permaculture

[sustain_ability@123mail.org]

Heather,
 
I am trying to provide a free service myself on the 
http://transitions.blogspot.com site. But there is a difference between
free and non-profit. Wealth creation as exemplified by the post-WWII
Cold War era of Big Oil is still the dominant paradigm; I have dedicated
myself to struggling with this incredibly destructive, murderous, zero
sum game materialism. 

Your approach can easily be misconstrued in many places as too radical.
The best definition of permaculture I have seen recently is found in a
45 page thesis that I downloaded but can't find the original URL. If you
have the time, I can send you the acrobat file. 

And to all list members: I am glad we share our thoughts and actions and
I pray we will continue to do so. 

George
PS: I am also trying to track down the author of the above mentioned
thesis.

On Sun, 24 Dec 2006 10:49:10 -0800 (PST), "Heather Coburn Flores"
<seedgeek@yahoo.com> said:
> Hi folks. I have been getting an interesting diversity of responses to my
> commecnts on permaculture in my new book, Food Not Lawns (chelsea green
> 2006). If you haven't seen it, check out my website at
> www.foodnotlawns.com/. The book is getting many and excellent reviews,
> but a few people, fo rwhom i have the utmost respect, are very upset
> about a few paragraphs in the first chapter, in which I choose to drop
> the term permaculture from the rest of the text and attempt to explain
> why. Several people posted angry and malicious messages here, and several
> others came quickly to my defense. Thank you all for your spirited and
> heartfelt exchange!
>    
>   Let me say that because of the violent and angry nature of some of the
>   more extreme responses, I will probably change the wording for the next
>   printing. my feelings have not changed, but I wish to clarify my
>   intentions.
>    
>   First, my intent was to eliminate the buzzword in the interest of
>   inclusion, and to bring up a much-needed class analysis of the
>   permaculture community. In the UK it may be different but here in the
>   states you would be lucky to find a pc course for less than $600, (more
>   like $1200) and even then you would often have to work many hours in
>   trade for tuition. this may seem like a nominal charge to those who
>   have grown up with homes, medical care, access to education, cars, but
>   to a poor person who lives on minimum wage it is totally inaccessible.
>   and to an activist who already works full-time for no pay, it is also
>   inaccessible.
>    
>   I want the information to be less proprietary, more of a resource for
>   the general public. we, as a movement, complain about being mostly
>   white, middle-class people yet expect to get paid for our earth
>   stewardship. we cannot maintain a cushy middle-class lifestyle and also
>   be a sustainable culture. it is just not going to happen. i am not
>   white or middle-class, and of course i like to get paid for my work,
>   but I live on less than $10,000 a year and don't think anyone should
>   try to make a middle-class or better salary teaching permaculture
>   (unless of course you want to cater to the wealthy homeowner types--and
>   yes, they deserve to have access too). But if we really want to
>   diversify the color and shape of our community we are going to have to
>   completely change the way many people feel when they inquire into
>   taking a permaculture course. They need to feel like it is within their
>   reach to participate, and the price is the first thing they ask about.
>    
>   The main reason I "abandoned the term" is because, while I wanted my
>   readers to know about permaculture, I did not want to write a
>   "permaculture book." And because it seems like whenever anyone even
>   mentions the term, all of the grumpy old permies get all worked up over
>   the "right" to use it. Absurd. It's a word. Subject to personal
>   interpretation like all other words. I have my certificate, and a right
>   to my opinion. And when was the last time anyone read a book in which
>   they agreed with every single paragraph anyway? It's nice to rock the
>   boat a little, keeps us on our toes!
>    
>   Please feel free to forward this to anyone you like.
>    
>   peace
> Heather Flores

-- 
http://www.fastmail.fm - Faster than the air-speed velocity of an
                          unladen european swallow