Permaculture Principle #5
"Always favour biological solutions." Bill Mollison, Founder of The Permaculture Movement
"Always favour biological solutions." This is my preferred way to interpret the 5th Permaculture Principle. Put forth by Dave Holmgren, the 5th principle is stated "Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services." While this is good advice, I find that stubborn adherence to this principle can sometimes cause more trouble than its worth.
I have seen people disregard useful materials that are all around them, just because they are 'not natural'. At Atitlan Organics, we are not purists nor idealists.
For example, when we moved on our land, there was a bunch of left over cement blocks from the former owner. We decided to use the blocks to build a sauna. Otherwise, we would have had to dispose of them, creating more waste, and overlooking a useful resource.
That being said, we still prefer to use and value renewable resources. Our whole farm runs off of fire wood that is sustainably harvested. We use this sweet rocket stove to heat water, cook meals, make yogurt, and more.
Our house is built with adobe blocks that we made from soil we harvested on the farm. And its fun to mix adobe i.e play in the mud!!!
But, by far, I love to think of this principle from a slightly different angle. I like to ask myself, "How can a plant (or animal) help me solve this problem?"
Predatory insects are the best insecticide. Using Ladybugs to solve the aphid problem, as opposed to some concoction of gross stuff from your kitchen, or something worse, like harmful chemicals.
Plants are the best erosion control. And they give you useful products like food, animal fodder, or medicine and building materials.
And what about animals? Pigs to turn the garden after it has been fallowed. And we use our chickens to weed and fertilze our food forest and to turn our compost.
By using plants and animals, we tap into the resilience of nature, building systems that experience negative entropy, or systems with creative and organising properties. Unlike unnatural solutions which breakdown and degrade, these natural solutions grow and increase in complexity and mesh into their surroundings.
How do you favour biological solutions?
And as always, this list of 12 Permaculture Principles was given to us by the great David Holmgren, co-founder of Permaculture. https://permacultureprinciples.com/
NOTE: This post is proudly filled, COMPLETELY, with original writing and photos. ENJOY!
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Very encouraging!
I have yet to implement much.
Im mainly observing at the moment but it is a huge blessing and absolutely necessarry for my grounding and balancing.
You are right! Sometimes strick adherence to principle number five can be to our detriment!
Great use of resources, i am enjoying the photographic veiw.
Persephone
Thanks @growlittleseeds observation is the most important and indeed it is also very grounding. And it's true, no one ever wins by being a purist. Cheers for now.
This principle appeals to me and like you I take the interpretation that minimizes waste. I hate waste with a passion. I am offended by it.
I agree! @therecantonlybe1 waste is awful. Especially when it's thoughtless waste. We can always find creative uses for something!!
there are some bricks in a pile, torn up from a previous structure on the property, about a hundred yards away from the house. it'll take a little time, but i will be sorting and cleaning them up to reuse them in the garden.
to favour biological solutions, we've got little hiding places for frogs & toads, and will be building some mason bee shelters. i have a preference for relocating spiders that are in the house, instead of killing them ... even though most of the time i have to get someone else to move them for me! LOL
Creating habitat is the best. It also makes me feel really good about myself and us humans when I do that sort of thing. Sure we can dedtory stuff, but we can also nurture and diversify ecosystems.
Great write ups on the permaculture principles! I agree that too strict of an adherence can be counter productive.
Thanks! I think being too idealistic burns people out. Better to just go at your own pace and use what you have right around you. Cheers!
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