Blog

How Switzerland made history with green economy vote

This weekend, Switzerland made world history, even though not as much as we would have liked. Switzerland was the first country to vote on whether to implement a green economy. The green economy ballot initiative encouraged resource efficiency and implementation... Read More

One-planet living: Switzerland’s next commitment?

On September 25, Swiss voters will head to the polls to decide on a bold initiative to put Switzerland on the path of a green economy. Initiated by members of the Green Party and the Social Democrats, this ballot initiative... Read More

Remembering environmental pioneer Luc Hoffmann

On July 21, we lost one of the most effective and yet very quiet giants of the environmental movement, Luc Hoffmann. After a full and transformational life, he passed in one of his dearest places, the Camargue in the South... Read More

Sustainable development: two indices, two different views

It’s been a busy day for launching new country rankings. Today (July 20), the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) released a 427-page report ranking countries by 77 indicators tied to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals approved last year. The... Read More

Footprint calculator scores high marks in high schools

High schools around the world have integrated the Ecological Footprint calculator into their curricula. Governments and organizations, including the United Nations and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are also catching on to the importance of environmental education in meeting long-term sustainability... Read More

Can China transform into an ecological civilization?

Creating an economy that operates in harmony with nature is the centerpiece of China President Xi Jinpig’s vision of transforming the country into an ecological civilization. Can China become such a civilization? To find out, we engaged with the Province... Read More

Can the UK survive on its own?

In the wake of the stunning Brexit vote results, we ask, what does it take to the support the UK’s demand for natural resources? Consider this: The UK’s forest land only covers 3% of UK resident’s demand for forest products... Read More

Footprint Futures

A Teaching Module on Human Dependence on the Biosphere Footprint Futures is a college-level teaching module for exploring the sustainability challenge facing human economies. This challenge is described as “improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying... Read More