mirela suggested ignoring disruptive behaviors selectively and being mindful of personal anxiety when starting work. Working "around" difficult team members was discouraged, while assuming good intentions and engaging in one-on-one discussions were recommended. The Nonviolent Communication (NVC) approach was mentioned, and open discussions in team channels were advised to address problematic behaviors transparently. Featured Book of the Week: Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice by Clayton Christensen In this episode, Mirela shared her recommended books. The first recommendation was "Competing Against Luck" by Clayton Christensen, which helps cut through the noise and understand the underlying factors in successful innovation. The next recommendation was "Thinking in Systems" by Donella Meadows, a book that aids in navigating organizations and comprehending incentives by emphasizing the impact of systems. Mirela humorously mentioned the phrase, "it's because of the system, man!" Lastly, Mirela refers to the concept of "OODA Loop," which is the cycle observe–orient–decide–act, developed by military strategist and United States Air Force Colonel John Boyd. These books provide valuable insights for understanding innovation, organizational dynamics, and the PO role.   [IMAGE HERE] Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today! The Tips from the Trenches - Scrum Master edition audiobook includes hours of audio interviews with SM's that have decades of experience: from Mike Cohn to Linda Rising, Christopher Avery, and many more. Super-experienced Scrum Masters share their hard-earned lessons with you. Learn those today, make your teams awesome!     About Mirela Mus  Mirela is the founder of Product People, a Product Management Consultancy on a mission to help companies discover and deliver great products faster. They have 41 full-time Product Managers who help companies focus on product-led growth and/or profitability. You can link with Mirela Mus on LinkedIn and connect with Mirela Mus on Twitter.

Today was amazing ! We feel really strong ! Join us

We follow the later careers of the Meadows and their enduring impact on environmental studies, reflect on their pioneering findings from the 1970s in light of today's escalating environmental crises, and trace the resurgence of interest in their work.

In the second episode, we trace the meteoric rise of "The Limits to Growth" to a global sensation. We uncover how it was not intended as a book nor for a world audience – and reveal the bitter PR warfare waged against it by industry, scientific and other elites.

In the first episode of "Tipping Point," we dive into the early days of the researchers behind "The Limits to Growth", how they came upon the project, and conducted their groundbreaking research.

Meet Tom Friedman, the mustachioed metaphor maven who thinks we can have our cake and listen to it too. Please share this episode with your friends and start a conversation.Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.For an entertaining deep dive into the theme of season five (Phalse Prophets), read the definitive peer-reviewed taxonomic analysis from our very own Jason Bradford, PhD. Sources/Links/Notes:Thomas Friedman, "Foreign Affairs Big Mac I," The New York Times, December 8, 1996.Matt Taibbi's critique of Hot, Flat, and Crowded -- "Flathead" Strauss Media, November 21, 2014.Jason Hickel et al., "Imperialist appropriation in the world economy: Drain from the global South through unequal exchange, 1990–2015," Global Environmental Change, March 2022.Thomas Friedman, "The Earth Is Full," The New York Times, June 7, 2011.Thomas Friedman, "Something's Happening Here," The New York Times, October 11, 2011.Thomas Friedman, "Want to Save the Earth? We Need a Lot More Elon Musks.," The New York Times, November 16, 2021.Thomas Friedman, "How We Broke the World," The New York Times, May 30, 2020.Belen Fernandez, The Imperial Messenger: Thomas Friedman at Work, November 1, 2011.Here's the archive of Global Citizen columns by Donella Meadows.Ian Parker, "The Bright Side: The relentless optimism of Thomas Friedman," The New Yorker, November 2, 2008.Thomas Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, 1999.Thomas Friedman The World Is Flat, YouTube video of Yale University Lecture, 2009.Garrett Graff, "Thomas Friedman is On Top of the World," Washingtonian Magazine, July 1, 2006.  Support the show

OKRs. In this episode of Dream With Deadlines, Host Jenny Herald sits down with Lucas Gauzzi — OKR Coach and Head of Consulting Services at Sierra Studios — as he shares the importance of strategic communication in building trust and generating momentum for organizations. Lucas shares that a structured and deliberate approach to change management is necessary for successful implementation of OKRs.Key Things Discussed The significance of trust in organizations and identifying four key behaviors to measure trust Using surveys and go-to-market metrics as proxy metrics to measure the success of OKRs and build trust between business development and product teams Using John Kotter's eight-step model to institutionalize change when implementing OKRs in his company, emphasizing the importance of having strong leadership and dedicated change agents to drive program effectiveness Show Notes [00:01:50] Lucas mentions the importance of trust in organizations and highlights four key behaviors that can measure it. He also shares his experience leading an OKR rollout in a multinational company motivated by misalignment and wasted team effort, which was successful due to creating a sense of urgency using the book "Measure What Matters." [00:05:00] Jenny and Lucas discussed proxy metrics and how they were used in tracking the success of OKRs. Lucas shared his experience in using surveys to understand if people were trusting the process, but eventually found that a good way to measure a trust relationship between BizDev and product was the go-to-market metric. This became the proxy metric that was used to see if all of these aspects of trust, communication, and client needs were being met. [00:06:54] Lucas Gauzzi discusses how he approached change management when implementing OKRs in his company. He talks about how his first attempt failed due to a lack of structure and trust-building, which led him to research change management models and use John Kotter's eight-step model. He then discusses how he formed a coalition of the willing, found innovators, celebrated wins, and created a rollout plan to institutionalize change. He also discusses the importance of having strong leadership and dedicated change agents, and how he and a peer from HR orchestrated the adoption of OKRs company-wide, with the support of sponsors and knowledge replicators. [00:18:26] Lucas Gauzzi discusses the specifics of his company's OKR program and cadence. He explains how they used OKRs to diversify and make changes that were necessary for the long run. Lucas also discusses how they brought different siloed teams together and created a new dynamic that contributed to achieving key results. Additionally, he mentions the challenges they faced and the emergent dynamics that helped change systemic behavior using OKRs as a tool. [00:22:32] Lucas discusses the success of the OKR program and how the leadership team's support was key in driving its effectiveness. He describes a pivotal moment when senior management presented the company's achievements in an open check-in meeting, showcasing the exponential results achieved through the program. This led to increased buy-in and a culture where people embraced change. [00:27:02] Quick-Fire Questions for Lucas: What's your Dream with a Deadline? Lucas' dream with a deadline is The speaker's goal is to change societies through entrepreneurs, as they believe that entrepreneurs are the key agents of innovation within cultures. What's your one piece of advice you'd give people out there who are trying to give OKRs a go? Pace yourself and make change enjoyable. How do you craft a good proxy metric? Starting with a measurable layer can lead to the development of effective proxy metrics over time. What is the book that really shaped the way you think? Thinking in Systems from Donella Meadows. Relevant links: Neuroscience of Trust, Harvard Business Review article by Paul Zak Measure What Matters by John Doerr Change Management Model by Kurt Lewin The 8-Step Process for Leading Change by John Kotter Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek Thinking in Systems from Donella Meadows About Our Guest:Lucas Gauzzi is an experienced Enterprise Agile Coach with a background in complex systems management, data storytelling, agile methodologies, and OKRs. He also facilitated strategy planning and provided data analytics support. He has worked as an IT Product Manager, Agile Consultant, Developer Leader, and Software Developer.Follow Our Guest:LinkedInFollow Dreams With Deadlines:Host | Company Website | Blog | Instagram | Twitter

