Permaculture
What is permaculture?
You've probably heard the word permaculture thrown around. Maybe a diner party or an eager friend who recently took a permaculture course. So what is permaculture, how does it work, and how can you do it?
Bill Mollison, an Australian researcher who first coined the term in 1978, defined "permaculture" as, "The conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of the landscape with people providing their food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs sustainably." Simply put, it is the holistic approach to living in harmony with nature. Most agree that this technique relies on three beliefs:
Care for the Earth: When an action damages the environment, it harms us. When we care about nature, nature cares for us.
Care for the People: Taking responsibility for our existence and acknowledging others' existence teaches us to consume less and consume more consciously.
Renewable Abundance: A permaculture system should produce equal or more supply and energy to the ecosystem than it uses to maintain and establish.
A permaculture system should produce equal or more supply and energy to the ecosystem than it uses to maintain and establish.
In essence, permaculture is a closed system. While the term may be less than a century old, the ideas behind permaculture have been around for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations practiced such growing strategies as planting multiple crops, forest farming, crop rotation, and composting. However, throughout industrialization, we're lost many of these aspects. Supply chains have been stretched across continents and oceans, emitting tonnes of carbon dioxide over the product's travel. Now, many activists are trying to bring back the old ways, living in harmony with Earth. In a closed system like permaculture, everything that is destroyed and created in an ecosystem stays there.
Permaculture is so efficient that NASA is researching it for future Mars missions. NASA's plant experiment, called Veg-01, is already operating and growing lettuce in space. The system is designed to provide a sustainable and reliable food source to astronauts for future Mars missions. Plants are "stacked" with nutrients, water, and light.
But can you still practice permaculture in your garden? Of course! To start a forest garden, choose a selection of plants that work well together in a mimicked forest system. A system consists of four layers: trees, shrubs, vines, and ground plants. For instance, your trees could be apples, shrubs blackberries, vines watermelon, and ground strawberries. Even better, diversify each layer with multiple species!
Every action you take can help mitigate climate change. Starting a sustainable garden of your own can help heal Earth and provide you with some tasty food. If you need help, contact us. Light CO2 is even offering carbon offsets that support permaculture. When you select Trees for your carbon offset, you support undeveloped communities with forest gardens. This regenerative agriculture helps heal the natural land, provide food to the people, and remains self-sustaining!
