Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Depletist


Depletist {de-plE-tist}
Noun

1. An individual or group demonstrating apparent negligent or reckless disregard for the environmental consequences of their actions.

2. An individual or group that exhausts non-renewable resources and rejects positive environmental strategies.

I thought I would give a brief update on the fourth year think tank project I mentioned previously. We moved beyond using the school as a test bed for our ideas and have now created a word to try and affect change through language. We noticed that the word environmentalist was reserved only for those who acted above the norm. It was our goal to change this. So we created a word to make environmentalism the norm. Depletist is used in the same tone as racist or sexist and meant to label anti-environmental behaviour. We are currently spreading the word (literally) and would love some help. If you know of a way to help, please let me know, otherwise just start using it!

Depletism Online
Wiktionary
Canadian Design Resource

Photo: kk

2 comments:

Urban Peasant said...

Thanks for commenting on my blog (peripatetic-ramblings). I came across the word Depletist when it was republised on another one of the blogs I read (sorry--don't remember which one). The link to the video on my site is the same link that was on the blog I read. I understand it is a word that has been floating around Canadian graduate school circles--perhaps you are part of that?

ThePeripatetic

Nate A said...

I am part of it! One of my classes coined the term and is now attempting to spread it to the world. Two weeks ago the word had 0 google hits and now we are at 50. Spread the word in your hometown and let me know how it goes over! Thanks