Permaculture is a sustainability buzzword, but many people wonder what it actually means and why it is relevant. Originally coined by combining the words permanent and agriculture, permaculture has evolved into an optimistic approach connecting all the systems of human life: gardening, housing, transportation, energy, and how we structure our communities.
“The Permaculture Promise” explains in simple terms why permaculture may be the key to unlocking a livable future on our planet. Author Jono Neiger asserts that humans can thrive while simultaneously making Earth healthier and not destroying it. The book shows 22 ways that permaculture can create a better future for all living things. Profiles of people and communities, including an urban dweller who tore up her driveway to create a vegetable garden and a California housing development that dedicates a third of its land to parks, orchards, and gardens, will inspire you to incorporate permaculture principles into your life today. “The Permaculture Promise” offers an optimistic, innovative approach to reversing direction and adopting practices that will regenerate, rather than exhaust, Earth's resources.
Introduction
1 Turn Deserts into Farmland
2 Create Self-Fertile Soil
3 Turn Waste into Food
4 Spread the Wealth
5 Build Community
6 Help Individuals & Communities Re-Skill
7 Make Wetlands & River Edges Productive
8 Create More Livable Cities
9 Stabilize Our Food Supply
10 Create Productive Landscapes
11 Help Reverse Climate Change
12 Help You Become a Nicer Person
13 Help You Become a Better Designer (of Landscapes and of Life)
14 Build Smarter Homes
15 Create Gardens That Provide for Themselves
16 Stop Erosion & Make Water Cleaner
17 Ensure That We Have Enough Water
18 Create Financially Resilient Communities
19 Revitalize Natural Areas while Providing for Humans
20 Turn Problems into Solutions
21 Fulfill Our Energy Needs
22 Build a Resilient Future
Basics of Permaculture Systems
Resources
The Shoulders We Stand On
Gratitude
Index An Optimistic Road Map for Our Future
Permaculture is a design system that offers practical ideas for how humans can simultaneously provide for ourselves and regenerate the natural world.
Here are 22 ways that permaculture can help us achieve that goal, brought to life through profiles of people and communities who are already taking the permaculture path. This groundbreaking approach moves beyond sustainability, connecting all the systems of human life, including gardening, housing, transportation, energy, and how we structure our communities.
