What if we re-position joy at the heart of the sustainability transition?

Abstract

In this short thought piece, we propose to embrace joy as a foundational building brick of the transition towards sustainable ways of living. Research shows the many complexities of promoting awareness of and action against climate change. It also indicates that providing people with information is not completely effective. Current efforts may thus need to be reinforced holistically, transcending pure rationality to also embrace emotions, sociality, and culture. To facilitate that move, here we propose establishing joy as a driving force in the design of tech for sustainable transition(s). We call for a shift from informing people about the issues derived from climate change (and how to act upon them) to helping them find meaningful ways to (both joyfully and sustainably) rethink their daily practices. We hope to discuss that idea at Halfway to the Future to engage in creative discussions around the potential of joy in shaping alternative lifestyles. We aim to promote a design agenda of creating tech that supports ways of living that are joyful and sustainable alike.