Towards Permaculture 3.0
Every so often, good ideas need refreshing, renewing, reinterpreting for contemporary times. This keeps them relevant, alive and useful.
The world has changed substantially since the permaculture design system was unleashed on the world at the end of the 1970s. Societies, economies, and the human environment are not as they were. Something has changed. Now is different.
Is is time, then for a new version of the permaculture design system so that it can continue to offer the solutions we need?
This paper says yes, it is…
Download pdf Permaculture Paper
James Robertson
March 11, 2015 at 3:25 amThis is a rather marvellous piece of work!
I’ve only had a chance so far to glance through it, but I found myself immediately agreeing with many points.
This is a thoughtful, carefully structured document, that I’d love to see discussed widely within the permaculture community.
Well done!
James
Steve Hart
March 15, 2015 at 8:25 pmGreat piece of work Russ to continue this debate and argument. Thankyou for the herculian efforts. As mentioned in the previous work I will take liberty to share it amongst other networks for I feel very strongly that this debate needs to be active through all global Permaculture networks. It would then be great to see inputs offering a global perspective to all the elements and arguments and viewpoints you offer.
One very strong argument I have, is to somehow offer more rigour to the whole subject, is in education. I have mentioned the same argument several times in the past to a variety of audiences including past discussions with yourself Russ. PDCs and their evolution ? IMO the PDC must stay the same as it is presented through the curriculum offered by The Permaculture College of Australia. This curriculum developed extensively from the original of Bill Mollison and Andrew Jeeves. This was the core to Permaculture Education throughout Permaculture 1.0 or the first generation. I have seen a weakening of the entire teaching of Permaculture, due to deficient teachers with poor or just non existent curricula. Let alone Course Handbooks. It needs to be reinforced and strengthened along with Standards across all domains not just in design and construction. We must stay with this original curriculum and maintain the original PDC. It is recognised across the globe as the most efficient and effective way to offer the base education of Permaculture. We see many variations to this which are great and serve purpose. This whole and complete curriculum offers core insight to all layers and landscapes of Permaculture. We as students must have this introduction for we live in this Gaian world. We do not just live in cities or on farms we are all part of this Gaian planet called earth. Therefore we need to understand all environments, all cultures, all climates all geographies to then apply our deign skills into any given situation at any time. As a professional designer evolving through Architecture Landscape and Urban Design fusing all with Permaculture I strongly recognise these critical integrated phenomena. All other courses must then become Advanced Design Courses specific to any individuals or groups needs and subjects. Be they Aid, Urban, Community/Society or Technologies and Sciences and any other chapter including Invisible Structures, which we have not yet mastered. Economics is evolving through “Prout” and others. Politics will be an obvious future arena also.
Once we have succeeded in this recognition and acceptance our next job is to develop models. Leading by example. Putting ya money where ya mouth is. We as a global community have many good models, more are needed. Its great that we have not yet become redundant. Lots of work to do as a job in progress. I do look fwd to the debate. Steve Hart