so I’d like to begin by knowing how many of you are problem solvers alright I’m
of you are problem solvers alright I’m
of you are problem solvers alright I’m in the right place good and how many of
in the right place good and how many of
in the right place good and how many of you have thought about using patterns in
you have thought about using patterns in
you have thought about using patterns in nature to solve those very problems like
nature to solve those very problems like
nature to solve those very problems like observing beavers for water management
observing beavers for water management
observing beavers for water management or squirrels for food systems not as
or squirrels for food systems not as
or squirrels for food systems not as many right this concept called
many right this concept called
many right this concept called permaculture will become clear in just a
permaculture will become clear in just a
permaculture will become clear in just a moment as a permaculture teacher and
moment as a permaculture teacher and
moment as a permaculture teacher and designer the squirrels the beavers and
designer the squirrels the beavers and
designer the squirrels the beavers and even the trees are amongst my greatest
even the trees are amongst my greatest
even the trees are amongst my greatest mentors permaculture is a culmination of
mentors permaculture is a culmination of
mentors permaculture is a culmination of two words permanent and agriculture it’s
two words permanent and agriculture it’s
two words permanent and agriculture it’s an ecological design science that’s
an ecological design science that’s
an ecological design science that’s rooted in the observation of nature to
rooted in the observation of nature to
rooted in the observation of nature to design solutions for the environmental
design solutions for the environmental
design solutions for the environmental and social challenges that we face I
and social challenges that we face I
and social challenges that we face I know it sounds quite vast but it’s
know it sounds quite vast but it’s
know it sounds quite vast but it’s actually very simple at its core my
actually very simple at its core my
actually very simple at its core my journey with permaculture began just
journey with permaculture began just
journey with permaculture began just after university when a friend of mine
after university when a friend of mine
after university when a friend of mine asked me for advice on planting
asked me for advice on planting
asked me for advice on planting date-palms in the Jordan desert now I
date-palms in the Jordan desert now I
date-palms in the Jordan desert now I know why she came to me I’m the Eco
know why she came to me I’m the Eco
know why she came to me I’m the Eco friend of our group always knowing what
friend of our group always knowing what
friend of our group always knowing what to compost and inviting people over for
to compost and inviting people over for
to compost and inviting people over for clothing swaps but in this very moment I
clothing swaps but in this very moment I
clothing swaps but in this very moment I realized I didn’t have the skills to
realized I didn’t have the skills to
realized I didn’t have the skills to design solutions for her let alone for
design solutions for her let alone for
design solutions for her let alone for all the problems we learned about in
all the problems we learned about in
all the problems we learned about in university so what was I to do this
university so what was I to do this
university so what was I to do this moment of panic okay
moment of panic okay
moment of panic okay I just asked uncle Google it’s probably
I just asked uncle Google it’s probably
I just asked uncle Google it’s probably what many of you would do in moments I
what many of you would do in moments I
what many of you would do in moments I discovered the greening the desert
discovered the greening the desert
discovered the greening the desert project by Geoff Lawton it’s ten acres
project by Geoff Lawton it’s ten acres
project by Geoff Lawton it’s ten acres of desert flat in the Jordan Dead Sea
of desert flat in the Jordan Dead Sea
of desert flat in the Jordan Dead Sea valley hyper arid over-salted land that
valley hyper arid over-salted land that
valley hyper arid over-salted land that he made fertile once again this place is
he made fertile once again this place is
he made fertile once again this place is known to be the Fertile Crescent after
known to be the Fertile Crescent after
known to be the Fertile Crescent after all what was interesting was this
all what was interesting was this
all what was interesting was this permaculture design process so first we
permaculture design process so first we
permaculture design process so first we observe the situation in this case we’re
observe the situation in this case we’re
observe the situation in this case we’re observing the desert we state our goal
observing the desert we state our goal
observing the desert we state our goal we design a solution we evaluate and
we design a solution we evaluate and
we design a solution we evaluate and repeat so if we observe the desert we
repeat so if we observe the desert we
repeat so if we observe the desert we notice there’s a few key elements
notice there’s a few key elements
notice there’s a few key elements missing for an ecosystem to thrive
missing for an ecosystem to thrive
missing for an ecosystem to thrive one being moisture the other being
one being moisture the other being
one being moisture the other being organic matter these are also known as
organic matter these are also known as
organic matter these are also known as water and leaves and what Jeff did was
water and leaves and what Jeff did was
water and leaves and what Jeff did was he shaped land to catch the rainfall he
he shaped land to catch the rainfall he
