Babette Porcelijn says Think Big Act Now for radical systemic change, from energy use to the design of the economy.

“We’re not going to make it by putting band-aids on a failed system”

It’s time for a new worldview where the planet is at the center, says Babette Porcelijn who, with her company Think Big Act Now, aims to effectively make society more sustainable. That means a radical change, from energy use to the design of the economy.

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Babette, in your book Think Big, Act Now you talk about how to create a safe, stable world. One big problem we face is the limited resources in the world. How do you think we can best begin to stay within the limits of those resources?

“It starts with realizing that we are going beyond the carrying capacity of the earth on many fronts. Not just with emissions of C02 that cause climate change. It’s about soil and water pollution, ocean acidification, biochemical cycles, nitrogen, deforestation, use of fresh water and fertile land, and a very important one: the loss of biodiversity. That one is highly underestimated.

In all those areas we have to make sure that we come within that carrying capacity. You will have to intervene in three essential areas: raw materials, energy and food. I propose a three-pronged policy for this: better, different and less. Better means less damage and more efficiency, different requires solutions that don’t cause damage, but even better would be to work eco-positive, where you are healing and adding to ecosystems. Less requires a change in consumer behavior; buying and wasting less.”

What does that model look like for energy, for example?

“Better, for example, is high efficiency of energy use and storing C02 in different places. Different is the use of renewable energy sources. Less means that we will use 40 percent less energy. In addition, 75 percent less minerals and 65 percent less biomaterials will be used. That’s insanely hefty, but numbers do provide guidance.”

How should we do that?

“That will require a radical shift in how we look at the world. Since 1500, we have nurtured a human-centered worldview and that has brought us much, but also cost us much. That’s why we need to put the planet first.”

The circular economy is an important opportunity to redesign industry. In your opinion, will the circular model be enough to provide commodities?

“It is super important to close the material chains as much as possible. We see now that only eight percent of materials are recycled. At best, it will be 50 percent, because some of it is just in use and you always have to deal with some loss and scrap. So you will have to keep adding raw materials. Especially when you consider that we still have to deal with demand growth and world population growth. That means you’re going to have to use biomass in part and mining. But mining is really hugely polluting. If you extract iron ore from stone, for example, a load of pollutants is released. Those get left behind in a pool of poison and that’s how poison lakes are created. In total, there are an estimated 40 million mines in the world. Strict supervision and true pricing would already make a big difference.”

That leaves a revolution for our food.

“In the field of biomass and food, we see that we are using far too much land for animal feed, which is suppressing nature. Half of all natural forests have already been lost. While they are essential for, among other things: biodiversity, C02 absorption, moisture management and temperature. A plant-based diet is an important tool to turn the tide. And preventing food waste. You would like to have a nature inclusive agriculture, with closed cycles. Further, mixed cultivation is important, but also use of high technology for efficiency.”

You talk about balancing economic and planetary needs, how do we maintain a healthy economy when economic growth is linked to a set of limited resources?

“We measure whether the economy, and therefore society, is doing well by gross domestic product. But looking at how much money is being pumped around is an unwisely narrow indicator of the well-being of the population, because it says nothing about inequality, climate or environment. If you did include that, you would see that the economy has not grown since the 1980s, but is actually shrinking, because we are losing so much human and natural capital. I’m not against growth, but the question is: what do you want to see grow? Inequality and pollution, or the number of happy people and intact ecosystems? For that you need better measuring instruments than GDP, such as a dashboard of all the things that matter to humanity and the earth. You can then steer on that, by taxing things that are going in the wrong direction, such as environmental impact. If you charge fair prices based on normal payment for labor and sustainable business practices, as mentioned before in mining, you’ll find that sustainable production is actually the same as good business.”

What is the biggest sustainability challenge right now?

“Indifference. People are often so preoccupied with the ‘here and now’ that they don’t care about ‘there and tomorrow’. In addition, we should not be looking for a silver bullet. It is very Western (and human) to want to focus on one aspect. But we are not going to make it by putting band-aids on a failed system. The task is to see the whole and work with all the different parts. I have already mentioned quite a few knobs that need to be turned and they require an integral approach. We can’t do that with just a few people either, but with a majority of all people.”

Who should lead the way in this: government, consumers or industry?

“All three! It’s such a big task that we need everyone to do it. And in all areas, whether it’s in your work, your relationships, your money or your role as an inspiration. We need as many inspired people as possible, working hard on the right things. Not only does it save a lot of money and is it healthier to live sustainably, but it also makes you happy to do so. If I have learned anything from the many studies I have read, it is that one of the most important ingredients for happiness is to contribute something to the greater good. I can say for myself that my work is immensely satisfying. That makes me happy.”

Lessons from Babette Porcelijn

• Strive to stay within the carrying capacity of the earth on all fronts
• Economic growth should not be measured by GDP, but by equality, nature, climate and environment
• The solution is not in one silver bullet, but in an integral, broad-based systemic change