In a society that is increasingly focused on sustainability and fighting climate change, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to live in harmony with nature. Until recently, I didn’t really know what permaculture was. Now I see that it is so much more than a type of gardening but rather an all encompassing philosophy on sustainable living.
What is permaculture?
The word “pemaculture” comes from the words “permanance” and “culture”. It refers to a society in which all systems work in harmony to create sustainability over a long period of time. It is a method of managing these systems and maximizing efficient use of resources like food, water, and energy.
A sustainable system is any system that in it’s lifetime can produce more energy than it takes to establish and maintain it.
-Bill Mollison
Bill Mollison is credited – along with David Holmgren – with beginning the permaculture movement in the 70s. They noticed that the agricultural system was flawed and it was not following the rules of nature. Nature is filled with a variety perennials, trees, and long-leafed plants. So why are our agriculture systems are dominated by rows upon rows of annual crops?
Many agricultural systems are inefficient, creating more work and pollution than is necessary. Work is simply a result of not supplying every component in the system with it’s needs and pollution is a result of unused resources. Permacultural systems attempt to eliminate these undesirable features.
In short, permaculture is an attempt to build a good place to live.
David Holmgren’s 12 Principles of Permaculture
1. Observe and Interact
Observing processes in nature and in society allows us to learn how others work with (or against) Mother Nature. Then we can respond to what we see in the world and live greener and more ethical lifestyles. Engaging with nature allows us to design unique solutions that meet our specific needs.
2. Catch and Store Energy
There are a million ways to store energy from using solar pannels to power our houses to collecting rainwater for our gardens. The more ways we can find to be self-sufficient in our energy use, the less we will rely on outside supply chains and power grids to meet our needs.
By creating systems that collect resouces in times of abundance, we prepare ourselves (and our loved ones) for scarcer times.
3. Obtain a Yield
All systems require an input of time, money, or other resources. It is therefore important to assure that the reward we get from the system has greater value than the cost of creating and maintaining the system.
If we dont carefully consider our yields, we will create a negative feedback loop in which we exhaust valuable resources year after year for little to no return.
Think of your lawn, hours of work mowing, watering, and fertilizing, and hundreds of dollars spent on gas, water, and chemicals, for no yield whatsoever.
4. Apply Self-Regulation and Feedback
We are all on a journey of self-improvement (I hope) so we shouldn’t be afraid to recognize our own shortcomings. It is only by analyzing our strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures, that we stand a chance of creating a brighter future.
Whether I grew the wrong plant in the shade or I made a frivolous purchase at the store, it is important to recognize why those were bad decisions so that I can make a better decision next time.
5. Use and Value Renewables
Accoding to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, solar energy costs are between 3 and 6 cents per kilowatt-hour (and trending downwards) while finite stores of fossil fuels cost 5 to 17 cents per kilowatt-hour.
If that doesn’t convince you to switch to renewables, consider the low carbon emissions and the long-term availability of sun, wind, and water power.
6. Produce No Waste
This one is pretty straight forward. Don’t waste ANTHING.
I know I have lots of room to improve here. It’s not easy when everything we buy is conviniently wrapped in plastic or paper. This is why permaculture is so important. The more self-sufficient we become, the less plastic wrapped stuff we need to buy.
When possible, find creative ways to reuse, recycle, or compost things that would otherwise go to waste.
7. Design from Patterns to Details
When desiging your permaculture landscape (or other systems), look to nature for inspiration. Observe natural and social patterns and design the structure of your systems from your observations. Define your problem and see how others have succeeded or failed in solving the problem. Once you have a good understanding of the big picture, then you can fill in the details.
8. Integrate, Don’t Segregate
Rather than having one plot for grapes, one plot for apples, one plot for potatoes, and one plot for chickens, think of how they can survive and thrive together. The apple tree provides a structure for the grape vine to grow on and shade for the potato plants. The chickens help control pests, manage weeds, and naturally fertilize the soil. All four organisms are better off living in harmony in an integrated system. This imitation of natural ecosystems is called a polyculture.
This theory works great for gardening but it applies to people too! Put the right peope in the right places and they will support each other and grow stronger together.
9. Use Small, Slow Solutions
All this talk of systems and harmony can be overwhelming. Where do you even start? Well I can’t tell you where to start but just choose one thing that you want to do and stick with it. Systems that start out small and slow are easier to manage and more ustainable in the long run. Once you’ve figured it out, then you can scale up if you choose to.
The first vegetables that I (successfuly) planted were just 10 little pepper seeds. I bought a red bell pepper from my local farmers’ market and picked 10 seeds to plant in 2 little pots. About a week later I was excited to see 10 little stems with 20 little leaves poking out of the soil in those 2 pots.
It doesn’t matter where you start but take action today and do something that will help you achieve your goals.
10. Use and Value Diversity
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. When the potato blight comes, well I hope you’re growing some grains too. When the housing market bubble pops, I hope your whole investment portfolio isn’t in real estate. Diversity lowers risk without sacrificing reward.
11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal
This goes back to principle number 6. No waste! Is your property surrounded by a strip of exposed soil? Or worse… turfgrass? (Gasp!) Well fill in those margins with something productive. Permaculture is all about usisng up every resource at our dispsal no matter how small. To effectively do this, we need to learn to value fringe elements and find a way to use them in our systems. These can be some of our most creative and valued resources.
12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change
the Universe is in a constant state of change. It is up to us to prepare for change and welcome it when it comes. Humans seem to have an obsession with creating something permanent. A family line, a business, a legacy, a “perma”-culture… Yet it is all as temporary as the leaves on the trees. Even the rocks and the mountains have their cycles (no, this isn’t just an excuse to include a picture of the rock cycle) and are not permanent.
How we respond to change will determine the progress we make in years to come. So we must prepare now, not only for the day but for the future, whatever it holds.
If I had to pick one word to summarize the 12 principles of permaculture, it would be harmony. We must constantly learn, adapt, and take action to live in harmony with all forms of life. From the microscopic fungi to the collosal trees that hold up the canopy, every life is valuable and worth caring for.
I Challenge YOU!
I challenge you to take action today. No matter how small, do something tangible to create a more ethical, sustainable life for yourself. If you take me up on my challenge I’d love to hear about what you did so I too can learn from you.
You can reach me at scott@carrollpropertyservices.ca or give me a call at 289-943-5477. Can’t wait to hear how you started your permaculture journey!
