Student Reflections
“we look to the future with pleasure
We need no fossil fuel
Get power within, grow strong on less”
-Gary Snyder
We need no fossil fuel
Get power within, grow strong on less”
-Gary Snyder
Katie Hoeper
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
The essence of permaculture is a bunch of values and principles focused on how one should view and interact with the world. Values such as caring for the earth, people, fair share are all incorporated into this way of life. With the values, twelve principles have been established to support and facilitate these values. These principles include: observing and interacting, catching and storing energy, obtaining a yield, applying self regulation and accepting feedback, using and valuing renewable resources and services, producing no waste, designing patterns to details, integrating rather than segregating, using small and slow solutions, using and valuing diversity, using edges and valuing the marginals, creatively using and responding to change.
In my own life, I would like to incorporate these ways of living. It is very obvious that the current practices of the world and not working. My ultimate goal in life is to change the world and inspire people to do the same. Change first begins with oneself and in order to help change the world, I first need to change my own way of life. Thus, I look to permaculture as a means of accomplishing those goals due to the guidelines that have already been established.
Although, I would love to say that following these guidelines will be easy, I find one in particular that will be hard to incorporate into my life; using small and slow solutions. Growing up in an age of technology and industrialization, if something is broke it is easy to drive to the store to buy parts to fix it or call someone to fix the problem. However, being one hundred percent self-sustainable I will no longer have this luxury. In my life, patience is one thing I need to focus on and after that following the guidelines should be a breeze.
What is the highest possible purpose you can imagine and fulfill?
The highest possible purpose in my life I feel that I could potentially fulfill is to be a powerful and effective leader that inspires people and ultimately changes the world. As of right now, I already find myself inspiring people to make a change. However, this is small scale and tend to be focused towards interpersonal problems. Although, this is great and I love being able to do this, I hope to make more of an impact.
In order to fulfill this ultimate goal in my life, I must earn peoples trust. People are not going to change if they feel like it will hinder the current security in their life. At first it will be uncomfortable as all change is, but overtime it will feel more natural and stable. Thus, patience is also a trait I must continue to work on. With patience, it will allow me to earn peoples trust as well as know that overtime things will slowly begin to change. Fast change results in panicked people and will result in loss of trust; things that I do not want nor need.
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
The essence of permaculture is a bunch of values and principles focused on how one should view and interact with the world. Values such as caring for the earth, people, fair share are all incorporated into this way of life. With the values, twelve principles have been established to support and facilitate these values. These principles include: observing and interacting, catching and storing energy, obtaining a yield, applying self regulation and accepting feedback, using and valuing renewable resources and services, producing no waste, designing patterns to details, integrating rather than segregating, using small and slow solutions, using and valuing diversity, using edges and valuing the marginals, creatively using and responding to change.
In my own life, I would like to incorporate these ways of living. It is very obvious that the current practices of the world and not working. My ultimate goal in life is to change the world and inspire people to do the same. Change first begins with oneself and in order to help change the world, I first need to change my own way of life. Thus, I look to permaculture as a means of accomplishing those goals due to the guidelines that have already been established.
Although, I would love to say that following these guidelines will be easy, I find one in particular that will be hard to incorporate into my life; using small and slow solutions. Growing up in an age of technology and industrialization, if something is broke it is easy to drive to the store to buy parts to fix it or call someone to fix the problem. However, being one hundred percent self-sustainable I will no longer have this luxury. In my life, patience is one thing I need to focus on and after that following the guidelines should be a breeze.
What is the highest possible purpose you can imagine and fulfill?
The highest possible purpose in my life I feel that I could potentially fulfill is to be a powerful and effective leader that inspires people and ultimately changes the world. As of right now, I already find myself inspiring people to make a change. However, this is small scale and tend to be focused towards interpersonal problems. Although, this is great and I love being able to do this, I hope to make more of an impact.
In order to fulfill this ultimate goal in my life, I must earn peoples trust. People are not going to change if they feel like it will hinder the current security in their life. At first it will be uncomfortable as all change is, but overtime it will feel more natural and stable. Thus, patience is also a trait I must continue to work on. With patience, it will allow me to earn peoples trust as well as know that overtime things will slowly begin to change. Fast change results in panicked people and will result in loss of trust; things that I do not want nor need.
