Creating permaculture

Permaculture is both a discipline and a movement, both scientific and spiritual. Its aim is to heal the earth and ourselves by working with, not against, the soil, watersheds, habitats, wildlife, and ecosystems that shape our destiny. It’s an effort not just to live healthy lives, but to avoid ecosystem and economic collapse. The task is herculean, well beyond any one person’s grasp; permaculture teaches us that only with the cooperation of family, friends and community can the task be accomplished.

The movement toward self-reliance and permaculture is booming in parts of California and up and down the West Coast. People are cooperating to establish community gardens, growing produce and selling it at farmers’ markets.

The key elements are community and cooperation. Without these, individualism and isolation would prevail. We see cooperation and interconnection among urban homesteaders and back-yard gardeners; naturopaths practicing their herbal arts; yoga and tai-chi teachers and practitioners; intentional communities pooling the skills and resources of carpenters, electricians, solar installers, plumbers, chefs, caregivers, and gardeners; community organizers; restaurateurs drawing upon locally grown organic produce; wildcrafters creating teas and recipes for wild foods; foragers and herb cultivators creating salves and tinctures; legal organic marijuana growers providing their healing herbal medicine for cancer patients and other sufferers; women’s child-care collectives; artisans and craftspeople hosting crafts nights and skill shares; maker spaces and so much more.

The key words are community, and cooperation. Without these elements, individualism and isolation would prevail.