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Why Delve in Permaculture?

The most significant problem we face in our society is a cultural one. Our society does not value wisdom. Fortunately, Permaculture has the potential to provide it. It is important to focus on this cultural issue, as the best water, energy, housing, gardening, you-name-it type of system will only have limited impact without solving people/cultural systems.

We live in a culture where our heroes are measured by their short-term actions, from flying to save damsels in distress, to battling evil-doers with brawn and metal. Unfortunately, these heroes are primarily defined by their physical abilities rather than their capacity to make wise choices. I always wonder what happens to these heroes after their amazing deeds are done. Do they live a happy life? Do they live in harmony with their day-to-day environment? Do they eat healthy? Do they lead sustainable lives? Do they set a behaviour we can all emulate? From the recent strain of heroes coming out of Hollywood the answer is most definite: No.

Long ago, we used to revere wisdom. Many societies used to have elders that were respected and sought after for their wise council. In contrast, in our current society people grow old in age, but not in wisdom. We lock our elderly in nursing homes and we certainly don’t seek their advice. They seem to be more lost than children, who have unlimited ability to absorb new electronic technology.

In fact, our society has replaced wisdom with technology. The current belief in the media is that technology will save us in every aspect. We have been convinced that somehow technology will help us grow more food, technology will clean after all of our waste, technology will teach us how to be better people, technology will allow us to have better societies. We have this unhealthy idea that we will be improved by some technology that has not even been invented yet. We have forgotten that technology is just a tool we wield with our hands, we still need to use it wisely.

That is why permaculture is so important. It seeks to incorporate the wisdom gained over the years with a sustainable culture in mind.

jump“Man Cliff Jumping” by Stacey Swinehart

Why delve in Permaculture?

It was not always like this, there used to be a time when we only had to “work” a few hours of the day for “subsistence”.

There used to be a time when we  would spend most of our time with our children and teach them how to be full human beings:
how to deal with death, how to comfort our fellow men, how to court a woman, how to dream and create, what plants to eat, which plants heal, how to live in harmony with nature, in essence, how to be happy.

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Song translation, lyrics and guitar cords for a Russian bard song ‘Swamp and River’

Oles iz Luboistoka

I have recently come across this inspiring artist, Oles iz Luboistoka. As you’ve probably gathered, he is not an English performer. He is a Russian singer and song writer, who lives in an eco village called Luboistok. The village is comprised of family domains, who strive to be in harmony with nature, improve the space they live in and be happy (please see the Ringing Cedars series for details on family domains).

I am so moved by his music that I’ve decided I must share it with the English-speaking world. I’ve picked one of the songs called “Swamp and River” and tackled its translation in the most accurate manner. You can listen to the song below (as well as download it). It’s completely legal, Oles offers ALL of his music for download on his website!

Болото и Река (Swamp and River)
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John Hardy: My green school dream (TED video)

This video just hit me right over the head. I had a sudden urge to get on the plane and join this man!

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Five Ways to Beautiful and Productive Balcony Gardens

Rastafarian Balcony Garden - Jamacian radio station
Rastafarian Balcony Garden – Jamacian radio station by cecilia macaulay

Like millions of people, I live in a city apartment with limited access to land. Fortunately, like millions of people again, I have an outdoor balcony, and it’s a growing opportunity not to be missed.

This weekend I really took the time to clean my balcony, take stock of what pots I have, and decide what I want to grow this summer. My main objective is to produce the most food possible, but also to create a beautiful sanctuary, where I can enjoy my morning tea or read a book.

I wanted some inspiration for this project, so I went looking around the web for ideas on how other people created their balcony getaways. Here you go, a gallery of beautiful and inspiring balcony gardens we can learn from.

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Three Fascinating TED Talks by Jonathan Drori

About Jonathan Drori
Jonathan Drori has dedicated his career to media and learning. As the Head of Commissioning for BBC Online, he commissioned the BBC’s very first websites! After almost two decades at the BBC, he’s now a director at Changing Media Ltd., a media and education consultancy, and is a visiting professor at University of Bristol, where he studies educational media and misperceptions in science. He continues to executive produce the occasional TV series, including 2004’s award-winning “The DNA Story” and 2009’s “Great Sperm Race.” He is on the boards of the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Woodland Trust.

(source: Jonathan Drori’s Bio on TED)

Jonathan Drori: Every pollen grain has a story


Pollen goes unnoticed by most of us, except when hay fever strikes. But microscopes reveal it comes in stunning colors and shapes — and travels remarkably well. Jonathan Drori gives an up-close glimpse of these fascinating flecks of plant courtship.