Design web - limits

Overview This section of the design web is about exploring limiting factors. I have tried to recognize the many internal limiting beliefs I hold as a way of working through them however I have also used to tool below as I can see our interfaces with modern culture which cannot be overlooked. Personal Sector Analysis In permaculture designers, sector analysis looks at all of the energies that are external to a system to see how they affect the system and how they can be designed around. I have used the STEEPLE analysis tool to recognize the sectors in this non land-based design. STEEPLE analysis is a tool used for recognizing societal changes; through exploring these elements we can ensure IES is designed to be resilient and needed in our changing climate.

Personal resilience
Part of overcoming the limiting factors identified in the PESTLE analysis is to design for personal resilience. In my case, as someone involved in the radical edges of society, this involves maintainingg an acute awareness of state repression & its consequences. I do not want to design for a worst case scenario that will reinforce fears or negative belief patterns, however by giving this area of my life the space and attention it needs I feel more liberated. It is like acknowledging realities and then shutting the door. Therefore to design for personal resilience this involves:

Pestle analysis
Traditional Factors included Culture, health consciousness, population rates, age distribution, social attitudes Analysis for Zone 00 Living with all the pressures of a consumerist capitalist culture, with embedded alienation. General lack of community in most places. Opportunities Room for massive social change & reasons to keep going in working for that. Also ignites a counter culture, which feels good to be part of. Threats Mental health pressures, degenerative disease through the default diet, drinking & drug taking culture, pressures to be economically active. Little support in times of crises. Surveillance, pollution, social alienation if you dont participate e.g. has a facebook.

Social

Technological

Research & development, technological landscape of food production, the internet, mobile phone use Economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates, inflation, general economic climate Weather, climate change, soil erosion, land use Government interventions, infrastructure, political climate Laws & policies

Cultural expectancy to have a phone, be online & participate in technological culture. Dominates daily living.

Internet has massive networking & research potential to aid projects & livelihood. Brook End can be marketed as place to switch off. Regenerative finance creates massive opportunities for social change. Credit to do what you want to do e.g. courses.

Major economic pressure to participate in money economy to survive. Subjects people to jobs they would rather not do etc. Increasing restrictions on state benefits. Youth unemployment & my conviction dont stand me in good stead to be employed! Access to land majorly unattainable. Climate change affecting Brook End & other growers. Effects of pollution beyond your control e.g. water State repression e.g. raids, arrests, prison. Embedded political values. The withdrawal of legal aid. State repression as above. Laws effecting dwellings may make living on the land near impossible. Risk being taken advantage of. Many people behave unethically for example, not paying course fees etc, exploiting your good will.

Economic

Environmental

Strong pollution effects on health, living in urban/civilized ways. Major soil erosion all over the place. Political repression ever relevant, general culture of centre to far right. No real democracy or autonomy. Personal politics can be isolating. Laws govern everything from daily behavior to campaign strategy. Affect us all differently. This means integrating permaculture ethics into all levels of Zone 00 design while maintaining awareness of potential unethical behaviour externally.

Great market for regenerative land practices! Cause & concern to re-design everything. Space for radical participatory democracy to develop. Opportunities for massive political change. Legal aid is available (at present) for legal support costs. Legal lobbying can be used as a campaign tool. There are some loopholes that can be advantageous. Ethics can be a wonderful design tool & self-auditing process. Applying the ethics to all life & projects should yield many positive benefits.

Political

Financial resilience: being & staying debt free Having resilience savings e.g. minimum 500 for unexpected situations & across a diverse portfolio Ensuring any learning investments are flexible and can be paused & re-started e.g. Gaia University or distance learning courses that can be undertaken in prison Keeping material possessions to a minimum in case of moving or being in a position where someone else needs to deal with them Have a sound, secure computer with backed up files in multiple places Remaining flexible & resilient in my heart and able to cope with changes Regarding self employment ensuring that all records are stringent Be aware of any positions of formal responsibility Avoid tenancy agreements & long term contracts Minimal or no attachments e.g. rescued animals, kids etc. No major assets that would effect benefit levels or legal aid entitlement

Legal

Ethical

Business ethics, community ethics & attitudes, corruption risks

Own business needs to be: Ok with criminal record, no major cost of stock or large capital investment, be flexible in hours & payment, be suspendable, not employing others, no debt, no long term contracts, no bosses/untrusted working team, no hierarchies, ethical & rewarding, low or no start up costs, maximize short term options versus long term contracts, no complex legal structures or obligations, able to take abroad or do from anywhere e.g. while traveling

Nicole Vosper, Wild Heart Permaculture 2012

ZONE 00 DESIGN