Recently I watched a Netflix documentary ‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.’ Following that, I read his book as well. I love that he sites lots of examples of human impacts on Earth as well as success stories of cities and countries in achieving bewildering their lands and seas.

The author introduces policies, concepts and frameworks that can help the sustainability revolution. Particularly, the Doughnut Model by an Oxford economist Kate Raworth was intriguing. She published a book about it (‘Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist’) which I would love to read. I watched her TED talk which was very inspiring. I wish I had such a lecture when I was studying economics in Okayama!

TED talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BHOflzxPjI

Coincidentally, I learnt from the internet search that Amsterdam has become the first city to use the model as a guide to rebuild the city that is suffering from the COVID-19. It is very exciting to see such a big city to take a bold action! I hope they will deliver good results and will be followed by others.

The Guardian article on Amsterdam: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/08/amsterdam-doughnut-model-mend-post-coronavirus-economy?CMP=share_btn_tw

While reading アフリカの奇跡 by Yoshiyuki Sato, I came across with the term Triple Bottom Line (TBL). It was briefly explained in the book and I found it interesting, so I decided to do a little research on it.

The term was coined by John Elkington, who is often described as “Godfather of Sustainability,” in 1994. The TBL is an accounting framework that measures performance in business in three dimensions: finance (profits), social (people) and environmental (planet). The TBL dimensions are often called the three Ps.

There is no universally accepted method for calculating the three dimensions of the TBL (some advocate a monetary unit, other suggest an index). Collecting applicable data for calculation is also challenging.

While measuring the three Ps is challenging, the concept in return leaves a flexibility for those who have the stomach to use the concept to gauge sustainability as they can apply the concept according to their specific needs and priorities. Particularly, the flexibility allows local projects and communities to encourage economic development growth in a sustainable manner.

I am intrigued to learn more how small businesses and small communities may apply the TBL framework. Also, books by John Elkington, some of which are available in the UoE library, seem interesting.

Reference:

Slaper, Timothy F, & Hall, Tanya J. (2011). The triple bottom line: What is it and how does it work? Indiana Business Review, 86(1), 4.

While reading the chapter 6 in How to Give Up Plastic by Will McCallum, I learnt that plastic enters the ocean as a result of us washing our clothes. Shockingly, a fleece jacket could be responsible for releasing as many as 250,000 microfibres.. the author advises that we buy less clothes, wash them less, buy non-synthetic clothes like organic cotton and wool where possible, and consider using a wash bag that can catch the microfibres inside and a washing machines with a microfibre filter.

In the chapter 7, I came across with the Zero-Waste Chef, Anne Marie. She published a book and blog that includes recipes specifically featuring ingredients that can be sourced from plastic-free packaging. The recipes even include ones for cleaner. How inspiring!

Zero Waste Chef https://zerowastechef.com/

I’m currently reading How to Give Up Plastic by Will McCallum on Libby. Along with shocking statistics around plastic usage and waste, the book provides how to cut back on plastic in household and suggests eco-friendly (and often vegan friendly) brands. Here is a table from the chapter 5 and our progress to plastic-free bathroom/cosmetic items.

I came to know the Light Bulb Conspiracy in reading A Life Less Throwaway by Tara Button. I was already familiar with the things reported in the documentary (e.g. a cartel in the 1920’s to shorten lightbulb life expectancy, Bernard London in New York who advocate to make planned obsolescence mandatory to end the Great Depression, Apple having been sued etc.). The sequences of the massive amount of electronic waste in Ghana was devastating. It was reported that, while shipping e-waste to the Third World countries is forbidden by international law, developed countries continue to manage to dump them there as the wastes are declared as second-hand items. It was poignant to see school kids going to the garbage mountain, burning the plastic coverage of the electronic items to get metals inside for their living, and inhaling the toxic gas from the fire while hanging around.

Dannoritzer, C., Michelson, S. (Directors) & Úbeda, J. (Producer). (2010). The Light Bulb Conspiracy [Motion picture]. Television Española.