Hello Interactors,I took a break traveling to the Midwest and East Coast of the United States visiting family and friends the last few weeks, but am back now. Today I continue my inquiry into the ‘circular economy' by exploring its history. While it is often portrayed as a recent phenomenon, the origins date back to 1945. And since then, it's traversed a vast landscape of economic and political ideas and philosophies that are as seemingly polarizing as today's politics and economies!As interactors, you're special individuals self-selected to be a part of an evolutionary journey. You're also members of an attentive community so I welcome your participation.Please leave your comments below or email me directly.Now let's go…THE ECONOMY OF PERMANANCEThe guest room was void of furniture and the pungent stench of the squatting toilets punctured the hot humid air. Joseph's appointment wasn't until 2:00PM, so he waited outside along the cool banks of the Sabarmati. This significantly religious Indian river would have been free of garbage and toxins in 1929.When it was time for his meeting, he climbed the riverbank. His steps were aided by a long walking stick. As he crested to flat ground he looked up and saw an old man under a tree spinning in circles. He stood there leaning on his stick watching the man twirl for what felt like five minutes or more. Suddenly he stopped and looked at Joseph with a toothless grin and said, “You must be Joseph.” It was then Joseph realized his 2:00 meeting was to be outside. For standing before him was the man he was to meet – Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi sat on the ground, legs crossed, as his white robe draped over his knees. Joseph felt compelled to join him. As he sat, he felt the dirt skid under his pressed trousers as he loosened his starched white shirt and black tie. Joseph Kumarappa, better known as J. C. Kumarappa, was there at Gandhi's request. Gandhi had read a paper he had written on the role public finance played in poverty-stricken India and wanted him to write a column in Gandhi's weekly magazine called Young India. By the time of this meeting, Gandhi's revolutionary movement left him fearful he'd be imprisoned at any moment. He wanted his magazine to continue carrying his message with Kumarappa as a contributing writer. After years of publishing successful articles, Gandhi asked Kumarappa to turn his work into a small pamphlet for further dissemination. He agreed and asked Gandhi to write the forward. Soon there after, Gandhi was imprisoned. As was Kumarappa.Gandhi wrote the forward on a train to Bombay in August of 1945. It began, “Dr. Kumarappa's on ‘The Economy of Permanence' is a jail production.” He continued that it is through “Plain Living and High Thinking” that “we shall arrive at the economy of permanence in the place of that of the fleeting nature we see around us at present.”J. C. Kumarappa was one of Gandhi's closest collaborators and chief economist. Kumarappa observed, “There are certain things found in Nature which apparently have no life and do not grow or increase, and so get exhausted or consumed by being used. The world possesses a certain stock or reservoir of such materials as coal, petroleum, ores or minerals like iron, copper, gold etc. These being available in fixed quantities, may be said to be 'transient' while the current of overflowing water in a river or the constantly growing timber of a forest may be considered 'permanent' as their stock is inexhaustible in the service of man when only the flow or increase is taken advantage of.”He advocated for maintaining an economy of continuity and circularity with nature. Using the bee as a metaphor, he wrote, “The bees etc. while gathering the nectar and pollen from these plants for their own good, fertilize the flowers and the grains, that are formed in consequence, again become the source of life of the next generation of plants.”While Kumarappa was trained as an economist in the West at Columbia University, he was critical of its exploitive orthodoxy. He said, “The Western plans are material centred. That is to say, they want to exploit all resources.” He was encouraged to pursue his economic philosophies by his professor and progressive economist, Edwin Seligman. Kumarappa's book, The Economy of Permanence forms the foundation for Gandhian Economics and is one of the first known precursors to what we now call Circular Economy.SPACE COWBOYS OF THE COMMONSThe critique of over exploitive economies returned in 1966 when the economist and cofounder of Systems Theory, Kenneth Boulding, described it as a “cowboy economy”. He chose the image of a cowboy because, “the cowboy [is] symbolic of the illimitable plains and also associated with reckless, exploitative, romantic, and violent behavior...” He offered that “systems may be open or closed in respect to a number of classes of inputs and outputs” and that the ‘cowboy' mentality assumes earth to be an open system filled with limitless natural resources as inputs for outputs – namely, products for consumption.Instead, he offered another metaphor gaining in popularity in the late sixties – a “spaceman”. He said, “the ‘spaceman' economy, in which the earth has become a single spaceship, [is] without unlimited reservoirs of anything, either for extraction or for pollution…therefore, man must find his place in a cyclical ecological system…” His ideas for such a circular economy were summarized in a short, but influential, paper titled, The Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth.Two years later, in 1968, ecologist Garrett Hardin wrote a paper for the publication Science that popularized a century old dilemma regarding the economic use of shared natural resources. It is called The Tragedy of the Commons. The tragedy, he theorized, is that any shared natural resource will become over exploited or polluted because people would act out of self-interest versus sharing and caring for the common good.He wrote, “Therein is the tragedy. Each man is locked into a system that compels him to increase his herd without limit – in a world that is limited. Ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons.” He called for “coercive laws or taxing devices that make it cheaper for the polluter to treat his pollutants than to discharge them untreated.” Hardin's primary study was population growth as was the British economist William Forster Lloyd who first introduced the theory of the commons in 1833. Hardin wasn't the only one concerned with population growth and its impact on nature.The same year Hardin published The Tragedy of the Commons, 1968, a Stanford biologist and his wife, Paul and Anne Ehrlich, published a book on the effects of population growth called The Population Bomb. It warned of a worldwide famine and social upheaval due to human overpopulation on a planet of limited resources. They called for “legislation to stop the wasting of resources” asking governments to “move toward creating a vast waste recovery industry, an industry that might well make ‘trash' obsolete. Reusable containers might be required by law for virtually all products”, they believed.  More technological solutions began creeping into precursors to circular economy four years later in a 1972 report called The Limits of Growth. The lead author was Donella Meadows, an environmental scientist, professor, and writer who started as a research fellow under Jay Forrester at MIT. I mentioned Forrester back in May; he is the founder of the field of system dynamics – the study of nonlinear behavior of complex systems over time. The Limits of Growth was the culmination of a computer simulation using the World3 model developed by Forrester.The researchers used “population, food production, industrialization, pollution, and consumption of nonrenewable natural resources" as five primary variables in computing the effects of exponential population and economic growth in a world of limited resources. It predicted that "the most probable result will be a rather sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity." They surmised, like the Ehrlich's, that “technological advance would be both necessary and welcome in the equilibrium state” including “new methods of waste collection to decrease pollution and make discarded material available for recycling.”Throughout the 1970s came more calls for ‘ecological design', ‘steady-state economics', and studies of ‘deep ecology' aimed at staving off a catastrophic ‘overshoot'. In 2020 a group of researchers compiled a literature review of publications from 1945 to 2020 and developed a typology of circular economy discourse that includes a timeline. This early work marked what they called the ‘Preamble Period' of circular economy research stretching from 1945 to 1980. Much of the research leading up to the 80s focused on ‘techno-fixes', like recycling and water treatment, to deal with increased waste.DOUGHNUTS OF REFORM OR BUILD THE WALL?The 1980s then marked the beginning of what they call the ‘Excitement Period' which includes the first use of the conjoined words ‘circular' and ‘economy' by David Pearce and Kerry Turner in their 1989 book Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment. This period lasted through 2010 with research focused on ‘connecting input and output in strategies for eco-efficiency'. It included inquiries into ‘biomimicry', ‘closed-loop supply chains', and ‘industrial metabolism'.  This period also saw the introduction of the ‘first holistic circularity frameworks.' This includes the 1992 United Nations Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, research into complex systems to conduct ‘regenerative design', and ideas around the fusing of ‘ecological integrity' with ‘business acumen' through ‘natural capitalism'. The literature review revealed these were all early forays into ‘reformist views on circularity' that ‘integrated socio-economic approaches to resources, consumption, and waste.'Those efforts continued from 2010 into the current period these researchers call the ‘validity challenge period' which include ‘new holistic views on circularity.' This includes one of my favorites from the British economist Kate Raworth in her 2017 book, Doughnut Economics. She describes a visual framework that envisions a doughnut shaped economy combining elements of planetary and societal boundaries to create a ‘safe and just space for humanity'. Other research uses color as a metaphor. The ‘blue economy' seeks a regenerative economy that avoids debt cycles that lead to people to living in the ‘red' through a more practicable approach than offered by the environmentalist's ‘green' economy.The literature review also uncovered more radical ‘transformational views of circularity' that call for ‘degrowth', ‘eco-socialism', and ‘voluntary simplicity'. The Pope's 2015 ‘Laudato Si' even gets a nod. Transformational views also included non-western visions from the ‘Global South' like the Ecuadorian government's 2008 constitution – the worlds first codified ‘Rights to Nature'. Zimbabwean educator Overson Shumba offers a call for Commons thinking, ecological intelligence and the ethical and moral framework of Ubuntu as “an imperative for sustainable development.” Also included is a 2019 collection of over 100 essays offering “radically different worldviews and practices from around the world that point to an ecologically wise and socially just world” and call for a ‘pluriverse' – a society “where members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups can maintain and develop their own traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization.”The researchers who assembled this timeline of influential papers, books, and essays then constructed a two-by-two matrix of themes found in the work. On the horizontal axis are ‘approaches to social, economic, environmental, and political considerations' that divide into two categories: ‘Holistic' and ‘Segmented.' On the vertical axis is ‘technological innovation and ecological collapse' divided into the categories of ‘Skeptical' and ‘Optimistic'.This forms a quadrant with the upper left corner being ‘optimistic' and ‘holistic' framing a ‘reformist circular society'. This society assumes a ‘reformed form of capitalism is compatible with sustainability' with the help of technology that decouples ‘ecology' from ‘economy'. The goal would be ‘economic prosperity and human well-being within the biophysical boundaries of the earth'. The means would be ‘technological breakthroughs and new business models that improve ecological health, resource security, and material prosperity for all.'The upper right quadrant is ‘optimistic' and ‘segmented' through a ‘technocentric circular economy'. This assumes capitalism is already compatible with sustainability and, like the ‘reformists', relies on technology innovation to prevent ecological collapse. The goal is ‘sustainable human progress and prosperity without negative environmental externalities.' This would require ‘economic innovations, new business models, and unprecedented breakthroughs in circular economy technologies.'The lower left is made up of ‘skeptical' and ‘holistic' creating a ‘transformational circular society'. Unlike the last two quadrants, this assumes ‘capitalism is incompatible with sustainability and socio-technical innovation cannot bring absolute eco-economic decoupling to prevent ecological collapse.' The goal would be ‘a world of conviviality and frugal abundance for all, while fairly distributing the biophysical resources of the earth.' To get there would require ‘complete reconfiguration of the current socio-political system and a shift away from productivist and anthropocentric worldviews.” Humanity's ecological footprint would need drastic reduction to ‘ensure that everyone can live meaningfully and in harmony with the earth.'Lastly, the lower right consists of ‘skeptical' and ‘segmented' creating a ‘fortress circular economy'. This assumes ‘there is no alternative to capitalism and socio-technical innovation cannot bring absolute eco-economic decoupling to prevent ecological collapse.' The goal would be to ‘maintain geostrategic resource security and earth system stability in a global condition where widespread resource scarcity and human overpopulation cannot provide for all.' This would rely on ‘innovative technologies and business models combined with rationalized resource use, imposed frugality and strict migration and population controls.'As I suggested in my last piece on challenges to corporate and economic environmental and social governance, and as these researchers have discovered, attempts at moving toward elements of a circular economy run the risk of also being met with a ‘validity challenge'. With this literature review and subsequent typologies of academic discourse over the last 77 years, these researchers hope to provide academics and practitioners with a framework to “better analyse current policies and practices on circularity and sustainability transitions in general.” They do warn, however, that “if corporate and government actors continue to use a Circular Economy framing that doesn't consider systemic socio-ecological implications, the term could easily become discredited as a refurbished form of greenwashing.”It's not hard to see how the holistic optimists and skeptics may perpetually be disappointed in progress toward reformation and transformation as the current U.S. fortress of economic authority is reinforced. Meanwhile, the segmented holistic and skeptical capitalistic technocrats will continue to pray to the Gods of innovation, casting environmentalists as hysterical scare mongers perennially ‘crying wolf' on ecological collapse – even as worldwide social, political, environmental, and economic systems become increasingly erratic, unpredictable, and vulnerable. I, for one, prefer to draw a square in the middle of their matrix labeled ‘pragmatic adaptive economy'. This would be home to those who accept the future is increasingly unpredictable, where all ideas of certainty should be viewed with skepticism, pessimistic there is some magic technology or top-down government action that will save us, and optimistic that individual humans at the fringes of society will continue to come together seeking solutions to guarantee their permanence.   Joseph Kumarappa concluded his Economy of Permanance by warning that until society's are based “on nonviolence and truth there can be no hope of any permanence in our economic, social or political life.” He said, “The present type of organization based on competition and centralized industries lands us periodically into terrific upheavals.” He believed, “These have to be avoided if nations are to progress steadily towards a set goal, which will bring peace amongst nations and prosperity to the citizen.”Gandhi wrote the forward to this book just a few days after the United States drop an atomic bomb called ‘Little Boy' on Hiroshima. Showing little remorse, the act was legitimized as a “necessary evil” and marked the beginning of U.S. worldwide military and economic domination. Some argue that the environmental destruction at the hands of the current economic system is also a ‘necessary evil.' Evidently that is true, because the prospect of a globally agreed upon alternative in this highly segmented and polarized political and social environment seems bleak.But surely prospects for a bright future were much worse when Kumarappa and Gandhi were summoning their own optimistic words as nuclear fallout from two atomic bombs circled the globe at the end of a second world war. While Kumarappa, a trained economist, indeed envisioned an economic model that sought ‘justice for the common man' and a society that doesn't have ‘the glamour of ill-gotten gains', in the end it wasn't some top-down governmental scheme on which he hinged success for an ‘economy of permanence'. His final words called for individual introspection. I'm with Kumarappa when he concludes, to “enable us to see the advent of the economy of permanence”, what today might be called a just, fair, and ecologically viable circular economy, “calls for a considerable amount of self-discipline and self-control.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

