#55: What are the Energy Requirements of Well-being?

Feb 19, 2019

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In Episode 55, Quinn & Brian ask: What are the energy requirements of well-being?

Our guest is Julia Steinberger, a Professor of Social Ecology & Ecological Economics at the University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment. Her research examines the connections between resource use (energy and materials, greenhouse gas emissions) and societal performance (economic activity and human wellbeing) – or, what happens when you drive your car every damn day. She is interested in quantifying the current and historical linkages between resource use and socioeconomic parameters, and identifying alternative development pathways to guide the necessary transition to a low carbon society.

Basically, all her research can be boiled down to one important question: are we going to make it and maintain our standard of living, given the resources available to us and the technology we have now? And, well... it’s possible, but it’s not going to be easy and some things are going to have to change. Fast.

Trump’s Book Club:

Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth: https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3R5XF4WMZE0TV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_2Gr8Ab6RS5WF3

Links:

Learn more about Prof. Steinberger: https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/see/staff/1553/professor-julia-steinberger

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jksteinberger

Check out Living Well Within Limits: https://lili.leeds.ac.uk/

Watch “Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: How to use the ocean without using it up”: https://www.ted.com/talks/ayana_elizabeth_johnson_how_to_use_the_ocean_without_using_it_up

Cars vs Bus vs Bikes: https://humantransit.org/2012/09/the-photo-that-explains-almost-everything.html

Listen to Doughnut Economics, Rethinking Economics for the 21st Century: Kate Raworth and Azeem Azhar in Conversation: http://exponentialview.libsyn.com/doughnut-economics-rethinking-economics-for-the-21st-century-kate-raworth-and-azeem-azhar-in-conversation