“Design is a connection between things.
It is not water, or a chicken or the tree.
It is how the water, the chicken and the tree are connected.
It's the opposite of what we are taught in school.
Education takes everything and pulls it apart and makes no connections at all.
PermaCulture makes the connection...
... because as soon as you have the connection you can feed the chicken from the tree.”
(Bill Mollison)
Sustainability or "Harvest only Sunshine" PermaCulture - Utopia, Science, Practice and Movement In this short introduction we'll give an overview of the heart, mind, hands and legs of this creature.
The ultimate aim of PermaCulture is to create self-sufficient dynamic systems in the longer-term, that are ecologically sustainable, economically viable, that satisfy all needs and don't pollute or contaminate. This ideal is also expressed in the ethics, which are explicit and are summarised as "Care of People", "Care of Earth" and "Design Limits to Population and Consumption".
“... yet evil remains, & while it hides in the secret places of the heart, utopia is only the shadow of a dream” N. Hawthorne The australians Mollison and Holmgren* gave the name and a very practical shape to these ideals, creating a design language that facilitated its rapid adoption in the whole world. As a science it is based in observation and experimentation, including from all other fields of human endeavour: there are no dogmas, all has to be checked out with experience. ![]() After figuring out that the basic principles, models and design
techniques worked very well (by helping put into motion many farms,
organisations and businesses), the founders started to teach others how
to create sustainable systems, publishing various books although
primarily through demonstration and orally, encouraging their students
to do the same. In Spain the Iberian Permaculture Network was
woven and from this Node of the Permaculture Academy we have created a complete training programme that includes online and live courses. As a
very fertile evolving branch of the Academy we are now pioneering with
Integral Permaculture, another step in synthesis of the best that is
emergent and practically applicable now, to co-creating vibrant systems
that are in tune with and foster evolution. It is also the supporting information resource for a most ambitious international training event, the PDC +++ At global level there is a Chaordic Permaculture Institute under
construction which compiles the profiles of pioneers and practicing
permaculture designers in order to facilitate collaboration and with
access to current examples & experiments.
Permaculture is also a great and dynamic movement, diverse and
extensive. As well as international conferences there are regional meetings on five continents, from 1985. Its most modern, concrete and holistic version in the west is expressed nowadays as the Transition Movement,
a network of citizen initiatives started in 2005 from the students of a
permaculture course, which combines good design to create crisis-proof
communities (climate, economic and energetic crisis) with a good design
for real "grassroots" participation, which is now 'going viral' and
expanding rapidly all over the world as probably the most practical,
coherent and hopeful answer to the most urgent planetary problem today,
climate change. In uncertain times it's comforting to remember that, as Buckminster Fuller said: "The best way to predict your future ... is to create it". Permaculture Diplomat & Coordinator of the Integral PermaCulture Academy
Local Agenda 21 is the theory, Permaculture is the practicePermaculture design is the set of knowledge, philosophies & known techniques (from the millennial to the most modern) to get to build a Permanent Culture: how to take the ideals of Local Agenda 21 & Sustainable Development (Economic, Social & Ecological) to practice. Permaculture alsois a wide & varied worldwide network of people, groups, associations, companies & projects of all kinds that share clear ethics & principles, with a set of tested traditions & methodologies, that we also keep developing collectively. The Certificate courseis the basic training for our work
Bill Mollison to all the graduates of the Certificate in Permaculture Design: "the way is clear; the path is open; don't wait for orders!" All you have that you own is your life, and your work. Both are worthy gifts to those less well informed. We have the debt of privilege, and it will never be paid. Go for it."
"harvest only sunshine" El objetivo es crear sistemas que sean ecológicamente sostenibles, económicamente viables, que satisfagan las necesidades, no exploten o contaminen y que sean autosuficientes a largo plazo.
La Permacultura trata con plantas, animales, construcciones, infraestructuras (agua, energía, comunicaciones), pero no solo como elementos en sí mismos, sino como se relacionan entre ellos. Permaculture deals with plants, animals, buildings, infrastructures (water, energy, communications) but not only as elements on their own, but how they interrelate. La base es la observación de ecosistemas naturales, junto con la sabiduría ancestral de los pueblos primitivos y el conocimiento científico. The basis is the observation of natural ecosystems, together with the ancient wisdom of primitive people & scientific knowledge. Se trata de utilizar las cualidades inherentes de las plantas y los animales (incluso humanos) combinadas con las características naturales del paisaje y las estructuras para producir un sistema que soporte la vida en la ciudad y en el campo, utilizando la menor área posible. Se trata de trabajar con la Naturaleza y no contra ella. It's about using the inherent qualities of plants & animals (even humans) combined with the natural characteristics of the landscape & the structures to produce a system that supports life in cities & the country, using the least possible area. It's about working with Nature & not against her. La Permacultura aprovecha todos los recursos, y aúna la mayor cantidad de funciones en cada elemento del paisaje y la mayor cantidad de elementos que sean posibles en cada espacio vertical y horizontal. El exceso o desecho producido por plantas, animales y actividades humanas es utilizado para beneficiar otras partes del sistema. Permaculture makes the most of all resources, and gets together as many functions as possible in each element of the landscape & as many elements as possible in each vertical & horizontal space. La implementación de un diseño de Permacultura requiere flexibilidad y una apropiada secuencia para que puedan realizarse cambios en la medida que la observación y la experiencia lo requieran. The implementation of a Permaculture design requires flexibility & an appropriate sequence so that changes can be made as observation & experience require. Crear un ambiente en Permacultura es un proceso largo y gradual, se utilizan técnicas y principios de la ecología, tecnología apropiadas, agricultura sustentable y la sabiduría de los pueblos primordiales aunque esencialmente está basada principalmente en la observación directa de la naturaleza del lugar. Creating a Permaculture environment is a long & gradual process, where techniques & principles from ecology, appropriate technology, sustainable agriculture & the wisdom of primordial communities are used, although essentially it's mainly based on the direct observation of nature in that place. Dos diseños en Permacultura o cursos de entrenamiento no pueden ser iguales. Desde 1981, miles de personas han participado en talleres de Permacultura, seminarios y cursos de diseño. Two Permaculture designs or training courses can't be the same. From 1981, thousands of people have participated in Permaculture workshops, seminars & design courses. El trabajo de los graduados de esta indefinida red global le ha dado alas y ha acrecentado la comprensión y apreciación de los patrones de la naturaleza y ha generado modelos para una vida sustentable que incluya máxima productividad con mínima tarea. The work of the graduates of this undefined global network has given wings to, and increased, the understanding & appreciation of nature's patterns and has generated models for a sustainable life that includes maximum productivity with minimum work. Sustainable = Permanent CulturePermaculture could be literally defined as "permanent culture". Consiste en el diseño y mantenimiento de pequeños ecosistemas productivos, junto con la integración armónica del entorno, las personas y sus viviendas, proporcionando respuestas a sus necesidades de una manera sostenible. It consists on the design & maintenance of small productive ecosystems, together with the harmonic integration of the environment, people & their dwellings, providing answers for their needs in a sustainable way. El principio básico de la Permacultura es el de trabajar "con", o "a favor de", y no "contra" la naturaleza. Permaculture's basic principle is working "with" or "in favour of", and not "against", nature. Los sistemas permaculturales son construidos para durar tanto como sea posible, con un mínimo de mantenimiento. Permaculture systems are built to last as much as possible, with minimum maintenance. Los sistemas son típicamente energizados por el sol, el viento y/o el agua, produciendo lo suficiente para su propia necesidad, como para la de los humanos que lo crean o controlan. These systems are usually energized by the sun, wind and/or water, providing enough for its own needs, and those of the humans that create & control it. De esta manera, el sistema es sostenible. In this way, the system is sustainable. A lo largo de los décadas (la permacultura 'nació' en el 1974 como movimiento ciudadano), nos hemos ido dando cuenta que aún que podemos diseñar y actualizar para hacer cualquier entorno (pequeño o grande que sea) más sostenible (o 'permacultural'), eventualmente nada puede ser sostenible si la sociedad en la cual estamos inmersos no lo es. Through the decades (permaculture was "born" in 1974 as a citizen's movement), we've been realizing that although we can design & update to make any environment (be it small or big) more sustainable (or "permacultural"), eventually nothing can be sustainable if the society we're immersed in isn't. Por lo tanto, la permacultura en su conjunto tiene que tratar de ese cambio. Therefore, permaculture as a whole has to be about that change. La definición de Permacultura es que es muy flexible, porque abarca tantas áreas y tenemos a tantas formas diferentes de entender las cosas. The definition of Permaculture is very flexible because it comprises so many areas and we have so many different ways of understanding things. Some examples of definitions are: "Permaculture is about the design of sustainable human settlements. In its philosophy, it's about making intensive use of the earth, microclimates, annual & perennial plants, soil, water management and human needs in a close connection." "It's a productive design system based in the maximum relationship between all the elements of the system to solve our immediate needs and protect the resources for the future generations." "Permaculture is revolution disguised as organic gardening." | "Truth will set us free, but it will first make us diabolically angry..." (M. Scott Peck) Permaculture is a design science based in observation, that integrates all human activities in a holistic system based on natural patterns & ecology. In one word Permaculture = Relationship (Penny Livingston, permaculture designer) “Permaculture is about values and visions, designs and systems of management that are based on holistic understanding especially on our bio-ecological and psychosocial knowledge and wisdom. It is particularly about our relationship with, and the design and redesign of, natural resource management systems, so that they may support the health and well-being of all present and future generations.” (David Holmgren, permaculture designer) "Permaculture is a design science, and as other design schools that look for inspiration in aesthetics and beauty patterns, permaculture is inspired in the efficiency patterns verified in natural systems. It's the conscious design of productive ecosystems, that possess the diversity, stability and resiliency of natural ecosystems". "Science must always be experimental. The most brilliant idea can be wrong." (David Southwood, scientific director of the ESA) "History is full of societies that overexploited their resources and became extinct. We're rapidly approaching that situation. However, thanks to a rational design, we can create the necessary systems to live correctly, without causing destruction or contamination. Permaculture is the most coherent method conceived so far" (Steve Read, Permaculture teacher & designer) "Permaculture is a design system for the creation of sustainable human environments". "Permaculture is a way to reach sustainability (energetical, ecological, economical & social) for the planet. It's a design system for the creation of sustainable human environments"
The Integral PermaCulture Academy is unique in the world in teaching the most advanced & comprehensive Permaculture courses you can find, which have been developed over decades of experience in teaching permaculture in different settings & countries, by many activists. We do this with action-learning (design portfolio-based, non-academic) methods, an evolutionary Integral Permaculture curriculum which adds from many other disciplines & in two languages, English & Spanish. Integral Permaculture is a design practice based on a holistic & ethical science which includes all levels of experience, - internal & external, individual & collective, ancient & modern - united into a coherent & systemic whole, with the sole purpose of designing healthy, sustainable cultures & environments for all species. It is essential to include all levels because we need to create healthy communities, local economies, new cultures & effective organizations as much as we need to re-instate healthy ecosystems, create organic gardens & rational technologies. Integral Permaculture fully acknowledges that we cannot ultimately succeed in re-designing any EarthCare without re-designing the PeopleCare side of the whole system, at any scale. . . All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Arthur Schopenhauer . |