he shaped land to catch the rainfall he brought in waste leaves from nearby and
brought in waste leaves from nearby and
brought in waste leaves from nearby and within months there was a mushroom that
within months there was a mushroom that
within months there was a mushroom that began eating the organic matter and
began eating the organic matter and
began eating the organic matter and actually capturing the salt from the
actually capturing the salt from the
actually capturing the salt from the soil this effectively remediated the
soil this effectively remediated the
soil this effectively remediated the whole situation what Jeff did was
whole situation what Jeff did was
whole situation what Jeff did was something that is not considered
something that is not considered
something that is not considered appropriate in conventional agriculture
appropriate in conventional agriculture
appropriate in conventional agriculture we normally just abandoned these
we normally just abandoned these
we normally just abandoned these over-salted farms but what Jeff did in
over-salted farms but what Jeff did in
over-salted farms but what Jeff did in the end was like putting a defibrillator
the end was like putting a defibrillator
the end was like putting a defibrillator on the heart of this ecosystem and it
on the heart of this ecosystem and it
on the heart of this ecosystem and it awoke this simple Google search changed
awoke this simple Google search changed
awoke this simple Google search changed my life entirely for the past seven
my life entirely for the past seven
my life entirely for the past seven years I’ve discovered through
years I’ve discovered through
years I’ve discovered through permaculture how to heal communities how
permaculture how to heal communities how
permaculture how to heal communities how to feed the hungry and I’ve even seen
to feed the hungry and I’ve even seen
to feed the hungry and I’ve even seen solutions so great that they can fight
solutions so great that they can fight
solutions so great that they can fight against climate change this led me to
against climate change this led me to
against climate change this led me to become a permaculture teacher designer
become a permaculture teacher designer
become a permaculture teacher designer and now founder of be through
and now founder of be through
and now founder of be through permaculture which is a design
permaculture which is a design
permaculture which is a design consultancy in school where hundreds of
consultancy in school where hundreds of
consultancy in school where hundreds of our students have gone across the world
our students have gone across the world
our students have gone across the world now starting their own projects just
now starting their own projects just
now starting their own projects just like Jeff what’s really interesting is
like Jeff what’s really interesting is
like Jeff what’s really interesting is the moments of inspiration in their eyes
the moments of inspiration in their eyes
the moments of inspiration in their eyes the projects that they go on to begin
the projects that they go on to begin
the projects that they go on to begin even today a group of our own students
even today a group of our own students
even today a group of our own students from this year are creating a design
from this year are creating a design
from this year are creating a design cooperative to create solutions for
cooperative to create solutions for
cooperative to create solutions for problems right here in Montreal so let’s
problems right here in Montreal so let’s
problems right here in Montreal so let’s get back to the design process
get back to the design process
get back to the design process permaculture right so we need to stay to
permaculture right so we need to stay to
permaculture right so we need to stay to goal or solve a problem can anyone think
goal or solve a problem can anyone think
goal or solve a problem can anyone think of a problem they might need to solve
of a problem they might need to solve
of a problem they might need to solve there’s quite a few I know but if you
there’s quite a few I know but if you
there’s quite a few I know but if you don’t know what your problems are trust
don’t know what your problems are trust
don’t know what your problems are trust me you are worse off so let’s start with
me you are worse off so let’s start with
me you are worse off so let’s start with a problem then we observe design a
a problem then we observe design a
a problem then we observe design a solution evaluate and repeat and this
solution evaluate and repeat and this
solution evaluate and repeat and this process is quite simple but around the
process is quite simple but around the
process is quite simple but around the world today there are nations
world today there are nations
world today there are nations governments and whole communities that
governments and whole communities that
governments and whole communities that fight against problems that are
fight against problems that are
fight against problems that are insurmountable with the conventional
insurmountable with the conventional
insurmountable with the conventional approach to problem solving so let’s use
approach to problem solving so let’s use
approach to problem solving so let’s use permaculture to solve these problems
permaculture to solve these problems
permaculture to solve these problems one such problem is growing food in the
one such problem is growing food in the
one such problem is growing food in the desert but another problem is actually
desert but another problem is actually
desert but another problem is actually food deserts themselves which aren’t
food deserts themselves which aren’t
food deserts themselves which aren’t actually deserts but areas of the world
actually deserts but areas of the world
actually deserts but areas of the world where inhabitants have low access to
