Introduction (Chapter 1) This Chapter is divided into three sections: 1. Permaculture Design Philosophy 2. Ethics 3. Permaculture in Landscape and Society Section 1 says Pc is about design and ethics. It describes consumptive lifestyles as a problem which has brought us to the brink of annihilation. The solution is to take responsibility and act. We have enough knowledge to make a difference if we act now. Our culture has created lifestyles that are separate from nature and this has diverted our attention from natural laws. Section 2 is about ethics and states them as: * Care of the Earth * Care of People * Setting Limits to Population and Consumption The rest of the text talks about why we need ethics. Section 3 says we need both designed landscapes and a place for nature. In designed landscapes we need to cycle materials and operate like nature. We need to conserve and establish limits. Conclusions: These points seem important to me and i would expect both design and ethics to appear thoughout the rest of the book. I can find a few things to criticise about this chapter and other books on Pc have expressed the ideas a little differently, but it might be better to just expand on the ideas and look at where they are going. For example, the statement about acting now and the sense of urgency is something that i like about Pc. We don't have to wait around for someone else to do something. We can try to apply the design principles to our life and do something now. The ethics part can be applied in a lot of different ways. It is possible to get lost in debate about when is time for care of people and when do we try to correct for too many people in an area. Once again, the intent is fairly clear we need to balance both and find a path that both ethics are in harmony. The balance between designed landscapes and nature is another area that can get lost in debate, but it also can be visualized. Most of the debate gets lost in language and definitions when we should be seeing a model of the future where humans and nature are no longer separate. For now we can accept Mollison's view of promoting both, and someday see the forest as just another garden we depend on. Possible Questions: The ethics suggest to me a goal of sustainability, is this the same as earth care and people care? Is Pc a process or is it something we can touch and measure? If Pc is mostly process then is it a fixed process or an adapting process? Another way to ask this question: Is earth care a fixed response or an on going adaption. ---------- Jeff Owens ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Zone 7, http://www.teleport.com/~kowens Underground house, solar energy, reduced consumption, no TV
