The 12 principles of Permaculture design and how they can be applied to create sustainable systems.
Observation and Pattern Analysis: Understanding the importance of observing and analyzing patterns in nature and systems.
Site Analysis and Assessment: Assessing the strengths and limitations of a given site.
Soil Health and Fertility: Understanding the importance of healthy soil in sustainable design.
Water Management: Managing water flow on-site through techniques such as swales, rainwater harvesting and greywater systems.
Energy Flow in Natural Systems: Understanding energy flows through food webs and ecosystems.
Zone and Sector Analysis: Determining the most efficient use of space and resources within a given site.
Design Strategies: Planning design strategies such as succession planting and guilds.
Animal Integration: Incorporating animals into the design and management of the farming system.
Climate and Microclimate Considerations: Designing for different types of weather and microclimates.
Social Systems: Designing for human communities and social systems.
Ethics: Understanding the ethical principles that underlie permaculture design.
Implementation and Maintenance: Maintaining and improving the design system over time.
Observe and Interact: This principle involves carefully observing and interacting with the natural world to understand its patterns, flows, and cycles.
Catch and Store Energy: This principle focuses on capturing and storing energy from the sun, wind, and water to power your system.
Obtain a Yield: This principle asserts that every element in a system should yield multiple outputs to increase the overall productivity of the system.
Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback: This principle advocates for a sustainable system that monitors its own health and feedback to determine what changes it needs.
Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services: This principle suggests that we use and value renewable resources like trees, water, and wildlife instead of non-renewable resources like fossil fuels.
Produce No Waste: This principle asserts that a sustainable system should generate no waste, everything should be recycled, repurposed, or used.
Design from Patterns to Details: This principle involves designing systems based on observed natural patterns such as cycles, spirals, webs, and fractals.
Integrate Rather than Segregate: This principle advocates for connecting different components of a system to create a more resilient, harmonious, and productive system.
Use Small and Slow Solutions: This principle suggests that we small and slow solutions to solve complex problems for increased efficiency.
Use and Value Diversity: This principle emphasizes that diversity is crucial for the resilience of a system, and we should appreciate diversity in culture, nature, and ideas.
Use Edges and Value the Marginal: This principle suggests the use of the edges to create more opportunities for production and interaction.
Creatively Use and Respond to Change: This principle involves embracing change and uncertainty, and adapting to new situations for increased sustainability and success.