- the design of life

What is permaculture?

When speaking about permaculture, people tend to think about sustainable or regenerative agriculture only. But permaculture is a holistic design philosophy, a world view and approach to sustainable living, which translates into every aspect of our lives.

Permaculture does not include only principles of how we take care of our land, but also how we build, how we use our technology, take care of ourselves and our communities, how we educate ourselves and use our resources, be it money or our energy, the true currency of life.

Permaculture is a design system and philosophy that focuses on creating sustainable, regenerative, and resilient human habitats that work in harmony with natural ecosystems.

Permaculture recognizes the importance of protecting and nurturing the natural environment. It emphasizes practices that regenerate the land, promote biodiversity, and conserve resources. It’s goal is meeting the needs of people, including their physical, social, and emotional well-being. It promotes social equity, cooperation, and community engagement. Important for permaculture is also fair and equitable distribution of resources, wealth, and benefits among all people, as well as the responsible use of resources to ensure that everyone's needs are met, both present and future generations.

Permaculture seeks to emulate and work with natural systems and processes, rather than against them. It encourages observation and understanding of natural patterns, cycles, and relationships to inform the design and management of human systems. It seeks designing systems that are self-regulating, self-maintaining, and self-renewing. It looks to create synergies and maximize efficiency. Interconnectedness and interdependence of different elements in a system is the core understanding. Permaculture takes a holistic approach that addresses the entire system rather than isolated components.

Permaculture promotes the use of renewable resources and the reduction of dependence on non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels, in order to create sustainable and resilient systems.

Permaculture seeks small-scale, decentralized, and community-based solutions that are adapted to local conditions and cultures. It emphasizes the importance of taking the time to observe, plan, and implement changes gradually to ensure long-term sustainability. It recognizes the value of diversity in ecosystems, cultures, and systems, but also diversity in plants, animals, microorganisms, and human communities, as well as in ideas, knowledge, and approaches.

The base of permaculture is lifelong learning mindset and a willingness to adapt and improve based on feedback and observation. It values experimentation, innovation, and flexibility in order to continually evolve and refine systems for better sustainability and resilience.

Sustainable food production

Growing food in a way that mimics natural ecosystems, using techniques such as companion planting, mulching, and composting. You can apply permaculture principles to your daily life by planting a food garden in your yard, using organic and regenerative practices, and incorporating local and seasonal produce into your meals.

Water conservation and efficient use

You can implement water-saving strategies by collecting rainwater for household use, installing low-flow faucets and showerheads, and using greywater for irrigation.

Waste reduction and recycling

You can practice waste reduction by reducing your consumption of single-use plastics, composting organic waste, and repurposing or repairing items instead of buying new ones.

Energy efficiency

Permaculture promotes using renewable energy sources and reducing energy consumption. You can apply permaculture principles by using energy-efficient appliances, insulating your home, and incorporating renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power.

Community building

For a fulfilled life it is important to build strong, resilient communities that work together to meet their basic needs. Engaging in local community projects, sharing resources with neighbours, and participating in collaborative efforts such as community gardens or food co-ops creates meaningful connections and a sense of well-being.

Education and awareness

Continuous learning and sharing knowledge, educating yourself about sustainable living practices, sharing information with others, and advocating for sustainable policies and practices in your community is very important to spread the right message.

Ethics

Permaculture is guided by three ethics: Earth care, people care, and fair share. You can apply these ethics to your daily life by making ethical decisions that prioritize the health of the planet, the well-being of people, and equitable distribution of resources and benefits.

By integrating permaculture principles into our daily lives, we can contribute to building a more sustainable, regenerative, and resilient way of living that promotes the health of the planet and its inhabitants.