The beginnings of permaculture

Permaculture is a scientific and philosophical approach to living in tune with the earth. It was invented by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in Tasmania more than thirty years ago and is now fast becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The spirituality of Earth Abbey appears to fit extraordinarily well with this movement.

The word permaculture is a shortening of ‘permanent culture’. It is an attempt to live in a truly sustainable way and involves a different type of mindset from that prevalent in the ‘developed’ world. Permaculture would argue that we need to see the world as interconnected living systems and the best and most fulfilling life will come from living in harmony with these systems.

Permaculture is applicable to every part of our lives in principle, but it has been most developed in terms of growing foods. A permacultural approach to farming for example would examine the characteristics of a particular site, how it works, the natural flows of life and nutrients around the site, where there is water and where there is not, the soil and its condition etc and it would build a diverse set of planting so that one aspect enhances and enriches another. This is in contrast to simple monoculture which tends to blitz an area, sow a single crop and protect it with masses of pesticide etc.

A permaculture view of cities would consider a city’s life as a complete cycle of interaction, not a one way ‘consumption to waste’ linear flow dynamic.

Such is my understanding at this point. Some of us are setting out on a permaculture course over this winter, starting tonight, so I may refine this post when I have learnt some more!

In the meantime if you would like to hear more from the horse’s mouth so to speak. Bill Mollison himself can be accessed here presenting on a website which you may also find of interest. Thanks to Potteroo for this link.

Your comments.

I’ve just been reading that the Iriquoi of North America made major decisions on the impact that it was likely to have on the 7th generation.  Very wise I think and it fits well with permaculture