For too long, success has been measured by how fast the economy grows.
But growth alone doesn’t guarantee that people have what they need—or that the environment stays healthy.
Doughnut Economics gives us a new way to think about prosperity.
It asks two simple but powerful questions:
Are we making sure that everyone’s basic needs are met?
Are we living within the limits of our planet?
The Doughnut is based on the social priorities of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the 9 planetary boundaries of Earth Systems Science
The inner ring is the social foundation. It represents the basic things everyone needs: food, water, housing, healthcare, education, political voice, peace, and equality.
The safe space between these two rings is where humanity can thrive.
It’s where every person can live well without harming the planet.
The outer ring is the ecological ceiling. It marks the limits we must respect to protect Earth’s life support systems: a stable climate, clean air, fertile soils, and thriving biodiversity.
For too long, traditional economics has taught ideas that no longer work for our world today.
Doughnut Economics challenges these old ideas with a fresh approach.
Doughnut Economics proposes an economic mindset that’s fit for our times. Oxford economist Kate Raworth has set out seven principles for thinking like a 21st-century economist – inviting us to rethink the story.
To create a healthier future for Lethbridge, we follow these guiding ideas based on the doughnut economy:
Our economies are often based on endless GDP growth, chasing bigger numbers without asking if people’s needs are met or if the environment is protected.
Here in Lethbridge, we are working toward a new goal: thriving together in a safe and just space—what we call “getting into the Doughnut.”
We often hear about the power of the market to provide for us, but we must take a step back to see the big picture of the economy as embedded within, and dependent upon, society and the living world.
Doughnut Economics recognizes that humans aren’t just self-centered, acting in isolation, or behaving in predictably “rational” ways, but are caring beings, adapting to their social context, and can nurture cooperation.
Here in Lethbridge, we believe nurturing cooperation, empathy, and social connection will be key to building a resilient, thriving community.
Economies are not machines that can be fine-tuned—they are living systems, like the roots of a forest, made up of independent, interconnected agents.
At Imagine Lethbridge, we embrace system thinking, knowing that change happens through relationships, feedback, and shared learning
We recognize that there are many ways to design economies to be far more distributive of value among those who help to generate it.
We are committed to building a Lethbridge that shares opportunities, power, and resources more fairly, recognizing that everyone who helps build the city’s success should benefit from it.
Environmental degradation isn’t an accident—it’s the result of extractive, one-way industrial design. We can create a truly circular economy instead of thinking that someone else will clean up our mess.
In Lethbridge, we are working toward systems that give back to the planet: supporting renewable energy, zero waste principles, sustainable neighborhoods, and regenerative local economies.
Doughnut Economics rejects the idea that economies should grow whether or not they make us thrive, and advocates for an economy that makes us thrive whether or not it grows.
Imagine Lethbridge envisions an economy focused on helping everyone thrive, whether or not it grows in size, because true prosperity is measured in well-being, not just numbers.
Join us in transforming Lethbridge into a vibrant community that reflects Doughnut Economics. Your ideas and actions can lead to a sustainable future where everyone’s needs are met while caring for our planet. Together, we can make meaningful change.
Your Voice Can Make a Difference
Thank you to the Doughnut Economics Action Lab for their knowledge, encouragement and support of Imagine Lethbridge