Becoming a global citizen in a doughnut economy

The image shows the lifemap building blocks

The lifemap package for this scenario contains the building blocks shown in the image above: the Blue planet poster and citizen stickers – a variant of the city stickers.

The overarching goal for this lifemap scenario

The overarching goal for this lifemap scenario is to find direction and develop a compass for people to adapt their lives to the challenging reality on our planet.

‘I want to become a global citizen and an active part of a green economy’

As humans, in today’s world, we have access to vast resources. We travel around the globe. Big ships bring us our goods and playthings, produced thousands of miles away. Societies are overheated, people are overstimulated and stressed. Whether we are aware of it or not, all of us suffer when there is war and when people, animals and nature suffer.

At a certain point I, maker of all that is lifemaps, decided to become a global citizen and take my role as an individual. The Doughnut Economics model inspired me and gave me a new frame for thought. Insight into the planetary boundaries left me flabbergasted. I was not aware of the cumulative effects of all pollution, emissions and other human impact. I turned out to have little knowledge of the many substances that play a role.

How can I translate those planetary level models to the level of the individual? That has been my exploration over the last years. While both reality-based models, both of them with the intention to be encompassing and holistic, triggered me and set me to work, it was my love of nature that kept me going.

While learning how to become a global citizen, we’ll experience, that it makes us more human

Why work with the doughnut model? 90 % Of the decisions in politics, public life, business and at home are still only about us, humans. But we know for sure, now, that humanity has impacted the earth in such a way, that life conditions on earth are deteriorating. The doughnut model includes the just and safe space for humanity as well as the reality of the planet’s ecological ceiling. Seen from an individual perspective it is like a mega compass that can help us to change our mindset.

Why does it make sense to relate to the world situation as an individual? Under the dominant economic regime people have become consumers. We use money to outsource most tasks, buying from others and acquiring technology to work for us. It has become clear that several of the planetary biosphere areas are ‘in the red’. We cannot go on, leading a life without limits. We also have to realise, that regreening our lives and our places and bringing sustainability into practice is a journey rather than a set of measures. Being familiar with the areas of impact and understanding how they translate to the local scale and what that means for us as individuals is one possible step to take.

A method for individuals to relate to the world situation. Often people put off the moment to realise what is happening at a global level, holding everything at a distance. It is understandable since it is almost too much to relate at a world scale. In this lifemap scenario models are used as a method to enable individuals to do this. From the view of the individual you’ll zoom out to the level of the world, the planet. Filling in the poster with your chosen key themes is made easy because selecting stickers as well as putting them on the map is done intuitively. In the overview you have created on the poster you’ll find elements from the models which are lacking in your worldview and you complete your partly filled-in map.  During the enquiry into the overview you use the three scales and the landscapes of the Blue Planet poster to get more insight into what it means to you. Although it is a conceptual exercise it provides an inner experience. Sharing your story, using the themes on the poster, it becomes more explicit to you. The caring attention of the group will let you feel supported and appreciated.

What lies behind your story? How would you act on what you’ve discovered? Those questions will bring up many ideas and options but as many new questions will arise. It is sheer impossible to have a conversation when there is so much new territory to cover. So instead of having a group dialogue we take all the time we need for each other to express what we have experienced – while others are listening and giving feedback. We will not try to discover solutions, but we will support each other in discovering bits and pieces of new life practices which can help us on our way.

Personal safety and privacy

How the built-in lifemap process facilitates a safe environment for sharing and how personal information is protected during the lifemap project will be discussed in advance.