The Universe In Us
By: Colleen Boge
“The most astounding fact is the knowledge that the atoms that comprise life on Earth the atoms that make up the human body are traceable to the crucibles that cooked light elements into heavy elements in their core under extreme temperatures and pressures. These stars, the high mass ones among them went unstable in their later years they collapsed and then exploded scattering their enriched guts across the galaxy guts made of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and all the fundamental ingredients of life itself. These ingredients become part of gas cloud that condense, collapse, form the next generation of solar systems stars with orbiting planets, and those planets now have the ingredients for life itself. So that when I look up at the night sky and I know that yes, we are part of this universe, we are in this universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts is that the Universe is in us. When I reflect on that fact, I look up – many people feel small because they’re small and the Universe is big – but I feel big, because my atoms came from those stars. There’s a level of connectivity. That’s really what you want in life, you want to feel connected, you want to feel relevant you want to feel like a participant in the goings on of activities and events around you. That’s precisely what we are, just by being alive…”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Colleen Boge
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
For me, Permaculture at it's very core extends beyond the processes and theories, beyond designs and words to an area where emotions, philosophy, and relationships collide. It's a lens in which to examine and experience our connection to the entirety of the world, the relationships to all beings that we build our lives upon. The painting above is the means in which I wished to convey this message and should be considered the bulk of my reflection piece for this particular question.
How can collaborative leadership support the transition toward a sustainable and thriving future?
A river flowing through several countries affects not only one person or one ecosystem, but a collection of humans and plants along its path. Restoring one patch of the river will do no good if upstream there are still pollutants entering the river. Similarly, in our world today, you cannot simply “fix” one problem and believe the entire system to be fixed. We are at a point in human history where positive solutions and new systems that work with nature, not against it, need to be enacted at all levels across the globe. In this way collaborative leadership and collaborative action are vital to a sustainable and thriving future. Globalization has made the world more connected than ever. Our leaders, instead of arguing about borders or money, could be collaboratively taking initiative on the biggest issues that face humanity and nature today. We need to forgo our current set of values placed upon personal wealth and focus more on a whole-system view of thinking. People must unite to change their communities. Communities need to unite to change the towns they live in. Towns must unite to change their state. And so on, until the systems that throw people against each other finally bring them together into a system that is both resilient, flexible and beneficial for both humans and nature.
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
For me, Permaculture at it's very core extends beyond the processes and theories, beyond designs and words to an area where emotions, philosophy, and relationships collide. It's a lens in which to examine and experience our connection to the entirety of the world, the relationships to all beings that we build our lives upon. The painting above is the means in which I wished to convey this message and should be considered the bulk of my reflection piece for this particular question.
How can collaborative leadership support the transition toward a sustainable and thriving future?
A river flowing through several countries affects not only one person or one ecosystem, but a collection of humans and plants along its path. Restoring one patch of the river will do no good if upstream there are still pollutants entering the river. Similarly, in our world today, you cannot simply “fix” one problem and believe the entire system to be fixed. We are at a point in human history where positive solutions and new systems that work with nature, not against it, need to be enacted at all levels across the globe. In this way collaborative leadership and collaborative action are vital to a sustainable and thriving future. Globalization has made the world more connected than ever. Our leaders, instead of arguing about borders or money, could be collaboratively taking initiative on the biggest issues that face humanity and nature today. We need to forgo our current set of values placed upon personal wealth and focus more on a whole-system view of thinking. People must unite to change their communities. Communities need to unite to change the towns they live in. Towns must unite to change their state. And so on, until the systems that throw people against each other finally bring them together into a system that is both resilient, flexible and beneficial for both humans and nature.
Kenny Johnson
1/16/2015
1/16/2015
- What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
- How would you like to express yourself authentically as a facilitator/host of transformative change?
Natasha Riccio
What is the essence of permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life? /
How can collaborative leadership support transition toward a sustainable and thriving future?
