Posts from the ‘gardening’ Category
- Look Mom, There’s a Farmer in our Backyard on November 5th, 2008
What is the culture of permaculture?
It's becoming painfully clear that the culture of consumption created by the global market economy cannot sustain itself on a finite planet. Ecological and social crises are at hand, and loom larger as populations continue to grow and resources shrink. Scientists may disagree about the number of years we have to make this shift before we reach an ecological "point of no return," but it is clear that the current dominant system is leading us down the wrong path. Another way forward is being called for, and that means a fundamental shift in our beliefs and practices— a cultural shift.
Permaculture,a re-evolutionary design system evoking permanent agriculture as well as permanent culture, is about observing nature and working with its flow. It uses ecological principles to design systems of food production, housing, appropriate technology, and community development. Over the past quarter century it has grown into an international movement for sustainable land use practices-- a code of ethics based in the wisdom of many traditional and indigenous cultures.
What could the future look like if we make this shift toward sustainability? We believe that the culture of permaculture is pioneering a path toward a positive future, while honoring the wisdom of our ancestors. It is a growing, international group who are "changing the dream" of the dominant culture, in the shamanic sense-- shifting the cultural imagination toward an alternative way of living. They actively choose to live in a way that respects the Earth, recognizing that this change is inevitable in the face of global warming, peaking resources, and growing population.
In a modern world irrevocably shifted by human impact, what does a more sustainable culture actually look like? We decided to take our skills as anthropologist/writer (Juliana) and visual artist/activist (Louis) on the road and document this emerging culture in a book called Sustainable (R)evolution and this blog. Along the way we've connected with permaculture experts, photojournalists and activists who are also contributing to the project. Please contact us at julianapeartree@gmail.com if you'd like to get involved too.
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