ANSWERS: 1
  • Permaculture is a method of designing to meet human needs in the least environmentally damaging and the most socially just way possible. It is a contraction of the words Permanent and Agriculture, the methods, principles and ethics aim to mimic natural ecologies learning FROM nature and working with nature. The founders, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren aimed to reduce the impact on wilderness by combining existing knowledge and developing tools to create holistic Permanent Agriculture systems where each generation did not have to repeat the toil of previous generations. For example by planting food forests that would provide fuel, materials for living and building and food for generations to come. This concept of permanent agriculture is directly opposing the systems of agriculture we have today which rely heavily on fossil fuels both to work the land and produce chemical fertilizers etc to grow annual crops. Permaculture builds soils does not deplete them. Permaculture promotes diversity and poly-cultures. Permaculturists design environments with the aim to become as self sufficient as possible individually and as settlements (trading networks). A lot of Permaculture is about observation and assessment in order to find solutions to problems. See David Holmgren's work on Peak Oil, Rob Hopkin's Transition Towns and work on energy descent and Permaculture Associations LAND project. Governments have funded current agricultural systems for many years, through subsidies, tax incentives and through grants. The current agricultural systems are not sustainable. Permaculture aims to reduce our reliance on Industrial systems. Permaculture recognizes external costs (for example using finite natural resources) and attempts to address the issues. Permaculture is systems thinking that is applicable to whole communities, it sets limits to growth, deals with environmental issues, economics, transport, housing, sustainability, local and global economies, future generations needs, both human and non human. Permaculture or a similar model will have to replace the current agricultural systems and processes which are systematically destroying ecosystems.

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