the paul wheaton eco scale

[emordnilap]

Where are you?

It goes like this:

wheaton eco level 0: about 5 billion people
wheaton eco level 1: about a billion people
wheaton eco level 2: about 100 million people
wheaton eco level 3: about 10 million people
wheaton eco level 4: about a million people
wheaton eco level 5: about 100,000 people
wheaton eco level 6: about 10,000 people
wheaton eco level 7: about a thousand people
wheaton eco level 8: about 100 people
wheaton eco level 9: about 10 people
wheaton eco level 10: Sepp Holzer

Observation 1: most people find folks one or two levels up took pretty cool. People three levels up look a bit nutty. People four of five levels up look downright crazy. People six levels up should probably be institutionalized. I find the latter reactions to be inappropriate.

Observations 2: most people find folks one level back are ignorant. Two levels back are assholes. Any further back and they should be shot on sight for the betterment of society as a whole. I find that all of these reactions are innapropriate.

Finally: I can put whoever I want at the spot of eco level 10. I choose the mighty Sepp Holzer and I don't give a damn if you think somebody else should sit in that spot on my scale.

Level 1: is thinking about the environment. Bought fluorescent light bulbs. Is trying to do a good job of recycling. Reads an article or two.

Level 2: 30% of purchased food is organic

Level 3: Has an organic garden and 80% of purchased food is organic

Level 4: Grow 40% of their own food. Studying permaculture.

Level 5: has taken a PDC and/or grows 90% of their own food

Level 6: Moving away from fluorescent light bulbs. Living a footprint that is 10 times lighter than average. Maybe living in community. Maybe living in something very small.

Level 7: Permaculture teacher

Level 8: Doing things that are currently improving the world in big ways

Level 9: masanobu fukuoka, paul stamets, art ludwig, bill mollison, ianto evans ....

Video source or permies source.

The step from 1 to 2 is quite a leap but it's not linear of course. Organic is still a niche interest, even for shoppers and definitely for retailers.

We're between 4 & 7. Not 90% of our own food grown but close to 100% organic food (and often clothes) consumption for nearly three decades and TOH will teach the basics of permaculture/veganic growing.

I disagree totally entirely with his observation that that levels "higher" look crazy or whatever (to me of course, he does say 'most people find...'). I want everyone to to be 11, it should be normal.

[emordnilap]

Nobody interested?

Do you think the scale is a bit harsh, maybe, given the way the world has been set up?

[featherstick]

If he reduced the sample to exclude people in the developing countries, I'd be happy to play along. Sepp Holzer probably still has more impact on the biosphere than a Masai herder or a Bengali fisherman, even if it's just through generating youtube views.

[emordnilap]

Ah yes - but don't forget his "I find that all of these reactions are inappropriate" when referring to levels back from one's own. He proposes that it's a duty for those in 'higher' levels help those in 'lower'.

[RenewableCandy]

But I think you've missed featherstick's point...in drawing up this scale and its various populations, he seems only to have included those who have reached a particular level by their own choice. Thus, an Afghan farmer or similar (fully organic, wouldn't recognise a lightbulb if it fell on his head) is already at level 6, and there are demonstrably more than 10,000 of him (or her).

[emordnilap]

OK, I take your point RC.

There again, his numbers might exclude them, if only accidentally. (Add 'em up).