Sarah Ichioka is co-author with Michael Pawlyn of 'Flourish' a rich, inspiring book that outlines key paradigm shifts for this time of planetary emergency.  Looking deeply into the web of life, Flourish proposes a bold, imaginative - and do-able - set of regenerative principles to transform how we design, make and manage our buildings and our communities. Sarah is an urbanist, curator, writer and podcast host.  Connecting cities, culture and ecology, she has been recognised as a World Cities Summit Young Leader, and one of the Global Public Interest Design 100.  She is founding director of the Singapore-based strategic consultancy 'Desire Lines' and is co-author, with Michael Pawlyn, of the book 'Flourish' and co-host with Michael of the Flourish podcast. In this expansive, incisive conversation, Sarah expands on the five paradigms she and Michael identified that are holding us back in the old 'business as usual' frame and the ways we can shift our world-view to new ways of thinking, being - and designing our lives.  Drawing on the work of foundational thinkers like Freya Matthews, Donella Meadows, Janine Benyus and Ronan Krznaric, plus existing communities such as the Los Angeles Eco Village, Sarah shows us that the ideas and actions are already in place, we just need to build them bigger, proving that, as Willam Gibson has said, the future is here, it's just unevenly distributed. Flourish book: https://www.flourish-book.comFlourish podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/flourish-systems-change/id1602779076Donella Meadows Leverage Points: https://donellameadows.org/a-visual-approach-to-leverage-points/Freya Matthews: http://www.freyamathews.netJay Griffiths 'Pip Pip': http://jaygriffiths.com/books/pip-pip/Ronan Krznaric 'The Good Ancestor' :https://uk.bookshop.org/books/the-good-ancestor-how-to-think-long-term-in-a-short-term-world/9780753554517Deep Time Walk App: https://www.deeptimewalk.org/kit/app/Los Angeles Eco-Village: https://laecovillage.orgBuilt Environment Declares: https://builtenvironmentdeclares.comArchitects Climate Action Network: https://www.architectscan.org

