Permaculture – The World’s Natural Lifestyle
June 29th, 2009 by Ashley StricklandFrom simple “going green” steps like reusable water bottles to starting organic farms, we are constantly seeking how to become a more sustainable world. All of these words, “green,” “organic,” “natural” and “sustainable,” evoke our ultimate goal, but what about “permanent”? Much like looking at weight loss as a healthy lifestyle change rather than a diet, becoming sustainable means saving and revitalizing our planet as a permanent step for the better. So, we need to take America, and the rest of the world, off its yo-yo diet of half-way recycling and green baby steps and set it on a direct course towards permaculture.
What is permaculture? It is a back-to-nature movement that returns to the world’s original ecosystems, but with human involvement. Here, plants, animals and people coexist peacefully in a completely sustainable environment. The Permaculture Institute of New Mexico defines it as “an ecological design system for sustainability in all aspects of human endeavor. It teaches us how build natural homes, grow our own food, restore diminished landscapes and ecosystems, catch rainwater, build communities and much more.”
An agro-ecological theory of design, permaculture combines “permanent agriculture” and “permanent culture” and reduces our dependence on an industrial way of life that is obliterating our natural environments. Permaculture is a type of freedom, allowing us to be self-sufficient and indefinitely sustainable. More than a designed way of life, it has become a philosophy since its conception in 1911 to its development by Australians Bill Mllison and David Holmgren. They recognized how rapid industrialization and poor farming techniques eroded tons of soil and reduced biodiversity and began publishing material on how and why to establish permaculture in 1978.
Simply put, permaculture is a way of looking at the different relationships on earth. Begin by looking at the planet as whole; then, break it up into parts to see how they connect. Here, the conflicts are discovered in the cracks, and then we can work together to mend them. A holistic approach, permaculture aims to take care of the Earth as a source of life, its people as healthy societies and respecting our limited natural resources. The end result? No waste. It is a change that takes time and dedication, but it is mainly accomplished by changing how you view the world. By becoming renewable, diversity remains and all of the right things click into place.
A good example of permaculture is a green field dotted with fruit trees and grazing animals; the animals live off of the grass and fruit, they control the weeds and their manure helps enrich the soil, sustaining the field and fruit trees. How does this apply to the city? Draining a rain gutter towards a fruit tree or using a community truck for several households, like a group in Albuquerque has done. You can also create a worm compost to dispose of your kitchen scraps, grow a backyard garden or orchard, become a citizen pruner of trees (in New York), keep chickens or even graft an apple tree so that it grows several types of apples, according to the Permaculture Institute.
What’s the deal with chickens? Why are they so important to permaculture? Believe it or not, they can be vital to a sustainable environment. Not only are they a form of weed control, but chickens produce meat, eggs, feathers, manure and break down the soil. There is absolutely no waste.
All across the world, these practices have been expanding since the 1980s, from workshops and guilds to completely sustainable hotels and farms. There are movements, non-profit educational organizations, communities, institutes and projects are in all corners of the U.S. as well. You may even be able to locate on in your area. A great example of permaculture success is the beautiful Rancho Margot in Costa Rica. A 400 acre ranch, the Rancho Margot is a completely sustainable destination. In addition to mountain biking, horseback riding and kayaking, the ranch also supplies its own dairy and milk processing farm, poultry, pigs, fish, organic vegetable and medicinal gardens, energy production and a wildlife rescue center. You can go for a relaxing and educational stay or become a volunteer working with the animal rescue, reforestation or become a ranger.
A small idea brought to life in the 1970s, permaculture may just save our planet if we can make this a widespread movement. For more information, check out the Permaculture Institute. Plus, be sure to check out the Social Yell discussion for further insight.
Ashley Strickland is a senior at the University of Georgia. She is a summer intern for SocialYell and blogs about health, social equity, consumer advocacy, charity, sustainability and just about anything green.