In a broad description, permaculture is a way of thinking; specifically, thinking about how to mindfully heal the world of its environmental and social wounds. Permaculture emphasizes interconnectedness between all humans, animals, and plants that live together on this Earth. Permaculture firmly recognizes the fact that the human race is responsible for the many tragic issues that the world is currently facing; it also acknowledges that humans are the ones with the solutions to the problems.
The principles of permaculture are about coexisting with one’s ecosystem. Rather than human systems that destroy or control natural systems, permaculture creates human systems that work in harmony with the natural world, bringing us back to a closed cycle biosphere. Unfortunately, our current, harmful human systems are held in place by leadership figures who have distorted values. Once our world can accept a collaborative method of leadership, permaculture systems will easily fall into place.
Since the industrial revolution, consumerism has become a very important value in many countries. Consumerism too often promotes the slaughtering of the land, as long as it will result in profit. Our current leaders are driven by money, which has negatively affected the evolution of our human systems. For example, there are many forms of renewable energy that could replace the oil industry, but because there are leadership figures making money from the industry, it will be difficult to convince these leaders to turn to renewable sources.
Our current human made systems have clearly been heavily influenced by power-hungry leaders whose highest interest is money. Permaculture involves collaborative leadership, which gets rid of the opportunity for imbalances of power. It also places the most interest on the well being of the Earth and all of its inhabitants, rather than money and economical worth.
If leadership was a collaborative effort, there would be no room for imbalances of power. If there is no opportunity to gain ultimate power, there is no need to obtain the most amount of money. If being rich was not a societal goal, there would be no greed, no violence, and no need to exploit the Earth for her resources. It is a rather simple concept, which leaves us with the question: how do we replace our current government systems with leaders as hosts, who will provide a safe space for all members of society to contribute? I sure don’t have the answer, but if enough people ask this question, that’s a good starting point.
I feel that once a person grasps the concept of permaculture, their next step should be to integrate the principles into their own life. To start, I think it is important for myself to be mindful of these ideas. If I am constantly thinking about how my actions impact the world, I will soon become effortlessly aware of the outcome of my choices. Permaculture is an approach to healing the Earth (solving the largest issue the Earth has faced); it is a tremendously difficult task to tackle, so it really helps to start small, within yourself.
Aside from becoming spiritually acquainted with the principles of permaculture, I envision my future to be blossoming with a variety of permaculture based designs. I am here, right now, in Prescott, Arizona because I felt this school would be a starting place on the path to healing the Earth. I am studying ecological design and agriculture because I believe that changing the way the average human lives will greatly change the way humans impact the world. I am very interested in sustainable homes/buildings as well as reshaping the way the food industry is operated.
The way most people build their homes and live within them tends to be rather wasteful. Many people may not realize they could use recycled or local materials to build the majority of their house. Likewise, few conventional homes are designed to capture rainwater or use renewable energy. I see myself educating people about the wonderful ways they could easily reduce their impact at home. If I can influence people’s home lives, it is likely that I will simultaneously be influencing how they perceive the world and their impact on it.
The food industry is another human system that is seriously flawed. It doesn’t take much research to discover how terrible the American food industry has become, yet so many people are still unaware of it. I want to educate people about this issue, and express that it is possible to stop contributing to the system’s flaws. I am studying agriculture because I am interested in getting involved with organic and smaller scale farming. Perhaps I will have my own farm in the future, or perhaps I will open my own organic cafe. I have a variety of interests as far as a specific profession, but no matter what I end up doing, my practices will involve permaculture.
What is the essence of permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life? /
How can collaborative leadership support transition toward a sustainable and thriving future?
In a broad description, permaculture is a way of thinking; specifically, thinking about how to mindfully heal the world of its environmental and social wounds. Permaculture emphasizes interconnectedness between all humans, animals, and plants that live together on this Earth. Permaculture firmly recognizes the fact that the human race is responsible for the many tragic issues that the world is currently facing; it also acknowledges that humans are the ones with the solutions to the problems.
The principles of permaculture are about coexisting with one’s ecosystem. Rather than human systems that destroy or control natural systems, permaculture creates human systems that work in harmony with the natural world, bringing us back to a closed cycle biosphere. Unfortunately, our current, harmful human systems are held in place by leadership figures who have distorted values. Once our world can accept a collaborative method of leadership, permaculture systems will easily fall into place.
