Permaculture is a design system based on ethics and principles which can be used to establish, design, manage and improve all efforts made by individuals, households and communities towards a sustainable future.
This site explores the 'essence of permaculture' in a simple and clear way, expanding on the work of co-originator of the permaculture concept, David Holmgren.
The Rap on Permaculture
This video was filmed at Quail Springs, a permaculture and sustainability demonstration and education farm designed according to the principles of permaculture, that serves the communities of Central and Southern California, and people from around the nation and the world.
You can help spread permaculture education by sponsoring a student on a Sustainable Vocations course. The Sustainable Vocations program offers young people(15-24) the opportunity to earn an internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certification, learn about green building and experience an introduction to the solar and energy efficiency industry. The program is located in the mountains of Southern California.
The students seen in this video were the Green Ambassadors, an amazing group within the Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale.
The music was recorded by Dan Gold and remixed by Alex Viard. Alex Gorosh wrote and recorded the lyrics. He also shot and edited the video.
Ethics and Design Principles DVD now available
David Holmgren presents the permaculture principles at his home town of Hepburn in Central Victoria as a part of an Advanced Permaculture Principles and Planing Tools course. The presentation was recorded on video and is now available as a 85 min long DVD. Find out more here.
When you just can't get enough...
The Aussies Living Simply forum is a great place to discuss simple living, backyard livestock, permaculture, organic food production, sustainable energy, living well on less money, preserving, bread baking, stockpiling food, recycling, mending and reusing and a wide range of sustainability topics.
There is a seed and plant exchange, members’ discounts for open pollinated vegetable seeds, bare-rooted plants, native trees and plants. You’ll also find a treasure chest of homemade food recipes and instructions on how to make natural household cleansers, soap, laundry detergent, shampoo and lots more.
In a collaborative effort with the good folk at ALS, we have provided a space where you can discuss aspects of the permaculture principles and how they can be applied in your daily life. Check it out here.
'A Good Home Forever'
A book and DVD review by Russ Grayson
If I had to make a knowledgeable guess, I'd say that it is her attitude to life and the determination and courage to live her spiritual beliefs that have led Rosemary Morrow along the path of a comfortable frugality and simplicity of living. And if I wanted confirmation of this, then her little, 23 page, A5 size booklet would provide it.
The booklet carries the rather intriguing title of A Good Home Forever. It proposes that we respond to economic downturn and the crisis in sustainability by taking control of our lives and by examining what it is that we want in a home. Rosemary describes conventional homes as 'consumer junkies' gulping down resources and producing only wastes. Yet, Rosemary's solution isn't to go out and commission an architect to design a state of the art energy efficient house such as we see in those 'green' magazines aimed at the well-off. Not all that many can afford to do that.
Rosemary suggests converting — retrofitting, in the jargon — an existing house to make it energy, water and materials efficient. It is the reality that retrofitting existing housing stock is the way we will make our cities energy and resource efficient.
A BOOK BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
This is the theme of her booklet — the retrofitting of a brick veneer, suburban house. Brick (and alumimium window frames and galvanised iron roof), because it is a low-maintenance material. Brick veneer so that Rosemary could easily remove interior walls to open up the place and so that her slow combustion wood stove could warm the interior during Katoomba's chilly (let's be honest here and say freezing) winters. Reading this, I was reminded of something that Jude Fanton from the Seed Savers Network said about buying a house in Byron Bay. Brick veneer, she told me, is the best buy because such houses work well in the climate.
There's a lot to learn about site analysis in her booklet and there are several site design plans. She covers the permaculture concept of designing by zones according to the frequency of access needed, energy principles derived from the permaculture design system and harvesting and storing rainwater. She even lists costs and offers a checklist to think about your home.
CD USEFUL TO EDUCATORS
The book has an accompanying CD with a 20 minute or so video of Rosemary's retrofit, produced by the local Lysis Films in Katoomba. It also has segments, potentially of use to educators, about particular elements of the retrofit. These run only a few minutes each and are sufficiently short to be of use by sustainability educators in workshops and courses.
The full 20 minute video would provide an informative case study as a leader to start a conversation on home energy and water efficiency. Educators would show it, then use the content as the basis for an ORID format (objective, reflective, interpretive, decisional) or other guided conversation. The difference with Rosemary is that she moved into a small city rather than escape to the countryside, and in doing so emphasises the reality that urban living can be the catalyst for sustainable living.
Rosemary sells the book alone for around $5, but for a mere $20 you get book + video CD. This is a complementary, useful package. And if you think that's a lot for a CD and a 24 page booklet, think of its value this way — the cost is equivalent to only six cappuccinos, and its effects are likely to last a great deal longer.
As a contribution to the rebuilding of devasted communities after the 'Black Saturday' bushfires in regional Victoria, Australia, Holmgren Design Services has reissued 'The Flywire House' as a free downloadable eBook.
Recent photolog additions:
Catching sunlight, rainwater and nutrients to grow food - Read more
Backyard wild berry and seedling harvest - Read more
The PcP site has been a great success, with some very positive feedback. There has also been a lot of interest from non-english speaking people who would like to have access to the site in their local languages.
So, we are looking at a major upgrade of the website to accommodate this interest and offer more permaculture resources in a range of languages.
While some money has been raised from the sale of products from the website, this has not been enough to cover the costs involved in running the operation. It’s a labour of love, and yet it needs $ to continue and to be able to upgrade it’s service.
Help the world become more principled by donating today.
An integrated permaculture icon
While the first permaculture icon design was based on Bill Mollison's 'Designers Manual' cover, and the second design was based on David Holmgren's 'permaculture flower', this lastest design combines them both together.
It is envisaged that the icon be made available to people who have completed the 'Permaculture Design Course' to help identify the skills and understanding that they now possess.
Please take a few seconds to give some feedback on the idea by voting on the questions below. If you would like to make a suggestion contact us.
Below are the original icon concepts that were put forward, inspired by the cover of Permaculture: A Designers' Manual by Bill Mollison
