The Doughnut Circle: Balancing Needs & Limits

An embodied game to shape a thriving world: Participants form two circles around a 'social shortfall' hole. They identify unmet needs, shrink the hole by moving in (Exercise 1), then close it completely by connecting chairs within the 'ecological ceiling' (Exercise 2), visualizing a thriving Doughnut. Overshoot is placed outside.

Exercise 1: Closing the Social Shortfall

Objective: Visually represent closing the gap in essential human needs.

Setup:

• Arrange chairs in two concentric circles:
  • Inner circle: 4-6 chairs facing INWARD toward a large empty center (2m diameter "hole").
  • Outer circle: 10-12 chairs facing OUTWARD (away from center).
• Place a basket labeled "SOCIAL SHORTFALL" in the center hole.
• Provide sticky notes and pens.

Instructions:

Reflect:

"Imagine this empty center represents unmet human needs – healthcare, education, equality. Write down ONE essential need missing in your community."
(e.g., "Clean water," "Affordable housing," "Gender equity")

Act:

"Place your note in the SOCIAL SHORTFALL basket. Now, inner circle: move your chairs INWARD to shrink the hole by half. Outer circle: hold your position as the planet's boundaries."

Debrief:

"By moving inward, we reduced the social shortfall. But the hole persists – people still lack basics. Our 'safe space' grew, yet we’re not meeting all human needs."

Exercise 2: Completing the Foundation within Ecological Limits

Objective: Achieve social equity without overshooting planetary boundaries.

Setup:

• Keep the reduced (but still present) center hole.
• Add a rope on the floor encircling the outer chairs labeled "ECOLOGICAL CEILING."

Instructions:

Challenge:

"How do we fully meet human needs WITHOUT straining Earth’s limits? Inner circle: turn chairs to face OUTWARD. Outer circle: remain facing outward."

Act:

"Inner circle: move backward until chair backs TOUCH, ELIMINATING the hole. Outer circle: shift slightly outward ONLY if space allows – but DO NOT cross the rope (chair circle) boundary!"
(Final formation: One connected ring, all facing out, no center hole.)

Debrief:

"Look around – the social shortfall is GONE! We’ve built a complete social foundation. But note: we’re now closer to the ecological ceiling. Are we still within safe limits?"

Deepen (Overshoot Extension):

"Write down ONE unsustainable practice pushing planetary boundaries (e.g., 'Fossil fuel use,' 'Plastic waste'). Place these notes OUTSIDE the rope (chair circle). This is ecological overshoot – our next challenge to solve."