Permaculture Design Course

Day 1, Session 2: 10h20-12h20

Kirstie Stramler
http://permaculture.tv
Session 2: Introduction to Permaculture
1) Permaculture: Definitions, Origins, Ethics

2) Exercise: Top 10

3) State of the Planetary Ecosystem

4) Agriculture: Origins, Benefits, Consequences, Today

5) State of the Socio-Economic-Political System

6) Exemplary Permaculturists & Stellar Solutions

7) Exercise: Envisioning

LA Arboretum PDC: Day 1, Session 2

1) Permaculture: Definition, Origin, Ethics
DEFINITIONS:
1. “…integrated, evolving system of perennial or self-
perpetuating plant and animal species useful to man.”
2. “Permanent Agriculture” ==> “Permanent Culture”
3. Ecological Design System

David Holmgrem, Co-originator of Permaculture

Photo Credit: PermacultureSendaVerde.com
Bill Mollison, Co-originator of Permaculture

Photo Credit: Maureen Corbett

1) Permaculture: Definition, Origin, Ethics
DEFINITIONS:
1. “…integrated, evolving system of perennial or self-perpetuating
plant and animal species useful to man.”
2. “Permanent Agriculture” ==> “Permanent Culture”
3. Ecological Design System

ORIGINS:
1. Ecological Observation
2. Anthropological Observation
3. Consider Science & Appropriate Technology
4. Synthesize & Call it ‘Permaculture’

David Holmgrem, Co-originator of Permaculture

Photo Credit: PermacultureSendaVerde.com
Bill Mollison, Co-originator of Permaculture

Photo Credit: Maureen Corbett

1) Permaculture: Definition, Origin, Ethics
DEFINITIONS:
1. “…integrated, evolving system of perennial or self-perpetuating
plant and animal species useful to man.”
2. “Permanent Agriculture” ==> “Permanent Culture”
3. Ecological Design System

ORIGINS:
1. Ecological Observation
2. Anthropological Observation
3. Consider Science & Appropriate Technology
4. Synthesize & Call it ‘Permaculture’

ETHICS:

David Holmgrem, Co-originator of Permaculture

Photo Credit: PermacultureSendaVerde.com
Bill Mollison, Co-originator of Permaculture

1. Earth Care
2. People Care

Photo Credit: Maureen Corbett

3. “Fair Share”
Rodin’s Thinker
Photo Credit: Max Stoltenberg
2) Exercise: Top 10 List
3) State of the Planetary Ecosystem
1. Deforestation & Soil Loss/Degradation
2. Loss, Degradation of Coastal Wetlands
3. Loss of Plant & Animal Diversity*
4. Coral Reef Loss*
5. Water Pollution
6. Water Scarcity & Increasing Rainfall Variability*
7. Air Pollution & UV
8. Sea Ice Loss*
9. Land-based Glacier Loss*, Permafrost Melting*
10. Increasing Temperature Variability*
3) State of the Planetary Ecosystem
1. Deforestation & Soil Loss/Degradation
2. Loss, Degradation of Coastal Wetlands
3. Loss of Plant & Animal Diversity*
4. Coral Reef Loss*
5. Water Pollution
6. Water Scarcity & Increasing Rainfall Variability*
7. Air Pollution & UV
8. Sea Ice Loss*
9. Land-based Glacier Loss*, Permafrost Melting*
10. Increasing Temperature Variability*

*due all or in part to increasing concentrations

of greenhouse gases in earth’s atmosphere
Biodiversity

Turner et. al. (2009)

Turner et. al. (2009)
4) Agriculture: Origins… Today

Photo: Teleguprofessionals.com
Incan Agriculture,
o When did stationary agriculture begin? Why?
o What were the original consequences (+/-) of it?
o And the consequences after ~8000 years?
o And today?

Photo: RestorationSoil .com

Modern Agriculture,
Specific Energy Input Example:
a 455g can of sweet corn

Chart from Heller & Keoleian (2000)

US Food Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Intensity

Chart from Weber & Matthews (2008)

US Food Life Cycle Energy Use

Pie chart generated with data from Heller & Keoleian (2000)
Perils of Centralized Monocultures,
Part I: Animals & Animal Products
•Profit/time requires application of growth hormones

•Crowding pollutes local waterways with effluent

•Crowding leads to higher incidence of disease

•Disease requires routine application of antibiotics

•Massive processing plants are havens for disease

•Long-range transport distributes/spreads disease

Photo Credit: OklahomaFarmReport.com

Cattle Feedlot
 Perils of Centralized Monocultures,
Part 2: Plants & Plant Products
•Monoculture requires large-scale pesticide application

•Centralization requires large-scale fertilizer application

•Practices result in losses/degradation of soil

•Pesticides & fertilizers both pollute air & groundwater

•Long-range transport in large quantities requires that

food be picked early, sprayed & wax-coated
 Perils of Centralized Monocultures,
Part 2: Plants & Plant Products
•Monoculture requires large-scale pesticide application

•Centralization requires large-scale fertilizer application

•Practices result in losses/degradation of soil

•Pesticides & fertilizers both pollute air & groundwater

•Long-range transport in large quantities requires that

food be picked early, sprayed & wax-coated

Perils, Part 3: Staggering Quantities of Water

and Oil-derived Products Used in Production
 Summary of Key Indicators that show
Unsustainable Trends in US Food System

Table from Heller & Keoleian (2003)

 “economy 5) State of the
of scale”
SEP System
chemical ag & industry
and manufacture
trans-global shipping of stronger
pharma &
toxins
environmental “require”
degradation stronger
chemicals

diseases
resource and
scarcity extinctions

USSF 2010, Kirstie Stramler, Permaculture.TV

6) Exemplary Permaculturists &
Stellar Solutions

RURAL/BROADSCALE
o RegenAg Keyline Farming
o Sep Holzer
o Rural Eco-village Tour

URBAN
o Growing Power
o Mandela Foods/Planting Justice
o Permablitz Sydney
7) Exercise: Envisioning Alternate
Pathways