RegenerEat

Permaculture, originally 'Permanent Agriculture', is often viewed as a set of gardening techniques, but it has developed over time into a holistic lifestyle design philosophy. Its central theme is the creation of human systems using natural elements and drawing inspiration from natural ecosystems. Permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. However the design of a permaculture system does not simply tackle how and where to grow food, it addresses how and where to build houses and create communities, while minimising negative environmental impacts at the same time. In fact the true goal of many permaculture designers is to actively support the environment they are dwelling in, partaking in the natural cycles and giving back as much as they take to create a balanced and healthy ecosystem.

 

Bill Mollison wrote "The aim [of Permaculture] is to create systems that are ecologically sound and economically viable, which provide for their own needs, do not exploit or pollute, and are therefore sustainable in the long term. Permaculture uses the inherent qualities of plants and animals combined with the natural characteristics of landscapes and structures to produce a life-supporting system for city and country, using the smallest practical area."

 

Permaculture is a set of design principals that can be applied to all aspects of life. It is about embracing your environment wholly in order to make efficient use of all the components we need to survive.

 

Most commonly they appear in the garden, but the ideals of permaculture; to create simple, efficient and highly productive systems that make the most of the environment they are based in, are applicable in the home, at work - you do not have to give up everything and become a tree hugging hippy in order to live a lifestyle that embraces Permaculture. Of course, the more the merrier, but its not essential.