In both News from Nowhere and Robot Dreams, technology plays a pivotal role in shaping the societies depicted, but the way it is employed reflects each society’s values and priorities. In News from Nowhere, technology is used sparingly, almost as a backdrop to a society focused on sustainability and simplicity. In this fictional world, the […]
the Role of Technology in Shaping society Read More »
Developing a circular economy has become an increasingly popular idea in global policy, seen as a solution to environmental sustainability challenges. However, based on our most recent reading The Circular Economy at a Crossroads, we can see that this circular economy model has some issues. The major issue being that CE is often aligned with
The Central issue of Circular Economy Read More »
We talked about shading and frontier economies this past week, and it made me reflect on the ways in which business externalize costs, especially in terms of environmental justice. Understanding these two concepts are crucial in recognizing how negative consequences of consumption are often hidden from us. Shading is when businesses focus on short-term benefits
Shading and Frontier Economies Read More »
In many global manufacturing settings, especially those involving low-wage labor, managers often frame their relationships with workers using familial metaphors. Our most recent reading talked about how these managers called themselves the “father” of the factory and referring to female workers as “daughters”. On the surface, this may just seem like an attempt to establish
Paternalism Behind corporate control Read More »
In our fast-paced world, waste is often treated as something that is easily discarded and forgotten. Everyone is always trying to move onto the new thing. This reflects a linear notion of time, where goods are consumed, used, and then disposed of once they’re no longer seen as useful. In this perspective, waste is the
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Boston’s iconic skyline and historic streets were’t always where they are today. Over centuries, the city expanded its footprint by filling in tidal flats, marshes, and parts of the harbor to create new land. This expansion was crucial for economic growth, transportation, and housing but it came at a great environmental cost. The filling of
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In New York City, sanitation is controlled by a strict hierarchical system. Every worker answers to supervisors, who answer to higher levels of management. There are alternative models such as worker cooperatives, which offers a radically different way of organizing waste collection. But which method is better? The New York city Department of Sanitation (DSNY)
Worker Cooperatives vs. Hierarchical Sanitation Read More »
Everywhere we look, we’re told that we can shop our way to sustainability – buy a reusable straw, switch to an electric car, choose “green” cleaning products, and we’ll be doing our part to save the planet. This mindset, often called “green consumerism,” makes people feel individually responsible for environmental destruction while allowing corporations and
Why Green Consumerism Won’t save the Planet Read More »
What does our trash say about us? For the freegans, waste is a symbol of capitalism’s excess – perfectly good food or items thrown away because it no longer holds market value. For law enforcement, trash can be a source of evidence, as seen in California v. Greenwood. These two distinct perspectives – trash as
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For something so common, shit has an oddly powerful hold on our lives. Not just physically, but socially and politically. In Dominique Laporte’s History of Shit, he makes a bold claim: the State is the sewer. Seems strange to call the state a sewer at first, but when you break it down, it makes perfect
Shit: What Civilization Hides Read More »