Category: Permaculture Projects
What is a Site Assessment, and Why Do One?
What is a Site Assessment? A site assessment is the thorough observation, recording, compilation, and organization of all of the existing conditions that are present at or affect the design and function of a piece of property. For a landscape, this includes not only the physical features of a site (like landshape and structures), but…
Electrical Branch Circuit Design Guide
Overcurrent Protection Device, Wiring, and End-Use Equipment Design and Selection for AC and DC Circuits Electrical branch circuits? What does that have to do with the design and development of sustainable human habitats?!? In our Introduction to Appropriate Energy, we present a process for designing efficient (and thus cheaper and more ecologically-sound) energy systems for…
Moving Electricity
Appropriate electrical energy systems for moving water, people, animals, materials, refrigerant, and air around a homestead.
Moving Things
Appropriate energy systems for moving water, people, animals, materials, refrigerant, and air around a homestead.
Permaculture – Foundational Ethics & Principles
The prime directive of permaculture helps us apply the three ethics and the twelve principles to design our lives and work to align with the regenerative patterns found in nature.
Vetiver Grass 101: The Regenerative Super Plant
Vetiver grass is an amazing ecological ally for repairing and healing erosion-damaged landscapes. Vetiver can grow almost anywhere, produces tons of useful biomass, and initiates healing of degraded landscapes. Learn the basics about this amazing plant and its many potential applications in this post.
Moving Heat
In the Introduction to Appropriate Energy, energy is defined as the ability to do work. There are three jobs that energy typically performs: moving heat, moving things, and moving electricity. This article delves into the moving heat function that energy serves. Examples of various techniques and specific elements are provided to illustrate different ways to…
What Is A Whole Site Design, and Why Do One?
What is a Whole Site Design? A whole site design is a visually illustrated, comprehensive plan that integrates all of the elements required to realize the vision for a particular landscape, whether that be held by an individual or a group of people, into a cohesive, self-supporting whole that exists in harmony with the innate…
Living with Fire – Part 4 Integrating Fire Into Daily Life (Again)
Living with Fire is a 4-part series presenting a new paradigm regarding fire – one in which we celebrate fire’s necessary ecological role, and design for a healthy relationship with it. The earlier parts of this series are: What if we chose to view nature’s gift of annually-replenishing fixed carbon sources (i.e. chaparral brush) in…
Living with Fire – Part 3: Home Construction And Retrofitting For Fire Survivability
Living with Fire – Part 3: Home Construction and Retrofitting for Survivability. How to design or a retrofit a home for survival in a wildfire ecology.
Living with Fire – Part 2 Regenerative Firescaping – Protecting Your Home With Good Design
Regenerative Firescaping principles and methods for creating a fire-safe oasis around your home.
Living with Fire – Part 1: Basic Fire Science, Personal Responsibility And Home Site Selection
Basic wildfire science, risk prioritization and management, and home site selection for enhanced fire survivability.
