In the last few years we have all heard reports about devastating droughts in Australia, floods which no-one has experienced in their lifetime, in large areas of Africa and fierce bushfires all over Europe strengthened by global warming has again highlighted how critical it is for us to live more sustainably.  We must prepare, plan and train ourselves to cope with climate change and the depletion of our planets’ natural resources.

Permaculture is one of the solutions we have to redesign the way we live which will enable us to manage our resources both more sustainably and in a more equitable way.  At the heart of Permaculture is design.  Design is a connection between things.  Good design is when things are integrated harmoniously.  

Permaculture ethics are:

Care for the Earth.
Care of People.
Give away Surplus.

 

Care for the Earth

By caring for all living and non-living things for example, soil, forests, atmosphere, animals, water and participating in active conservation of resources we can extend our influence and energies to helping others achieve that aim.  We need to take care of our basic needs, buying only what we need, purchasing and using products and services which use more renewable resources and more sustainable production methods and design our systems to the best of our ability.

Care for People

This implies that our basic needs for food, shelter, education, satisfying employment and social welfare are taken care of.  When these things are taken care of we can have less destruction of our planet and its’ people.  Our communities will thrive with happy people who have a sense of purpose and are empowered to make positive changes.

Give away Surplus

Cooperation, not competition is the key!  By careful planning and design our frugal living and surplus harvests can be shared with the less fortunate.  When we have local communities engaging in a diverse range of activities and growing local organic produce, we see a thriving economy which stands up against external and internal natural or man-made threats.

For Permaculture Design courses in Sydney visit:

http://permaculturenorth.org.au/index.php?q=node/13

To find products and services which help us ‘Care for the Earth’ go to The Green Pages:
http://www.greenpagesaustralia.com.au/

To detox your home and find solutions to a more healthy and happy home go to The Total Environment Centres’ ‘Safer Solutions’:
http://www.safersolutions.org.au/

To find out more about saving energy and water, living with less waste, natural cleaning, alternative transport and how you can live more sustainably go to ‘It’s a Living Thing’:
http://www.livingthing.net.au/

To find out about ‘Greendates’ go to:
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/greendates/index.htm

To find out what can be recycled in your area go to Planet Ark:
http://www.recyclingnearyou.com.au/

To find out how to hold a ‘Waste wise event’ go to:
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/education/wwe_home.htm

To join an Australian Recycling Community called Freecycle, a site you can use to recycle goods by not charging for them or being charged to take them to the local rubbish tip, visit:  
http://www.freecycle.org.au/

To make simple changes to the way we live and identify ways that you can green your home and lifestyle, from saving energy and water to cutting down on waste, visit Australian Conservation Foundation which holds free ‘GreenHome’ workshops.
http://www.acfonline.org.au/default.asp?section_id=188

To find out more about Community gardens in Sydney visit:
http://www.communitygarden.org.au/

To download a free copy of Seed Savers’ 90 page publication called 'Seed to Seed' which covers just about everything one needs to know about food gardens in schools in a step-by-step manual format (which can also be applied to the home garden), go to:
http://www.seedsavers.net/publications/1187091548_6844.jsp

To reduce the impact on the environment by reusing building materials while renovating visit: The Second Hand Building Centre at 432B West Botany Street, Rockdale.  Ph: (02) 9567 1322.
www.shbc.com.au  or Sam’s Seconds, 65-67 Batt Street, Penrith NSW 2750, Ph: (02) 4731 3317

Ever dreamed of making the streets outside your abode more livable, pedestrian-friendly, and community oriented? City Repair in Portland, Oregon hosts an annual Village Building Convergence where hundreds of people come together to build diverse projects for the benefit of their communities and to take back their streets via a process known as the Intersection Repair. This involves painting streets with highly visible murals that create a public square for residents to gather and one which gently encourages drivers to slow down when approaching these spaces. Over time the neighbors further enhance the transformation by adding amenities like benches, community bulletin boards, and introducing gardens & art. Lobby your local council and MP’s to express your interest in creating vibrant and more livable cities.
             http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/intersection-repair/

For more inspiration, watch a trailer for Joanna Macy’s DVD ' the work that reconnects', which talks about ‘the great turning’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwlXTAT8rLk  (duration 5min 37secs)

Another good movie to watch is, "What a way to go... Life at the End of Empire".  It's a 2 hour long dialog-piece with the main author telling his story interspersed with interviews with authors and experts in the environmental and energy field:
http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/

To campaign online join ‘Getup’, where members are coming together in one of the largest grassroots action groups Australia's ever seen. It is a politically motivated movement attempting to enlist like-minded people who want to bring participation back into democracy. You'll receive occasional GetUp emails (on average, one every ten days) alerting you to new campaigns and providing ways of affecting positive change. Whether it is signing a petition, engaging with the media, attending an event or helping to get a television ad on the air, you'll only ever asked to take targeted, coordinated and strategic action. Taking action is optional, convenient and proven to work!  
http://www.getup.org.au/

To find out how you can have a working holiday with Australian and International organic farming families go to:
http://www.wwoofinternational.org/

For a peaceful holiday and an opportunity to learn more about living more sustainably visit Gudhara Holistic Sanctuary, Australia's Leading Sustainable Retreat Centre.  Their focus is on Arts + Environment + Spirituality.  Located at 831 Red Hills Road, Marulan NSW 2579.  Ph: 02 4841 1632, Fax: 02 4841 1632
             www.gudhara.org.au


Each day we can make valuable choices about how we and future generations will survive on our planet. Start making your choices meaningful today!

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