Sourcing your food or products locally is less expensive and more healthy for you and the planet. Climate instability and supply chain disturbances will be catastrophic for places that aren’t connected to abundant farmland, water, and food sources. If you want to be resilient during global changes then learn the basic principles of permaculture and regeneration. From backyard gardening, to water harvesting, to educational programs, to working with local government, here’s how to stay ahead of the curve.
Every living thing including plants, animals, human societies, and ecosystems have a natural life-cycle. When food, nutrients, and energy are abundant there is rapid growth and expansion. At a certain point all growth will reach its limits and begin to decay.
For example, if a tree grows branches that are heavier than the trunk can hold, a strong wind or snow will break them off. This is the natural cycle of birth, expansion, growth, decay, death, and regeneration. All life forms and systems are subject to these cycles. Permaculture teaches us how to prepare for and thrive within these natural cycles.
Opportunities and Limitations
Throughout all of history a country’s geography and local resources dictated its strengths and weaknesses. Arid desolate places had small communities of humans whereas lush and abundant river valleys had large thriving cities. Today cheap fuel and energy have created many opportunities that allow us to trade resources across the globe. As a result we can live beyond the normal constraints of our local ecosystems and geography.
For the past century humanity has seen explosive growth in population, technology, and consumption of our planet’s resources. This is like the tree reaching for the sky, only limited by the strength the trunk and roots can provide. All growth cycles are followed by decline and decay.
“Just as geopolitics tells us that the free trade era is closing, demography tells us that the era of consumption-driven growth that has been the economic norm for seventy years is coming to an unceremonious end.” ― Peter Zeihan
Sourcing Locally
When you buy locally you are supporting artists, farmers, and business owners in your community. The goods that you consume do not need to be shipped thousands of miles to reach you. This reduces your carbon footprint. When you grow vegetables in your garden to supplement your diet you are getting fresher, organic food that is healthy. This saves you money. These are ways to be more self-reliant and sustainable locally.
Educating Yourself
It starts with educating yourself and finding your niche in the sustainability movement. When you are knowledgeable you will be in a great position to lead your community in the right direction. Understanding the basic principles of permaculture and regenerative practices is easier than ever thanks to the internet. This is a global movement. People everywhere are working together to educate themselves and each other about these important tools for shaping a better future.
Creating Community Change
Bringing this awareness into our local and state governments as well as the school system is essential. Currently many communities have budgets for tourism and sustainability. Local sustainability and resilience makes communities more valuable to residents. It is easy to start local sustainability initiatives that strengthen your community and make it more resilient.
Building self-reliance and strengthening communal bonds, empowers people to adapt to challenges while reducing reliance on unsustainable, centralized systems. Together, these practices ensure a more stable, abundant, and sustainable future in the face of uncertainty. Though this concept is cutting-edge today it is actually the way that humans have lived forever.
Intentional Communities
In the 60’s it was the hippies who spearheaded a back-to-the-land movement. Communes of like-minded people sprouted up around the world. Some famous ones like Findhorn and Damanhur are still thriving after many decades. There are also Mennonite and Amish communities that take pride in being completely self-reliant. Some go as far as using horse-drawn carriages instead of cars.
Off-grid sustainable communities apply these principles to create a lifestyle independent of traditional infrastructure like the electrical grid. It is liberating to free yourself from the system, it is also a tremendous amount of work. Though a few of these eco-communities have stood the test of time most crumble within a few years.
Luckily today you don’t need to go to such extremes. Rather than starting from scratch on an open plot of land many are creating sustainable initiatives in cities and towns. There are many ways to retrofit existing structures to make them more sustainable.
Adding water catchment to your roof reduces dependency on local utilities. Putting solar panels on your roof allows you to capture electricity from the sun. Shopping at local farmers markets and having a small garden in your yard has a positive impact as well. Some people have indoor hydroponic systems that capture sunlight through the window to grow salad greens. By living in an existing town or city, resources are close making it easy to ride your bike or walk.
Community gardens and compost programs also make a huge impact. Being sustainable is an ongoing process and many small steps will take you a long way towards resilience. It is a lifestyle that is healthy and fun.
Resources for Inspiration and Learning
Due to climate change there are many places now experiencing wildfires, droughts, extreme heat, flooding and severe weather. What most people don’t realize is that there are many solutions to these challenges. Andrew Millison, an Oregon State University Instructor, has a Youtube Channel with a huge collection of permaculture success stories. In addition he works with the university and other instructors to offer numerous online workshops. This October they will be hosting a free Permaculture Summit that you can learn more about here.
We often hear the phrase, “think globally and act locally”. Now there is a practical step-by-step path to making huge impact in the world around us. From backyard gardening, to water harvesting, to educational programs, to working with local government, permaculture is a powerful vehicle for change. Political instability, supply-chain disruptions, and climate disruptions are inevitable. If you adopt a more sustainable lifestyle you will be prepared, self-reliant and sustainable locally to weather the storm.