Since the industrial revolution, consumerism has become a very important value in many countries. Consumerism too often promotes the slaughtering of the land, as long as it will result in profit. Our current leaders are driven by money, which has negatively affected the evolution of our human systems. For example, there are many forms of renewable energy that could replace the oil industry, but because there are leadership figures making money from the industry, it will be difficult to convince these leaders to turn to renewable sources.
Our current human made systems have clearly been heavily influenced by power-hungry leaders whose highest interest is money. Permaculture involves collaborative leadership, which gets rid of the opportunity for imbalances of power. It also places the most interest on the well being of the Earth and all of its inhabitants, rather than money and economical worth.
If leadership was a collaborative effort, there would be no room for imbalances of power. If there is no opportunity to gain ultimate power, there is no need to obtain the most amount of money. If being rich was not a societal goal, there would be no greed, no violence, and no need to exploit the Earth for her resources. It is a rather simple concept, which leaves us with the question: how do we replace our current government systems with leaders as hosts, who will provide a safe space for all members of society to contribute? I sure don’t have the answer, but if enough people ask this question, that’s a good starting point.
I feel that once a person grasps the concept of permaculture, their next step should be to integrate the principles into their own life. To start, I think it is important for myself to be mindful of these ideas. If I am constantly thinking about how my actions impact the world, I will soon become effortlessly aware of the outcome of my choices. Permaculture is an approach to healing the Earth (solving the largest issue the Earth has faced); it is a tremendously difficult task to tackle, so it really helps to start small, within yourself.
Aside from becoming spiritually acquainted with the principles of permaculture, I envision my future to be blossoming with a variety of permaculture based designs. I am here, right now, in Prescott, Arizona because I felt this school would be a starting place on the path to healing the Earth. I am studying ecological design and agriculture because I believe that changing the way the average human lives will greatly change the way humans impact the world. I am very interested in sustainable homes/buildings as well as reshaping the way the food industry is operated.
The way most people build their homes and live within them tends to be rather wasteful. Many people may not realize they could use recycled or local materials to build the majority of their house. Likewise, few conventional homes are designed to capture rainwater or use renewable energy. I see myself educating people about the wonderful ways they could easily reduce their impact at home. If I can influence people’s home lives, it is likely that I will simultaneously be influencing how they perceive the world and their impact on it.
The food industry is another human system that is seriously flawed. It doesn’t take much research to discover how terrible the American food industry has become, yet so many people are still unaware of it. I want to educate people about this issue, and express that it is possible to stop contributing to the system’s flaws. I am studying agriculture because I am interested in getting involved with organic and smaller scale farming. Perhaps I will have my own farm in the future, or perhaps I will open my own organic cafe. I have a variety of interests as far as a specific profession, but no matter what I end up doing, my practices will involve permaculture.
Daniel Mobley
How can collaborative leadership support the transition toward a sustainable and thriving future?
"A manager is someone doing things right, a leader is someone doing the right things."
-Stephen Covey
I believe that the founding fathers of our nation intended for collaborative leadership when they created our government and wrote our declaration of independence. Along the way, however, the people in power have lost sight of this idea while also losing sight of the idea of a thriving future. Focus has shifted from the community to the economy, from people to corporations, and political parties are now so set in their ideology that they refuse the cooperare or see past their own skewed perception of what they think is right for the masses. It is this way of thought that must be abolished if we are ever to transition towards a sustainable and thriving future.
What the world needs now more than ever is leaders from diverse backgrounds working together to collaborate on the pressing issues of our time. As these leaders collaborate on a issues, they bring to the table their own unique experiences and talents. These unique experiences and talents challenge the paradigms of other individuals within the group and bring a unique opportunity to see problems from a wider lens. If we are to achieve a sustainable and thriving future this collaborative leadership style must be adopted. We must cease to criticize and cut down the ideas of others and instead seek to understand before being understood. If we take the time to listen and understand one another, realizing that we are all much more similar than we are different, we can create an environment that embraces differences. We can channel these differences into unique and creative solutions that will benefit a wide array of people while promoting a synergetic environment of healthy open communication.
