3DN Integrating Natural Systems
Integrating natural systems
- The central idea of permaculture is to observe the operation of nature's systems so that our efforts enhance biological potential rather than diminish it. This applies whether we are talking about buffering the worst of the urban environment, working to build up a struggling rural economy or creating whole new sets of bridges out in the desert in conjunction with a solar energy facility. This is the same issue we face in designing the economies of integration described above. We know a great deal about each of the parts and precious little about how the parts fit together. A CIE is suited to employ permacultures in micro scale because it is designed to use economies of integration.
- The central idea of appropriate technology is to design based on the resources available to operate the technology. There is technology appropriate for economies of scale and there is technology appropriate for those stricken with poverty. Here we are not, necessarily, talking about either one of those. In a CIE, we design systems to utilizes the available labor – and we can pay for technology appropriate for that. The main thing will be to design to minimize waste in the system – as they say at ZERI.org – waste is food.
- The central idea of social justice is that every human being has the right to develop their natural potential. To do that every human being needs access to food, clothing, shelter, education and health care. The market cannot provide that for everyone because the market is based on the relative scarcity of goods and services. Attempts to tax the rich to provide for the poor, or relying on charity, at best prevent disaster and at worst create dependency. Humans are a part of nature and our inability to feed and cloth ourselves derives from treating human systems as somehow separate from nature's systems. The CIE allows the labor that is not needed in the market the dignity of contributing value to the system, in exchange for what they need to thrive, by developing the biological potential of our locality. Humans will live in poverty until such time as we have systems of production in which everyone can participate.
- The central idea of environmentalism is that we cannot destroy the environment without destroying ourselves. Yet, it is prevalent in the environmental movement to treat human systems as somehow separate from nature's systems. With the right design, the CIE can take the pressure off those few remaining “pristine” environments by increasing the production of food and fiber in integrated production systems in proximity to where people live. The environment will be at risk until such time as humans obtain what they need and desire from systems of production that enhance biological diversity rather than diminish it.
- Some say the greatest threat we face is global warming. If we built solar panels in the desert (via TreeHugger.com), we could generate all the power we need to end the use of fossil fuels. The cost per kilowatt hour might be initially higher than coal – if we think only in terms of solar electric. What if our facility also provided food, clothing, shelter, education and health care for people. What if we use some of the power to clean water – and use the water both for the people and to micro irrigate trees in the desert – sequestering even more carbon? Is it feasible that we could sequester enough carbon to start a new ice age? When we deal in how each of the parts works, we are limited by all the other circumstances for which we do not control. When we deal in how all the parts fit together, we are limited only by our imaginations.
- The problems we face are systemic and cannot be solved one at a time.
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