Hello Interactors,Fall is upon us and so Interplace transitions to economics. I'll be writing about how location, distribution, and the spatial organization of economic activities interacts with and affects humanity. The current dominant economic model insists on persistent and endless growth despite acknowledgement of its role in climate change, income inequality, and disappearing limited stocks of natural resources. There's got to be a better way, and I'm on the hunt to find alternatives. As interactors, you're special individuals self-selected to be a part of an evolutionary journey. You're also members of an attentive community so I welcome your participation.Please leave your comments below or email me directly.Now let's go…FLIGHTS OF NASTYI attended a panel discussion last Friday on environmental justice. One panel member represented a nearby Seattle community called Beacon Hill. It's a 6.5 mile long stretch just north of the SeaTac airport putting it on a flight path. Roughly 65% of flights land over Beacon Hill when the wind is out of the south. During busy times, a plane descends over their homes nearly every 90 seconds to two minutes. And because it's on a hill, they're 300 feet closer to the noise and pollution.FAA guidelines require a 65-decibel limit, and Sea-Tac claims they comply, but Beacon Hill is beyond the boundary for which they monitor. Even the U.S. Bureau of Transportation and Statistics reported in 2017 levels in this area were between 40-75 decibels. When residents organized and measured noise themselves, they never recorded any plane below 50 decibels and some hit 80. That's about as loud as a kitchen blender and too loud to hear the person next to you.But what this panel member shared, sometimes through tears, is it's not just the noise but the repetition. With each passing plane the stress mounts in anticipation of the next one. It's hard to concentrate or hold a conversation. She worries about her son. How much does this environmental stress contribute to his ADHD? His trouble at school. Her husband, who rides his bike most places, suffered from esophageal cancer. How much did the air pollution contribute to his condition?In the time between planes, the ultrafine particles (UFPs) from the last plane have already mixed with the air they breathe. Jet engines uniquely expel plumes of ultrafine particle pollution. A recent University of Washington (UW) study confirms similar studies in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, New York, and Amsterdam. Flight paths are home to high concentrations of ultrafine particles raining down over unsuspecting victims. In Los Angeles, 90% of school children in the flight path are exposed to these particulates one hour out of every school day.These particulates are smaller than the PM2.5 typically found from fossil fuel combustion and tire and brake dust. They're also not as widely studied. Nobody really knows what kind of long-term effects they may have on the human body. However, there is animal evidence showing long-term exposure to ultrafine particles leads to adverse health effects, including neurological. A 2019 study published by the Washington State Department of Health reports,“UFPs have many unique qualities that make them possibly more harmful to human health than larger particles. UFPs are able to travel deeper into the lung than larger particles. They are also small enough to avoid the body's attempts to clear particles from the lungs, allowing them to stay in the body longer, to build up, and to cause damage. They can also move from the lungs to the bloodstream and to other organs.”Evidence of short-term effects on human health are conclusive. The study warns,“Certain groups of people are more sensitive to UFP exposure. These groups include people with pre-existing heart and lung disease, infants, older adults, people with diabetes, communities with a lower socio-economic status, and pregnant women.”  Beacon Hill is a place where 70% of residents identify as Black, Indigenous, multiracial, or persons of color. More than half speak a language other than English. They're also flanked by two major interstates and have another smaller airport, King County International Airport (KCIA) (aka Boeing Field), between them and Sea-Tac. The UW study showed anyone living within 150 meters of the freeway would also be exposed to ultrafine particles from passing vehicles, especially semi-trucks on their way to and from Sea-Tac.In 2021, the Puget Sound Regional Council published a Regional Aviation Baseline Study. There are 27 public-use airports in Western Washington's Puget Sound region, and the three biggest are Sea-Tac, King County International Airport, and Paine Field just north of Seattle. Scheduled passenger service is only available at Sea-Tac and Paine Field. In 2018 these two airports served 24 million enplanements. One enplanement is a single passenger per airplane. By 2027 they project this number will grow to 29 million. By 2050 it will double, 49 million at the low end and 56 million at the high end.That's just commercial passenger traffic. What about cargo? In 2017 540 thousand metric tons of cargo flew through Western Washington. Eighty-five percent goes through Sea-Tac. By 2050, it too is projected to double to 1.5 million metric tons. However, these peak loads are seasonal. During harvest time, Washington State's value crops, like cherries, increase cargo demands. So how is this increased demand to be met?FLYING TOO CLOSE TO THE SUNTo assess solutions to growing demand, the 2019 Washington State Legislature formed the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC). Their objective is to recommend a new primary commercial aviation facility and additional ways to add capacity to six existing airports across the state to accommodate future demand.To get an idea for how governments intend to shape outcomes of commissions they assemble, it's good to look at the backgrounds of invited commissioners. In an era of increased awareness and needs for environmental, economic, and social justice, a good commission should be comprised of a diverse set of points of view and expertise. Especially given the current and historical economic, social, and environmental injustices existing power structures have created.Through this lens, the list of commissioners is disappointing. Of the fourteen voting members, there are just two women, one person of color, and only one has a background in environmental law. The rest are white men, with one of Asian decent raised in England. Their bios read like a who's-who of business leaders, economic development advisors, aviation enthusiasts, airport directors and developers, military leaders, and even representatives from Southwest and American Airlines.  One member offered no bio at all and seemingly has no presence on the internet.The remaining twelve non-voting members must then balance this majority of aviation zealots geared toward economic development. Nope. More of the same – former senators, regional transportation directors, air cargo specialists, a member of the Civil Air Patrol, an aviation officer…the list goes on. They do have a state senator, Tina Orwall, who has “20 years of experience working in the public mental health system.”So, two people out of 26, an environmental lawyer and a left-leaning woman senator, may offer a voice for environmental justice and sustainable economic development. The rest will be fighting for state and federal dollars for airport and economic expansion. While public documents give lip service to ‘community engagement' and ‘the environment' history shows there is little likelihood this collection of people will have environmental justice as a top priority.Every level of government wants the number of flights to increase, despite having goals to reduce carbon emissions. With increased flight traffic comes increased ground traffic, despite also having goals to reduce congestion. If this weren't so tragic, it would be a comedy.This is the essence of environmental justice; the unfair exposure of poor and marginalized people and places to harms associated with an economy these people and places are least responsible for – an economy which disproportionately benefits the prosperous and mainstream members of society. It's an economic model, to which we're addicted, requiring unlimited growth despite relying on the extraction of natural resources which are limited.The environmental scientist, complex systems icon, and author of Limits of Growth, Donella Meadows, offers a series of questions these commissioners and elected leaders should ask whenever arguments for economic growth are put forth. She said,“Growth is one of stupidest purposes ever invented by any culture. We've got to have enough. Always ask: growth of what and why, and for whom, and who pays the cost, and how long can it last, and what's the cost to the planet, and how much is enough?”Meadows, and many environmental justice activists and scholars, are calling for system change in the fight against climate change.Reading Washington State's plans for addressing its aviation woes, it's clear system change is not on their radar. If Washington's economy were a plane, elected leaders and assigned commissioners believe this plane can climb to infinite heights.Imagine a plane gradually ascending beyond its physical limits and the bodily limits of its passengers. Now imagine cries to pilots to please level-off from suffering passengers first and most impacted. They'd be met with quizzical looks and ignored while most passengers would gleefully encourage the plane to climb faster and higher. That's what it's like when individuals in impacted communities cry and call for limits on the pain, suffering, and pollution at the hands of our economy. Apart from a few local elected officials, they mostly are ignored. Most are too busy trying to grow the economy. Which in turn will increase the number of flights to Sea-Tac, the area's economy, suffering, and the number of premature deaths due to air and noise pollution. Meanwhile, many Beacon Hill residents are too busy holding multiple jobs, too weary from the fight for justice, and too disempowered or discouraged to speak up.The assembled aviation and business experts no doubt have good intentions, but it's clear they're tasked with one thing: tip the nose of the economic plane upwards while steadily increasing the throttle. After all, the model dictates that the state must remain competitive in a national and international race upwards toward a misleadingly infinite extractive consumer economy. This assumes there is no limit to growth despite empirical planetary evidence to the contrary. What's the worse that could happen? Evidently, so far, nothing bad enough to prompt leaders to change the system.To be fair, this commission and the Puget Sound Regional Council, do consider the air quality studies out of the University of Washington. They also consider another UW study exploring alternative ground transportation, including high-speed rail. There are other ‘sustainable' elements the state is exploring, including biofuel and electric planes. However, creating a pipeline of biofuel to Sea-Tac they admit has its own challenges. Though, they pale in comparison to the struggles sourcing enough biofuel to meet demand. So that leaves electric planes, like electric cars, as the great savior.ANOTHER INLAND LOGISTICS EMPIREJust this week, the dream of electric flight made one stride toward reality. A prototype of an electric nine-seater passenger plane successfully took off, circled the airport, and landed. A Washington first and a necessary first step toward certification. The plane was assembled in Washington state, made of engines and parts largely made in Washington state, and by a Washington state company called Eviation. Their CEO, Greg Davis, said “What we've just done is made aviation history. This is about changing the way that we fly. It's about connecting communities in a sustainable way…ushering in a new era of aviation.” He may be right. But when?When asked if this flying equivalent of a large Tesla, with 21,500 battery cells accounting for half of the plane's weight of over 4 tons, is ready for passenger flights, he quipped, “The answer is no, absolutely not.” At least he's honest. I optimistically believe some of our regional transportation problems can be solved by sustainably leveraging the thousands of municipal airports under-utilized across America. But it's decades away.Meanwhile, I believe this flight was mostly a PR stunt. The airport chosen for this historic flight was the Grant County International Airport at Moses Lake. Until this flight, most of Washington state didn't know there was even an airport at Moses Lake. But it's one of the top choices by the commission for expansion and they'll need public support to pay for it.Back in 2016 a group of senators formed a ‘roundtable' to examine the growing air cargo industry. This is what eventually became the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission. They noted, “The top five air cargo commodities through Sea-Tac are cherries, seafood, footwear parts, aerospace components, and aluminum alloy and graphite.” All of these serve the Washington economy except for footwear parts which likely serves Nike and the footwear economy in Portland.Knowing back then Sea-Tac had reached capacity, the attention turned to Eastern Washington. A Spokane roundtable member offered they had “Plenty of capacity and land reserved…to be developed for cargo…”, but then asked “How do we make strategic corrections?” There was a recognized need to make Eastern Washington attractive to air cargo carriers. Building or expanding alone doesn't lead to success, you need private companies to believe it will succeed. Enter Moses Lake and the Grant County International Airport.Ideas were thrown out. “Cold storage [for locally grown produce…like cherries and apples]…may be an incentive.” They imagined cargo planes could “Park in Moses Lake then” rail and trucks could “go back and get cargo.” They imagined “This would help open the runways in Sea-Tac,” but wondered “Would this financially work?” Before concluding the ‘roundtable' they agreed they needed “to hear from businesses and companies.”So, they commissioned the ‘Joint Transportation Committee' to conduct a “study of air cargo movement at Washington airports” with a 2018 deadline. In that 2018 report seven airports were identified as targets for expansion, including the Grant County International Airport at Moses Lake which is right smack between Spokane and Seattle…and close to nearby produce.In 2018, a “Washington State Air Cargo Movement Study” offered this as a recommendation:“To attract the logistics/distribution market, the State of Washington should promote to individual airports the “inland port” or airport logistics park model…branding themselves ‘Global Logistics Centers.'”This reminds me of a piece I wrote last year about Southern California's ‘One Click Buy' Empire. Moreno Valley, California is building out a World Logistics Center. Forty-five percent of the nation's imports are already trained, trucked, or flown into this “Inland Empire”, unpacked, sorted, and reloaded onto trains, trucks, and planes then fanned out again across the nation. California's South Coast Air Quality District estimates the new logistics center will add an additional 30,000 heavy-duty trucks to area roads per day.Heavy-duty diesel trucks emit 24 times more fine particulate matter than regular gasoline engines. Those living closer to the freeways will be affected more. And we all know who lives next to freeways…predominantly poor and people of color. Just like in Beacon Hill.This last August the state conducted a survey across six counties in Western Washington seeking input on potential expansion and brand-new airports around the Puget Sound region. From 56-77% of participants, depending on county, said ‘No' to new airports. Only Paine Field received support for expansion averaging 58% in favor.Environmental concerns are the overwhelming reason for why people oppose more airports or airport expansion. It seems everyone who can afford it wants cheap and available flights, next day deliveries, and fresh Washington cherries. And those lucky enough to have a 401K or stock portfolio want the market and the economy to grow, grow, grow. But nobody wants more flights or more pollution. That's particularly true for those already suffering from environmental injustices – like those in Beacon Hill and countless other homes in the path of jets jettisoning plumes of particulate pollution. Far flung fumes consumed by our lungs triggering affects unknown.How do we change this system so we all can prosper under economic vitality while minimizing the negative environmental and socio-economic impacts? If we're going to grow, what are we growing and why? For whom? Who pays the cost? How long can it last? What's the cost to the planet? How much is enough?This is what I intend to explore throughout this fall as I unpack what I believe to be the front runner for a new economic model: the circular economy. I'll look at not just the theory but attempts to put it into practice. Perhaps our economy can be like the journey of an airplane after all – take off, level off, land, take off, level off, land – an infinite circle flown within the limits of the plane, the earth, and its occupants. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

