lets reduce working hours

new dream mini-views: visualizing a plenitude economy from center for a new american dream on vimeo.


from a usa perspective ......


the video argues that predictions of the 1970's that overuse of resources would surface @ start of 21st century have come true


so in the early noughties food prices rose, peak oil production got closer and pollution destabilised the climate


then in the late noughties financial collapse meant many jobs were lost and today we still have more jobseekers than jobs


and during this time the richest 5% of the population had acquired 65% of the countries wealth


solution?  some say expand production but any realistic assumptions about growth won't employ all the currently unemployed - and anyway this would impact environment indiscriminately


so how reduce ecological impact and create jobs?


have to get fossil fuels, plus innovation & technology are essential


but technologically driven green growth is only part or the solution (as it still degrades limited earth resources)


need to challenge assumption of endless growth


we need a plenitude economy - central insight is that changing how we spend our time is key to reducing ecological impact, creating jobs and giving us all a better life


we need a break - since the 1970s working hours have risen 200 hours a year


lets have more people working shorter hours (e.g. so we have 4 job posts (say at 40 hrs a week ='s 160 hours of work) but we employ 5 people working 80% of each jobs hours (32 hours each x5 ='s 160 hours)


and more non work time gives us more time for diy - small scale production using new technology - which also means less consumption


and the internet helps us share resources and reuse resources others don't need


plenitude economy - that the answer
































found via soul scholar