What is permaculture?

Permaculture is a design system for creating human settlements that function in harmony with nature. Incorporating traditional knowledge, modern science, and the ecological patterns of the living world, permaculture design is applicable to farms, homes, gardens, organizations, housing developments, towns and villages, or city neighborhoods.

Permaculture is about designing & living in a regenerative human culture…Permaculture is a design pattern for living more harmoniously with our life support systems, and with each other. It is a rapidly growing and internationally recognized design system for creating sustainable human environments. It is a set of principles and techniques that aims to create ecologically sound and economically prosperous human communities. The permaculture design course gives students innovative conceptual tools and the chance to view that future from as many angles as possible.

- David Haberman, Indiana University Department of Religious Studies

Permaculture is the art and science that applies patterns found in nature to the design and construction of human and natural environments. Only by applying such patterns and principles to the built environment can we truly achieve a sustainable living system. Permaculture principles are now being adapted to all systems and disciplines that human settlement requires. Architects, planners, farmers, economists, social scientists, as well as students, homeowners and backyard gardeners can utilize principles of Permaculture Design.

- Larry Santoyo, EarthFlow Design Works