Permaculture — Transition Voice

Permaculture works

By Vicki Lipski April 19, 2013

Based on the latest maps from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it appears that the eastern third of the country should be in good shape this year insofar as rainfall is concerned. For someone saddled with completely infertile soil, that’s good news. In my opinion, it’s bad enough to have to deal with unending amendment of the soil, without having to feel guilty because I’m watering all the time! I just closed the spigot on my rain barrel last week, with hopes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture, Transition Tagged With: gardening

Green waste

By Sherry Ackerman August 14, 2012

I was riding my bicycle into town on trash collection day last week and noticed that one of my neighbors had filled their can with weeds and other green waste. They had obviously cleaned up their yard and had accumulated a lot of green material in the process. But, I stalled out in trying to figure out why they had put it in their trash can? Weeds, grass clippings, twigs and other cuttings are, most assuredly, not trash. My sighting the greens in the trash can happened to coincide with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture Tagged With: compost, pollution, waste

Towards ecological literacy: A Permaculture approach for junior secondary science

By Nelson Lebo III December 1, 2011

The profound lack of sustainable systems on our planet is of great concern to environmentalists, some of who are educators and some of who are permaculturists. Many of the problems facing Earth and its inhabitants are caused by a lack of ecological literacy among much of the human population. Ecological literacy includes an understanding of the scientific principles of ecology, including the recognition of limits and possibilities. It also includes an attitude of care toward the environment … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture, Transition Tagged With: gardening, local food, permaculture, relocalization, science

There’s got to be a better way

By Vicki Lipski July 21, 2011

One of the best things about being outdoors – bottom up, head down, hands in the soil – is the way glorious smells take you by surprise. You brush up against a plant, inadvertently step on a wildflower, or crumble the dirt in your hands, and suddenly your nose is in overdrive. As soon as it happens, you begin sniffing madly, hoping against hope that tiny bit of heaven hasn’t already left this world for the next. A satisfied sigh follows the sniff, and you self-consciously realize you’re … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture, Transition Tagged With: food, gardening, permaculture, relocalization

Postcards from a low-energy future: now

By Matthew Lynch April 6, 2011

Upon entering Bayan Ulgii province we saw no trees until we finally arrived in Ulgii City. Locals can remember that only two generations ago, the river flats of Ulgii City, and much of the rest of the province, were covered in trees. Just like the Lorax in Dr. Suess' fable, all were cut down for winter fuel and building materials. No carbon offset here The next thing to greet us is the coal-fired powerplant which powers this remote urban-rural settlement, providing central heating for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture Tagged With: clean energy, climate change, community organizing, farming, permaculture

A more flavorful, meaningful life

By Matthew Lynch February 9, 2011

Food security has been defined as "access by all people at all times to sufficient food for an active and healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum: the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, and an assured ability to acquire food in socially acceptable ways (without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing and other coping strategies for example).” Food Culture refers to how we experience our food – from field to plate – and how it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture

How community is like a garden

By Shaktari Belew October 1, 2010

Mother and son find play in life. Lynn Crounse Photography

Have you ever sat still in a garden and focused your attention on the symphony of life around you? Perhaps you lifted some mulch and witnessed the soil teaming with life just below the surface – insects, nematodes, bacteria, worms, mycelia mats, young sprouts, rotting debris – all dancing in unison to the fecundity of life. Observe and flow with nature As an instructor in Permaculture, a whole-systems design methodology developed from careful observation of the complex adaptive systems … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture Tagged With: activism, community organizing, gardening, Oct 2010, permaculture

Live and let die: Permaculture primer

By Vicki Lipski September 20, 2010

A brief permaculture primer Permaculture urges humans to imitate nature. It's an idea worth considering now more than ever. As we face a triple-threat of James Bond villains -- peak oil, climate change, and the Great Recession -- many things are clearly going wrong with the industrial world's plan. Nature, on the other hand, has been able to run things pretty well on Earth for a few billion years. So, if we're interested in sustaining our civilization a bit longer, maybe it's time to pay … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Permaculture, Transition Tagged With: David Holmgren, hippies, Oct 2010, permaculture

Readers and authors talk

Elisabeth J. Potts on Climate collision course: CO2 levels about to hit 400 ppm » As of this week, we have already reached the 400ppm milestone. Here's the thing: We all need some sp...
Ed Johnson on Roundup of distressing climate news » Thank you all for your comments and commitments. I too sense this with out all the research backgrou...
Lee Samelson on The climate change mountaintop » It seems like the stages occur in reverse order for climate hawks Climate hawks or climate activists...
Steve on For sale, habitable planet, too late » Doug, I am in a similar place to you, I think. I have probably never really faced up to the reality ...