1. P E R M A C U L T U R E ETHICS & PRINCIPLES BY JOSHUA MUIR

2. D E F I N I N G P E R M A C U L T U R E Permaculture has always been difficult to define for several reasons: 1. Permaculture is a rapidly evolving & expanding discipline; & 2. The definition of permaculture changes depending on context Holmgren in his book Principles & Pathways uses the most accurate definition of Permaculture ‘the use of systems thinking and design principles that provide the organising framework for implementing …consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of local [human & animal] needs.’ But what does that actually mean? This presentation will explore the background of Permaculture along with the ethics & principles that are central to the discipline and at the end, we will take a second glance at the definition mentioned above.

3. First conceptualized by Bill Mollison in 1960’s after working intensively in Tasmanian Rainforests, but brought to its evolution between Mollison & David Holgrem, a ecology student of his. Permaculture initially stood for Permanent Agriculture. In its initial development, Permaculture aimed at redesigning food systems through sound ethics, science, design and pragmatic philosophy. Inspired largely by tribal & pre-industrial farming practices, Permaculture called for all modern wasteful & resourceful systems of food production, distribution, & manufacturing to be completely re-designed to be sustainable resilient systems – near opposite of what food systems where then & now. Permaculture evolved to mean Permanent Culture By the 1990’s Permaculture had grew to a vastly larger concept then its origin. The potential for good design to transform unsustainable, fragile, destructive food systems was adapted to transform any unsustainable system – from architecture, education to financial and political systems.

4. P E R M A N E N T C U L T U R E Furthermore, the idea of ‘permanent culture’ is also a positivistic & pragmatic response to all environmental & humanitarian crisis.’ Fundamental assumptions of Permaculture: -Climate Change exists and will inevitably shape future industrial societies whilst threatening the future of all earth‘s species; -Modern societies impact is far greater then Pre-Industrial societies; -Humans are subject to exactly the same laws of nature as all things are (such as extinction due to over-population); -The mining of Fossil Fuels caused mass growth in every aspect of society; -Future generations will be subject to a Pre-Industrial lifestyle that will rely on renewable energy & resources. Mollison & Holmgren cite various scientists & books as sources for these assumptions. Ecologist Howard Odum & the book Tree crops: a permanent agriculture by Russel J Smith are worthy mentions

5. David Holmgren writes in his book Principles & Pathways pg xvi that Permaculture: -Gives prority to using existing wealth to rebuilding natural capital, especially trees and forests, as a proven storage of wealth to sustain humanity into a future with less fossil fuel. - emphasises bottom-up “redesign” processes, starting with the individual and house-hold as the drivers for change at the market, community and cultural level - predicts the likelihood of some degree of collapse and breakdown in techonology, economics, and even society [as oil prices increase & luxuries disappear] - sees pre-industrial sustainable societies as providing models that reflect the more general system design principles observable in nature, and relevant to post-industrial systems. In the future as this idea of ‘energy descent’ dawns upon us, Permaculture will move from its current status as an ‘alternative response to environmental crisis’ to the social and economic mainstream of the post-industrial era. Whether it will be called permaculture or not is a secondary matter.

6. Earth Care Fair Share People Care The Permaculture Flower by David Holmgren showing the future scope of Permaculture, and below are the Ethics of Permaculture.

7. E T H I C S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E Behind every Permaculture design are sound ethical decisions by the designer. If you were to contact an Arborist (tree specialists) to prune a large tree in your front yard, and it turns out that tree was a host for many precious native speices - the difference between a Private Contractor Arborist or a Permaculture Arborist is that no amount of money could pay the Permaculturalist to remove that tree. Ethics guide our actions towards good or bad outcomes, and in a time where both social & environmental systems are becoming ever fragile, we must abide by ethics & self-regulate (this will be discuss later) ourselves. The ethics of Permaculture were founded from research into tribal communities, religious groups, & other co-operative groups. The ethics of Permaculture are common to all tribal cultures globally and is based on the observation that ‘these cultures have existed in relative balance with their environment and survived for longer than any of our more recent experiements in civilisation.’