(NOTAS Y ENLACES DEL CAPÍTULO AQUÍ: https://www.jaimerodriguezdesantiago.com/kaizen/139-pensamiento-sistemico-i-que-es-pensar-en-sistemas/)Voy a empezar el capítulo de hoy desvelando un secreto, un mensaje de whatsapp en un grupo privado. Estas cosas no se hacen, pero dado que no es nada especialmente sensible espero que su autor me lo sepa perdonar. Más concretamente, es un mensaje de Samuel Gil en el grupo de chat que tenemos para el podcast de Nada Que Ganar con Cris Carrascosa, Javi Recuenco, el propio Samuel y yo. Era un viernes por la mañana de un día de julio, de esos en los que uno está más pensando en las vacaciones que en otra cosa. Bueno, salvo si eres Samuel, creo, porque decidió lanzarnos una pregunta sencillita. Decía algo como lo siguiente: «Imaginad un sistema complejo adaptativo. A priori se podría pensar que un cambio funcional en las unidades de jerarquía inferior (por ejemplo, las células) resultaría en un cambio en los comportamientos emergentes en un nivel superior. Pero eso no tiene que ser necesariamente así porque el bicho es adaptativo, ¿no? En general, mi pregunta es: ¿para influir en un comportamiento emergente, es eficaz intentar modificar los elementos sencillos que dan lugar al sistema complejo o es lo suyo intentar hacer cambios a un nivel superior que resulten en cambios en ese nivel superior?». Te puedes imaginar que he perdido la cuenta de las veces que he tenido que regrabar esto hasta que he conseguido decirlo bien… y tampoco estoy seguro de haberlo hecho. En un alarde de inocencia, eso sí, él remató su mensaje con un «no sé si se me entiende». Ay, angelito. En su defensa diré que Samuel sabe que está hablando con unos frikis. Bueno, y con Cris, que no sé cómo nos aguanta a veces. Pero, vamos, que a poco que seas medio normal, lo más probable es que no hayas entendido nada o casi nada del mensaje en cuestión. Lo que es una pena, porque de lo que habla es de algo especialmente útil de conocer: del pensamiento sistémico. En fin, ¡vamos a ver si logramos hacerlo entendible!

