Stop Saving the Planet?

We often hear industry and political leaders talk about how we need to balance the economy with the environment. The thinking goes something like this: environmental destruction is necessary to earn a living and make the things we need. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant explores how we can approach the economy and the environment differently. Based on the book by Jenny Price.

Recycling has been the gold standard for fighting pollution for decades. But most plastics can’t be recycled and the companies that push for recycling are the ones often generating the most emissions and waste in the first place. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant looks at how we have been told to “reduce, reuse, recycle” to shift the responsibility from companies to the individual.

Individuals, companies and governments “offset” carbon emissions by paying to plant trees or fund solar panels in one place, so they can emit them elsewhere. Carbon credits are exchanged in the open market with the idea that carbon prices will go up – forcing companies to emit less. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant looks at why carbon offsets may not solve the climate crisis. Based on the book by Jenny Price.

We have seen a boom in “eco-friendly” products marketed to consumers’ concerns about the impact of the stuff we buy. But this "shop ‘til you drop” approach doesn’t solve the bigger issue: overconsumption and overproduction are the key drivers of pollution and climate change. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant looks at how “greenwashed” products might be doing more harm than good. Based on the book by Jenny Price.

Western cultures typically share the idea that there are two worlds: the “natural world” which is pristine and untouched, and the “human world” which is chaotic and changing. But all living things change the world around them to build homes, eat, and move. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant explores how humans can think differently about the way we change the world around us. Based on the book by Jenny Price.

Western cultures typically share the idea that there are two worlds: the “natural world” which is pristine and untouched, and the “human world” which is chaotic and changing. But all living things change the world around them to build homes, eat, and move. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant explores how humans can think differently about the way we change the world around us. Based on the book by Jenny Price.