Pass Me Those Donuts!
By Mary Dudley, CGC Sustainability & Ecology Education Coordinator
I find myself always working on self improvement and eager for a deadline to deter procrastination. This coming year, I’m not forming the typical resolution of losing weight. Instead I’m going to increase my donut diet exponentially.
Now, you’re probably thinking either I’ve jumped off the deep end or I’m engaging in some form of reverse psychology, but neither is the case. I’m not talking about those sugar-filled, calorie-intense breakfast treats here. Instead, I’m focused on donut economics and how it pertains to planetary boundaries and the climate crisis.
Surprised? Don’t fret too much. I’m not crossing off those yummy treats altogether. But I’m eager to build upon a framework for sustainability, and I’ve found hope in two powerful voices in today’s society: economist Kate Raworth, who developed the donut economics model, and Sir David Attenborough, who summarized that model in his book “A Life on Our Planet.”
Donut Basics
Let’s break this concept down and explore the basics so that the diagrams we’re about to look at make sense.
First, we need to understand that, as residents of planet Earth, we require the use of some resources to maintain our daily lives. We need water, food, fuel, shelter, etc. These essentials are provided by planetary processes and harvested by all the living organisms with whom we share this planet.
Secondly, humanity must form social communities for survival as we contribute our individual talents and skills to support each other and continue to expand the population.
Donuts vs. Reality
The diagram below shows a visual of sustainability—the “sweet-spot” or “donut” for human existence that includes using Earth’s resources while balancing the societal needs of our species. Isn’t that the most delightful donut you’ve ever seen? I think so!
Image credit: Kate Raworth (https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/)
But the reality of today is not as pretty. In fact, it’s quite terrifying. As a mother of two young children who seeks to provide an enduring legacy of health for them to grow in, I am under no illusions that we are indeed in a crisis: a crisis of climate, a crisis of mental and physical health, a crisis of kindness and cohesion. The image below demonstrates a sampling of these issues. In other words…we have work to do and it cannot wait.
Image credit: Kate Raworth (https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/)
Hope for the Future
This past fall, I was asked to design a new field study opportunity for adolescent students visiting the Civic Garden Center. The urgency of this work is not lost on our younger generations. They’re the catalyst to the why and how of bringing this donut into our plans for the future.
Where do we start? What’s an instant change we can all make? As we look back on our lives, as we understand the mistakes we’ve made and ongoing privileges we have, it can be easy to feel like nothing we do today can make a difference.
But it’s never too late to make the world a better place for all of its global inhabitants! I give you the same message today that I seek to instill in the adolescents that come to explore the Civic Garden Center as they embark on their ecological field studies: Every action has a consequence, and we have choices on whether our actions will help or harm.
Every action has consequences. You always have choices. Together we can help each other find and make the choices that will lead to actions that result in positive change.
So pass me those donuts and let’s get started!