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
I think that the essence of permaculture is creating the most good for the least amount of effort/energy. This is done by mimicking the most effortless processes (nature) and trying to implement them in ways that is both sustainable and regenerative. Permaculture teaches how to think critically about a problem while looking for a solution that is cheap, easy, and efficient. By adopting this train of thought, not only does a person save time, effort and money, but they also work with natural forces to create a solution that is
I believe that our society is moving in the direction
How can collaborative leadership support the transition toward a sustainable and thriving future?
"A manager is someone doing things right, a leader is someone doing the right things."
-Stephen Covey
I believe that the founding fathers of our nation intended for collaborative leadership when they created our government and wrote our declaration of independence. Along the way, however, the people in power have lost sight of this idea while also losing sight of the idea of a thriving future. Focus has shifted from the community to the economy, from people to corporations, and political parties are now so set in their ideology that they refuse the cooperare or see past their own skewed perception of what they think is right for the masses. It is this way of thought that must be abolished if we are ever to transition towards a sustainable and thriving future.
What the world needs now more than ever is leaders from diverse backgrounds working together to collaborate on the pressing issues of our time. As these leaders collaborate on a issues, they bring to the table their own unique experiences and talents. These unique experiences and talents challenge the paradigms of other individuals within the group and bring a unique opportunity to see problems from a wider lens. If we are to achieve a sustainable and thriving future this collaborative leadership style must be adopted. We must cease to criticize and cut down the ideas of others and instead seek to understand before being understood. If we take the time to listen and understand one another, realizing that we are all much more similar than we are different, we can create an environment that embraces differences. We can channel these differences into unique and creative solutions that will benefit a wide array of people while promoting a synergetic environment of healthy open communication.
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
I think that the essence of permaculture is creating the most good for the least amount of effort/energy. This is done by mimicking the most effortless processes (nature) and trying to implement them in ways that is both sustainable and regenerative. Permaculture teaches how to think critically about a problem while looking for a solution that is cheap, easy, and efficient. By adopting this train of thought, not only does a person save time, effort and money, but they also work with natural forces to create a solution that is
I believe that our society is moving in the direction
Bridget Downey
What is your vision for the world utilizing the sustainable principles?
Home lies in the arms of abundance,
the heart of Earth,
connection felt between all living beings
breath, we call wind
pulse, we call rivers
mind, we call life.
This land in which we share,
rich brown soil nourishes seeds planted
growing radishes, and our souls.
sparrows live in the apple tree,
robins in the maple.
the land a member of the family, like grandmother
gives us her wisdom of years far beyond our time.
Beyond this place.
Communities built in consideration and celebration of the trees,
rather than buildings
Neighbors come together to cook plants harvested from windowsill gardens, and community gardens
No one hungry or homeless because all the food needed is grown with our hands
self reliance, and generosity preserve innate harmony and balance
We as one care for ourselves, each other, and land
the blanket that weaves us together.
We listen.
to bird songs in the morning
Elk in the evening
Bridget Downey
In your own words describe the relationship between strategic sustainability, collaborative leadership, and permaculture
The main thread tying strategic sustainability, collaborative leadership and permaculture together is the focus on moving society forward to a way of thinking and a collective lifestyle of living in harmony with the planet. Permaculture is the philosophy of learning from and working with the earth to create sustainable and regenerative systems that benefit all living beings on Earth and Earth itself. Strategic sustainability is a way of moving companies towards sustainability, all working in the same direction of moving towards a society that works with the environment, in a clean and healthy mannerism. In addition to these two ways of being, collaborative leadership is being a leader in the way of be host rather that an authority figure. This is done by creating a collaborative space to to bring creative ideas fruition, and encourage participation from all members involved in the group. This another example of a change in thinking that, instead of a hierarchical societal structure, we see as eachother as equals, manifesting a change in thinking where we not only see each other as equal, but also seeing the Earth and all the living beings we share Earth with as equal. All of these concepts work together as important aspects of a shift necessary for a conscious shift to bring oneness and balance to the way we live.
What is your vision for the world utilizing the sustainable principles?
