Nature Inspires a Design Concept for Sustainable Living

Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments. The word itself is a contraction of “permanent agriculture,” but it also implies a permanent culture.

For our culture to survive in the long term, we need to develop sustainable practices. We use incredible amounts of polluting, nonrenewable fossil fuels to meet our daily needs. Our immediate requirements are met in the short term using methods that are nonsustainable in the long term. For this we sacrifice the quality of our air, water, land and life. We need to develop truly sustainable systems that provide for their own needs.

Permaculture design mimics natural designs that have been around for millions of years. Time has proven that natural designs are sustainable. Spirals in hurricanes, seashells, galaxies and flowers emphasize the endurance of good design. Why these shapes? Efficiency in design!

What can we do with these patterns? We can mimic them. Consider the following examples:

* In a nonsustainable world, goods or resources are transported from far away to wherever we want them, then used and then removed again as trash. The common-sense sustainable design of recycling and composting turns waste into soil and renewable items, thereby reducing pollution and increasing the resources available on-site.

* Water is precious to us and we expend considerable effort to acquire it, treat it and transport it to our homes. Yet we are delivered, free of charge, to our properties every year tens of thousands of gallons of water when it rains. Current design dictates that we remove it from the vicinity as quickly as possible. Is this a natural, sustainable design? No! In natural systems water and energy are trapped and recycled through as many systems as possible before they are diffused. Using gray water (water that has been used once for showers, baths, dishwashing, laundry or cooking) for irrigation or wetlands development mimics natural cycles. Australians and island dwellers trap rainwater from their roofs and store it for later use. Potentially eroding runoff can be trapped by digging ditches, or swales, along contours. Water settles in these swales and soaks into the soil to establish much slower moving pockets of ground water. Planting the swale area with appropriate species further develops on-site resources. Swales are a good design for planting trees on sloping land, thus providing shade, wood, food through fruits and nuts, oil and lumber as well as peace, beauty and reflection.

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Permaculture design was pioneered by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in Australia in the 1970s, and is now being practiced in 120 countries. Mollison’s book “Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual” has sold more than 350,000 copies. Through protracted and thoughtful observation, a set of permaculture design principles has been developed.

* Relative location. Good design connects things. Different systems feed into each other by being in the right place. Each element in a design is placed so as to assist one another. For example, natural trellises of squash or grapes are placed to shade summer sun but not block winter light.

* Each element performs many functions. Plants can serve as windbreaks, privacy screens, as trellises, for fire control or mulch, for food and forage for animals, for fuel or erosion control, wildlife habitat climatic buffer and soil conditioner. We have a rich knowledge of the forms and uses of plants. Let’s use it!

* Each important function should be supported by many elements. Basic needs such as water, food, energy and fire protection should be served in two or more ways. A house might have a solar water heater to supplement fossil-fuel derived heat energy.

* Efficient energy planning means that elements are placed in zones according to how much we use them or how often we need to service them. Areas that need to be visited every day (garden, greenhouse, chicken pen) are placed nearby, whereas less frequented areas (orchard, wood lot) are placed farther away. Zones are determined by how often the element needs to be visited.

* Permaculture emphasizes the use of biological resources. Use of natural elements is a key strategy for recycling energy and developing sustainable systems. “Animal tractors” using chickens or pigs naturally turn over soil and fertilize it in conjunction with harvesting compost or slops.

* Permaculture emphasizes energy cycling. A community supported by a diverse permaculture is independent of the distribution trade and assured of a varied diet, providing nutritional needs without compromising the quality of our lives and the land.

* Small-scale intensive systems are emphasized. The nucleus is developed first and the design unfolds in an incremental form. Through the strategy of plant stacking, we can maximize production in space and over time. We can establish forests by establishing intercrops of tall and short species, climbing plants and herbs. Time stacking enables pioneer trees, fruit trees and slower maturing trees to grow together with annual crops. Eventually the annuals will be shaded out by trees. Meanwhile we can harvest many years of produce and build up the soil.

* Things happen at edges. Permaculture emphasizes development of the edge. A zigzag trellis provides a more efficient use of space than a straight fence. Keyhole beds do the same thing.

* Permaculture also applies to invisible things such as community organization. Supporting alternative economies, such as garage sales, trade and barter, means getting to know your neighbors better. The goal is self-sufficient communities, both plant and people.

Permaculture design principles enable individuals, couples, families, neighbors and friends to integrate in a self-sufficient system. The global permaculture community actively evolves through workshops, journals, books, Web sites, design certification courses and, most importantly, through personal experimentation. People inspired by this exploration manifest a vision of bounty and ecological balance in their gardens, homes, workplaces and communities.

Permaculture provides a universal language, a marriage of science and art. Do you believe it is important to become self-sustaining at the personal, community and population level?

On Tuesday April 6 at 6:30pm, the Ojai Horticulture Society is sponsoring a Permaculture night and Pot Luck dinner at the Ojai Womens Club, 441 East Ojai Avenue (which is Hwy 150 from Santa Barbara). Permaculture is a design practice inspired by patterns in nature to effectively care for the earth and enhance the lives of humans.

Presenters and group discussion participants include Akiva Werbalowsky, Dave White, and as many permaculturalists from the bioregion as want to come celebrate (it’s a big place). Slides presentation, books, seeds, event info, more! This is a free community event and (well behaved) children are welcome.

The Ojai Horticultural Society includes some of the most knowledgeable plant and soil people around, and they always eat WAY large. They are a self-supporting community organization with annual dues of only $15 which includes their newsletter.

Bring something good to eat, drink, and share, your own plate, cup and fork, along with any questions (and answers) about permaculture. Kitchen facilities are available. This is also a good place to bring and exchange surplus resources like tree crops, tools, literature...

Please contact Sandy Messori at [email protected] for more info.