Elements for Discussion: Sustainable Futures
Elements for Discussion: Sustainable Futures (Opens New Window) (PDF, 248 pages, 3 MB)
Sustainable Futures presents the results of a worldwide search for sustainable cultures: past, present and future. A sustainable culture is understood as one that incorporates environmental sustainability and promotes human dignity for all.
The editors, Marko Ulvila and Jarna Pasanen, take an innovative look at the dynamics of environmental problems from a cultural class perspective. They define three cultural classes – over-consuming, sustainable and struggling – and describe different future scenarios for each of them. The growth imperative and hierarchic structures are defined as root causes for unsustainability, and sustainable alternatives are presented in the book.
Sustainable Futures also contains a thematic selection of commentary taken from eleven international dialogue workshops convened by the Sustainable Futures Project, as well as summaries or excerpts from articles commissioned by the Project. Commentators and authors include Petra Bakewell-Stone, Mamata Dash, Hilkka Pietilä, Vijay Pratap, Ritu Priya, Sebastian Rodrigues and Olli Tammilehto.