permaculture

[Jason Gerhardt <jasongerhardt@gmail.com>]

I recently asked myself why I teach permaculture versus why I design (I
currently spend about 60% of my time designing/40% teaching). The answer
was that I do it for the same reason, which is to increase the amount of
quality systems that get designed AND implemented.  Very basically I want
to live in a more functional world. Insofar as standards and ones approach
to increasing permaculture design actually result in good designs being put
in place then it doesn’t really matter to me how it gets accomplished.
Unfortunately, the “mainstream” way of thinking and acting nearly always
puts image over reality (or form over function) so it is mostly a smoke and
mirrors approach, all the while raking in big money and increasing ones
disproportionate sense of self. It is highly unlikely this approach will
work toward the development of a more sane, just, and ecological
civilization.



As Scott says, “permaculturists are edge dwellers”. I think the
mainstreaming of permaculture will be the rebirth of true permaculture by a
different name. That will be an unfortunate day (if it comes to pass) and
only serve to delay the good that “permaculture design” can do.



One of the primary functions of the PDC is to facilitate the transformation
of perspectives, paradigms, and thinking patterns of the participants. If
people are leaving the course with a commercialized mindset (franchising,
branding, mainstreaming), something is wrong with the presentation. And
this should be subject to the scrutiny of the wider community. It annoys me
endlessly when permaculturists talk about expediting the spread of
permaculture. As if a fast track approach will lead to quality designs (or
designERS) being developed. For the most part, the creative forces of
nature move at a snails pace (the destructive forces of nature are much
faster). As natural pattern mimickers why do permaculturists have such a
hard time accepting small and slow solutions?



As a young teenager on the streets, the older gangsters liked to quote an
old Chinese proverb when telling us youngsters about survival: “Patience is
a virtue”. Sage advice that applies to the permaculture movement.

-- 
Jason Gerhardt
Designer and Educator