permaculture

[Thilo Pfennig <vinci@alternativ.net>]

EFMonaco writes:

 > This thread of Urban PC is challenging.  The zones concept has been well
 > thought out in some of the "village design" concepts, sensible planning
 > from the ground up, which our cities don't have. 

But the zone-system is very old and was not invented by Mollison/Holmgren.

The important thing is the idea behind it, that I would summarize as:

* Distance is an important factor
* Nearer=more visits needed

But what do you make of it? You could take this as an argument against 
suburbs of the 50s and 60s, which tried to build shelter (for sleep)
outside and build working-places somewhere else, also
shopping-possibilities on yet another place.

 > However, as one of the
 > premises of PC is "repair work",  our urban centers present a formidable
 > challenge.  Because there is so much embodied energy already
 > present,

I agree. Although it is much easier to build a community from scratch
on the countryside, the real opportunity (for society) lies in the
transforming of dense cities.

I do not think, however, that taking everything in account may be
useful. Only if you really understand everything. Sometimes
concentration of main-problems is better. Especially when you go back
in search of the roots of the problem and finally find them. Or you
find something that could change much, without going against the
main-problem. I recall a story about a woman (from the green party)
that became responsible for public gardens in one of the mafia-cities 
in southern-Italy. One day they started sudden actions where they
cleaned up spaces and plant flowers where just before junkies fixed or 
deals where made.
They made this spaces so nice, that more people liked to visit
them. So many of the deals could not be made. She had no power to put
people in prison or something else. But this was the start of winning
the war against mafia.

I would say the key to solutions is in changing the consciousness of
the people /of yourself. Yes, to start with oneself is the best
solution. :-)

Bye,

Thilo