permaculture

["J. Kolenovsky" <garden@hal-pc.org>]

(15 June 2006)

Aaah brewing a greener lifestyle
Amy Marshall, Warrnambool Standard

FOOD prices are set to skyrocket and south-west people have been advised to
start planting vegetables, breeding chickens and brewing beer at home.

The encouragement comes from permaculture co-originator David Holmgren, who
yesterday spoke at the Urban Sustainable Living Expo at Deakin University.

Permaculture is a sustainable-living concept which has spread around the
world since the 1970s and can be applied to food production, home and garden
design and more broadly to construction, energy and alternative economic
structures.

Mr Holmgren said being self-sufficient and sustainable at home was not only
better for the environment, it was cheaper and would soon be necessary.

The concept had already begun to take root in the region as residents tried
organic gardening at home, community garden concepts developed and
increasing numbers of residents enrolled in permaculture courses.

Mr Holmgren said fertile south-west soils and the combination of a large
population with plenty of space meant there was huge potential for
permaculture to work well in the region.

"We have reached a point where the demand for oil outstrips the supply and
governments haven't really planned for this," he said.

This represented a bigger threat than climate change, he said. "Food
supplies are dependent on fossil-fuelled transport and it is inevitable that
food will soon be very expensive in relation to our incomes."

At his Hepburn Springs home Mr Holmgren and his partner, Su, grow fruit and
vegetables, nut trees and mustard seeds and breed goats, geese and chickens.
(5 June 2006)
Richard Heinberg and David Holmgren will be touring a 'Peak Oil and
Permaculture' speaking tour around Australia in late August, early
September. Stay tuned for venues and dates. -AF

-- 
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