June 23-26th marked UMASS Amherst’s international conference, Permaculture Your Campus 2013, an event that examined “why and how permaculture design is being used as the guiding framework for some of the most cutting-edge sustainability programs around the world.”
The conference kicked off with a keynote presentation by the charismatic and controversial, Majora Carter, an urban revitalization strategist and MacArthur Genius Fellow (who also spoke at Worcester State earlier this year, which we blogged about). Entitled “Home(town) Security”, Carter’s speech explored the possibilities of a fusion between technical training and development opportunities in lower-income areas to create thriving local economies. She aims to develop communities where people’s success is no longer determined by how far they move away. Through innovative projects grounded in environmental problems and an economic development approach, Carter works tirelessly to create spaces filled with opportunity.
Carter’s vibrant presentation was an exciting start to the conference. The three days were filled with explorations of permaculture, an ecological and ethical design for sustainability that aims to regenerate degraded landscapes and promote environmental justice. Drawing upon several fields including organic farming, sustainable development, and agroforestry, permaculture employs thoughtful techniques such as rainwater harvesting and natural building.
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There are three main ethical principles that guide permaculture: earth care, people care, and fair share. Earth care encompasses the need to rebuild natural capital and minimize the impact of our consumption. People care encourages a cooperative and community-based outlook on life.
Fair share represents the notion of taking only what is needed and sharing the rest. From their exemplary work in permaculture, it is clear that UMASS Amherst is dedicated to bringing these principles to a wider audience and chose an excellent keynote speaker in Ms. Carter to embody the ethics and positive energy of this design system.
