Decent work and economic growth

In pairs: considering a society they are familiar with, draw a simple picture representing their view of it 100 years ago, 50 years ago and today. Draw another to show how they picture it 50 years from now. On the future picture, write down pros and cons of this vision. Now draw another picture of 50 years from now that tries to avoid any of the cons – what does it look like? What steps need to be taken to get to that vision? Pairs then share their work and thoughts with others.

Ask students to identify things that the economy currently needs to grow e.g. fossil fuels, land based resources and minerals. Now set up a webbing game but using these components linked to the economy in the middle. Simulate the tensions created and the strains on the system as the economy grows.

Now ask one group to do the same again and another do the traditional (natural environment) webbing game and then join together to look for links between them.

Again look for tensions and strains on the system as the economy grows.
With the two groups combined, they try to represent a model that avoids these tensions and strains.