During the 1970’s, permaculture was initiated by two Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. While it originated as an agro-ecological design theory, permaculture has developed into a large international following of individuals who have received training through intensive permaculture design courses.
According to Mollison (1990), the principles behind the permaculture theory come from an ethical and responsible decision vital to our own existence and future generations. By offering training to individuals in a set of design principles, these individuals can become designers of their own environments and are able to build increasingly self-sufficient settlements. These settlements would decrease society’s dependence on industrial systems of production and distribution that Mollison identified as systematically destroying the earth’s ecosystems.
“Think Globally, Act Locally”
Nowadays, permaculture communities continue to expand on the original principles of Mollison and Holmgren, integrating a range of alternative cultural ideas, through a network of training, publications, community gardens and forums. Permaculture has become both a design system as well as an ever evolving lifestyle ethics, that mimic the structure and interrelationship found in nature.
Cartoon by Bob Moran
