CLIMATE HOUR – One of the major drivers of climate change is perpetual economic growth. Throwing things away and buying new stuff emits far more carbon than repairing items or just creating durable products in the first place. During periods of economic recession, people buy less and emissions drop. For instance, the Great Recession of 2008 produced an emissions drop of 9.9% in the U.S. In contrast, the Covid pandemic of 2020 produced an emissions drop of 7%; less than that of a comparable economic downturn. None of us want to live through recession or pandemic to address climate change. But looking at these events show us how tightly our social and economic structures are linked to the climate crisis. And they show us that we can modify our behaviors without an economic crash. We can embrace social and economic reform to live a sustainable life and bring an end to the climate crisis.
Join host, Bob Grove, and Dr Juliet Schor to discuss Opportunities for Climate Action Through Social And Economic Reform.
Dr Schor is an economist and Professor of Sociology at Boston College, where her research focuses on work, consumption and climate change. She received her Ph.D. in economics from the University of Massachusetts, is a former Guggenheim Fellow, and is a former Brookings Institution Fellow. Dr Schor has received the American Sociological Association’s award for Public Understanding of Sociology, the Herman Daly Award from the US Society for Ecological Economics, and the George Orwell Award for Distinguished Contributions to Honesty and Clarity in Public Language. She’s served as a consultant to the United Nations and to the World Institute for Development Economics Research.
Dr Schor is a co-founder of the Center for a New American Dream and on the Board of Trustees for the Better Future Project. Her recent books include After The Gig, Plenitude, Born To Buy, The Overspent American, The Overworked American, and her latest book, Four Days A Week.
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