Do you agree with the Micky Mouse model?
How might it constrain or inform decision making to encourage decision-making that supported sustainability?
What do you think about the Mickey Mouse model?
Do you think it reflects the current, business-as-usual mindset towards sustainable practice?
I hadn’t really thought about it before, but no, I don’t agree with the Mickey Mouse model. Environmental, social, and financial factors shouldn’t be depicted as being the same size (and certainly not depicted as financial being the most important!).
I would say that the model gives a false impression of how decision-making could support sustainability. People may look simply at where the three circles overlap and make relatively minor decisions about how changes might be made to improve that inter-connected area (e.g. between environmental and financial, or between financial and social). This doesn’t reflect the inter-dependence of the three aspects. We have to understand that the economy is something which sits within society, and that society depends on the environment.
Unfortunately, the Mickey Mouse model probably does reflect the current ‘business as usual’ mindset of the majority towards sustainable practice, with governments and corporations making token gestures (e.g. around recycling, or around efforts to reduce carbon emissions), without thinking about the big picture.
Do you agree with this model? No. In reality, they are more like nested circles.The economy is part of Society, which is part of the Environment system.
How might it constrain or inform decision making to encourage decision-making that supported sustainability? For one, it is a very simplified model. Although it suggests that they are separate systems, yet they can overlap. The overlapping regions suggest that these ‘separate’ systems can work towards common goals.
What do you think about the Mickey Mouse model? It describes ‘conventional’ approach quite well. Financial investment and demand will drive the over-exploitation of earths resources, as we are already witnessing today. Societal and Environmental concerns are often sidelined.
Do you think it reflects the current, business-as-usual mindset towards sustainable practice? Yes. Greenwashing is a good example of this. Pretend to be eco-friendly for the purpose of increasing product consumption.