The snail is both small and slow, it carries its home on its back and can withdraw to defend itself when threatened. The proverb “the bigger they are, the harder they fall” reminds us of the disadvantages of excessive size and growth while “slow and steady wins the race” encourages patience while reflecting on a common truth in nature and society.
Human scale vs fossil fuel scale
Examples—
Built—human scale sub-systems
Biological—using chickens to eat ticks on the land
Behavioural—Plastic free way of living - building wooden buckets
Reference: Holmgren, D. Permaculture Principles & Pathways beyond Sustainability