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permaculture - Re: Permaculture Trademark Alert

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  • From: lflondon@mindspring.com
  • To: permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Permaculture Trademark Alert
  • Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 00:21:37 -0400


On Wed, 11 Jul 2001 23:39:09 -0400, in alt.permaculture
lflondon@mindspring.com wrote:

On 11 Jul 2001 17:23:28 GMT, fireraven9@aol.combtywlgdr (Fireraven9)
wrote:

>lflondon forwards ....
>> Martin writes:
>> Why would the Mollisons do that? It cannot be for
>>recognition, as I have just argued. As I see it, it can either be to
>>ensure a stream of revenue or to ensure that there are no wayward
>>teachers and practicioners. I would hope that it is the latter. But
>>if it is the latter, then I would think that a fixed set of
>>permaculture design principles would suffice. Obviously some of the
>>principles would be misinterpreted by some and corrupted by others,
>>but as in any practice, there will be debate about when this occurs
>>and when it doesn't, to the benefit of growth in the understanding of
>>the practice.
>>
>>What would happen if one called one's course "Permaculture Course"?
>>That won't be registered as a trade mark.
>>
>>Martin

>I am afraid I can see why they might have done this. I know someone who has
>been through a "Permaculture Design Course" that lasted only a week and this
>person is clueless. He has good knowledge of a few things (knowledge he had
>prior to the class) and little of most others. His land is a perfect example
>of
>everything one should NOT do! He took his class at a "school" in Hawaii and
>maybe the ideas that he learned work there, but they do not work here. That
>is
>one of those things where the practitioner must learn to tailor general
>principals to local conditions. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer. I
>would not let any designs like that be implimented on my land for anything! I
>hate the idea that Mollison is doing this, but I could also understand why.
>
>Fireraven9

Apart from reneging on "giving Permaculture back" there seem to be
pros and cons to copyrighting Permaculture Design and Permaculture
Design Course, if it can be done at all:

Pro:

What you wrote above about the bogus PCD'er (there are no certified
_1 week_ PC Design courses) says it all.

Con:

It may result in a global decrease in spreading everything that is
good and worthwhile about PC as there may be fewer people
who will be available to consult, design, teach and do field work
in the poorer, needy, 3rd world and developing nations, and all others
as well (also in great need of PC awareness) because they may not
be willing or able (financially or logistically [travel limitations,
course availability] to go through the necessary training and get the
certification - a big limitation on this is lack of communication
between prospective PC designers and the certifying heirarchy.
Having to go the extra mile to be able to do certified design and
teaching may result in fewer PC professionals when the world needs
more even if there are gaps in their knowledge and experience
(with the exception of the pcd you mentioned above).

I agree with you that we all need to continue practicing PC
regardless of what it is called - we knew what it was anyway
years before the word permaculture was coined.

LL
only sat in on one PC workshop, no certificate



L.F.London ICQ#27930345 lflondon@mindspring.com
www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech london@ibiblio.org


L.F.London ICQ#27930345 lflondon@mindspring.com
www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech london@ibiblio.org




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