A Matter Of Scale is a survival guide for humanity. It describes, in crystalline detail, what our actions are doing to the very things on Earth that we depend on for survival, at scales that we rarely contemplate. It shows, unequivocally, that the primary motivation for being human is to ensure our survival. It provides the keys to unlock the lost connections between our most basic instincts, and the impending waves that threaten to engulf us. It arms us with the tools to free us from the culture that has blinded us for centuries, and which will allow us to live lives that will give the Earth, and ourselves, a future.

This book is not for the faint-hearted, but no other problem has ever been in such a critical need of a solution.

The book is divided into four parts, as follows:

Part 1: The Scale Of The Problem

Life on Earth exists on a vast continuum, with individual organisms ranging from the sub-microscopic to those, which are truly colossal. Each organism functions as part of a complex web of interconnected ecosystems, some of which are global in extent. Humans are very effective agents of destruction, having demonstrated the ability to demolish habitats, pollute ecosystems and change the global climate. This section of the book shows how humans are affecting key organisms across the whole range of scales – including viruses, bacteria, nematodes, bees, fish and boreal forests – and how, consequently, this is adversely affecting human life.

Part 2: Why It Matters

Humans, like all other life forms on this planet, act in order to benefit the continuation of their genes. Humans, unlike all other life forms on this planet, have managed to go beyond what seems possible for such an insignificant species. Our attitude to ourselves and our environment is no longer about survival, it has become selfish. However, selfish behaviour is not sustainable; within a limited catchment area like the Earth, selfish behaviour will be self-defeating. This section describes all of these aspects of human life, and then explains why, even with our ability to suppress natural instincts, what ultimately matters is what matters to us.

Part 3: Making The Connection

Despite our knowledge of the imminent collapse of the global ecology, and despite the desire to ensure our continued survival, humans seem incapable of connecting these two inseparable factors. This part describes first, in theory, how the two factors are connected, and then in practical terms, how humans can allow themselves to make the connection. The final chapter in this section explains why humans have become manifestly incapable of making the connection, and thus acting for good, because of the economic, socio-religious and political systems that infect every part of our lives.

Part 4: How To Survive

The only acceptable outcome for humanity is one in which humans reduce their impact on the planet, such that they are able to continue to remain part of the global ecosystem. The other option is self-annihilation. Humans have a choice, but in order to make this choice they must reject the systems that are preventing them from choosing the outcome. This section describes, at a range of levels never assembled before in one place, how humans can break down those systems, leaving us free to choose our destiny – one that will give the Earth, and us, a future.


The full text is available online, for free at  http://www.amatterofscale.com.

Please pass on the details to anyone you think would like to survive the future.