Home lies in the arms of abundance,
the heart of Earth,
connection felt between all living beings
breath, we call wind
pulse, we call rivers
mind, we call life.
This land in which we share,
rich brown soil nourishes seeds planted
growing radishes, and our souls.
sparrows live in the apple tree,
robins in the maple.
the land a member of the family, like grandmother
gives us her wisdom of years far beyond our time.
Beyond this place.
Communities built in consideration and celebration of the trees,
rather than buildings
Neighbors come together to cook plants harvested from windowsill gardens, and community gardens
No one hungry or homeless because all the food needed is grown with our hands
self reliance, and generosity preserve innate harmony and balance
We as one care for ourselves, each other, and land
the blanket that weaves us together.
We listen.
to bird songs in the morning
Elk in the evening
Bridget Downey
In your own words describe the relationship between strategic sustainability, collaborative leadership, and permaculture
The main thread tying strategic sustainability, collaborative leadership and permaculture together is the focus on moving society forward to a way of thinking and a collective lifestyle of living in harmony with the planet. Permaculture is the philosophy of learning from and working with the earth to create sustainable and regenerative systems that benefit all living beings on Earth and Earth itself. Strategic sustainability is a way of moving companies towards sustainability, all working in the same direction of moving towards a society that works with the environment, in a clean and healthy mannerism. In addition to these two ways of being, collaborative leadership is being a leader in the way of be host rather that an authority figure. This is done by creating a collaborative space to to bring creative ideas fruition, and encourage participation from all members involved in the group. This another example of a change in thinking that, instead of a hierarchical societal structure, we see as eachother as equals, manifesting a change in thinking where we not only see each other as equal, but also seeing the Earth and all the living beings we share Earth with as equal. All of these concepts work together as important aspects of a shift necessary for a conscious shift to bring oneness and balance to the way we live.
Ben Dowson - What is Permaculture and What We Can Do With It
When people think of Permaculture, usually the first thing that pops into their head is gardening. Maybe they see tires being used for flower pots or creative landscaping such as an herb spiral. The essence of permaculture is much bigger than this however. Permaculture is a frame of mind, a vantage point from which to view and understand the world. Yes, permaculture is frequently applied in gardens, but its principles are applicable to virtually any facet of our world. Permaculture is the art of measured and intentional design. It requires one to examine a situation, create a plan that will provide the most effective outcome with the least amount of energy expended, and then implement that plan carefully and methodically so as to assure its continued health and longevity. Of course this is the ideal format for creating and managing a garden, but what if it was applied to how we create businesses, educate our children, build homes? What would our world look like if we approached everything with the intention of bringing it into harmony with the rest of the world? All too frequently people design projects to maximize profit, save time, or benefit themselves personally. Not to say that these aren’t worthy goals, but to sacrifice the wellbeing of others, our communities, and our ecosystems in the name of more narrow aspirations is a dangerous way to design anything.
Permaculture is an attempt to rectify some of the integrity that is all too frequently left behind in human design. We live in a world ripe with abundance and possibility. If humans were to work collectively towards the ideals of sustainability, there’s no end to the beauty that we could create. The world is already full of examples of humans combining beauty with functionality. In the 1970s, a man named Mike Reynolds created the world’s first Earthship. An Earthship is a building model that uses salvaged materials such as old tires, glass and plastic bottles, and dirt to create an energy efficient and aesthetic home. The concept has evolved over time into an extremely artistic expression of sustainability. The Earthships Reynolds builds today continue to use salvaged materials, frequently contain botanical cells capable of growing food and filtering water for multiple uses, make use of the principles of thermal mass for temperature regulation, and have the potential to be entirely off-grid with the use of solar panels and rain catchment systems. This is a prime example of stacking functions and maximizing gains from energy inputs.
