The coalition exists to facilitate the organization and education of the building and design community and the general public to foster: healthy and ecologically sound built environments    sustainable resource use    responsible and healthy businesses

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Permaculture Panel and Video

Most of us have heard of Permaculture, but its meaning still eludes many.  Permaculture teaches the principles and tools needed to design our lives and our communities so that we may live as sustainably as possible.  It inspires us and teaches us to make the least imprint on the earth for current and for future generations.  It promotes not only natural building and appropriate technology but how to design systems to encourage sustainability, all the way from making compost out of your office paper to creating a food forest in your yard.  In permaculture one learns to observe and replicate the pattterns in nature, enabling one to design a sustainable garden where nature does most of the work.  While the tremendous depth and breadth of Permaculture can't be covered in a single session, our panel will be able to present a good idea of what permaculture design is and how anyone can benefit from it.  The design principles are important to  use even if one is just planning an addition to a home or putting in a garden.  Please come learn about some of these techniques and how you as a homeowner, architect, or city planner can benefit from this design knowledge. SBC members Mary Talbot and Robert Southworth, avid supporters of Permaculture, have assembled a knowledgeable panel and will present a portion of "The Global Gardener" video.  Jim Dawes, a San Antonio architect and site designer, will talk to us about designing our sites using permaculture principles.  Many of  you know Jim, who is a former Austin SBC member. He is a permaculture graduate of Patricia Dubose Michael (our local Queen of Permaculture) and has co-designed a subdivision with her. Jim is currently co-existing with wild land in south Texas brush country and is a bioregionalist.  Jim will be joined by Laura De La Garza who is a permaculture student currently apprenticing with Patricia Dubose Michael.  She is a graduate student at UT in Community and Regional Planning with an emphasis in conservation design.  Laura, who is also a bioregionlist, is currently building a cob house and working on an eco-village design.

Dick Pearce is intensely devoted to the concepts of Permaculture and will undoubtedly share his enthusiasm with us.  He is the  Senior coordinator of the AmeriCorp Program at American YouthWorks which consists of CasaVerde Builders and Environmental Corp.  Dick's background in Permaculture started with studying American Indian traditional agriculture in New Mexico and South Dakota.  He is a graduate of the permaculture design course in Guatamala and has taught in New Mexico, South Dakota and here at the March course in Dripping Springs.  He is a bioregionalist, and after two years here he is still learning about Austin.  Resources for Permaculture The following books are from a suggested reading list for Patricia Michael’s 1992 Permaculture course: Permaculture: A designer's Manual Bill Mollison Introduction to Permaculture  Bill Mollison Dream of the Earth   Thomas Berry The Humanure Handbook   Joe Jenkins A Pattern Language   Christopher Alexander My Name is Chellis & I'm in Recovery from Western Civilization   Chellis Glendiinning Ishmael  Danial Quinn The Fifth Sacred Thing   Starhawk The Chalice & the Blade   Riane Eisler The Magical Child    Joseph Chilton Pierce Diet for a New America    John Robbins The Permaculture Activist   Magazine published by Peter Bain - I will bring copies and subscription form.