“Je me suis dit que c'était insuffisant. Je ne pouvais pas me contenter d'une part d'avoir ces actions dans mon quotidien et quand j'allais travailler de retourner un peu ma veste et d'oublier toutes ces préoccupations que je pouvais avoir par ailleurs…” Combien d'entre nous commençons à modifier notre quotidien à la maison pour prendre soin du vivant avant de ressentir ce tiraillement jusqu'au mal-être quand nous nous retrouvons plongé.e.s dans un monde professionnel qui ne se soucie pas ou trop peu des enjeux écologiques ? Dans l'épisode #34 de Tipping Point nous rencontrons Alexis Treilhes, co-fondateur de l'association Les Collectifs. Alexis fait le pari de la transformation des entreprises par l'engagement des salariés. La transformation par l'intérieur. Tout commence chez Michelin par des discussions anodines et informelles entre collègues sur le climat, sur les enjeux systémiques de la préservation du vivant. Puis le cercle s'élargit et on s'autorise à partager ses craintes sur l'avenir et surtout ses envies d'agir. Envies d'agir qui se transforment peu à peu en propositions et en actions, mobilisant un nombre croissant de salariés chez Michelin. Puis Alexis s'aperçoit que des mouvements similaires existent dans d'autres grosses entreprises. Et ils décident ensemble de créer Les Collectifs afin favoriser l'émergence de ces mouvements et de les relier. En moins d'un an déjà plus de 150 Collectifs existent et oeuvrent dans un but commun : proposer une démarche positive de co-construction avec l'entreprise et ses dirigeants sur les sujets de RSE. Bien plus qu'un département RSE où les feuilles de route sont dessinées par quelques-uns, ce sont bien des Collectifs de salariés de tous métiers qui se mobilisent. “On est vraiment dans une logique de construire quelque chose ensemble qui n'existait pas auparavant, de rendre les frontières des grandes entreprises poreuses. C'est très intéressant parce que jusqu'à maintenant le dialogue inter-entreprises est soit inexistant soit très limité (dirigeants, Comex…). Là on se met à avoir des interactions par la base qui permettent de partager de l'information et du savoir et ça c'est aussi ce qui fait notre grande force au sein de l'association les Collectifs.” Les Collectifs proposent de travailler à deux niveaux : des petits gestes pragmatiques (formation, fresque du climat, éco-gestes…) permettant d'agir rapidement et de donner de la consistance au mouvement des réflexions stratégiques sur la transformation profonde d'un secteur d'activité ou la comptabilité carbone par exemple. Mais alors les Collectifs peuvent-ils transformer l'entreprise de l'intérieur si les dirigeants n'ont pas eux-même décidé de changer ? C'est la question que nous posons à Alexis ! Il nous confie avec beaucoup d'humilité son parcours et ses découvertes dans cette aventure entrepreneuriale qu'il n'avait pas anticipée et qui se révèle bien plus humaine que technique … “Je pensais me lancer dans une aventure qui était technique, c'est à dire que je pensais que le problème c'était les ordres de grandeurs, les chiffres et mon côté cartésien, scientifique abondait vraiment dans ce sens là … Et plus j'ai évolué plus je me suis rendu compte qu'il y avait un élément absolument essentiel qu'il ne fallait pas oublier dans l'équation - cet élément là c'est l'humain […] Alors je ne sais pas dire si on va rester en dessous des 1,5° mais quelle que soit la suite si on arrive à mettre en place les conditions pour que les gens travaillent ensemble, tissent des lien, alors on va créer les conditions de la résilience…” Si d'habitude nous explorons plutôt comment les Leaders et leurs tipping points façonnent des organisations différentes, cet épisode nous éclaire sur une transformation de l'intérieur, par la base et par un mouvement qui dépasse les frontières d'une seule entreprise. Bravo à tous les membres des Collectifs qui oeuvrent dans l'ombre à construire ensemble un futur souhaitable ! Les sources inspirantes d'Alexis Treilhes pour mieux comprendre les enjeux environnementaux systémiques : Cours des Mines de Jancovici Philippe Bihouix Arthur Keller Gaël Giraud (économiste) Les limites à la croissance, Denis et Donella Meadows (1972) Les suspendues, Sandrine Roudaut On en parle dans cet épisode : Episode #27 Eric Duverger, La RSE au Max Episode #5 Yannick Roudaut, Un autre monde est possible ! Make Sense Eco-syndicat Le printemps écologique 2tonnes, l'atelier immersif pour explorer le futur et agir ensemble pour le climat Pour en savoir plus sur nos épisodes rendez-vous sur notre site : www.tipping-point.fr POUR NOUS SUIVRE : Instagram Linkedin POUR NOUS AIDER ET CONTRIBUER à construire un monde meilleur : 5* et un gentil commentaire sur Spotify et Apple Podcast pour nous faire connaître ! N'hésitez pas à nous recommander des Leaders inspirants et engagés ! Enfin, abonnez-vous sur votre plateforme préférée à Tipping Point et parlez du Podcast autour de vous ! Bonne écoute, Lucie & Romain

