permaculture

[Toby Hemenway <toby@patternliteracy.com>]

Stacia Nordin wrote

> 
>  There are over 1000000 PDC graduates around the globe and amazing teachers 
> virtually everywhere!
> 

That number falls apart under even a simple analysis. The average PDC has 
about 20 people; some more, many less. A million PDC grads at an average of 
20 people per PDC requires 50,000 PDCs taught. There weren't many PDCs in the 
1980s, so the bulk have been in the last 20 years. So you need about 2500 
PDCs taught per year for 20 years to make 50,000 of them. I figure 100 PDCs 
or so taught in the 1980s (even if it was 1000, these numbers hold). 

Do we really think there have been 2500 PDCs taught each year? I think it's 
more like 250 PDCs, maybe, per year since 1990--more lately, less in the 
nineties. To see that trend and see fair numbers for North America along, 
look at the Activist calendar. 

I suspect the number of PDC grads is closer to 100,000 than a million. If 
anyone comes up with different numbers, I'm open to revision. 

It bugs me to see a statement that has obviously involved no thinking through.


Toby
http://patternliteracy.com



>>> From: "Stacia Nordin, RD"<nordinmalawi@gmail.com>
>>> Date: 5 April 2011 12:48:04 AM AEST
>>> To: 
>>> "PermaCulture-Malawi"<PermaCulture-Malawi@yahoogroups.com>,<ipc-public@ipcon.org>
>>> Subject: [Ipc-public] Free PDC video being developed (not for certificate)
>>> 
>>> FYI for those that have not seen it, sorry if I’m double posting it.
>>> 
>>> I’ve written to them to note that Africa is being left out of the trip 
>>> and to see if anything can be done to change the plans so African 
>>> continent is included.
>>> 
>>> http://www.impermanencefilm.org/free-pdc.html
>>> 
>>> As this film project is about creating open sourced resources for the 
>>> world in this time of great transition we could not think of a better way 
>>> to officially launch the project than create a beautiful High Definition 
>>> professional recording of a full 72 hr PDC course and put it online as a 
>>> free resource for the world!
>>> 
>>> We are excited to also bring the personal and community building aspects 
>>> into the film, with an exciting range of topics adding edges to the 
>>> conventional course format (evening activities, etc.)  This will bring 
>>> the viewer as close as possible to the heart of the experience.  
>>> Supplemented with slideshows, links to videos online and stills and 
>>> diagrams, this will make an epic resource and reference for people all 
>>> over the globe.
>>> 
>>> If you have slideshows, essays, etc you feel moved to contribute please 
>>> get in contact integralpermanence at gmail dot com
>>> 
>>> Please note that you cannot get an official PC Design Certificate for 
>>> watching a PDC course.  The instruction and learning is much more rich, 
>>> integrative and alive if you attend a course in person, as part of the 
>>> mini community that forms for the duration of the course.  Your learning 
>>> and synthesis process will likely be much more effective when you attend 
>>> a course with all your senses present- watching a screen is not a 
>>> substitute for getting your hands dirty!  There are over 1000000 PDC 
>>> graduates around the globe and amazing teachers virtually everywhere!
>>> 
>>> ---
>>> Stacia Nordin, RD
>>> Registered Dietitian
>>> Advisor to Malawi Ministry of Education, School Health and Nutrition