are NEW URBANISM and PERMACULTURE compatible concepts?

Question

new urbanism... walkable communities less dependent on transportation. stresses diversity and wise land use principles. think: smart growth. http://www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism/principles.html

permaculture... a philosophy of working within the framework nature provides us to develop sustainable communities. think: permanent agriculture.
http://permaculture.org.au/what-is-permaculture/

are they compatible? how would you propose making either or both of these ideas more acceptable to the general public, private industry, or the government?

Answer 1

They are completely compatible. Your new urbanism description is a perfect way to describe Permaculture. Agriculture is only one use for Permaculture. The concept came from its founder Bill Mollison as a way of utilizing the space around him for the maximum effect with the least effort. He observed nature for natural systems and patterns seeking to use this knowledge to develop a better system for mankind.



Urban areas are perfect for a Permaculture lifestyle. On a balcony of a high rise flat, Bill Mollison states that they can grow one fifth of all the food needs of a couple. Urban Permaculture gardening is practised in two main forms, small space or allotment. The smaller the area the more justified using Permaculture is. Look at the Youtube clips below for excellent examples.



Permaculture has two strands though it is not just the practical stuff it is also about the ethical side. Permaculture is about systems and their connections. It recognizes each part of that system as being vitally important. So Permaculture is inclusive, about working co-operatively, inter-generation, inter-faith, across abilities, ethnicities, it is about community. Limiting your own excess consumption and sharing those excesses (Fair Shares).



Who needs more greenery, community and hope, access to healthy food production etc more than those who live in urban areas? A small concrete yard can be amazingly productive, not just in terms of produce, in Permaculture.

Answer 2

I think both ideas are compatible. I live in the city but work fmor home and I save 30 tonnes of carbon emissions a year compared to my previous habitual lifestyle. One of our draftsman telecommutes to our home office from 8 hours drive away on his remote farm .. running a small generator and a UPS during work hours to operate his computer.. the rest of the time he makes do with solar power. HIs only connection to the world.. a satelite dish for internet connections and a mobile phone that he walks to the top of a hill to use.



Fact is.... more and more communities are able to revert to "walkable" ones and when you start walking you noticed more of the details. Imagine walking along your street, picking a few fresh herbs, some fruit, a bunch of spinach, some tomatoes, picking a couple of onions collecting some eggs and making an omolette fro your family for dinner. That is permaculture mixed with new urbanism.



Imagine a neighbourhood where you work at home or near home, where your neighbours share your passion for standing in teh street and gas-bagging about who can grow the best tomato.. whatever... a more caring and sharing society relying less on cash than it does on swapping crops... a society where neighbours use the streets for more than racing cars down it, rather than building high walls along it... rather than automatic gates closing it off from your personal life... a street without leaf blowers without lawn mowers.... with a few chickens and perhaps some ducks fertilising your garden beds and picking off the insects and pests... with a pet goose or two providing security and neighbourhood watch... wher your children can go outside and play cricket or baseball in the street... and that is permaculture mixed with a new urbanism.



Imagine a place where rain water is collected and recycled, where eflluent is treated and re-used, where people are more in tune with their immediate environment than they are with their TV's and that is a blend of new urbanism and permaculture.



It's a dream yes... and the devil is in the details .... but dreams are a good start dont you think?

Answer 3

Yes green urbanization with people producing food in the suburbs is part and parcel of Permaculture



The direction is towards Independence,from the Government ,from technology,from civilization as such

where by Communities ,families or even cities or towns become Autosuficient and sustainable ,utilizing their own by products and take energy efficiency as far as possible.



Bill Mollison wrote a large chapter on Alternative Strategies for a Nation



Australia incorporates many of the concepts on a National level,isolated towns produce their own energy and utilize their

wastes



In Vietnam it was widely adopted ,A country that had severe economic problems ,

And government assistance provided the people with seeds tools and knowledge,



So that instead of people traveling long distances to go to work to get money to buy food ,they now stayed at home and farmed ,Health services shrunk ,so did public transport ,and government expenditure.



It take a farsighted Government to be able to accept these principles of Permaculture,because it means relinquishing power



And it is not a concept to be applied in its entirety to commercial agriculture

Although many principle can be applied ,such as mulching,crop rotation,No till farming,water harvesting,maybe even organic pestcontrol



Perrmaculture is an alternative for Comercial Agriculture ,one plants for the family and quality of life ,with diversity and in a compact way,For the family and one trades the exesses with ones neighbours.



So their are never huge quantities of the same produce

If everybody did this if we had green productive suburbs and freeholds on the edges ,so much more food would be in circulation and from much closer



In theory Comercial

horticulture would be almost absolete as far as vegetables was concerned .



If the whole world accepted this way of life ,if we had less poluting manners of transport ,and vegetables could also be grown on city roof tops (at present cabages impregnated with lead is not very desireble)



If the whole world became a Garden culture ,we would be returning to Babylon,(my wet dream)



some relevant links,



please support to have Permaculture as a sub category under environment



https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20070528180353AAxQuAm

Answer 4

the other answers are beautiful....i, too, utilize these concepts in everyday living....i live in a good community where we are urban, but many people still have yards to utilize for food...and they do....i live in a townhome and collect herbs and stuff from around the neighborhood and contribute by making things for people and doing babysitting....although, i moved here from a city with a patch of concrete for the front yard and alot of apathetic, down low folks who would have a hard time grasping these concepts, as they are subject to 'mercan values and everything coming quick and cheap...also, with their hard working low wage lifestyle, it would be hard for them to conceptualize anything different...when i lived in the projects, there, they thought i was nuts...taking the time to container garden and compost and wash cotton diapers, but, they appriciated me none the less, for the insight to contributions we can all make and still enjoy life....with that said, i think the way to change things is to crawl out of our shell and live in places that are in need of insperation and teach....honestly, i should move back to where i came from...they needed me there...this place already has it figured out...kinda.....i noticed here it is a prestigious ideology and only the people with money do it...they own the land.....and i don't see any flat roof tops and the community gardens are void of nitrogen and the only things that grow are from the people that use starts...i can't afford that...anyhow, i have digressed.....the way to change is to infultrate the areas that need it most and plant the seed...maybe?