where inhabitants have low access to
where inhabitants have low access to food urban rural and beyond this is a
food urban rural and beyond this is a
food urban rural and beyond this is a common problem that is usually remedied
common problem that is usually remedied
common problem that is usually remedied by government’s bringing in supermarket
by government’s bringing in supermarket
by government’s bringing in supermarket chains to these already marginalized
chains to these already marginalized
chains to these already marginalized areas now we don’t need more pre-roasted
areas now we don’t need more pre-roasted
areas now we don’t need more pre-roasted takeout chickens or canned ravioli what
takeout chickens or canned ravioli what
takeout chickens or canned ravioli what we need is good nutritious food and so
we need is good nutritious food and so
we need is good nutritious food and so if we observe this same ecosystem where
if we observe this same ecosystem where
if we observe this same ecosystem where we thrive in food deserts there are
we thrive in food deserts there are
we thrive in food deserts there are other groups of species that thrive
other groups of species that thrive
other groups of species that thrive alongside us in abundance and one such
alongside us in abundance and one such
alongside us in abundance and one such species is the squirrel I know I know
species is the squirrel I know I know
species is the squirrel I know I know they’re not considered our best friends
they’re not considered our best friends
they’re not considered our best friends fighting
fighting
fighting tearing down the bird feeder and
tearing down the bird feeder and
tearing down the bird feeder and fighting the kids for their lunch snack
fighting the kids for their lunch snack
fighting the kids for their lunch snack and stealing my tomatoes but how do they
and stealing my tomatoes but how do they
and stealing my tomatoes but how do they do so well for themselves if we observe
do so well for themselves if we observe
do so well for themselves if we observe the ecosystem we notice that squirrels
the ecosystem we notice that squirrels
the ecosystem we notice that squirrels are continually gathering nuts seeds
are continually gathering nuts seeds
are continually gathering nuts seeds your Tomatoes but what’s interesting is
your Tomatoes but what’s interesting is
your Tomatoes but what’s interesting is that only 15% of the food that they
that only 15% of the food that they
that only 15% of the food that they gather is consumed
gather is consumed
gather is consumed this means that 85% of the nuts that
this means that 85% of the nuts that
this means that 85% of the nuts that they gather are simply wasted now if
they gather are simply wasted now if
they gather are simply wasted now if this was a conventional grocery store
this was a conventional grocery store
this was a conventional grocery store chain they just throw out the old nuts
chain they just throw out the old nuts
chain they just throw out the old nuts when the new ones come in but the
when the new ones come in but the
when the new ones come in but the squirrels they but they’re not they put
squirrels they but they’re not they put
squirrels they but they’re not they put their walnuts in the dirt and if only
their walnuts in the dirt and if only
their walnuts in the dirt and if only one of those walnuts was to grow into a
one of those walnuts was to grow into a
one of those walnuts was to grow into a tree that walnut tree would produce 50
tree that walnut tree would produce 50
tree that walnut tree would produce 50 bushels of walnuts every year for a
bushels of walnuts every year for a
bushels of walnuts every year for a hundred and fifty years that’s six
hundred and fifty years that’s six
hundred and fifty years that’s six pickup trucks worth of nuts every year
pickup trucks worth of nuts every year
pickup trucks worth of nuts every year it’s more than the squirrel or its kids
it’s more than the squirrel or its kids
it’s more than the squirrel or its kids will ever need for the rest of their
will ever need for the rest of their
will ever need for the rest of their lives that’s a good sustainable system
lives that’s a good sustainable system
lives that’s a good sustainable system right actually that’s beyond sustainable
right actually that’s beyond sustainable
right actually that’s beyond sustainable if I said that my relationship to my
if I said that my relationship to my
if I said that my relationship to my mother was sustainable she might have
mother was sustainable she might have
mother was sustainable she might have something to say to me after this talk
something to say to me after this talk
something to say to me after this talk sustainability is bare minimum and we
sustainability is bare minimum and we
sustainability is bare minimum and we need to see it as only the first rung in
need to see it as only the first rung in
need to see it as only the first rung in the ladder towards abundance and design
the ladder towards abundance and design
the ladder towards abundance and design systems that are really abundant just
systems that are really abundant just
systems that are really abundant just like our friends the school
like our friends the school
like our friends the school the squirrels are shaping forests and
the squirrels are shaping forests and
the squirrels are shaping forests and parks everyday into systems that produce
parks everyday into systems that produce
parks everyday into systems that produce not enough food but an abundance of food
not enough food but an abundance of food
not enough food but an abundance of food more than they’ll ever need that’s the
more than they’ll ever need that’s the
more than they’ll ever need that’s the model that we need to mimic so let’s
model that we need to mimic so let’s
