What it Means to Be a Part of A System
Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation launched the first Donut Days event in Nanaimo, connecting us to a global movement, gathering voices from businesses, non-profits, government, and the community to explore what it means for a society to function as a living system.
Rethinking Prosperity
Doughnut Economics challenges us to think differently about prosperity. Traditional measures like GDP and job rates capture activity, but not necessarily connection, well-being, or balance. A car crash, for example, increases GDP but does not reflect a healthy or thriving society.
A living systems approach recognizes that the economy, environment, and society are interdependent. It uses more accurate and holistic metrics to gauge success. These metrics measure well-being, ecological health, and community resilience alongside economic performance. Prosperity, in this view, means creating the conditions for people and the planet to thrive together.
Conversations and Workshops
Throughout last week (October 14-17th), NPC hosted conversations and workshops that began charting this shift. An introductory session, co-hosted by Nanaimo Art Gallery, brought together business and community leaders to consider how cities can start moving toward a living systems approach. Workshops for the business and non-profit sectors followed, grounding these ideas in Nanaimo’s context and linking them to the direction set by the City Plan.
Hosted in partnership with Vancouver Island University, the week closed with a community screening of Purpose, a film exploring the global shift toward measuring success through well-being, not just output.
Starting A Movement
So, what does it look like to begin something?
It begins with curiosity and a willingness to ask what kind of future we want, and how to move toward together. Donut Days marked a first step, but also a reminder: movements don’t start with declarations. They start with shared intention, with people coming together to imagine a different kind of prosperity and to begin building it here, in Nanaimo.
Join the Growing Conversation
If you would like to be part of this growing conversation, or simply learn more, please reach out to our Living Systems Coordinator at anni@investnanaimo.com.
Words By Alec Hansen & Anni Thesen
