Today, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how permaculture seeks to reconcile the three pillars of globalisation, the idea of the nation state, and democracy. This question is sometimes framed as a political ‘trilemma’. It is argued that we cannot have all three at once, but can only have twoContinue reading “The Trilemma of the World Economy – A Permaculture Perspective”
Tag Archives: permaculture
Case Study: Simple Homestead Permaculture Design
This case study shows my recent design for a family homestead in Willamette Valley, Oregon. This is a fertile agricultural area, where a wide range of crops are grown. The site is currently predominantly pasture land. Though historically vegetable crops were grown on part of the site, it has become neglected in recent years. ToContinue reading “Case Study: Simple Homestead Permaculture Design”
The Importance of Soil – Whether You Garden or Not
Whether you are a gardener or not, soil is essential for you. Globally, we treat soil like dirt. But soil is vital to our lives, and in dismissing it, we fail to recognise the important role it plays in safeguarding our future. We abuse and neglect it at our peril. Most people are fully awareContinue reading “The Importance of Soil – Whether You Garden or Not”
Case Study: Ecuador Permaculture Plan
This plan is for a (largely) self-sufficient farm in the Carchi Province in the north of Ecuador. The site is around 13.3 acres (53879.50 m2), and is situated in the Mira Canton at an elevation of between 2200 and 2215m. The site is currently used to grow corn, and large greenhouses are used to growContinue reading “Case Study: Ecuador Permaculture Plan”
Choosing a New Home – A Permaculture Approach
If you are looking for a new home, sustainability might not be the first thing on your mind. But it can be helpful to approach the problem from a permaculture perspective. The right home can have all the ingredients you need for a more sustainable, ethical and eco-friendly way of life. But choosing the wrongContinue reading “Choosing a New Home – A Permaculture Approach”
Analysing Risk In Sustainability
Analysing what could go wrong is a major part of planning for a sustainable future. When it comes to our climate crisis, much of the planning we must do revolves around understanding future risks and making plans to avoid them where possible, and mitigate their effects where we cannot. There are many shocks that canContinue reading “Analysing Risk In Sustainability”
Case Study: Woodland Craft Community
In this permaculture design, you can see the overall plan for a planned community in the UK. The goal is for a group of three households to come together to create a community based around woodland restoration, wood craft and the use and sale of non-timber forest products. Part of the site is already denselyContinue reading “Case Study: Woodland Craft Community”
The Importance of Pioneer Trees
I’ve spoken a lot before on this site about the vital role that trees play in permaculture design and ecosystem restoration. But some of you may be interested in this recent article I wrote outlining the basics of pioneer trees. The Importance of Pioneer Trees for Forest Gardens and Other Purposes Trees are always onContinue reading “The Importance of Pioneer Trees”
Overcoming Obstacles in a Kitchen Garden – A Few Examples
One of the key roles of permaculture is showing how, by following certain ethics and principles, we can work towards overcoming obstacles – in food production and in other areas of our lives. Today, as many work towards creating their kitchen garden, or making a plan for the coming year, I thought it might beContinue reading “Overcoming Obstacles in a Kitchen Garden – A Few Examples”
Case Study: Small Space Garden
If you do not have much space, it is more important than ever to make the most of every inch. In this simple case study you can see my quick design for a small yard area of only around 8.5 sq m, sandwiched between a house and the pavement on the intersection of two streetsContinue reading “Case Study: Small Space Garden”
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