It also includes 12 design principles that go beyond agriculture and offer an ecological approach to modern life and communities — such as energy savings and zero-waste living. It aims to create systems that are preserved not only for the present but also for future generations. It promotes the idea of working with nature rather than working against it. Permaculture is just a model system that aims to implement the pillars of sustainability in people, planet and profit.
True permaculture is not just organic farming — ideology should in practice mean a harmonious integration of the environment and the people who provide their food, shelter and energy in a sustainable way.
How does permaculture relate to sustainability?
Two of the communities I observed practiced the principles of permaculture of caring for the earth and people, and sharing the surplus. When I started studying permaculture, it was because I was worried about the climate and the future of the human species. The concept and term permaculture were coined in Australia in the 1970s by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. It fits into the definition of what is sustainable, and through its actions, it will take what people think is sustainable living to a whole new level.
This refers to the pillars of sustainability that are considered fixable, in particular environmental, social and economic factors.
What is the difference between sustainability and permaculture?
The problem with less intensive agricultural production is that more land is needed, which impacts biodiversity that is not maintained. Shifting thinking from a factory to a landfill pipeline to a series of interconnected and infinitely continuous series of material life cycles (similar to the water cycle or nutrient cycles in ecosystems) is absolutely necessary to achieve sustainability, and permaculture teaches this quite a bit. However, a more up-to-date definition of permaculture can be defined as “deliberately designed landscapes that mimic nature’s patterns and relationships while providing an abundance of food, fiber, and energy to supply local needs. It also values soil health as a foundation for sustainable agricultural practices and encourages the use of natural fertilizers.
Permaculture uses evolutionary ecology processes to replace most external direct energy inputs next to the sun and all indirect inputs beyond the initial design and implementation phase.
How is permaculture economically sustainable?
Permaculture uses inherent properties such as plants and animals in combination with the natural properties of landscapes and structures to create a life support system for city and countryside that uses the smallest practical area. Permaculture differs from other methods of gardening, among others, in that it is not just a set of practical techniques, but also a way of thinking and adapting to a particular ecology. It is important that the localisation and greening of the economy is not imposed on people, but that they choose to do so. Permaculture is the development of agricultural ecosystems that should be sustainable and self-sufficient.
