--- title: The Wheaton Eco Scale (toxin-ectomy forum at permies) date: 2014-10-07T17:03:01Z source: http://www.permies.com/t/3069/toxin-ectomy/Wheaton-Eco-Scale tags: environment, philosophy --- The time has come for me to more formally define this. I have eluded to this rough idea in the past with some numbers I pulled out of my butt. I now flush those numbers and clearly define these new numbers. Further, while in the shower this morning, I decided that I am obnoxious and arrogant enough to come up with something and put my name to it. I also give everybody else licence to come up with their own scales for whatever they want. I just need to express myself, so I need ..... SOMETHING! 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! Here are some possible attributes of people on the 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. Buys some organic food. Their power bill is less than average. 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. Got rid of all fluorescent light bulbs Level 5: has taken a PDC and/or grows 90% of their own food Level 6: 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 .... Level 10: the mighty, the glorious, the amazing Sepp Holzer