Looking at this from another angle, I left high school having learned zero usable, non-academic skills. Sure after graduation I could read, write, etc. But could I fix a sink? No. Could I change my car’s oil? No. Could I keep even a single basil plant alive? Absolutely not. I’m not saying that I didn’t learn some useful skills in high school, or that we should entirely replace the standard curriculum with entirely trade-based skills. What I am suggesting is that we begin to reimagine how best to educate each other, and what experiences will help us to grow the most. Plenty of the standard curriculum of reading, writing, mathematics, science and history can be taught through alternative lenses. By addressing key learning areas through other topics such as gardening, it would be possible to teach multiple topics and skillsets simultaneously. This is permaculture. It’s not just about turning your front lawn into a creative and artistic vegetable garden (although this is highly encouraged!) It’s about reimagining the way we build, share, dream and love. I am a firm believer that if we can dream it, we can make it a reality. And if it’s possible, why wouldn’t we want to make this world the most beautiful place imaginable?
P.S. Here's a song I'm really digging right meow:
When people think of Permaculture, usually the first thing that pops into their head is gardening. Maybe they see tires being used for flower pots or creative landscaping such as an herb spiral. The essence of permaculture is much bigger than this however. Permaculture is a frame of mind, a vantage point from which to view and understand the world. Yes, permaculture is frequently applied in gardens, but its principles are applicable to virtually any facet of our world. Permaculture is the art of measured and intentional design. It requires one to examine a situation, create a plan that will provide the most effective outcome with the least amount of energy expended, and then implement that plan carefully and methodically so as to assure its continued health and longevity. Of course this is the ideal format for creating and managing a garden, but what if it was applied to how we create businesses, educate our children, build homes? What would our world look like if we approached everything with the intention of bringing it into harmony with the rest of the world? All too frequently people design projects to maximize profit, save time, or benefit themselves personally. Not to say that these aren’t worthy goals, but to sacrifice the wellbeing of others, our communities, and our ecosystems in the name of more narrow aspirations is a dangerous way to design anything.
Permaculture is an attempt to rectify some of the integrity that is all too frequently left behind in human design. We live in a world ripe with abundance and possibility. If humans were to work collectively towards the ideals of sustainability, there’s no end to the beauty that we could create. The world is already full of examples of humans combining beauty with functionality. In the 1970s, a man named Mike Reynolds created the world’s first Earthship. An Earthship is a building model that uses salvaged materials such as old tires, glass and plastic bottles, and dirt to create an energy efficient and aesthetic home. The concept has evolved over time into an extremely artistic expression of sustainability. The Earthships Reynolds builds today continue to use salvaged materials, frequently contain botanical cells capable of growing food and filtering water for multiple uses, make use of the principles of thermal mass for temperature regulation, and have the potential to be entirely off-grid with the use of solar panels and rain catchment systems. This is a prime example of stacking functions and maximizing gains from energy inputs.
Looking at this from another angle, I left high school having learned zero usable, non-academic skills. Sure after graduation I could read, write, etc. But could I fix a sink? No. Could I change my car’s oil? No. Could I keep even a single basil plant alive? Absolutely not. I’m not saying that I didn’t learn some useful skills in high school, or that we should entirely replace the standard curriculum with entirely trade-based skills. What I am suggesting is that we begin to reimagine how best to educate each other, and what experiences will help us to grow the most. Plenty of the standard curriculum of reading, writing, mathematics, science and history can be taught through alternative lenses. By addressing key learning areas through other topics such as gardening, it would be possible to teach multiple topics and skillsets simultaneously. This is permaculture. It’s not just about turning your front lawn into a creative and artistic vegetable garden (although this is highly encouraged!) It’s about reimagining the way we build, share, dream and love. I am a firm believer that if we can dream it, we can make it a reality. And if it’s possible, why wouldn’t we want to make this world the most beautiful place imaginable?
P.S. Here's a song I'm really digging right meow:
https://soundcloud.com/muramasamusic/lotus-eater-1
Hannah Kechloian- Permaculture Design
There are so many possibilities with permaculture. I love the idea of having everything in a system interact and work together, especially when it comes to design. I wanted to play with this idea and find a way to not have as much wasted space by designing a garden for my family's house in Oregon. I wanted it to be simple, and incorporate many of the elements that are already currently on the property.
Kat Martinez
The essence of permaculture as an idea is interacting with your environment in the most positive way you can with the resources you have available to you. I think of permaculture as a way of using big picture thinking to understand systems, how they interact and impact eachother, and how you can use them and work within them to create positive change. In practice it is using all tools available to you to get the most out of your land while nurturing and regenerating it.
