From Guest Blogger Delicia Warren: Using Permaculture Principles in Your Life and Home

Harking from Australia in the late 1970s, Permaculture is a creative design process based on a set of ethics and principles with the same ambition: to live sustainably and resiliently. These days, you’ll find permaculture farms, gardens, projects and communities all over the world and you can learn a lot from these success stories. In particular, the Permaculture design principles can spark inspiration for everyday living both in partnership with the land and our fellow man, whether in the garden or in the home.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the Permaculture approach, here are the twelve principles commonly regarded:

1. Observe and interact

Permaculture ideology is based on respecting how nature evolves and putting in place processes that work with nature rather than against it. You can bring this thinking into the home by observing the plants that grow naturally in your garden, or in the areas surrounding your home. Harness any space, such as window sills, and the naturally occurring weather systems, to grow what you can.

2. Catch and store energy

Make the most of times of abundance, and plan for potential times of need. For instance, if you know that your yield of fruit is very high for a couple of months and then you struggle for the remainder of the year, put plans in place to collect and then store or freeze the excess fruit to be used when it’s not growing so well.

Another great way to catch and store energy is, of course, solar panels. More and more houses are looking to solar energy as a new means of power; collecting sunlight and converting it to energy is how solar panels work.

3. Obtain a yield

This principle is somewhat of a productivity check: there’s little point in working towards an ambition or goal if you aren’t reaping benefits from it. Think about the meals you cook and why you cook them: is it your goal to eat more healthily, are you trying to be more sustainable in your diet, and most importantly, do you enjoy the food you eat? Food is so much more than fuel, be sure that you gain pleasure from the meals you prepare, otherwise whatever behavior you’re working towards won’t become second nature.

4. Apply self-regulation and accept feedback

The greatest example of this principle is climate change: the damaging weather is negative feedback on the ways of working that have been in place for generations. To continue to flourish, you must accept feedback and respond to it with positive change.

In your own home, think about water bills: have you thought for months, maybe years, that you could probably be spending less on water? Now is the time to investigate the means of reducing your water usage, and bring those bills down with it.

5. Use and value renewable resources and services

There are examples of renewable resources all through the natural world, without them, the world wouldn’t have evolved and continued to thrive for so many millions of years! What might have happened if early societies had eaten all their animals, rather than rearing them for use on farms (either to help with work or for milk, cheese, and eggs) or as domestic pets?

Consider ways to encourage a long-lasting, rather than a purely consumptive, relationship with what you bring into your house. For instance, when you buy fresh herbs, do you buy them in a small one portion sachet, requiring the use of plastic packaging for the one-time use? Instead of this, why not buy a small basil plant and pick off leaves as and when you need them. Not only are you reducing plastic wastage this way, but you’re encouraging a lasting relationship with that plant — watering it and keeping it alive so that it can be used time and time again.

6. Produce no waste

Food is one of the biggest forms of waste in the common household. Performing weekly food shopping may be the most convenient approach, but often it demands some guesswork as to how much food you and your family will eat throughout the following days. If you’re the head of a family, try to work out how many mouths you’ll need to feed on each day of the week and plan meals accordingly. On the other hand, buying meal by meal may leave you with more waste if you’re only cooking for one or two. Find an approach that works for you; not only will you produce less food waste by the end of the week, you’ll also save money by not buying things you won’t use.

Another great way to produce no waste is to buy secondhand, thus giving a new lease of life to someone else’s unwanted items. If you think you might want to take up a new sport, why not buy the required equipment from eBay first, rather than investing in new and expensive goods? Then, should you change your mind on the hobby, you’ve not wasted your money. Equally, review the items you own: do you have clothes you’ve not worn for years, or a basement full of neglected appliances? Why not donate these to a local Goodwill or similar store, freeing up space in your house and life.

7. Design from patterns to details

Do you find yourself always rushing around the house, late for work in the morning, even if you’ve woken up in plenty of time to get ready? Perhaps take a step back, and spend an evening slowly walking through your normal morning routine to understand what might be creating the delay. It might sound bizarre, but perhaps your wardrobe isn’t designed optimally, for example, do you have your work clothes within easy reach of your work shoes? Are you wasting time moving between rooms to get your clothes together? This principle is about looking at current behavior and searching for insights to make that behavior more efficient.

8. Integrate rather than segregate

The adages say, “Many hands make light work” and “No man is an island”; the greatest philosophers of our time have acknowledged that people work better together. If you’re living alone, get to know your neighbors or look for community groups in your local area. There is no shortage of success stories where people get together, share ideas, skills or property, to save money and reduce environmental impact.

9. Use small and slow solutions

Perhaps you decided to train for a marathon, only to find yourself burnt out within a week of intense workouts, or you chose to redecorate the house and started making changes on every room at the same time. Either approach will have the same result: you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. Success is much more achievable if you tackle challenges slowly and surely. Plan two or three runs a week, starting with short distances and build up. Identify which rooms are a priority to redecorate first.

10. Use and value diversity

While in a meeting at work, or catching up with friends over a drink, have you ever chosen to disregard a comment or suggestion because it challenged your stance on something? There’s much to be gained from listening to people who have different opinions and diversity is the spice of life — that’s why sitcoms are always scripted around the most unlikely of friends!

Next time you’re struggling to make a decision, why not call a friend who represents a different way of thinking than your own?

11. Use edges and value the marginal

Permaculturists believe in using all available space in their projects, and this design approach can be seen in many smart, space-saving homes. Do you have any empty space that could be better utilized, such as stair drawers? Or a piece of furniture that could have two roles, such as a sofa bed?

12. Creatively use and respond to change

‘Change’ can be quite a scary concept to some, especially those who like to have life all planned out. However, change isn’t always a negative thing; growth, progress, and adaptability are all forms of positive change. A belief that you can change the parts of your life that aren’t working for you is very empowering, for example, have you been speaking about finding a new job for years, or always wanted to learn to play guitar?

However, sometimes, change happens undesirably: your company has to lay people off, your landlord decides to sell up, your relationship fails. Try to view this change as a challenge to rebuild in a more effective, and enjoyable, way. Perspective and optimism are key here, and Permaculturists would approach even unwanted change as a design opportunity.

Bringing Permaculture into your life

Remember Principle 9, and start slow and steady if you want to borrow Permaculture principles in your life. See what thoughts and ideas these ways of thinking inspire and make it work for you. Value your individuality, and harness unique way of living, you’ll be a Permaculturist in no time!

Guest Post by: Delicia Warren is a freelance writer, passionate about the environment, organic farming and food production. An advocate for a holistic approach to the world’s problems, she has a particular interest in the small changes individuals can make to their lifestyle to minimize their environmental footprint.