An ecoscale is a concept used in ecology to measure or categorize the ecological significance or impact of various phenomena. This can include factors like the size of a particular habitat, the range of a species, or the severity of an environmental disturbance. Sourced from: https://permies.com/t/scale wheaton [eco level](https://permies.com/t/3069/toxin-ectomy/wheaton-eco-scale "the") 0:  about 6 billion [people](https://permies.com/wiki/39118/People-Permaculture-Looby-Macnamara "People and Permaculture by Looby Macnamara") (about 70% of the population) wheaton eco level 1:  about a billion people (about 15% of the population) wheaton eco level 2:  about 100 million people (about 1.5% of the population) wheaton eco level 3:  about 10 million people (about 0.15% of the population) 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](https://permies.com/t/55266/Amazing-ploskorez-replace-usual-spade "Amazing ploskorez - to replace usual spade, hoe, rakes etc...") 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](https://permies.com/t/36936/tnk/ "Did you just should on me?") 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](https://richsoil.com/sepp-holzer/sepp-holzer-permaculture.jsp "Sepp Holzer") and I don't give a damn if you [think](https://permies.com/wiki/39593/Ways-Differently-Looby-Macnamara "7 Ways to Think Differently By Looby Macnamara") somebody else should sit in that spot on my scale!   Here are some possible attributes of people on the scale level zero: Thinking about the environment is something that other people do. Poisons [dandelions](https://richsoil.com/michael-pilarski.jsp#dandelion "michael pilarski sold his dandelions for $900"). Average [carbon footprint](https://permies.com/wiki/43271/carbon-footprint-heat "wiki page about carbon footprint and heat") of 60 tons. level 1: Thinking about the environment. Bought some "better" [light bulbs](https://richsoil.com/cfl-fluorescent-light-bulbs.jsp "paul's light bulb article"). Trying some recycling. Reads an article or two. Buys some organic food. Their power bill is less than average. Learning about how [composting](https://permies.com/wiki/118431/Eric-Fisher-author-Compost-Teas "* Welcome Eric Fisher, author of Compost Teas for the Organic Grower!") is done. Carbon [footprint](https://permies.com/t/60481/reducing-petroleum-footprint "ideas on reducing our petroleum footprint") is 59 tons. level 2: Has a recycling system. Reads at least one article a week. Power bill is 80% of average. 30% of purchased food is organic. 10% of purchased food is [local](https://permies.com/t/3679/farm-income/local-vs-organic "local vs. organic"). Is growing a small [garden](https://permies.com/t/201655/Holistic-Garden-Planning-Wild-Abundance "Holistic Garden Planning Course by Wild Abundance"). Has a [compost](https://permies.com/wiki/142750/Compost-Good-Guide-Extreme-Composting "Compost Everything: The Good Guide to Extreme Composting ebook by David the Good") pile. Learning about natural building. Has attended some [free](https://permies.com/t/116957/ebooks/Free-Taster-Compost-Teas-download "Free Taster for Compost Teas available for download") workshops and lectures. Maybe read a book. Pulls dandelions. Carbon footprint is 57 tons. level 3: Is contemplating "zero waste" and is producing about a tenth of the landfill material as the average person. Has a pretty good sized organic garden - grows about 20% of their own food. 80% of purchased food is organic. 2% of food is wildcrafted. Power bill is half of the average. Reads something almost every day. Has read a few things about [permaculture](https://permaculture-design-course.com/ "permaculture design course at wheaton labs"). Has read at least a couple dozen [books](https://richsoil.com/permaculture-books.jsp "permaculture books"). Has attended several paid workshops. [Pooless](https://permies.com/t/22876/toxin-ectomy/making-jump-poo "Poo-Less attempt thread - no soap or shampoo in the shower"). No more fluorescent [light bulbs](https://permies.com/t/58990//incandescent-light-LED-light "incandescent lights are STILL better than LED"). Avid composter. Has eliminated 95% of the toxic gick from their home. Very concerned about environmental problems. Carbon footprint is 45 tons. level 4: Grows 50% of their own food. 95% of purchased food is organic. 8% of food is wildcrafted. Passionately studying [permaculture](https://permies.com/ "permaculture home page for permies.com"). [Incandescent](https://permies.com/t/58990//incandescent-light-LED-light "incandescent lights are STILL better than LED") [lights](https://permies.com/t/58990//incandescent-light-LED-light "incandescent lights are STILL better than LED") are preferred and used wisely. Power bill is 30% of average. Allows dandelions, eats some of them and enjoys blowing on dandelion [seed](https://permies.com/wiki/76171/official-permies-Seed-Plant-Source "The official permies.com Seed and Plant Source Review Grid") heads. Carbon footprint is 15 tons. level 5: taken a [PDC](https://permaculture-design-course.com/ "Permaculture Design Course Videos"). Grows 90% of their own food. Participating in building/sharing knowledge online. Might teach a small, free [class](https://richsoil.com/rmh-workshop.jsp "rocket mass heater workshop jamboree!") or workshop. Carbon footprint is zero. level 6: Living a footprint that is 10 times lighter than average. Maybe living in community. Maybe living in something very small. Actively sharing knowledge and starting to get paid to teach. Exchanges dandelion seeds with others to get a really great tasting dandelion. Carbon footprint is -30 tons. level 7: Teaching PDCs. Inventing things that will change our future for the better. Writing a first book or creating a first movie that will influence the future. Influencing thousands of people to make significant changes for the better. Carbon footprint is -200 tons. level 8: Writing many books, creating many movies ... Influencing millions of people to make significant changes for the better. Doing things that are improving the world in big ways. Carbon footprint is -1000 tons. level 9: [willie smits](https://permies.com/wiki/8596/Willie-Smits-permaculture-superhero-Borneo "Willie Smits, Superhero of Borneo"), masanobu [fukuoka](https://permies.com/t/2214/permaculture/masanobu-fukuoka "huge thread about masanobu fukuoka"), [paul stamets](https://permies.com/t/41900/artisans/official-paul-stamets-thread "the official paul stamets thread"), [art](https://permies.com/t/57503/Permaculture-Playing-Cards "beautifully designed permaculture playing cards") ludwig, [bill mollison](https://permies.com/t/59144/Bill-Mollison "Bill Mollison, father of permaculture"), ianto evans .... level 10: [sepp holzer](https://permies.com/wiki/165297/Sepp-Holzer "Sepp Holzer wiki")