I would like to apply permaculture practices by embracing the realistically positive worldview it facilitates and inspire others with it.
The highest purpose I can imagine and fufill would be to raise awareness of the more sustainable and regenerative available food systems as alternatives to the industrial food system. The route I've chosen to enable me in this great and noble quest is acquiring a degree that gives me the tools I need to inform myself and others of the problems and solutions in this area and host discussions about small-scale agriculture and agribusiness.
Mickey Sweeney!
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
I vow to never become imprisoned in the competitive system of work produce consume. You can have all of these “things”, all of these things we do not need and that we will find in the trash a week later only to find that you need to work, produce and consume to fill your life back up again! It is a never ending cycle of unfulfillment! Through this cycle, we’ve lost our interconnectedness with the natural world leaving us vulnerable, angry, depressed, anxious, disconnected... We see the natural world as a backdrop, as a place for us to utilize resources and analyze abstract dimensions. We will continue to destroy if we think separately. The essence of permaculture, to me, is getting us back to our roots. Reminding us what is important, beneficial, and healthy in all aspects of our lives. By understanding what earth care, people care, and fair share mean to you, thus, shaping the way we see the world. By understanding that we should not go against nature but work with it as we are intended to do. By working with it, you discover that it is not just you and you alone but a community of beings that value each other and are interdependent on all parts of the whole. Permaculture is about realizing that we are just parts within a whole, and we need to explore all roles to fully understand the complex beauty that we are apart of, in a constant exchange with, sustaining life. A book recently came to me titled Becoming Animal by David Abrahm. He talked about the subtle beauty of reciprocity. An otherness; the fact that we are all sharing a common awareness but experiencing it differently. I enjoy how permaculture is about taking each unique experience and incorporating it into the whole system of things and how there is no right or wrong. Permaculture does not cater to a specific someone, it does not segregate or separate, but rather takes into account each personal need that is specific to you. And the way you understand what is specific to you is by hosting yourself so, in turn, you can be hosted, host others, and become a part of a greater community of happenings. Ah, the essence
Its all about creating smaller systems within the bigger system of the natural world we are so INTERDEPENDENT on. Within those smaller systems, creating communities that value the land and value each other. Work with each other instead of against, work with the land instead of against.
What is the essence of Permaculture and how would you like to apply it in your life?
I vow to never become imprisoned in the competitive system of work produce consume. You can have all of these “things”, all of these things we do not need and that we will find in the trash a week later only to find that you need to work, produce and consume to fill your life back up again! It is a never ending cycle of unfulfillment! Through this cycle, we’ve lost our interconnectedness with the natural world leaving us vulnerable, angry, depressed, anxious, disconnected... We see the natural world as a backdrop, as a place for us to utilize resources and analyze abstract dimensions. We will continue to destroy if we think separately. The essence of permaculture, to me, is getting us back to our roots. Reminding us what is important, beneficial, and healthy in all aspects of our lives. By understanding what earth care, people care, and fair share mean to you, thus, shaping the way we see the world. By understanding that we should not go against nature but work with it as we are intended to do. By working with it, you discover that it is not just you and you alone but a community of beings that value each other and are interdependent on all parts of the whole. Permaculture is about realizing that we are just parts within a whole, and we need to explore all roles to fully understand the complex beauty that we are apart of, in a constant exchange with, sustaining life. A book recently came to me titled Becoming Animal by David Abrahm. He talked about the subtle beauty of reciprocity. An otherness; the fact that we are all sharing a common awareness but experiencing it differently. I enjoy how permaculture is about taking each unique experience and incorporating it into the whole system of things and how there is no right or wrong. Permaculture does not cater to a specific someone, it does not segregate or separate, but rather takes into account each personal need that is specific to you. And the way you understand what is specific to you is by hosting yourself so, in turn, you can be hosted, host others, and become a part of a greater community of happenings. Ah, the essence
Its all about creating smaller systems within the bigger system of the natural world we are so INTERDEPENDENT on. Within those smaller systems, creating communities that value the land and value each other. Work with each other instead of against, work with the land instead of against.