Rob
Hello This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English I’m Rob
Georgina
And I’m Georgina
Rob
In this programme we’re looking for utopia
Georgina
You mean a perfect world – a place where everyone lives together in harmony
?Does that kind of place exist, Rob
Rob
Umm probably not, but it’s something we aspire to create – a happy place where
everyone is cared for and nobody goes without
Georgina
Well let me know if you find it, and I’ll head there straight away
Rob
Well, one place that is trying to be like that is the Dutch city of Amsterdam
We’re going to be finding out what they’re doing with the help of some
doughnuts! But first, Georgina, I have a perfect question for you! According to
the 2020 United Nations World Happiness Report, which country is the world’s
happiest? Is it…
?a) Finland
b) Singapore?, or,
?c) Austria
Georgina
That’s tricky, but I imagine that - if only for the scenery - it’s a) Finland
Rob
OK, Georgina, I’ll tell you if you are right or wrong later on Anyway, let’s get
back to Amsterdam – a city that’s doing its best to use creative ideas to be
sustainable
Georgina
That’s right, and it’s using the concept of a ring doughnut to use as a model for
its sustainability Economist Kate Raworth, who we will hear from shortly,
describes this as “a picture of 21st Century prosperity for humanity”
Rob
Now thinking of this ‘ring doughnut’ - the idea is not to leave anyone in the hole
in the middle falling short on the essentials of life - but at the same time not
going beyond the outer ring, because there we put so much pressure on our
planetary home it can cause climate change So, here is Kate Raworth speaking
on the BBC World Service programme, People Fixing the World, talking about
how Amsterdam is trying to fit into this ‘doughnut’ approach…
Kate Raworth, Economist
Amsterdam has started with a goal of saying we want to be a thriving, inclusive,
regenerative city for all residents while respecting planetary boundaries - that's
like saying we want our city to live in the doughnut And that changes how you
build - you don't bring in more new raw materials from across the other side of
the world - you say, right, how do we re-use the construction materials that are
already in our city to build new buildings? […] How do we change the way that
people travel? Start asking very different questions from the outdated economic
mindset that they were taught before
Rob
Interesting stuff from Kate Raworth there The people of Amsterdam are trying
to live within the doughnut! Their aim is to live and look after each other without
harming the planet It’s a big aim – but they want their city to be thriving – so
growing and being successful
Georgina
And it wants to be inclusive – including everyone and treating them equally This
is beginning to sound like utopia, Rob! To achieve this, Kate talked about using
locally-sourced materials for building and thinking about how people travel
around – basically making it a sustainable city
Rob
It’s about people thinking differently and not doing things in the same way
they’ve always been done It involves changing the way people think, or their
mindset
Georgina
Another idea from the Netherlands that fits the doughnut model is the making of
recycled jeans The People Fixing the World programme visited a company where
old jeans were mixed with new organic cotton to make new ones
Rob
The new ones might not be affordable for everyone, but they do reduce cotton
production and the use of chemicals and water The process creates jobs too
Georgina
Well, let’s hear from Bert van Son, CEO of Mud Jeans Listen to why he tries to
work within the doughnut model…
Bert van Son, CEO, Mud Jeans
If you take the doughnut economy and you see the insides of the circles - if you
break that boundary, mistreat people, and you have people making your jeans
but they don’t have any social security, or any liberty, or any medical care, those
kind of things, you will never be able to make nice jeans - it has to become
human again, making clothing
Rob
Bert van Son sees the benefit of the doughnut economy by treating people fairly
and with respect – the opposite is to mistreat He thinks they should have things
such as social security – a payment system by governments that helps people
live a reasonable life
Georgina
And he says you can’t make ‘nice’ jeans without being human – he doesn’t just
mean being a person, but being someone with compassion, feelings and respect
for others
Rob
Umm, all this from a doughnut! Hopefully this will lead to a happier city and
?country But for now, what is the happiest country in the world, Georgina
Georgina
Yes, you asked me earlier, according to the 2020 United Nations World
Happiness Report, which country has been named the world’s happiest? And I
said Finland Come on, make me happy and tell me I am right!
Rob
Well happily, you are correct Well done Finland is top of the list for the third
year in a row, with Denmark coming in second But before you head off there, we
need to recap some of the vocabulary we’ve discussed today
Georgina
Of course We’ve been discussing utopia - a perfect place where everyone lives
together in harmony
Rob
Thriving describes something that is growing and successful And inclusive
means including everyone and treating them equally
Georgina
We also mentioned mindset That describes the fixed thoughts and attitudes
someone has
Rob
To mistreat someone is to treat them badly or cruelly
Georgina
And social security is a payment system by governments that helps people live a
reasonable life
Rob
OK, well that’s all for this programme We’ll see you again soon for more
trending topics and vocabulary here at 6 Minute English Bye for now!
Georgina
Bye!
VOCABULARY
utopia
a place where everyone lives together in harmony
thriving
growing and successful
inclusive
including everyone and treating them equally
mindset
fixed thoughts and attitudes someone has
mistreat
treat someone badly or cruelly
social security
payment system used by governments that helps people live a reasonable life
