ethics and principles
how to acquire more of them
As we approach the end of the year, I’m considering my goals for the year ahead. I have a couple of speaking engagements pencilled in (details to follow), and I have a collaboration in the wings that I’m excited to get started. I’m also considering what I want to write about next year.
I’ve had an idea sitting in the back of my mind for a year or two now, but until recently, I haven’t understood how to square the circle. I’m a theoretical, philosophical kind of person. I love big ideas; I’m insanely attracted to them, and then I obsess about incorporating them into my day-to-day life. I don’t think it will surprise my dear readers that agile is a pretty significant influence in my life (and if this is a surprise, do let me know in the comments below how you came to read my newsletter). During my recent renovation of a garden, I turned to YouTube to teach me whatever I needed to know to turn an area of land covered in overgrowth over my head into a beautiful cottage garden. During this time, I learned about permaculture.
Permaculture is a philosophy of being part of nature. There are ethics: Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Shares. There are twelve principles (but of course there are):
1. Observe and interact
2. Catch and store energy
3. Obtain a yield
4. Apply self-regulation and accept feedback
5. Use and value renewable resources and services
6. Produce no waste
7. Design from patterns to details
8. Integrate rather than segregate
9. Use small and slow solutions
10. Use and value diversity
11. Use edges and value the marginal
12. Creatively use and respond to change
I seriously had goosebumps when I read these for the first time! Permaculture also has a design process “so we can all design systems ‘that meet our human needs, and at the same time support the ecosystem as a whole’.”
The ideas from permaculture are gradually expanding out of the garden (home or market) and into the broader world, and I find this quite exciting. The world is currently becoming a more and more interesting place to live in. Although the short term looks quite bleak, history shows that big positive changes always start at the end of the story we’re currently living.
I look forward to seeing what comes out of the next year.