Permaculture

The term permaculture is a combination of the words permanent and agriculture, or simply culture. It is an ecological system design for land use that seeks to achieve sustainability by taking inspiration from natural processes and relationships. Developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren during the 1970s, permaculture seeks to harmoniously integrate the land with all of its inhabitants (from the smallest bacteria in the soil to humans) and take nutrient and weather cycles into account. It is based on a series of ethics that recognize humans as part of the Earth and therefore proposes that we should not exploit it for our own exclusive benefit. Permaculture also acknowledges that all humans are connected through society, so our use of the Earth’s resources should be equitable for both the present and future generations. Permaculture relies on fewer inputs than conventional agriculture, favors human and animal power over fossil fuel-powered machinery and chemicals and emphasizes turning waste into resources through methods such as composting. It also focuses on creating polycultures to increase biodiversity. Permaculture principles can be incorporated into all types of human ecosystems, from farms to individual homes to entire communities, and it is especially useful for restoring degraded landscapes.