permaculture

[Stephanie Gerson <sgerson@stanfordalumni.org>]

hello folks,

Not to re-introduce a sore subject, but I’ve been observing this 
discussion without time to respond – although I’ve had the same 
experience as Larry Santoyo of having thoughts only to find them already 
expressed in later posts (I was even going to write this only to find 
that Larry had written it already!).  yes.  Proud to participate in this 
collective consciousness.

Anyways.  Many thoughts on this subject, but I’ll simply ask one (or two) 
questions:

What is the goal of the PDC?  Michael Kramer suggested application – that 
the course would be considered successful if its participants were 
applying Permaculture principles in some way.  Others on this list have 
suggested a clear understanding of Permaculture – which might need to be 
defined further.  Before assessing the successes/failures of the PDC, it 
would be prudent to identify its goal.  Of course, this will be different 
for different people – all the more reason to make it explicit.  Devising 
criteria for success for the PDC can inform this discussion.  And if some 
concrete goals could be agreed upon, and used as a framework, they would 
help us adapt the PDC to local conditions.  

Following, what are the goals of the Permaculture movement?  The three 
ethics are clear, but may manifest very differently (i.e., insert 
discussion regarding top-down vs. bottom-up approaches).  As with above, 
identifying specific goals can help guide our personal ways of practicing 
Permaculture.  

There doesn’t necessarily need to be consensus on these questions.  I 
simply present them as food for thought.  But I do encourage us to 
consider the goals for ourselves, and whether our behaviors serve to 
fulfill them.

Oh, and one more thing.  Permaculture is a design methodology applicable 
to any system.  Let us recognize that we too are a system – consisting of 
quite a diversity (!) of components and within which cooperation, 
competition, and cross-pollination are healthy and necessary.

The words “plants” and “ecosystems” can be substituted by “people”
and 
“communities”…

peace
*Stephanie 


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Stephanie Gerson
sgerson@stanfordalumni.org
(c) 415.871.5683


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