A talk & discussion-- Exploring, designing, and implementing ecologically sane living in a world gone slightly mad.
Permaculture (permanent culture) offers a rich, provocative, and holistic systems perspective into our everyday world and its energy flows, especially in regard to human habitation. By seeing clearly how beneficial (or not!) connections are accomplished by design, we can ourselves begin to design and redesign our surroundings and our actions in them. Deeply anchored in compassionate ethics and ecological literacy, we can learn to connect the myriad dots of existence in ways that yield a bird's eye view of the landscape. This view, integrated with practical knowledge, creativity, cooperation, and a "tool kit" of strategies, may then give rise to effective "bottom-up action." Studying and practicing permaculture is a journey of empowerment. Whether it's installing a backyard garden, doing a passive solar design, establishing a farm or creating an ecovillage, permaculture principles and pathways can help guide us to mutually beneficial outcomes this world is so much in need of. As we move ahead into a future wherein increasing and uncertain climate change, diminishing energy supplies, and a wrecked economy clearly indicate will be unlike the road behind, we need different ways of thinking and responding to these trajectories. Based not on dysfunctional fantasies of continued economic "growth" i.e. more warfare, more habitat destruction, and more social injustice, nor on a magic technological elixir that will somehow "save" us, we need an approach grounded in creatively meeting our needs while conserving our remaining resources. This is essential if we are to prosper in a healthy way and continue to enjoy this particular planet. Permaculture is not "the answer," nor is it some utopian destination, rather it is a direction-- heading for a saner existence, both material and not, in this place. If you realize the road ahead may have some serious difficulties, but aren't too sure about what can be done, or just simply want to explore PC a bit, this talk is for you. Alex DeNicola has been farming ecologically in Nova Scotia for 18 years, and has completed both Permaculture Design and Teacher Training courses. He has hosted a variety of talks and practical workshops.
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