Biologist Paul Ehrlich reflects on the 1972 MIT study, The Limits to Growth, on its 50th anniversary – including the fact that it has been refuted (poorly), ignored, and confirmed. The study was done by a team of scientists commissioned by the Club of Rome to develop a computer model to simulate the interaction of earth and human systems. It revealed that continuation of the then-current trends in population, industrialization, resource use and pollution would result in overshooting the carrying capacity of the Earth and result in a general collapse at some point in the first half of the 21st century. The study results were published in the 1972 book, The Limits to Growth, which holds the record as the top-selling environmental book. The book was authored by four system dynamics scientists (Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, Jørgen Randers, and William Behrens III). Gaya Herrington, whose 2020 analysis of The Limits to Growth was published in Yale's Journal of Industrial Ecology, described the study and book aptly: “the authors identified society's relentless pursuit of growth not as the solution to, but the cause of, so many of the environmental and social crises that plague humanity still today.” “....what is it about Homo sapiens that leads us to the limits as a moth to a flame.  Why don't we stop?  Why should we?  Can we?”   – Brian Czech, Executive Director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Read The Limits to Growth: Online Read, but includes scans of pages and downloadable charts https://collections.dartmouth.edu/teitexts/meadows/diplomatic/meadows_ltg-diplomatic.html High Quality Scan https://collections.dartmouth.edu/content/deliver/inline/meadows/pdf/meadows_ltg-001.pdf Mentioned in Our Discussion of The Limits to Growth: Limits to Growth 50th Anniversary Events - on Club of Rome website https://www.clubofrome.org/ltg50-events/ UN Event June 2-3: Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity View live on the web: https://www.stockholm50.global/events/programme The Stockholm+50 Conference: What You Need to Know and Why It Matters https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/the-stockholm50-conference-what-you-need-to-know-and-why-it-matters/ Take this survey before June 2: https://www.stockholm50.global/state-planet-global-public-survey June 10 seminar: Limits to Growth +50: Can Economies Keep Growing Indefinitely on a Finite Planet? Organized by: Norwegian University of Life Sciences https://www.nmbu.no/en/faculty/landsam/department/noragric/research/seminars/node/44433 The Limits to Growth at 50: From Scenarios to Unfolding Reality - by Richard Heinberg https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-02-24/the-limits-to-growth-at-50-from-scenarios-to-unfolding-reality/ Limits and Beyond (New book April 2022 from the Club of Rome, a collection of essays) https://exapt.press/books/limits-and-beyond Nate Hagens interviews Dennis Meadows in his podcast, The Great Simplification. https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/12-dennis-meadows Dennis Meadows on the 50th Anniversary of the Publication of The Limits to Growth - interview by Richard Heinberg https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-02-22/dennis-meadows-on-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-publication-of-the-limits-to-growth/ Is Global Collapse Imminent? – by Graham Turner (2014) The Limits to Growth “standard run” (or business-as-usual, BAU) scenario produced in 1972 aligns well with historical data that has been updated in this paper https://sustainable.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2763500/MSSI-ResearchPaper-4_Turner_2014.pdf Update to Limits to Growth: Comparing the World3 Model with Empirical Data - by Gaya Herrington https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jiec.13084 Come On! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and the Destruction of the Planet - by Anders Wijkman and Ersnt Von Weizscker and with contributions from more than 30 members of the Club of Rome https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/come-capitalism-short-termism-population-destruction-planet/ What a 50-year-old World Model Tells Us About a Way Forward Today - by  Gaya Herrington, now vice president of ESG Research at Schneider Electric and member of The Club of Rome's Transformational Economics Commission https://www.clubofrome.org/blog-post/herrington-ltg50/ In this episode, we also discuss these “growthbusting news” items: Walk Or Cycle Instead of Driving, Urges Ford Boss https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2022/05/16/walk-or-cycle-instead-of-driving-urges-ford-boss/?sh=2283c3ba3481 New flight of fancy for billionaires – the Air Yacht https://theuglyminute.com/2022/05/11/air-yacht/ Back From a Touring Hiatus, Coldplay Pledges to Make Performances More Sustainable https://www.npr.org/2022/05/14/1098947216/back-from-a-touring-hiatus-coldplay-pledges-to-make-performances-more-sustainabl The European Environmental Bureau has launched a campaign calling on the EU to refocus from GDP Growth to Wellbeing Campaign Page: https://eeb.org/doughnuteconomicsforall/ https://meta.eeb.org/2022/05/12/doughnut-economics-how-to-bake-a-better-future/ The 25% Revolution - film https://vimeo.com/535791169 GrowthBusters Called Me Extreme, So I Responded - episode of This Sustainable Life podcast by Joshua Spodek https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/this-sustainable-life-593342/episodes/583-growthbusters-called-me-ex-139440528 Mobilising Humanity Film Premier at COP26 - Ed Gemmel described his nightmare in this episode of the Planet in Crisis podcast from Scientists Warning Europe https://planetincrisis.libsyn.com/30-mobilising-humanity-film-premier-at-cop26 Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

Michael Pawlyn is a biomimicry expert, TED talk star and founding director of the London-based practice Exploration Architecture, he is also co-author with Singapore-based urbanist, curator and writer Sarah Ichioka of the book Flourish: Design Paradigms for our Planetary Emergency. Published just last year, it's a persuasive read that tackles existing orthodoxies around sustainability and posits real world design and architecture solutions and strategies to move towards a future where the planet can truly flourish. Central to Pawlyn and Ichioka's book is the argument for a paradigm shift, as inspired by the late systems thinker Donella Meadows, and a move away from conventional sustainability to regenerative design and development.

