Description

Scale Down is a forum for people deeply troubled that human numbers and consumption are displacing and destroying other life on Earth, radically changing our planet’s land, oceans, and climate, and gravely undercutting hope for improving and sustaining human health and wellbeing. We believe that the human enterprise should be greatly scaled down for the sake of nature and humanity. This means: Drawing down population through assertive family planning and educational campaigns to reduce human numbers consistent with overall planetary health; Replacing conventional economic policies with steady state and degrowth economic policies; Dramatically reducing consumption of natural resources, through innovations in transportation, communications, construction, food and energy use and production, and living styles; Ensuring full protection of natural habitats, and aggressively restoring those severely diminished by human activity; and Ending the culture of human supremacy that disrespects other life by relegating it to “resource" status. Our efforts are grounded in the ethic that naturally occurring animals, plants, and other organisms deserve freedom to thrive on a wholesome and spacious planet, and that granting that freedom buffers our species from a range of hardships and potential catastrophes. We believe that scaling down humanity in a responsible manner can readily allow all people access to basic needs and an enriched, rewarding life.