Degrowth

Photo of baby girl laughing as an adult hand holds a snail up to her

Mission

The Degrowth movement understands that we have to change how we live in order to have a livable planet. Our team advocates an economic system prioritizing human well-being, community resilience, and ecological health.

Get Involved: The Sierra Club’s North Star Chapter hosts a (remote) Degrowth meeting on the third Monday of the month. All those supporting Degrowth are invited, regardless of your affiliation. See the Chapter’s calendar of events to register.

Why Degrowth?

  • Endless economic growth isn’t possible. GDP is tightly linked to energy use.
    • Fossil fuels are finite and will run out.
    • Alternative energy will not save the day. The alternative energy generated so far has not replaced oil, but added to our overall energy consumption.
    • Scaling up alternative energy will require massive mining which comes with its own environmental threats, including to fresh water.
  • Social Justice demands change: Growth-driven economies have created large and growing disparities in wealth and income. This is neither sustainable or just.
  • We need to change how we think about well-being: Beyond a certain point, more consumption doesn't bring more happiness, just an endless desire for more stuff.
  • Improving resiliency: Communities focused on care and sustainability will be best prepared to respond to crises.

Degrowth:

  • Reduces resource and energy use to respect planetary boundaries
  • Builds equitable societies, where well-being isn’t tied to overconsumption
  • Values care work, community, ecological restoration, and democracy
  • Supports changes such as shorter workweeks, and encourages public services
  • Rejects Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the best measure of society’s wellbeing

Degrowth is NOT:

  • Anti-technology, anti-innovation or anti-economic activity – but redefining priorities and our understanding of wellbeing
  • Population control
  • Recession, austerity, economic collapse, or deprivation – but everyone having enough
  • The Global North “retreating” – but global solidarity and mutually assured survival

Websites: Degrowth.info,  Degrowth.org, Postgrowth.org, Degrowthinstitute.org

Books: Degrowth: A Vocabulary for a New Era by D’Alisa, Demaria, Kallis; Less is More by Jason Hickel; and The Case for Degrowth by Giorgos Kallis et al.

Monthly Degrowth meeting: The Sierra Club’s North Star Chapter hosts a (remote) Degrowth meeting on the third Monday of the month. All those supporting Degrowth are invited, regardless of your affiliation. See the Chapter’s calendar of events to register.

Recent Degrowth Updates