En este episodio de #PodcastLaTrinchera, Christian Sobrino nerdea con el ex senador, abogado y rockero Ramón Luis Nieves sobre la reforma de nuestro sistema energético: la creación del Negociado de Energía, la privatización de la AEE, la energía renovable y otras fuentes de energía, el costo de la luz en Puerto Rico, la deuda de la AEE, entre otros temas.Por favor suscribirse a La Trinchera con Christian Sobrino en su plataforma favorita de podcasts y compartan este episodio con sus amistades.Para contactar a Christian Sobrino y #PodcastLaTrinchera, nada mejor que mediante las siguientes plataformas:Facebook: @PodcastLaTrincheraTwitter: @zobrinovichInstagram: zobrinovich"Dos poderes le dan forma a la política energética: análisis en el trasfondo y política en la vanguardia. Las fuerzas políticas son ruidosas, interesadas y en el caso de política energética, bien conocidas." - Donella Meadows

Cliff Berrien is a drummer, percussionist, DJ, and music educator who uses music to develop creativity, catalyze connections, promote cultural dexterity, help to heal trauma, and deepen contemplative somatic awareness. In this episode he and Eric talk about the deep time perspective, contemplative practice and dissociation, and generative catastrophe, among other things.Outline00:00 - 06:12 — Episode introduction06:12 - 17:13 — The deep time perspective17:13 - 23:33 — The influence of Race and the Cosmos23:33 - 39:54 — Contemplative practice and dissociation39:54 - 55:34 — Exploding stars and generative catastrophe55:34 - 56:25 — Episode wrap-upLinks and ResourcesWatch on YouTubeThe Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley RobinsonQuillwood AcademyRace and the Cosmos, by Dr. Barbara HolmesBayo AkomolafeWalter Earl FlukerRasmaa MenakemAlexis Pauline GumbsHis Holiness the Dalai LamaThe Radiance Sutras, by Lorin RocheVanessa Andreotti and the Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures CollectiveThe Four DenialsThe Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity, by David Graeber and David WengrowThomas BerryBrian SwimmeLimits to Growth, by Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, Jørgen Randers, and William BehrensStudy pinpoints timing of oxygen's appearance in Earth's atmosphere, by Jennifer ChuSupport the show

In this episode, our guest host Jake Burns, Enterprise Strategist at AWS had an insightful discussion with Ram Parasuraman, Sr. Director Product Management at Cohesity. Ram draws parallels between his career experiences and  the book “Thinking in systems” by Donella H. Meadows. Why is systems thinking important? How to develop critical thinking in chaos? How to thrive in the information economy by connecting dots between inputs and outcomes?  How to succeed by balancing input, output, and feedback loop within a system? Learn the art and science of data dynamics to deliver the desired outcome and gain 10X growth in your career and life.

Anna Holopainen is Head of Growth at Kide Science and in this episode she's talking about why your marketing isn't getting results. All marketing teams are focused on one main objective, growing the business, but instead of just looking at ways to grow the business, we need to invert the problem and look at what is stopping us from growing and why we're not getting results. In this episode, Anna joins us to share some of these reasons, including: - Typical growth and marketing related reasons why you're not getting results - Why you should never start to uncover growth blockers with a marketing audit - A simple 4-step process to identify what's stopping you from growing - How to make sense of your data by putting it into context - How to identify growth opportunities if you don't have access to enough data Links Claim your free SaaS marketing assessment from Advance B2B >> https://www.advanceb2b.com/tgh Kide Science >> https://www.kidescience.com/en SaaS Reads >> https://saasreads.com Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows >> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3828902-thinking-in-systems --- Advance B2B >> www.advanceb2b.com Follow The Growth Hub on Twitter >> twitter.com/SaaSGrowthHub Follow Edward on Twitter >> twitter.com/NordicEdward

This week Jill is with us. First, we talk about billionaire space flight. Then it's onto a deep dive on all things Ted Lasso. This leads to a conversation about therapy. Then we talk about the book Thinking In Systems by Donella Meadows. And we finish out with Jill telling us everything we got wrong. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/idratherberight/message

An introduction to the concept of Systems Thinking and how it is essential for understanding and taking action on climate change.  This episode is inspired by the book Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows. It covers:What is Systems Thinking?How to get started thinking in systemsSystem structure - stocks, flows and loopsLeverage points for changing systemsFollow the Green Urbanist:https://twitter.com/GreenUrbanPodhttps://www.instagram.com/greenurbanistpodhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/green-urbanist-podcastReferenceshttps://www.climateinteractive.org/ci-topics/systems-thinking/https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-feedback-loops-are-making-climate-crisis-worsehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3828902-thinking-in-systemshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29214420-doughnut-economics?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ACzKLhIr9Q&rank=1

The Lindisfarne Tapes are selected recordings of presentations and conversations at the Lindisfarne Fellows' meetings. In March of 2013 William Thompson granted permission to the Schumacher Center for a New Economics to transfer the talks from the old reel-to-reel tapes to digital format so that they could be posted online and shared freely. In 2021, the Schumacher Center used the digital audio to create the Lindisfarne Tapes Podcast. Reposting should include acknowledgment of williamirwinthompson.org. Learn more about the Lindisfarne Tapes here.Meadows delivered this lecture in 1976 at the Lindisfarne Fellows Conference, "Economics and the Moral Order."

"Thinking in Systems: A Primer" by Donella Meadows (2008) (http://bit.ly/3iK8Boz) "Living successfully in a world of systems requires more of us than our ability to calculate. It requires our full humanity — our rationality, our ability to sort out truth from falsehood, our intuition, our compassion, our vision, and our morality" (p. 170). References: "I Don't Want to Talk about It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression" by Terrence Real (http://bit.ly/3oevL7F) The School of Life (YouTube, http://bit.ly/36clvqq / Website, https://www.theschooloflife.com/) Michael Lipset of PassTell Stories (http://www.michaellipset.com/) Connect: Twitter (https://twitter.com/mjcraw) Website (https://www.mjcraw.com) Music from Digi G'Alessio CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 (https://bit.ly/2IyV71i)