permaculture

["L.Santoyo Designs" <santoyo@earthflow.com>]

Toby, Scott, Michael, Robyn, Lawrence et al;

Dang it!  -Every time I think of something that'll make me look good 
and sound all smart -you guys say it first!

I too have said for years that the course needed serious revision (a 
la Michael Kramer "looniness"), but Scott Pittman and Robyn Francis 
made me realize the importance of keeping Permaculture -well... 
Permaculture.  That is -a strict adherence to the curriculum as 
outlined in The Designer's Manual...

Although we disagree on different format issues, at least Scott is 
willing to give that part a try... but as much as I too wanted to 
change the curriculum -I have realized that The Permaculture Design 
Course (unadulterated) IS the pioneer level of succession and where 
Permaculture is applied is the next level of succession and so on...

Once people have taken the full course including theory, ethics, 
soil, water, patterning, agricultural models etc. -then they are 
ready to APPLY it to finance, social services, industry, business and 
sure -the military -why not?.  Those are the next courses, the ones 
that come after the Design Course...

Through our org, we conduct Continuing Permaculture Education Courses 
where we apply permaculture design to business and industry models 
-but the basic Permaculture Design Course is the prerequisite. I tell 
my students that -one doesn't do permaculture, one applies 
permaculture to what they do. You don't DO permaculture -you USE 
permaculture...

I think that Michael may think he is on to something new and 
revolutionary -when this whole time -the skillful teachers, who have 
spoken, were already on to it.  Of course you can APPLY permaculture 
to social and business models -That is what you are supposed to be 
illustrating and teaching your students already!!!

If we are going to use natural succession as our metaphor, let's 
consider putting it in a different perspective -when you start 
natural succession with the design course as the pioneer. -what comes 
after that basic course are the next levels succession... like 
business, community and green building courses -and although we used 
an application permaculture to get us there, without including a 
strict adherence to the curriculum as outlined in The Designer's 
Manual -those applications shouldn't be called and are not a 
"permaculture design course".

I too used to insist that the pioneer needed to change... Now, I 
understand that trying to morph the pioneer into more of a climax 
species is problematic and unsound.   Bill Mollison was clear when he 
taught us to never "dumb it up or dumb it down"  -Maybe I disagree 
with some of you here (Toby?) but I think that engineers, government 
officials, students, housewives, rich, poor, Black, White, Brown and 
other peoples can all "get" Permaculture -that is the beauty of using 
natural models as the basis of design and for our teaching metaphors 
-My experience is that it IS understandable AND is relatable to 
most...

About those "much later but more popular teachings" that we spoke 
of... (Eco psychology, Ecological Design, Natural Capitalism, Natural 
Steps etc.) I think that they are really just part of the "next level 
of succession"  stuff that I'm talking about here.  Some of those 
I'll bet are even rooted in Permaculture Principles... They are just 
plain better "marketed" and sexier to the general public -like most 
things closer to climax...

Respectfully,


Larry Santoyo
EarthFlow Design Works
http://www.earthflow.com/consulting.html