PERMACULTURE
EVALUATION
CENTRE
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71 Principle 4: Apply Self Regulation and Accept Feedback
With a better understanding of how positive and negative feedback works in nature we can design systems that are more self regulating thus reducing the work involved in repeated and harsh corrective management.
74 In any managed natural system especially on a large scale, much work is spent not making sure that plants and animals grow and reproduce but preventing excess and inappropriate growth and reproduction
75 Need to examine the reasons for not obtainng a yield. The more we depend on our own and local resources the more we are likely to understand the problems and initiate corrective action. Otherwise it’s hard to detect and remedy problems.
76 The modern economy fails to provide feedback signals to ensure appropriate behaviour to decide important questions such as how much is enough to consume, how much work is enough, how should we pay for something we need?
Useful rule of thumb: one third each on own needs, self development and reflection, wider social benefit
77 One billion ‘middle class’ consumers use most of the energy and resources – have great power to bring about change
But they fail to provide the traditional leader role of control and guidance for the long term good of society
79 Most economic measures of ‘productivity’ are hopelessly inadequate or downright wrong, and irrational in rewarding ecologically destructive processes. Need a deep cultural revolution, that recognises society’s increasing dependence on nature
80 Socially and environmentally motivated minority can change things on a large scale
82 19th and early 20th C elites still had levers of power but did so informed by specialised reductionist knowledge of science and technology. Now some have realised that complexity of modern systems requires wholistic thinking and it is natural to apply insights gained through managerial top down action, but that such actions are limited and often counter-productive. In future the most effective and powerful behaviour will be top down thinking with bottom up action. But need to ensure it is applied to benefit of planet and people.
84 Tendency to think of institutions and corporations as highly durable but their average life expectancy is less than a lifetime.
Because we are not faced with the consequences of our decisions and actions, normal negative feedback and self regulation mechanisms fail to function. Almost all our food and other needs are provided by means beyond the reach of our senses – so we need more conscious and explicit awareness of our dependence and impact.
85 Self-audit: look for easiest opportunities to reduce dependence, minimising harm and improving quality of life
86 Additions: at personal, organisation and systems levels
87 The amorphous and informal nature of self reliance makes it hard to identify how effective it is at undermining the power of dysfunctional and dangerous economic systems. This invisibility can slow the recognition of power in peoples hands. But is also has the effect of confounding efforts of media, corporations and governments to track, control and subvert processes that might undermine their interests
89 Modern society has lost or actively dispensed with most of its informal fall back strategies and back up protection of essential functions
By applying permaculture principles to our lives we can rebuild structures that provide collective security