permaculture

["paul wheaton" <paul@richsoil.com>]

> Let's teach people the benefits of having no or a tiny bit of lawn. If they
> don't want to, tell them about the impending (year tba) oil crash Armageddon
> and that they'll have to or live miserably, if not hungry as the rest of
> their friends will grow food on their lands.

I think this is a good thing.  And while I have not written an article
expressing that, I have said as much in many forums.

I also think that the road to healing the earth is going to be
evolutionary, not revolutionary.

That's why I think the USDA organic program should be modified to be a
scale of 0 to 10.  Organic 5 can be what is currently labeled organic.
 Organic 8 could be something that is organic + permaculture.

This way, farms and farmers can ramp up to organic - instead of having
to, from their perspective, make a big leap.  And consumers can also
ramp into knowledge about organic - right now, most american consumers
are certain that the "organic movement" is a pile of horse potatoes.
All marketing slight of hand and no true substance.    At the same
time, many of them are willing to pay a bit more for "premium"
products.

Back to lawns:  Yes, it is painful to see somebody mowing an acre of
grass every week.  It would be great to see a forest garden there
instead.  But while they are lawn crazy - maybe they can at least be
lawn crazy without the chemicals.