8. ETHICS of PERMACULTURE The Earth Care ethic is first because when we live in harmony with Earth, she gives us abundance – but seeing people above or separate from nature has caused the destructive global society. The Gaia Hypothesis is a holistic scientific publication that evidently shows Planet Earth as a self-organized system – e.g. 4 billion years of evolution. Humans are impacting on the life systems of and within Gaia – and as we are subject to all laws we, in turn, could become eliminated. Tribesman globally see the earth as ‘mother’ and the Gaia hypothesis coincides with this traditional perspective. Humanity can either destructive, or can steward the earth to create greater bio-diversity & abundance. ‘The question which must be addressed is not how to care for the planet, but how to care for each of the planets millions of human and natural neighborhoods…’ Care for the Earth Care for People Set limits to consumption & reproduction, & redistribute surplus

9. ETHICS of PERMACULTURE The second ethic may seem a tad obvious but is important to state why. Permaculture is anthropomorphic which means we need to take responsibility for our actions and ensure we aren’t contributing to further environmental degredation by putting humans before nature. Care for People may seem naïve, but it really asks us to ask ouselves how much do we actually care? The reality is that consumptive western culture perpetrates serious exploitation of women, children (& all peoples), resources, animals alike. Once we see that our own consumptive lifestyles directly contribute to this machine, the importance of providing for you and your families needs is viewed differently. Once we start taking responsibility for our decisions, we start living out our beliefs. Care for the Earth Care for People Set limits to consumption & reproduction, & redistribute surplus

10. ETHICS of PERMACULTURE Limits are a mature understanding of nature – seeing natures finite resources & our growth culture depleting & destroying earth needs to be reversed. Restricting consumption and population limits is tough, however not doing so can lead for a far worst fate in the future. Statistics show our population growth rate rising too fast, putting humans up for extinction. Humans are consuming 1.5 EARTHS annually – that is, for every year that passes we consume resources faster then they can be replenished by the earth. Redistribution of Surplus asks us put people before profits, and share our resources to help people & the planet beyond our close social family circle. Care for the Earth Care for People Set limits to consumption & reproduction, & redistribute surplus

11. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 1 OBSERVE & INTERACT beauty is in the eye of the beholder RULE #1 is observation, observation, observation! Observe carefully to recognise patterns (are the solution to a problem) & appreciate details whilst thoughfully interacting. ‘There is little value in continuous observation and interpretation unless we interact with the subject of our observations. Interaction reveals new & dynamic aspects of our subject and draw attention to our own beliefs & behaviours as instrumental to understanding.’ DESIGN GUIDELINES -All observations are relative -Top-down thinking, bottom-up action -The landscape is the textbook -Failure is useful so long as we learn -Elegant solutions are simple, even invisible -Make the smallest intervention necessary -Avoid too much of a good thing -The problem is the solution -Recognise & break out of cul-de-sacs

12. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 2 CATCH & STORE ENERGY make hay while the sun shines An economic perspective on the ‘modern consumption-based global society’ would be that we have been recklessly using our resources, enough to bankrupt any business because fossil fuels (non-renewables) are earths & our greatest material wealth. As fossil fuels decline our priority should be investing that wealth in resilient, sustainable systems so that future generations do not needlessly struggle. Design systems that utilize renewable energies collect resources when yields are abundant to ensure abundance in times of need. Create sources of renewable energy for future generations. e.g. – Planting forests & seeds Sparingly use remaining non-renewable resources. A quick last thought – future generations will not have the luxury of HVAC on demand along with many other things, so if we don’t start designing & investing in future resources, we will be leaving a terrible debt for our successors. What would they think of the older generation of greedy, consumptive peoples who burnt all oil and removed all the forests? e.g. – Passive heating-Water harvesting-Windmills & turbines

13. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 3 OBTAIN A YIELD you can’t work on an empty stomach Ensuring immediate yields for ourselves is as important as planning for energy descent. Yields include food, shelter, water, heat & non-materials like happiness & cuddles. Without useful & immediate yields from our recent work, other systems that produce will dominate, thus it is important that all systems yield to encourage our continued effort, and that the system maintains & generates itself. Verges that produce food & useful plants instead of essentially worthless ornamentals & lawns is an example of investing energy into a system that will give a relatively quick & abundant return for the energy input. Lawns, on the other hand, are a black hole financially and frankly any one who wishes to maintain a lawn should be taxed accordingly. Obtain a yield also implies we should be ensuring our own actions move from dependant consumers to independent, responsible produces.

14. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 4 APPLY SELF REGULATION & ACCEPT FEEDBACK the sins of the fathers are visited on the children unto the seventh generation Positive & negative feedback loops are present everywhere in nature, and are crucial as they provide us with necessary information to devise effective solutions for problems within our systems & designs. Effects from negative feedback are often slow to emerge. People need warnings such as: the sings of the fathers…. Self-regulation is an important evolutionary tool that controls negative behaviours & excessive growth so that harsher controls by the system need not be enforced (e.g. excess carbon emissions leading to changes in earths biogeochemical cycle & our extinction). David Holmgren writes compellingly: ‘ Traditional societies had social and ethical constraints on population growth and resource use, which allowed communities to persist over long periods…without destroying the environment. …I believe these self-controlling aspects of human culture, rather than the expansion of technology for resource exploitation and growth, represent the highest evolutionary development achieved by Homo – sapiens. The ways in which we apply these abilities to controlling the excesses of growth and expansion over the next century will be the greatest test of our evolutionary sophistication.

15. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 5 USE & VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND SERVICES let nature take it’s course Renewable resources are self-replaced by natural processes without the need for major non-renewable inputs. so ride bikes & plant trees. Renewables should be priority. Any who thinks that a solution to energy crisis will be green tech, nuclear, etc. lacks the resources or resilience to be viable options. Returning to pre- industrial societies energy consumption rates is inevitable – the idea isn’t new, humans existed thrivingly without readily available power before. Renewable services are provided by nature in many forms (animals, plants, soils). Everything in our garden, gardens, and a large part of designing is figuring out ways to combine elements to so that human can reap from the natural doings of an animal. For example, chicken tractors. Human intervention can cause complication in systems; it is better to naturally find ways to use renewable resources & services and let ‘nature take its course.’

16. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 6 PRODUCE NO WASTE a stitch in time saves nine. waste not want not. This principle was birthed from tradition frugality, concerns about pollution & sees waste as an opportunity. Industrial process that support our society are largely irresponsible for their energy accounting & contribute to mass pollution. Waste not want not suggests its easy to consume mindlessly in times of abundance, but this will lead to struggle in times of need. A pollutant is ‘an out of any system component that is not being used productively by any component of the system.’ Bill Mollison was known for mentioning that you ain’t got too much snails, but too little ducks to eat ‘em! Creatively re-designing systems that recycle resources are the core of permaculture design. Good design saves our labour, and timely maintenance can save much hassle in the future. REFUSE REDUCE REUSE REPAIR RECYCLE

17. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 7 DESIGN FROM PATTERNS TO DETAILS can’t see the forests for the trees Patterns are the tools that designers use to construct & build functional designs as patterns are natures solutions to problems. Complex systems that are functional evolve from simpler systems, so finding the right pattern for the design is more important than understanding everything within the design. Permaculture requires holistic pragmatic thinking – details distract our awareness of the nature of a system and the closer we are to details initially the less we are able to comprehend so it is important to step back and view the system ‘top-down.’ Designing should always start at the self and expand beyond – this is true for every level of design.

18. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 8 INTEGRATE RATHER THAN SEGREGATE many hands make light work The connections between elements, in nature, play as crucial of a role as the thing themselves. The purpose of a functional design & self-regulating design is to place elements in such a way that each serves the needs & accepts the products of other elements. As we tend to focus on complexity of detail we overlook complexity of relationships. Reductionist mentalities lacks consideration of how elements will fit in a system as a whole, and not in isolation. Designing systems with functional interconnectedness is actually what we mean when saying we want greater biodiversity. Each element should perform many functions. Each important function should be supported by many different elements. Systems that a multi-functional require less labour input for greater yield output and are they the key designs in future energy descent culture.

19. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E # 9 USE SMALL & SLOW SOLUTIONS slow and steady wins the race the bigger they are, the harder they fall Modernity seeks large & immediate solutions at great cost to the environment & society. The only current feasible way of creating sustainable systems is to design them so they perform functions at the smallest scale that is efficient. Using vertical space in a garden, e.g. Human scale & capacity should be the ‘yardstick’ for a humane, democratic fair society. Excessive growth comes with many negatives, whilst slow solutions reflect a more common state of being that is reflected in nature. Small systems typically are easier & more affordable to maintain, value renewables & local resources, are less labour intensive & make better use of materials producing less waste than large systems. Ecosystems work at the speed of nature not the speed of machines. -----------------------------------SLOW-----IS-----SANE----------------------------------- The adolescence of humanity valuing speed, growth & destruction over sustainable systems will be societies inevitable downfall, and with that will come an appreciation of small solutions.

20. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E #10 USE & VALUE DIVERSITY don’t put all your eggs in one basket Along with diversity comes resilience & strength. A monoculture is an exposed system, where polycultures are secured from external threats. Diversity is our insurance against unexpected change. Monoculture farming is known to be destructive, and encourages pests & disease despite large financial capital inputs for necessary protection. The same idea is destructive on a macro scale. At a social & cultural level, diverse species, populations, communities (that have multiple nationalities) are balanced & healthy. Bio-diversity is key for healthy eco-systems. Permaculture design aims to use diversity intelligently to create functional relationships between elements in a system that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. e.g. companion planting Diversity is necessary for self-reliance. Multiple sources of energy, food, water within designs all add to resilience – if one element fails it is support by another, or isn’t a problem as there are other existing systems that can also do the job of the failed element.

21. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E #11 USE EDGES & VALUE THE MARGINAL don’t think you are on the right track just because it is a well beaten path Edges represent borders of (eco)systems where lively exchanges typically take place. e.g. shallow reefs, forests edges, FRINGE festivals. Common pathways are not necessarily to best option and its always worth objectively considering alternatives. Examples: Keyhole Gardens, Ponds/Dams with sinous edges, Living Fences Any system that focuses on a single high profit margin product will inevitably ignore sound environment practices, exploit resources, will value Woman less & not value disadvantage peoples at all. Valuing marginal products & resources on the fringe should be recognised as the inclusion will inevitably lead to increased productivity, stability, happiness etc.

22. P R I N C I P L E S o f P E R M A C U L T U R E #12 CREATIVELY USE & RESPONSE TO CHANGE vision is not seeing things as they are but as they will be Make deliberate use of change cooperatively, and creatively adapt to large-scale changed beyond our controls. Understanding change is more than mere adjusting based on economic & financial figures, adapting to change is the link between the first and last permaculture principles. This principle is often expressed in Permaculture through succession i.e. the process of systemic evolution. e.g. Designing food forests with various pioneer leguminous species that will be chopped down as the ecosystem progresses to make way for more valuable tree crops. Successful creative innovation within human communities is founded by obsessive individuals that pioneer discoveries, but the information is often well ahead of its time. Generational change the needs to happen – like Permaculture – is more effective in educational & home environments. Teaching people garden may be the most simple yet elegant way to introduce people into Permaculture as experience will trump any intellectual doubts.

23. P E R M A N E N T C U L T U R E O N E L A S T R E C A P: ‘the use of systems thinking and design principles that provide the organising framework for implementing …consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of local human & animal] needs.’ QUESTIONS?