Here are some definitions of what Permaculture is:
Permaculture is the practice of designing all facets of our lives to enhance environmental sustainability. Only with a sustainable environment can we have a "permanent culture": Permaculture designs assume an ethic of caring for the earth. Designs involve food production, energy, water, housing, community, transportation, & other systems in harmony with all of the natural world.
“Permaculture” is a way of designing and living sustainably by cooperating with nature. It is based on one of the great principles of design -- Do something basically right & everything gets much more right of itself. Permaculture aims to create productive ecosystems that are both regenerative & self-regulating. It proceeds from commonly accepted ethical principles: Care For Earth; Care For People; Care For Community. Permaculture helps people rethink the whole basis of how they are going to live. It requires a shift from passive learning to active participation. It requires that what is learned about energy, physics, ecosystems, water flow, climate, etc. be applied in everyday living & being. “Doing” becomes far more important than “saying”.
Permaculture can be viewed as part of the paradigm shift that all of society is experiencing. Permaculture urges complete cooperation between each & every thing, animate & inanimate. It advises people to live simply & in harmony with each other & with their surroundings.
Although it has no concise definition, permaculture is a design for living. A permaculture design provides us with shelter, energy, food, water, income, community, & aesthetic & spiritual fulfillment within a balanced & healthy biological community. Through permaculture & sustainable development we will be better able to increase the quality rather than the quantity of our lives. We can increase the quantity of our lives on our own. All we need is a shopping mall & some money. On the other hand, to increase the quality of our lives we need friendships, good health, a sense of security, a vibrant community life, opportunities to give , to cooperate & to share.
Permaculture provides these opportunities by enabling us to substitute intelligence for resources in our economy; to substitute the pursuit of wellbeing for the pursuit of wealth; to develop the wealth of the community rather than individual wealth. -Pat Marie Sigler, OP
Permaculture is the conscious design of `cultivated` ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, & resilience of natural ecosystems. It is a harmonious integration of people into the landscape in such a way that the land grows in richness, productivity, and aesthetic beauty. - Permaculture is an ethical design system for creating human environments that are ecologically sound & economically viable. Permaculture systems provide for their own needs, do not exploit or pollute, & are therefore sustainable. -Peter Bane
Permaculture (Permanent Agriculture) is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems which have the diversity, stability & resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape, people & appropriate technologies, providing good, shelter, energy & other needs in a sustainable way. Permaculture is a philosophy and an approach to land use which works with natural rhythms & patterns, weaving together the elements of microclimate, annual & perennial plants, animals, water & soil management, & human needs into intricately connected & productive communities. -Bill Mollison & Scott Pittman, La Tierra Community CA PDC flyer
Permaculture seeks the Garden of Eden & why not?
The overall aim of permaculture design is to produce an efficient low-maintenance productive integration of plants, animals, structures & man; with the ultimate result of on-site stability & food self-sufficiency in the smallest practical area.
The aim is also to plan for craft or other products on larger areas, that yield a trade or commercial potential for clients, again as diverse products resources. The design should aim for a total, secure, long-term integration of all elements; stability & diversity are the keynotes. Conservation of soil, water, & energy are central issues.
The system combines rational landscape design, organic gardening methods, & alternative energy systems into a unified design encompassing many trades, skill, & disciplines. -Bill Mollison
Threads: Sustainability