Those of us who read the list in digest form have a lot of scrolling
to do.
Permaculture design principles are obviously crucial for sustainability.
Viable settlements must be designed to provide most of their needs from
the local landscape without external inputs of resources, and in ways
that are ecologically sustainable. But given the nature and the
magnitude of our limits to growth problem much more than Permaculture is
required. Fundamental economic, political and cultural change is
essential and without these Permaculture will be of no significance even
if it flourishes.
Unfortunately much Permaculture literature and many
courses tend to leave the impression that spreading knowledge about
Permaculture techniques is sufficient to achieve a sustainable world and
that there is no need to question affluent living standards or the
present economy.
In general far too little emphasis is put on the fact
that a sustainable society cannot be achieved without radical a change
in lifestyles, in the economy, in the geography of settlements and in
world views and values.
Permaculture is part of the problem if
it is essentially enabling people to do some ecologically correct things
in their gardens, such as growing some organic vegies, and then feel
that they are making a significant contribution to saving the planet.
There is a seriously mistaken theory of change underlying much of the
Permaculture movement. Many seem to assume that that the more people we
get to take an interest in Permaculture and to practise it the closer we
move to the establishment of a just and sustainable society. This is not
so.
If all we do is work at increasing the numbers who understand and
like and practice Permaculture this will probably have no more
revolutionary significance than if we increased the number of people who
are interested in the RSPCA or golf. This will just reach the point
where all those potentially interestable in Permaculture will have
become interested, and will be out their reading the books and growing
things, while still living in and benefiting from and not challenging
affluent-consumer society and the growth economy.
Again, replacing that society is the crucial task, not getting more
people to like and practice Permaculture. Merely teaching Permaculture
techniques will not get them to see that affluent industrial consumer
society is a terrible mistake, that capitalism must be scrapped, that a
growth economy must be scrapped, that we must build small and highly
self-sufficient economies based on cooperation and participation, and
that very different lifestyles and values must be embraced. People can
become very knowledgable and keen about Permaculture without
understanding any of this.
Why do you want people to take up Permaculture? Just to enjoy the idea
and the practice? Or to help us build a sustainable society. If your our
answer is the latter, then we will not get this outcome just by
increasing people's understanding of Permaculture techniques. We make
sure that wherever possible we connect Permaculture with the global
scene and the need for radical social change, so that people understand
that Permaculture is necessary but only as part of the bigger picture.
We can't claim to be centrally concerned with achieving sustainability
if all we talk about is Permaculture. It is in fact only a one element
in the list of conditions and factors required for a sustainable world
order. But there can be no doubt that it is a crucially important element.
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