Permaculture, permanent agriculture or permanent culture – depending on who you ask, is many things to many people. It can be seen as a way of life, a system of design, a set of ethics,  a way to integrate disciplines, an approach.   In my own simple words, permaculture attempts to create the healthiest most productive environment possible for humans, plants, and animals alike. Permaculturist, Dan Hemenway said it like this, “Permaculture is Applied Science and Ecology; Ethical design of human systems for a sustainable future. It offers practical solutions to the global environmental and cultural crises we now face.”  At times permaculture combines ecology, biology, agriculture, geography, gardening, and building science. Permaculture is a holistic look at a homesite, a farm, or a community; some even apply it to jobs and corporations.  Permaculture looks for the connections, the deep often hidden connections, that when applied to design, develops into appropriate placement.   Using permaculture ethics and applying design, techniques, and principals creates a perspective in which business, environmental, and personal decisions can be approached in order to increase the chances of achieving the best results.  Obviously permaculture can be hard to define but can be a powerful tool when addressing issues surrounding water quality, air quality, and quality of life.  One of my favorite principles of permaculture is “start small and go slow.” When learning new information it can be easy to become overwhelmed but it is increasingly evident that the application of permaculture design is imperative for our planet.
When explaining permaculture, a story is often told of a student who went to Bill Mollison, one of founders of Permaculture, complaining of an overabundance of snails in the garden and looking for a solution.  Bill’s answer was not store bought bait or even to go snail hunting armed with salt and a flashlight but that, “you don’t have a snail problem, you have a duck deficiency.” This turns the problem into the solution.  What thrives on snails and as a bonus can add nutrients to a garden? One thing permaculture does is first seeks to apply a natural solution to a problem to assist in restoring and maintaining natural balance. This is only a small example, a glimpse. The answer may not be the same for everyone. Workable solutions are very personal and based on need, location, skill and desire. The answer at my house may not be the right answer for you but the goal is to look at the problem differently so you can see patterns and to seek solutions.

Permaculture is not just gardening, it’s not just soil or water or animals, or even finances but it is all of those things and more. The potential permaculture methods, principals, and designs hold can be powerful and eye opening. I hope your interest has been peaked and you desire to learn more. I encourage you to keep permaculture in mind as we look to find those things that will heal ourselves and our planet.
To learn more:

http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/key_concepts
http://www.patternliteracy.com/books/gaias-garden
http://www.perennialsolutions.org/carbon-sequestering-agriculture-global-warming-solution-piece-remove-co2-from-atmosphere-organic-garden.html