Permaculture is a holistic and sustainable design philosophy and system that aims to create productive and harmonious human environments while minimizing the impact on the natural world. The term "permaculture" is a contraction of "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture," reflecting its focus on sustainable land use and human culture.
The following set of ethics and principles of Permaculture layout a systematic framework for making centered decisions and designing circular and even regenerative systems.
The Three Ethics of Permaculture
Earth Care:
The first ethic of permaculture is a deep commitment to caring for the Earth. It acknowledges that our planet is a finite, interconnected system that sustains all life. This is probably the most under rated and ignored of all perspectives in our lives today. This is something that we have lost or some might argue that we have been incentivised to ignore by corporations who define our lifestyles. Some very fundamental questions such as “who grows our food? How is our food grown and finally Where is our food grown?” Earth care urges us to be stewards, not owners of the land, protect natural ecosystems, and minimize harm to the environment in all our actions.
People Care:
Permaculture recognizes that human well-being is intertwined with the well-being of the Earth. People care encourages us to nurture and support one another, fostering healthy communities and promoting social equity. It emphasizes the importance of meeting basic human needs, including food, water, shelter, and a sense of belonging.
Fair Share (Surplus Share):
Fair share, also known as surplus share, calls for equitable distribution of resources. It reminds us that we should consume only what we need and share the surplus with others. This ethic discourages over-consumption and encourages responsible resource management.
Private Sufficiency, Public Luxury as George Monbiot famously puts it is the way forward in my opinion.
These ethics are the guiding poles for decision making and it is at the intersection of each of these that Permaculture resides.
The Twelve Permaculture Principles
Permaculture principles provide a framework for designing circular, regenerative systems with humans at the centre. While these principles are flexible and adaptable, they serve as a guide for choosing wisely so as to create circular and regenerative solutions. Here are the twelve core permaculture principles:
Observe and Interact:
Careful observation of natural patterns and systems is the foundation of effective design. Spend time observing your site and its patterns before taking action. Understand the relationships between elements in your system and how they interact. The sign of a good designer is his ability to observe everything around him keenly and figure our the symbiotic relationships and interconnections between elements.
Catch and Store Energy:
Efficiently capture and store energy in various forms, such as water, sunlight, and nutrients. When we began homesteading we quickly realised that there we seasons of abundance and there were droughts and famines. “Make hay while the Sun shines” derives a while new meaning when you’re closer to nature. Extending the shef life of all resources available to you is key. Pickle your veggies, jam you berries and brew your pooch. Sun dry your starches and smoke your meat and fish. Along with this, make ponds and pits to plug water into your soil and trap as much water, sun and wind on your farm to maximise benefit of Natures free bounty.
Obtain a Yield:
Everything in Nature works for a payout. Nothing happens for no reason or immediate benefit to the doer. Ensure that your efforts produce useful outputs while maintaining sustainability. And yield does not necessarily mean money. Yield implies any productive output/outcome either for the human or the rest of the stakeholders in the ecosystem. For example, planting a butterfly bush in your farm/garden gives a multitude of yield. The butterflies are obviously happy, but you get pest management and the bees love the flowers too, so you attract pollinators who provide the invaluable service of pollinating your plants thereby resulting in higher “yield - in traditional parlance”
Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback:
In a culture of forging on ahead at breakneck speed trying to gather as mach as you can; as fast as you can; it is paramount to remember the importance of “pause and reflect”. Continuously assess and adjust your actions based on feedback from the system. This helps build a solid foundation upon which newer heights can be achieved.
Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services:
Prioritize renewable resources and nature's services over non-renewable ones. We have to be cognizant of what we are doing with our fossil fuels. We are squandering away fuel that our Planet has taken millions of year to create. And we have put a 100 straws in and are wasting it away. Use the Sun to dry instead of a drier and use the bike whenever your travelling alone over short distances.
Produce No Waste:
Nature doesn’t waste anything. Everything is used and most importantly “cycled” back into the system. This is how nature uses her finite resources seemingly infinitely. Strive to minimize waste by reusing, recycling, or repurposing materials. Embracing the 9 Rs of zero waste living can lead to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious lifestyle. By refusing, reducing, reusing, repairing, repurposing, composting, recycling, replacing, and reflecting, you can significantly reduce your ecological footprint.
Design from Patterns to Details:
Start with the big picture and work your way down to the specifics of your design. This is a holistic and sustainable approach to design that prioritizes understanding and working with the existing patterns and processes of the natural world. By starting with a deep appreciation for these patterns and gradually adding details that enhance and complement them, you can create designs that are both functional and ecologically sound.
Integrate Rather Than Segregate:
Create synergies by integrating elements and functions in your design. This principle is about fostering connections and cooperation between elements in a design, leading to greater resilience, efficiency, and sustainability. By carefully considering how each component interacts with others, you can create integrated systems that are more self-sustaining and harmonious with the natural world.
Use Small and Slow Solutions:
Small, slow changes often lead to more resilient and sustainable outcomes. These also protect you from rude shocks when failure occurs. Remember that while dealing with an open ended system with many variables anything can go wrong at any moment. It’s much easier to rebuild a mud wall than one made of concrete. And trust me, both are equally strong. So contrary to popular culture, do not go big right at the beginning.
Use and Value Diversity:
Biodiversity and diversity of elements in your designs make them much more resilient in the face of adversity. Whenever your system is stressed a lot of loops break but there are always some that survive that enable the system to recover from the shock. Plant fruit, spice, nut, tubers and honeybeeboxes together on a patch. This patch will fare much better that the others and will be disaster proof and still give an yield when a few other crops are damaged.
Use Edges and Value the Marginal:
Ever observed the edge of the tarmac where the road meets the soil? There is maximum biodiversity on the edge - always. Edges are where different systems meet, and they often contain unique opportunities and resources. They create niches that become habitats for so many flora and fauna. Always maximise edge in your design be it with the physical share of your beds to the numerous material interfaces you can create.
Creatively Use and Respond to Change:
Agility and adaptability has been the strongest trait for survival and continued existence of any species. Embrace change as an opportunity for innovation and adaptation. Always have a positive mindset and remember that there is no waste in nature. Everything is part of a journey and not the end. So make the best of what you get. Make lemonade with life’s lemons :)
These permaculture ethics and principles can be applied to various aspects of life:
Gardening and Agriculture:
Designing gardens and farms that mimic natural ecosystems, reducing the need for external inputs and chemicals.
Architecture and Building:
Creating sustainable, energy-efficient, and harmonious structures using natural materials.
Community Development:
Fostering strong, resilient communities that care for people and the planet.
Business and Economics:
Developing ethical, regenerative business models that prioritize fairness and sustainability.
Personal Lifestyle:
Adopting mindful consumption, reducing waste, and embracing sustainable habits.
Permaculture ethics and principles offer a path toward a more sustainable and regenerative future. By caring for the Earth, nurturing people, and sharing resources fairly, we can design systems and lifestyles that benefit both humanity and the planet. Whether applied to gardening, architecture, or community development, permaculture provides a holistic framework for designing a more harmonious and resilient world.
We @neilandmomo farms conduct monthly workshops on “Introduction to Permaculture”. This is a 4 days and 3 night residential workshop that gives you a solid overview about the basics of Permaculture along with some very useful practicals that give you a hands on experience of working with the land. Write to us in the comments below or drop us a hello @neilandmomo on instagram to know more!
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