1. Introduction to Permaculture Steve Whitman

2. “We don't know what the details of a truly sustainable future are going to be like, but we need options, we need people experimenting in all kinds of ways and Permaculturists are one of the critical groups doing that.” David Suzuki

3. This Afternoon… • Defining Permaculture • The Origin • The Evidence • Ethics and Principles • Community Applications • Resources Introduction to Permaculture

4. Definition: Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that are modeled on the relationships found in natural ecologies. We design ecosystems! We should strive for resilience! Introduction to Permaculture

5. Scale of Application… • Rural to Urban • Flower Box to Community Scale • Not black and white Introduction to Permaculture

6. Permaculture is modeled after nature… …Permaculture involves many hands Introduction to Permaculture

7. The Origin of “Permanent Culture” Permanent Agriculture • Coined in King’s 1911 “Farmers of Forty Centuries: Or Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea and Japan” • Smith’s 1929 “Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture” • Fukuoka’s “One Straw Revolution” in the 1930s Introduction to Permaculture

8. Mollison and Holmgren Introduction to Permaculture

9. The Evidence • Peak Oil • Climate change • Chemical Use and Pollution • Environmental Degradation • Biodiversity loss • Public Health Issues • Genetic Modification • Global Economic Problems • Etc…

10. The Evidence

11. In the US alone we require… 7.2 Billion Acres to meet our needs

12. Globally We Require… More than 1.5 planets

13. From David Holmgren

14. Why Permaculture? One of the most holistic, integrated system analysis and design tools in the world! Introduction to Permaculture

15. Ethics and Principles Earth Care People Care Fair Share Introduction to Permaculture

16. Ethics and Principles Earth Care People Care Fair Share • Observe and Interact • Catch and Store Energy • Obtain a Yield • Apply Self Regulation and Accept Feedback • Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services • Produce no Waste • Design from Patterns to Details • Integrate Rather Than Segregate • Use Small and Slow Solutions • Use and Value Diversity • Use Edges and Value the Marginal • Creatively Use and Respond to Change Introduction to Permaculture

17. We need to see our communities as the ecosystems they are and consider how the components of these places could be better integrated.

18. Permaculture Path to Resilience • Bloomington, Indiana “Redefining Prosperity: Energy Descent and Community Resilience” Adopted in 2009 • Recommendations include: • new transportation efforts • creating a centralized composting system • removing and reducing the legal, institutional, and cultural barriers to farming within and around the city. Introduction to Permaculture

19. Permaculture Path to Resilience • Transition Towns • Born out of Permaculture • At least 108 official Transition Town Initiatives in US • More than 400 initiatives worldwide Introduction to Permaculture

20. Permaculture Path to Resilience • Stormwater and more – Brad Lancaster - Tucson 1994 2006 Introduction to Permaculture

21. The City of LA and Andy Lipkisthe problem is the solution… • Flood Control • Water Supply • Wastewater Treatment • Landfilling • Open space and recreation

22. The Vision – City as Ecosystem! Waste Water Treatment Jobs! Yard Waste and Organics Rainwater/Flood waters Water Supply

23. Community Applications… • Master Plans; • Land Use Regulations; • Non-Regulatory Initiatives; • Department polices; • Etc. Introduction to Permaculture

24. "We're only truly secure when we can look out our kitchen window and see our food growing and our friends working nearby." Bill Mollison This could also include: Our energy production, clean drinking water …and other items we currently rely on from long distances away… Introduction to Permaculture

25. Next steps and resources • Seacoast and Central NH Meetups • Books • Permaculture Activist • Internet Resources - http://northeasternpermaculture.wikispaces.com/ • Gatherings • Permaculture Design Courses Introduction to Permaculture

26. Discussion Thank you! Introduction to Permaculture