model that we need to mimic so let’s change perspective and look at how we
change perspective and look at how we
change perspective and look at how we can shape our forests using this
can shape our forests using this
can shape our forests using this knowledge of the squirrely wisdom to
knowledge of the squirrely wisdom to
knowledge of the squirrely wisdom to change the way that we grow food in our
change the way that we grow food in our
change the way that we grow food in our communities if we look at the forest
communities if we look at the forest
communities if we look at the forest systems we can start to see different
systems we can start to see different
systems we can start to see different layers of growth we start to see
layers of growth we start to see
layers of growth we start to see different systems interacting and if we
different systems interacting and if we
different systems interacting and if we observe this and start to place elements
observe this and start to place elements
observe this and start to place elements or edible plants in the mix we create an
or edible plants in the mix we create an
or edible plants in the mix we create an integrated orchard we start to create
integrated orchard we start to create
integrated orchard we start to create what’s called the food forest in
what’s called the food forest in
what’s called the food forest in permaculture this is a very known
permaculture this is a very known
permaculture this is a very known concept that we use in permaculture as a
concept that we use in permaculture as a
concept that we use in permaculture as a design imagine an apple tree that’s got
design imagine an apple tree that’s got
design imagine an apple tree that’s got bushes shrubs vines flowers and
bushes shrubs vines flowers and
bushes shrubs vines flowers and everything else that needs around it to
everything else that needs around it to
everything else that needs around it to thrive this system is Auto fertilized
thrive this system is Auto fertilized
thrive this system is Auto fertilized Auto irrigated and self maintained so we
Auto irrigated and self maintained so we
Auto irrigated and self maintained so we can take this and start transitioning
can take this and start transitioning
can take this and start transitioning our parks and our forests to be edible
our parks and our forests to be edible
our parks and our forests to be edible landscapes and that’s an abundant system
landscapes and that’s an abundant system
landscapes and that’s an abundant system this technique is not new at all and we
this technique is not new at all and we
this technique is not new at all and we see it all around the world in fact
see it all around the world in fact
see it all around the world in fact indigenous peoples have been
indigenous peoples have been
indigenous peoples have been transforming landscapes into
transforming landscapes into
transforming landscapes into permaculture paradises of food forests
permaculture paradises of food forests
permaculture paradises of food forests for thousands of years in fact as my
for thousands of years in fact as my
for thousands of years in fact as my teacher Jeff discovered in Morocco
teacher Jeff discovered in Morocco
teacher Jeff discovered in Morocco there’s one that exists for more than
there’s one that exists for more than
there’s one that exists for more than two thousand years we see these now
two thousand years we see these now
two thousand years we see these now popping up in Detroit Seattle Borneo all
popping up in Detroit Seattle Borneo all
popping up in Detroit Seattle Borneo all around the world and they’re from one
around the world and they’re from one
around the world and they’re from one tree to a thousand hectares this is an
tree to a thousand hectares this is an
tree to a thousand hectares this is an abundant scaleable solution that we can
abundant scaleable solution that we can
abundant scaleable solution that we can use to design our problems for our food
use to design our problems for our food
use to design our problems for our food crisis who would have thought the answer
crisis who would have thought the answer
crisis who would have thought the answer to our food systems lives with the
to our food systems lives with the
to our food systems lives with the squirrels how would we normally
squirrels how would we normally
squirrels how would we normally problem-solve we look to technology we
problem-solve we look to technology we
problem-solve we look to technology we research in a lab ask uncle Google all
research in a lab ask uncle Google all
research in a lab ask uncle Google all the while there’s 4.6 billion years of
the while there’s 4.6 billion years of
the while there’s 4.6 billion years of research and development that lies
research and development that lies
research and development that lies beneath our feet unused and with this
beneath our feet unused and with this
beneath our feet unused and with this knowledge we can design solutions for
knowledge we can design solutions for
knowledge we can design solutions for the world
the world
the world as the late Bill Mollison said
as the late Bill Mollison said
as the late Bill Mollison said co-founder of the permaculture movement
co-founder of the permaculture movement
co-founder of the permaculture movement though the problems of the world are
though the problems of the world are
though the problems of the world are increasingly complex the solutions are
increasingly complex the solutions are
increasingly complex the solutions are embarrassingly simple and with
embarrassingly simple and with
embarrassingly simple and with permaculture together we can design
permaculture together we can design
permaculture together we can design solutions worth sharing
solutions worth sharing
solutions worth sharing [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment