The Year in Review

     The year 2014 is nearing completion and as the soltice passes we take time to reflect on the year that was. We ask ourselves what lessons we have learned, what goals we accomplished and how can we continue to build upon our skills and relationships that sustain us. We give thanks and open up our homes and hearts to friends and family. The last days of December are indeed a very special time of the year.
     To me 2014 was a revolutionary experience. My connection to the earth has never been stronger. At the same time it was a year of tragedy and deep sorrow. The trying times in our lives often reshape us as individuals and these times have begun to strengthen my family and have reconnected many of us that had drifted apart. I hope to build upon these relationships over the next year, I think we will find that many of us are walking parallel paths through life and that once merged our pathways will show new direction and purpose.
     I continue to build knowledge and skills towards a regenerative lifestyle, one that will leave an abundant legacy for those who follow in my footsteps. As Bill Mollison has stated by the prime directive of permaculture, "The only logical decision is to take responsibility of our own existence and that of our children. Make it now." This simple idea serves as a guide to a resilient life. The act of taking back the responsibility for your life is absolutely liberating. With out this basic first step you will have great difficulty in providing a wholesome, caring upbringing for your children. It is essential that we provide them with the life skills and knowledge to carry this forward through the generations.
     The numbers of the new year are adding up to show great meaning in my life, my daughters birthday has the numbers 2 and 15 in it (February 15), also if you add the first two numbers and the last two you get my age (20+15=35). This may not mean anything, but I like the pattern that it presents and I believe that 2015 will be a pivotal year for us. We are moving into a new (to us) home early in the new year, so already there is much anticipation to see what new and exciting things we can do with this property. There are many great features of the landscape, and as we observe and interact with the home and the environment it will begin to show us the potential that it holds.
     I would like to thank my audience for taking the time to read and comment on my musings, I am often amazed by the warm response I get from all of you, this blog has become a great addition to my ongoing education and a fabulous resource of reflection and guidance when I start to feel discouraged. I wish you joyful and loving holiday season, and a new year filled with opportunity and health. See you in 2015!
    

A Personal Revolution

In life we are often confined to a certain roles brought on to us by life choices that sometimes do not play out as we expected. Instead of blaming others it is useful to accept your reality as your own and let your spiritual being guide you in the right direction. The elimination of the word blame from your vocabulary is an important step in your path to personal revolution, for it is difficult to focus on building a better world when you are in the mindset of "it's your fault".
  Too often I here people say that one person can't change the world, or their say or actions makes no difference in the outcome. This is bullshit. This kind of attitude is the reason why so many people are saddled with huge amounts of debt and are stuck in dead end jobs until retirement. You and you alone are responsible for your life, making small changes over a long period of time will lead you to your goals. Be patient. Once you start to realize some of your goals people will begin to take notice, you will start to change the world through your example. If you force it, nature will fight back. This doesn't mean you shouldn't share your goals with other people, social media is a great place to meet like minded individuals, test out brand ideas or get a feel for a particular niche. You will find a good balance of encouragement and criticism along the way, both are great tools, use them to your advantage. Some people may begin to feel alienated by some of your actions, this is normal, you will never see eye to eye with everyone. I would be most careful with family members, they are your direct support group. Make sure you explain yourself and what brought you to the point of personal revolution. I know I have made mistakes along this road in the past and continue to struggle with it. Make amends asap. If you follow three basic ethics (care of the earth, care of people, return the surplus) you will have a much easier time with the transition, and remember it is a long road.
  In my life I have certain long term goals and ideas to help myself accomplish them. I see learning opportunities in even the most mundane of tasks, pattern surrounds us, and using pattern recognition can actually make the boring everyday tasks quite fascinating, albeit often in hindsight. I believe in problem based solutions and voting with your wallet. Even though I am employed by a large faceless corperation, I strive to support local business and someday plan to have my own. Instead of taking on more debt via student loans and such I am working a high paying job and choosing to self educate with online courses and plan on using a portion of my tax return to pay for hands on courses not offered through standard educational pathways. My job is a large portion of my education, transferable skills are in everything we do. At 34 years old I refuse to accept the status quo. Education is a life long endeavor.
The one ethic that is most strained by my current occupation is care of the earth. I am a heavy equipment operator in one of the largest industrial projects on earth, the Alberta tar sands. This requires me to travel 1500km from home twice a month, where I rent a room in Fort McMurray. Here's where I must choose to start giving back to the earth. I do not have a vehicle when I am away, opting to walk to the grocer, where I purchase as much organic food as possible, and refrain from all GMO frankenfood. I ride the bus to and from work every day. When at home I use a good portion of my income on locally grown food, and have started a facebook campain to advocate local growers and crafters (www.facebook.com/comoxvalley100). I function stack my personal vehicle use, making sure to limit my trips to town and accomplish multiple tasks whilst there. I will often park in a central location, then walk or bike to the many different local shops I need to visit. We have sold our home in the country and have purchased a rural property only minutes from downtown. In the summer months my wife is planning to bike to work on a regular basis, and I will be running many of my light duty errands on a bicycle year round, weather permitting. We plan to retrofit our new home with solar panels for electrical generation and I will be installing rain water catchment for irrigation of our perennial based food forest. We are turning oil dollars into a resilient, sustainable homestead that will benefit the community and our family for generations. Using the problem to create a solution. You need to view life with a whole systems approach.
  This journey we are on can take us to places we never thought we would go. As you navigate this crooked path remember to take notes, share your experiences with those who are willing to listen and never give up on yourself. You can change the world, good will always be triumphant.

The Western Separatist: The Liberation of Cascadia

  When I was a young boy my family took a road trip from our home in Union Bay, B.C. down the coast to Portland, Oregon. I have fuzzy memories of the trip, I remember passing through the Peace Arch border crossing, hotelling and dining in Seattle, the Space Needle. I vaguely remember some of the small towns and the pool at the Super 8 in Portland. Other than that my memories of the trip are long gone except for one thing. I remember seeing alot of swag at the border crossings with the Maple Leaf and the Star Spangled Banner adorning the same garment, or pin or poster. I remember asking myself why these borders are even there? What good is it to screen every person, randomly search vehicles and prohibit the purchase and possession of certain goods? It seemed like a whole bunch of bullshit to me. I wondered how one side of a river could be ours and the other side theirs. The fish and other wild animals could come and go as they pleased in their own environment, why was it so different to us?
Fast forward 26 years and I find myself asking the same questions. The difference is for most of those 26 years I believed Canada was the greatest country in the world, we had the best government, the best social programs and the best environmental protection in the world. I was a patriot through and through. How times have changed. I must admit, Canada is still a pretty darn great country...but it seems we are stagnating. We are headed down the slippery slope of corperatism and that scares the shit out of me. We are losing our rights and freedoms to excess rules and regulations. The environment is under attack, and it has no defense but a few "radical fundamentalists" that are being pegged as terrorists by a majority government that was voted in by a minority of the votes cast. The so called democractic voting system is rigged to keep those in power in power and the rest of us confused and apathetic. I see no progress. Not one bit. So I am done.
  My homeland is Cascadia. The borders of Cascadia are defined by Earth and Water, not by the stroke of a pen. The range extends from Northern California in the south up to Southern Alaska in the north and from the Pacific Coast in the west to the Crest of the Rocky Mountain Range in the east. It is a land of rugged beauty, untamed and as free as the wind. The interconnections between land and sea are palpable, the returning salmon nourishing the grand cedars and firs that bound the rich loam soils to their rocky substrate. The spring freshets of snow melt, carrying minerals and mulch from high in the alpine to the deltas and estuaries, giving fertility and oxygen to the newly hatched alevins. The mycelium of the forest floor, the internet of the natural world, perhaps more complex than we will ever understand.
  Nearly 16 million human beings share this land with its flaura and fauna, a number that it growing at a steady pace, largely due to immigration from Asia and a growing interest in non renewable resource extraction and export. As a permaculturist I find this slightly troubling as many of the principles and ethics are constantly being ignored in the name of the almighty fiat dollar. Indeed we are passing on a legacy of degraded land and increased inputs with little to no yield. What will our children's children be left with? This is a question many Cascadians ask on a regular basis. For we believe that todays decisions will be born unto the seventh generation.
  If this land is to be preserved and allowed to provide for its human inhabitants for the next seven generations we need to act now. We need to break the chains of Ottawa and evict the White House. Their irresponsible actions are no longer welcome here. A land this wild, this complex need not be governed, for only the inhabitants at the community level truly understand the ebb and flow of the tides, the ultimate power of the sea and the true economy of the natural world. Only the children of this land can learn the ways of the salmon, the cedar and the chanterelle, and observe the power of the waterfall. This land was born wild and free, and so it shall return.

Design Systems For Liberty; Using The System To Build a Resilient Future

As a libertarian and a permaculturist in a totalitarian system I stand at a crossroads. My beliefs tell me to be self reliant and to avoid government interaction whenever possible. On the other side of the street we have agroforestry grant money and some government agencies that are at least receptive to the idea of intensive natural farming methods and the implementation of full scale farms using the permaculture model. We all know that in todays society all growth relies upon capital, and most of us would be hard pressed to come up with the funding for even a homestead sized agroforestry system.
Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and use the available programs to your advantage, after all you are still paying an unprecedented amount of tax on the goods, services and income that you aquire. The problem is the solution.
In a recent interview on the Permaculture Voices Podcast, Versaland founder Grant Schultz touches on this subject. You can listen to the interview here, www.permaculturevoices.com. I found it very informative and he brings up a few great points as to how we can utilize these programs to help us get started.
I have only started to research the available programs in BC, but my initial impression is a good one. I will have to do some more groundwork and will try to get a blog post together in the near future to get all of the appropriate links to the available programs in one place.

Design Systems For Liberty: Getting Started

Building your own personal liberty in today's modern societies can be a daunting task. From an early age we are introduced to a consumerist model that relies on the status quo to prosper. We give up many personal freedoms to have the illusion of convenience, often at the expense of the environment and individuals that we may never see or meet. I am not convinced that this is the proper way to design a society, there is too much marginalization in this model, and though we can find value in the marginal, too much of anything is not in our best interest. I suppose we could call this model mono-marginalizing. Like an industrial agriculture system, one crop species is forced upon the landscape and expected to prosper. The problem is this requires intensive inputs from outside sources, and degrades the land until the land will no longer support it. When human beings are forced into a system that teaches them all the same ideas, follow all the same rules and eat all the same food it is no different. The system requires incredible inputs and controls in the form of taxation and government (fossil fuel fertizer and machinery). Innovation and diversity is slowed or even killed off by laws and class warfare (pesticide, herbicide, antibiotics and genetic engineering). This is a pattern of systemic dysfunction that goes against the laws of nature. It is unsustainable.

Many of us understand fully the implications of a continuation of the above mentioned model and have decided to do something about it. We are beginning a transition to a life of liberty. You still have many options to do this, it takes work, but it is the most rewarding work you can involve yourself in. By ditching the status quo you open up your life to diverse relationships and opportunities to excel in the modern world, all the while acting as a steward to the environment and community.

The first step is perhaps the most difficult. This is the moment of clarity, the time that you realize all is not as it seems and the system is not all you thought it was. You can come to this realization in different ways, for me it was a change in diet and research into the industrial food model paired with the new lease on life given to me through sobriety. I found that everything I was taught about diet and health was complete bullshit, this kind of pissed me off and I began to dig deeper into the crooked world of politics and the machine that we are all plugged in to. I was in tin foil hat beast mode. Do not let this phase detour you. It is a necessity in your path and it won't last forever. If you can just try to keep it to yourself, I had a hard time with that and had to tone down the rhetoric a few times. You have to keep your humility in this stage otherwise you could risk harming some relationships that could be important to you in the future.

Once you get over the shock of reality you must begin to act. Your path will be dependant on your particular situation but I am almost certain you will come to one common conclusion. You need to learn how to grow some of your own food. Let me suggest one thing, do it without chemicals. You create enough of your own waste, build a compost system. This should be your first action because compost takes a little time, and your plants will need it. Like I said before, creating your own freedom takes work.
If you are short on skills gardening is a terrific place to start building a solid skillset that you will be able to teach to others. There is no better place to learn about tools and the maintenance of tools and equipment. You will learn simple construction methods and ways to design effective and economical systems to increase your production in your given space. It's a hobby that provides you with so much more than food it is almost impossible to explain how important it is in a life of liberty.

Eyes Wide Open

Reflecting on the last two and a half years since I started this blog I came to the realization that it was time to follow what I have been writing about this whole time. Change. As you have seen, the blog previously known as Eyes Wide Open is now Canadian Liberty and Permaculture. The black background and white lettering has blossomed into a colourful backdrop with new fonts and a simple layout. This change is due to a new level in purpose and creativity. When I started the blog in october of 2011 I was going into it with an open mind, my eyes were open but I was still in the dark. Hense the appearance of the page. Through a natural process of succession I slowly began to climb up out of the darkness, a seed sprouting out of the soil, ready to soak in the suns life giving rays. The tree that would begin its life as that small seed has now grown, and is ready to blossom. My path now seems to have some definition, something that was lacking for a while. I will keep this post short, I just wanted to give you all an update or explanation for the changes. I will be pursuing a few interesting opportunities in the next year so keep in touch, you never know where this path may lead us!

The Three Ethics

To live a life of liberty and respect requires not only some principles, but also a firm set of ethics. Rules to live by, as they say. In permaculture our common goal is to build resilient systems that will provide for generations to come. We accomplish this by following three core ethics.
Care of the Earth
We really don't have anywhere else to go. If we continue on exploiting the earth without reparation we are doomed to the fate of Easter Island, the Anasazi or in more recent times, the American dust bowl. In our haste to grow onward and upward we have forgotten that our dear mother needs care and attention, as she provides all that we truly need. Act locally, think globally is a good phrase to explain this ethic. We apply our trade at home as individuals, but as a common worldly entity we accomplish outstanding feats. We care for the earth by consuming less, recycling more and conserving energy and resources through multifunctional designs. I would extend this ethic to the working animals of a permaculture system, from pollinators to pigs.
Care of People
We are all in this together. Every man, woman and child can make a difference if they put in the effort. It doesn't have to be much, a simple smile whilst opening a door for someone, a basket of fresh veggies from your garden to someone in need. Care comes in the form of compassion, respect, empathy and acceptance. When we take our own ego out of the equation we open ourselves up to a beautiful world. Each individual has that spark deep down inside, just waiting to ignite their true passion. Find your spark.
Return the Surplus
Also known as "Fair Share." When we obtain a yield, we often have more than we need. We need to give it back. This could mean sharing your extra food, volunteering with a local agency, setting up an unused part of your property for a community space or sharing your knowledge with those who want to learn. Sometimes this will be at your discretion, other times pure necessity (like an over abundance of zucchini). This can also mean planting extra food for your pollinators and pest control species. If we are going to plan a system of abundance, we also need to plan to give some of it away.
In closing...
Thank you all for joining me on this journey through the principles and ethics of permaculture. I am viewing this from the perspective of the student, my first PDC is starting soon. It is being filmed at Elisha's Spring Farm in West Virginia, the inaugural PermaEthos farm. I am excited to see what Josiah Wallingford, Jack Spirko and friends have in the works for this awesome project. I will be sharing some of my experiences with you on the blog as things progress.
Growing liberty and love,
Russ

Creatively Use and Respond to Change

Twelve principles, three ethics, one common goal. We all desire a way of living that improves our world environmentally, socially and economically, and leaves a lasting benefit for those who will follow in our footsteps. There is only one thing we must overcome as a society to realize this goal, and that is the fear of change. In order for the human race to endure we must embrace and use change to our advantage. There is no true constant in life, but we can improve our world in the short time we have.
Creatively Use and Respond to Change
Small changes happen in our lives daily, often going unnoticed until something spurs our attention towards it. Even in our routine based, institutionalized lives little things pop up, we usually call these things "curveballs". They seem to catch us offgaurd at the most akward times. These learning opportunities come and go, and we carry on.
I am not going to focus on these small things today, there's just to many variables to try to explain. Plus, I can only speak for myself and I do that alot on the blog as it is.
There is but one change we need to worry about as a species. Climate change.
Climate change is a threat to many and a possible benefit to some. There's a ton of variables here as well, but I believe there will be one common denominator in all of them and this denominator could vary well be the most crippling of them all. We have already seen the effects of this in some of the underdeveloped countries in Africa and the Middle East and there is no reason that once climate change starts to take its toll on the G8 that it won't make its mark closer to home.
War.
War will be the end all when resources are depleted to critical levels. Famine, disease, rape and murder. These atrocities are not far away. If we look through the history books we can only imagine how the game will unfold and if we continue to ignore the signs our future is bleak at best. Hold on though, we aren't at that stage yet, there is still hope for us. The writing is on the wall and it's time to get to work. Climate change is a call to action. So before we draw our weapons we shall gather in harmony and good will. Pick up the scythe, the hoe and the mattick. Harness the power of nature, become one with our world. Indeed we can use this threat to become stronger, we just need to get a little creative. Using these twelve principles and the three ethics we can create a world that is inclusive to all of mankind, upholding our responsibility as stewards of the land and repairing the damage of our wastefull past.

Molly

Today I am writing with a heavy heart as we grieve the loss of our dear family pet.
Molly was a beautiful black lab. She came to us about five years ago as a rescue. She was vivacious and a little haywire. She would run if let off leash, chase cars and even jump up on the drivers door if not caught in time. She loved deer and rabbits and would bound off through the woods in pursuit. Oddly though she was not much of a retriever, would rarely fetch a ball or stick. She was also not a great water dog, two traits that her breed is known for, she was none to keen. As the months went by Molly began to settle in to her new home, she became better behaved off leash, and would come when beckoned. She became a great companion to our other dog Milo, and the family was complete.
One summer day we were in the midst of demolishing the old kitchen in our home. Molly was not a fan of loud noises and decided she would exit through the open living room window, an eleven foot drop. I am certain she was also provoked by the deer grazing across the street. Amazingly she landed on her feet, but in doing so shattered many of the bones in her right front paw when it buckled under her weight. Molly had to be locked up in her kennel for four months as the bones healed, she would favour that paw for the rest of her life, but her spirit would stay strong until her last breath.
She was a running partner for my wife and daughter, a horse for my son and for me she was a true friend. She loved to play fight and was always gentle with kids. She was always up for a good snuggle, and made a great pillow on a cold winter night. She gave us her all and asked for nothing in return but two meals a day, clean water and a comfortable bed. When she layed at your feet you best rub her belly and scratch behind her ears, that was good enough to keep her content.
As far as we know Molly would have been turning eleven this summer. She started having mobility issues in the last couple of months, would tire quickly and struggled to make it up the stairs. She  could no longer make it through the night without peeing in the house. We just chalked it up to old age and thought nothing of it. Then she had a serious seizure on Saturday afternoon, followed by more in the evening and Sunday morning. I took her to the animal hospital on Monday. There she received some tests and she spent the day with the staff, who fell in love with her happy demeanor and caring eyes. The test came back positive for type 1 diabetes, a disease not uncommon among senior dogs, but when paired with seizures and crippling mobility issues treatment would cause no great improvement in quality of life. The heartbreaking decision to euthanize her was made by the family.
Though Molly was with us for a relatively short time her impact was profound. She was there when my son took his first steps and has followed him with a watchful eye ever since. She has stayed with my daughter through thick and thin, every evening at her bedside the two of them dreaming away in peace and harmony. She has been a constant in our lives that are filled with so many variables. It is hard to imagine our home without her. She will be missed.
If there is any lesson we can learn as a family from our friend Molly it is to cherish life and all of life's wonders. Take the time every day to smell the air, just breathe and be happy that you are alive. Love each other with all of your heart and never forget who your true friends are. I know we will never forget her.
Rest in peace pup. We love you.

Use Edges and Value the Marginal

When you study society today it seems that much focus is on trying to fit in and comply with certain rules and veiwpoints of how we should all live. You could say that it is centrally focused. Indeed the push is to get people living in more dense groups, reliant on centralized government and support systems to maintain the system. If you step outside the boundaries of this idea of civilization you will see a whole new way of doing things. A place where diversity is the rule, change is expected and keeping up with the newest wizz-bang gadgetry is not so important. When you learn to use edges and value the marginal you gain freedom and become more self sufficient.
Use Edges and Value the Marginal
An edge is a change in geographical features in the environment. It can also be a man made, such as a walking path or a structure. Whatever the case you will find the edge to be the most productive location to procure a yield. This yield may not present itself constantly, but it will show itself over time.
Just because an idea doesn't pan out the way we want it to does not mean we can't gain anything from it. We need to take lessons from our mistakes. Sometimes a tool or material belonging may hold more value than we think.
Spring is a great time to observe and interact with the edges around your home. When I walk around my property I notice many valuable features that we can benefit from. We have cleared about an acre for the location of the house and infrastructure needs such as driveway, septic field and utilities. Now that the land has renewed much of the foliage we stripped back we are beginning to reap the rewards of natures' regenerative properties. All along the forest edge we have a diverse berry selection. Wild strawberry, huckleberry, trailing blackberry, Himalaya blackberry, salmon berry, thimble berry, wild rose and wild cherry all flourish along this edge. Many of them are thorny vines that create a great natural security system, more or less a barbed wire fence that gives us great yields of luscious fruit, a home for wildlife and an attractant for pollinators that will also visit our cultivated fruit trees and other plants along their way. We also have some man made water ways on the property where fast growing red alders have staked their claim. A nitrogen fixer, red alder is also a good source of firewood and building material. It is also a great wood for mushroom cultivation and hugelculture.
The shoreline is another edge that proves abundant year round. On the east coast of Vancouver Island we are blessed with many different types of shore structure. Jagged rock cliffs, washed cobblestone beaches, gradually sloped beaches of mixed size stone, and the odd stretch of sand. Each one of these offer opportunities for forage and leisure. Divers often explore the rock cliffs for the diverse sea life that live in the cracks and hollows of the granite walls. Many delicacies can be harvested as well. Rock scallop, box crab, abalone, many species of cod and other fish use these edges for shelter. The cobblestone beaches often have beds of kelp nearby. Casting an artificial bait in between the beach and the kelp beds may just produce a silvery coho salmon. These beaches are also great for viewing aquatic mammals such as seals, otters and whales. When it comes to ocean aquaculture you will not find a much more productive shoreline than that of the southern Comox Valley. The gradually sloped mixed rock beaches are home to the world famous Fanny Bay Oyster. Mussels, scallop, geoduck and clams are all grown in this area. These are the beaches I grew up wandering and have proved to be a year round provider for food and recreation for my whole family. We also have a few beautiful sand beaches that offer up good swimming and skim boarding in the summer and storm watching in the winter. Nothing beats sitting around a campfire, feasting on a fresh assortment of seafood while the children splash and frolic in the summer sun. For me the shoreline is the greatest edge of all.

Sometimes things are not how we would like. How do you turn something of mediocrity to something of value? Using trade and barter could be a start. One mans' trash is another mans' treasure! Often an old tool just needs a little tlc to make it a valued addition to your collection. You may just be able to turn your ability to fix up old tools to a small business. In today's throw away world the art of tool sharpening and maintence is becoming a rare skill.
If you are experiencing low to moderate yields in an area of your garden it is a good indicator of your soil condition. In this case you can turn the marginal yields into a good learning experience as you improve the soil and gradually see a return of abundance. You may want to try incorperating some type of edge into that space and planting more diverse crops to see what grows best in that area. I have tried many different methods over the years and the least productive one of all is when you give up. A marginal yield is still better than no yield at all.

Use and Value Diversity

Variety is the spice of life. Imagine living in a monocultural society. A society were everyone wore the same uniform, drove the same car, worked the same hours and were taught the same lessons. Sounds boring eh? How long do you think it would take for a system like that to fail? Until somebody decided to wear a different shirt or paint their car a different colour? Now the people in charge would obviously want to suppress this individual in fear of him or her infecting others with this idea of diverting from the status quo. The problem for them is the change has already begun and the natural right to freedom is a force more powerful than they can defend. So they make a law against diversity.
Use and Value Diversity
That proposal doesn't sound fun at all! The things is this is exactly how modern agriculture works. The status quo will plant one strain of plant x. No other plants are allowed. Any plants that are shaped weird or slightly blemished are destroyed. When a few "weeds" show up they spray toxins to kill off the intruders. 
Then they pass a law that says everyone has to do it the same way.
Simply put I think their way sucks. When you put all your eggs in one basket you are asking for trouble. All it takes is one aggressive intruder and your whole system comes crashing to the ground. So we do things like companion planting, high intensity rotational grazing, agro forestry and unconventional building schemes. We push the boundaries of innovation. We stack functions. We fail better. If we get a 10% success rate that's ok. We would rather get a 10% yield on 12 different crops than a 10% yield on one. When we use diversity we automatically increase value. We create more robust varieties and more resilient design systems. When you walk around my yard you will notice something different. My lawn is mostly not grass. And the grasses that are there are different shades of green. Some are short and dark, others long and light. Weeds everywhere. If you watch me work in the yard you will often see me stop, crouch down and pick a few leaves then proceed to carry on, munching happily away on a quick snack. I have a great assortment of edible plants growing wild all over the property. Lance leaf plantain, dandelion, lambs quarters, pepper grass, dock, sorrel, chickweed and clover. Quite the salad bar indeed. Many of these plants are medicinal as well, extending their value far beyond a nutritional source, indeed the pharmacy is but a few steps out my front door. Possibly the best part is they are all either perenials or self seeding, so I have zero time invested in the propagation of theses plants, they are pest and disease tolerant and require no fertilizers. It's a huge bonus!
You can take this principle to the bank. Literally. When you invest or save money for your future you want it to grow. You also want it to be secure, but as with most systems, growth will not come without some risk attached to it. So you diversify. Instead of investing all of your money in stocks for instance, you invest small amounts of money in multiple areas. You split it up into stocks, bonds, mutual funds, precious metals (pysical not paper, if you don't hold it you don't own it) and a TFSA. This way if one or two of your investments take a hit you will not completely lose your shirt. The likelihood of a total collapse of the system is low. Even if fiat currency stopped tomorrow, you would still have that silver and gold stash to use as trade if needed. Precious metals have always held some value. It is the ultimate hedge against inflation or the devaluation of paper money.
As you can see diversity is a crucial tool in our kit. Use it and value it.

Use Small and Slow Solutions

Thank you for staying with me on this journey through the twelve principles of permaculture. I am not an expert on the subject, these musings and correlations are from a students' point of view. I believe in doing good things and spreading a message of peace and harmony is something I will never apologize for or regret. Even if only one of you adopts this lifestyle and begins to study permaculture this discussion is a success. Small change and slow solutions are the minor victories that add up to a greater goal.
Use Small Change and Slow Solutions
So you have discovered that the world is crumbling all around you. The economy is in shambles, the climate is rapidly changing, genetic modification and chemical agriculture have killed the soil and depleted the aquifers. The government continues to ignore the problems for fear of revolt. The status quo must forge ahead they say. Jobs are at stake. We can't, we can't, we can't.
If you have made it this far in our discussion of the principles you can probably see right through the problem, but you might be so overwhelmed by all the negativity that you just don't know where to start. Do not be discouraged.  Stop. Go for a walk in the woods, or take a trip to the shoreline of your closest waterway. Pause and reflect. Breathe deep. Deep down in your soul you will find your power. You are now connected.
This is your first small solution. Your attitude will change from one of fear and anger to one of love and action.
When we are faced with a problem we must turn the energy inward. The problem is the solution.
Let's say you hate your job. I think many of us can relate. We are in a situation where the job is necessary because we may have saddled ourselves with debt. We have tried to get out but it just isn't the right time. Maybe the problem isn't the job. Maybe the problem is us. If we have our heart set on a job in permaculture or sustainable living then we need to look first at our current job and see what small changes we can make in that position. If you are in an office maybe you can get together with some coworkers and approach the company on supporting a community garden project. You can teach a few coworkers about the work you are doing, share some of your produce among your coworkers, you may have a secondary income stream just waiting in the shadows. Permablitz your job.
The truth is this is going to take time. In a world of instant gratification it will be a hard sell. Our elevator speech is still a work in progress. Little by little, one seed at a time this movement will grow. Soon the fruits of our labour will be ready for harvest. Never give up. The revolution is you.

Integrate Rather than Segregate

Function stacking and polycultures are two examples of the eighth principle.  There are social implications as well. In todays consumerist economy it may seem difficult to implement integrated systems, however once put into practice these multi functional, inclusive designs can increase resilience and productivity even in times of low yield.
Integrate Rather Than Segregate
The smart phone is the epitome of a function stacking device. It is a library, a communication device, it can be used to document and share historical moments. You can use it to view landscapes and design systems with its gps capability. As a navigation tool it is extremely useful. Indeed the smart phone has become a valued permaculture tool.
We can use this principle in our home construction methods as well, creating closed loop systems that serve more than just the human occupants. In residential heating some fabulous innovation has taken place. We can easily integrate cooking with water and space heating, all the while reducing fuel consumption dramatically. Many cities all over the world are now realizing the need for better management of our water supply and distribution. We can function stack wastewater management with aquaculture through the use of aquaponics and biofiltration. Many of the most innovative systems are being developed by the permaculture community.
Integrating diversity in food crops can reduce or often eliminate problems associated with pests and diseases. A monocrop is incredibly fragile. If it suffers an infestation or blight it is doomed. The farmer is at a loss, his livelihood possibly at stake. By integrating diversity into the farm and allowing animals to work the landscape you increase the resiliency of the farm. If you lose one crop you still have multiple others to chose from, and you also have a protein source available if you are really stuck.
A community works in the same way. A diverse blend of individuals that each bring a different value to the whole. If one member suffers the others group around them to help them through their hardship. The whole community comes out of it stronger. If they were to segregate the individual during his time of weakness they are at risk of losing his value to the community.
By sharing these ideas with you I hope to the same. Grow a resilient community that cares for each other and the earth, so we can pass on a better world to our children.

Design From Patterns to Details

Biomimicry is nothing more than pattern recognition and emulation. We observe the vegetative layering of a forest and design a food generating perenial producer based on this pattern. The seventh principle, design from patterns to details teaches us how to implement all of the previous principles. If we have an idea or problem there is likely a natural pattern that we can copy when we act upon our idea.
Design from Patterns to Details
Natural patterns are everywhere. Some are visual, others are behavioral. Most are scalable to work in multiple design systems.
It is important first to recognize the patterns. Patterns come as shapes like the spiral of a weather system, snail shell, whirlpool or a snake coiled up in the sun. Anyone that has ever flown over British Columbia will recognize the wave patterns of the ocean soon transform into the wave patterns of the Coast, Selkirk and Rocky mountain ranges. These types of patterns are often the result of some type of energy being applied to matter.
Animals and people can also show recognizable patterns, typically shown in behavioral traits. The systematic crowing of a rooster, the daily routine of a worker, the way animals move through a landscape. So many patterns and we have not even gotten into deep conversation about plants. In the plant kindom patterns often show up as symbiotic relationships between species. We also see visual patterns such as the veining of a leaf, or the lung like capillaries of a root system and branches.
Once we have found a pattern we would like to emulate we can start to add our specific details to it. You can get really caught up in specifics, but you will soon realize that it is easier to go with the flow. No design in permaculture is concrete, change is a constant. As the localized patterns of climate change begin to take shape we will have to detail our systems to adapt.

Produce No Waste

Is it possible to throw something away?
Where is away?
Chances are if you live in a modern home you have some sort of curb side garbage service. You have become accustomed to throwing things away. Have you ever taken the time to consider where away is?
The truth is there is no away. The plague of consumerist items has transformed our landscape. Perhaps it is time we took a serious look at the sixth principle of permaculture.
Produce No Waste
Every natural system on earth is connected, and since we live on earth we to are part of the natural system. Our actions have a direct effect on our local environment, and in many cases on a much broader spectrum than we could ever imagine. In human society today we have really lost touch with the natural world and in fact take our own lives for granted.
Like many addictions consumerism is a tough habit to kick. A normalcy bias keeps people locked in a perpetual cycle of use and disposal. Some people have realized the insanity of it all and have begun to explore the long road of recovery. Chosing to recycle everything you can, composting your food scraps and as a last resort transporting your own waste to landfill and paying an on site tipping fee. When you take responsibility for your own waste you are on the right path. You may begin to explore ideas such as composting toilets and grey water recycling. If this sounds like you then congratulations, you are a member of the enlightenment. May you live a long and prosperous life as a steward to the land, sea and air that supports us all.
When we follow the principles a zero waste lifestyle becomes an attainable goal. Our energy sources are maximized and stored, renewable resources are cherished and used wisely, design flaws are valued as learning tools and rectified upon discovery. Indeed the only mistake in permaculture is not practicing the principles and ethics. Waste becomes a yield. All organics are composted and returned into the system (they never actually left the system, there is no away) and put to work building soil depth and fertility. Left over building materials are repurposed or bartered. Consumer items that are acquired are quality items, often purchased second hand and then passed on to future generations. You must trade convenience for resilience. This is in fact a small shift, we will discuss small change soon.
Our home is not a disposal site. We can never get back the lost habitat due to large scale waste systems. My local landfill site was once a pristine lake. Now it is a mountain, leaching toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the aquifer. My hope is that as more people learn the true cost of our actions this kind of damage can be avoided in the future.

Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services

A forest is a complete system. All of it's needs are met by organisms that live within the biological envelope. When we put this observation to work for us we realize that a harmonious existence is possible with the use of naturally occuring, regenerative inputs. When we understand how to properly use and value natural resources and services we reduce our footprint dramatically.
Use and Value Natural Resources and Services
The market is flooded with products and services with the 'eco' tag. Now I would love to call all this stuff a load of horse sh♡t but I can't because that horse manure has actual real value, unlike the plastic wrapped, over hyped garbage that they are shamelessly trying to push upon the unknowing masses. I can't even say the wool has been pulled over the eyes of the people, if it had they would realize how warm and comforting it was and they would stop buying cheap polyester textiles made by exploited children. Enough with the rant though, that's not why we are all here.
Segue to the fifth principle.
Horse manure, when composted makes the most beautiful soil amendment. Dark black and chocked full of massive earth worms anxious to get to work in your garden. We need not resort to chemicals. Ever. The best way to enrich your soil is simply add organic matter. Easy, regenerative and free.
I cannot mention renewables without speaking of trees. The most versatile plant in a permaculture system is a tree.
Food, shelter and water can all be obtained from trees. What else does a human need for survival? Oxygen you say? They got that one nailed too! If you can go plant a tree today.
A resilient community requires skilled craftspeople and artists to provide goods and services to it's inhabitants. You simply can not provide all of your needs yourself, nor should you. Humans are social animals and we require eachothers love and support for a long and bountiful life. Making use of local, sustainable services and valuing the people behind them is a key part of this principle. Make it a habit to visit your local farmers market. Try to source your lumber from a local, low impact sawmill.  Your local coffee house would love to have you. Read your hometown newspaper.
The bounty of renewables awaits you.

Apply Self Regulation and Accept Feedback

The earth has a balance point. Natural systems that at first glance seem healthy and vibrant are often suddenly stricken with an infestation of pests or diseases that have a changing effect on the plants and animals in the area. Typically the initial damage seems shocking and unfair, but after time the benefits of this check start to show. This is natures' way of self regulation. Often the feedback is not realized for sometime before and after the event, then a flurry of regeneration explodes to life.
Apply Self Regulation and Accept Feedback
The fourth principle is a deep one. Sometimes it can be very traumatic to the system or the people it involves, but everything will work out for the better after time.
Everybody has heard the phrase "too much of a good thing." This principle is the counter measure to that phrase. We want to place limits on our inputs and outputs. I will give you a couple of examples.
Chickens on pasture are fantastic. They aerate and boost soil fertility, control pests, make fine companions and produce a tremendous yield. Indeed one of the best additions to a permaculture design is chickens. However...
Chickens will destroy a landscape if improperly managed. They will bare the soil, over fertilize, attract unwanted pests and predators and cause conflict between you and your neighbors, or worse the department of making you sad.
We must apply limits, or set boundaries where the birds can be day to day and we need to accept the feedback of how the system responds to this management.
Another case of too much of a good thing can be money. I know, I know, I am not arguing the value of money as a barter item or whatever.  There is a place for currency, and there is indeed an implied necessity for most people on the planet to possess some kind of monetary yield.
Money, in the wrong hands can be terribly destructive.  The power of money can cause decent folk to do wrong and undecent folk to be martyrs. Even on a smaller scale it can be dangerous. What if you bought every plant in your design, never planting a single seed or grafting a single limb. What if you hired out for every project in your design? I would say you would be selling yourself short. You may have a beautiful, productive landscape but you would competely lack any spiritual connection to it. You have to remember energy always flows back to its original source. A little financial pinch can make you a much more productive human being.
Properly checked a permaculture system can be a robust ecosystem and you will avoid many problems that can and will arise out of the abundance.

Obtain a Yield

The third principle of permaculture is Obtain a Yield. We have discussed the importance of taking time to observe and interact with our surroundings. We realize the value of energy, spreading it out across our landscape and conserving for future needs. If you have already put these two principles into action then you are likely starting to see some positive change. The third principle can be applied in many ways. We can see yields in food crops, electricity, finances, habitat improvement etc.
Obtain a Yield
Often enough when we start building our dreams we can forget to stop and refuel. We push onward until we are exhausted, then resent ourselves when things are not moving along quick enough. This is why it is so important early on in your design to establish a means of obtaining a yield. Take something you are very good at and use that skill to create something of value that you can utilize early on in your system. This way you will be able to watch it grow as you are working on some of the tougher bits of your design. Watching something you created flourish will help keep you motivated and boost your confidence. I have a small garden bed that produces fresh greens almost year round, I can take some pride in it knowing that through observation and interaction I was able to realize a microclimate region. It helps show me that the practice works.
As your design begins to mature your yields will increase, both in diversity and value. The landscape will begin to care for itself in many ways and your work can be put to use elsewhere. This is perhaps a good time to reflect and share your experiences with budding permaculturists. I have found that sharing knowledge with people gives me a spiritual uplift. This is a type of yield you will experience in social permaculture. Even if you are just starting your journey, like myself, you can use these tools to help yourself and others obtain a yield of knowledge and community.
For many the yield is the end result, the main goal.  For us the yield is just a spoke in the wheel. I takes many more functions to create a sustainable model of living, one that is restorative and wholesome.

Catch and Store Energy

Energy comes in a myriad of forms. It can be suttle or explosive, calming or deadly. However much of society views energy as a one dimensional entity, believing that it only can be used for mechanical means. The truth is energy is in everything.
The second principle of permaculture is Catch and Store Energy. We use this principle in many ways in day to day life, often without even thinking about it. Our goal is to maximize this in all of our systems, creating redundancies to ensure a broad spectrum of energy storage for times of low production or crisis.
Catch and Store Energy
Water, wind, earth and fire. The four elements that sustain life. Each one can come in different forms and can have a multitude of effects, singular or combined, beneficial or destructive. Our main focus in this principle is how we can focus these energies and extend their benefit over a longer duration.
Water is life. It is the elixer of all existence on earth. We prefer if possible to catch water high on our landscape and slow it down, maximizing it's edge, allowing it to sink into the soil, storing it in the soil, ponds, swales, cisterns and rain barrels so we can share it back into the system. The goal is to create a surplus of water,  therefore recharging the aquifer and creating abundance downstream while controlling erosion of the soil.
Wind is often caught in turbines and stored in batteries. A sailboat catches wind for propulsion. We often overlook winds' effect on our landscape as it can help us in micro-climate location and creation. We can use wind to help naturally cool our homes in the summer by opening windows at appropriate times. Each site will have different ways to use wind to help build a resilient energy source.
Earth offers us many forms of energy as well and is naturally slow release. We are only begining to scratch the surface with thermal mass technology, soil building and geo thermal power. Fixing the soil should be top of the priority list here as it is critical in a successful ecosystem. A healthy soil environment will give you an abundant yeild, with little outside input.
Fire can be the sun, or a cozy woodstove. Either way we want to catch and store that energy. Solar passive homes, annualized solar inertia,  solar pv panels and battery banks. Solar power is all the rage and for good reason, it's free. Fire used to heat our homes can also be stored through efficient designs that stack functions. Rocket Mass Heaters are a burgeoning technology in the field of permaculture, incorporating thermal mass, efficient burning and beauty into the home.
There is no way I can cover all of the ways to catch and store energy in one short blog post, but I will let you in on a little secret. The best way to catch and store energy in your system is to simply plant trees. Trees turn all of the above elements into life. They store solar energy, hold back water on the landscape, use wind to create a strong fibrous backbone, a habitat for insects and animals and strengthen soil by dynamic accumulation of minerals and nitrogen fixation. Fruit trees take all of these elements and convert them into another energy source that we can catch and store.
Thanks for joining me on this look into the principles of permaculture, tomorrow we will discuss ways to Create a Yeild.

Observe and Interact

Today we embark on a two week discussion on the Principles of Permaculture. This should be a good primer for anyone planning on taking a PDC or just interested in adding resiliency and weal to their life. We will start with the first principle, Observe and Interact, and work our way through the other eleven one day at a time. When we are done I will likely add a discussion on the three ethics and then have a day of q+a. Please feel free to add to the discussion, it is after all a large part of the first principle.
Observe and Interact
Life moves very fast. In the scale of time we are but a blip. Somehow in that blip humankind has managed to cause irreversible damage to the life systems that the Earth so efficiently manages.
Man is quick to turn a blind eye to the natural forces that create resiliency in nature. When we slow down, giving our senses time to absorb our surroundings something magical happens. We begin to see patterns and relationships everywhere. The more we observe, the more we begin to form an understanding of the natural world and how we can interact with the world in a positive, caressing manor. A life of abundance surrounds us, yet we shall not drink from its' well. We shall add to it and take only what is necessary for our well being and returning any surplus back to the system.
Many errors in our designed systems can be avoided if we look for guidance from the natural landscape. Our homes can run much more efficiently if we use care in incorporating the structure into the landscape rather than thinking only about road access. Many issues associated with infrastructure can be avoided if natural contours are used in the design. Food systems become a healing oasis, a place where soil is massaged and fed rather than abused and finally lost.
None of these ideas are new. The writing was on the wall the whole time, we just needed to open our eyes to it.
Observation can come in many forms. Watching, listening, reading, smell and touch. You must use all of your senses. In fact if you are reading this now you are practicing the principle. There is no end to the amount of information you can learn by simple observation.
Interaction is where many of the other principles come to life. It is what we do with the knowledge and how we cope with success, failure and the energy that surrounds us that determines our benefit to the system. As we integrate ourselves into a nurturing lifestyle these interactions become much more seemless and take less energy to perpetuate. We see life as a perenial bounty rather than an annual struggle. Some interactions may at first look like mistakes, but are often only stepping stones on our path of observation. No one gets it right the first time.
It is also important to share our observations with each other,  as it helps to build relationships of understanding and empathy. As you will see, permaculture is much more than gardens and eco villages. It is an all encompassing design for life and everything that life involves.
Thank you for joining me on this experience and please interact in the comments section!

Back to the Future

Sometimes I amaze myself. Back in November of 2011 I wrote episode 8, at the end of my post I said "You will never get back the time you wasted worrying about all the time you wasted." No shit eh? This is the beauty of the blog. I do not have to go far for a little inspiration. Alot of my writing is spur of the moment, I get a gut feeling and just go with it. Lost in the confusion, in between the rough edges there is an idea, a beacon of hope to light my way somewhere down the road. I am not sure I realized the value of all of this when I started writing the blog. This archive of my thoughts, a rear view mirror.
To be honest with you I have been struggling a bit lately.  I often get feelings of guilt and remorse for the work I do. I feel I am taking advantage of the earth for my materialistic benefit. I cannot blame anyone for the way things have turned out but myself. I have made poor choices in the past and now I must pay the price, I just seems wrong that in doing so I must destroy something that I have grown to hold very dear to my soul. So in fact it seems I am making a direct attact on myself. It is a conflict in which I would rather not engage.
So what are my options? Two important things I have learned are "the problem is the solution" and "when the student is ready the teacher shall appear."  Ah ha, yes indeed. I am broke but I am not broken.
Life is a crooked path, in permaculture we call that maximizing the edges. Life flourishes at the edges. The more twists and turns in a system, the more edge, the most diversity. In a diverse system you have competition, succession and synergy. Each unit benefits from its predecessor, nothing is wasted. I know that my life is no different. If I follow the principles I will have success and will live a synergistic life within my given environment. I need to understand that there will be conflict along the way, and that I shall use the energy of the conflict to benefit the system, the way a forest fire can rejuvenate an aging ecosystem.
Another part of this permaculture principle is finding value in the marginal. "All those rusted signs we ignore through out our lives, chosing the shiny ones instead", thanks Eddie. It's true though, there is a definitive trend in today's society of devaluing simplicity. Often the answer is staring us straight in the face, if we would only take the time to look in the mirror. The dull and mundane things in life help keep us rooted when all we want to do is fly, often well before our wings have fully developed. This is the time for observation, the interaction will come later once we fully understand how to become a beneficial part of the system.

Sometimes a look back at yourself is all you need for a little guidance. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

The Wasteland of Opportunity

There are three ethics in permaculture- give care to the earth, give care to the people and give care to the future.
I was sitting in one of the largest open pit mines in North America, possibly the world. Encased in a massive cage of iron and glass I am building a roadway for the deisel guzzling monoliths that haul the prized bituminous ore. The scene is one of destruction and struggle. Man against earth. The path of most resistance. Many have compared it to Mordor, a dark and firey land from the Lord of the Rings novels. At first glance I would agree. However, as with most things in life, once you spend some time and really observe the whole picture you begin to realize a shimmer of hope. For in this landscape of doom and gloom I have seen life. I have seen pioneer species of plants trying to stake their claim in hydrocarbon laden dirt. I have seen green algae prospering in pools of oil-slicked water. Many species of insects and small mammals seem to thrive in this decrepit environment. These observations paired with a little permaculture knowledge spawned the question "Why can't we perma-blitz the tar sands?"
Sepp Holtzer is a renaissance man. He is growing lemons in the highlands of Austria. Outside. The Holtzer homestead has and elevation difference of 400 meters from the lowest to highest point and has a short growing season and bitter cold winters. He uses these hardships to his advantage and has one of the most productive farms in the world when you weigh in the fact that he uses extremely little off site inputs. Lemons aren't his prize crop, just an experiment. He has a diverse polyculture of plants, animals and insects on the property and he lets them do much of the hard labour.
So what the heck does Sepp Holtzers' farm have to do with the tar sands? Let me explain.
A mine is more than just a big hole. It is a series of benches and slopes. There are small ponds and ditches. There are sectors than have much sun exposure and others with almost none. Each bench has different features as does each slope. In some areas water gathers in contour lines. Water from the high elevations eventually gravity feeds down to the pit bottom where it is typically  collected in large sumps. Holtzers landscape shares many of these features and his cold climate is reminiscent of that of Northern Alberta. Possibly by now you might have an inkling of where I could be taking this. Hold on because I am far from finished.
First the land is surveyed. Then slashed. Then the muskeg and topsoil is stripped and stockpiled. Then the big gear moves in. Electric shovels and haul trucks move mega tonnes of earth while massive bulldozers and graders do their best to keep everything running at top production. Within months a century's old forest is replaced with a cavernous scar. All so we can drive to work, send our kids to an education system that trains them for a lifetime of debt, and buy food that is likely the sole cause of the health crisis that we are only beginning to see the severity of. That's a fair bit of doom and gloom, but it's the truth. We can make things better. If we work together.
Hydrocarbons are a real problem if you are a living creature. For almost all they are an extreme toxin. That is of course, unless you are an oyster mushroom. A recent breakthrough in bio-remediation has discovered that many mushrooms have the uncanny ability to not only feed off of, but break down hydrocarbons to their less harmful individual elements.  Many mushrooms can also sequester heavy metals and toxic elements such as lead and arsenic. What's not to say that a pile of muskeg, inoculated with mushroom spawn, could not then be used as a biofiltration device for tailings pond effluent. Once composted the muskeg could then be utilized in landscaping and reclaimation. The filtered water could then be coursed through a series of plant based biofiltration systems and finally be released into a purpose built wetland. All of this could be accomplished with gravity feed as the tailings ponds are on the top bench and your catchment wetland would be in the pit bottom. Path of least resistance, just like in nature.
Once extraction stops so does the cash flow. How do we go about funding such a large scale undertaking? This is where a permaculture ethic must be put to use by the stockholders, corperations and governments that hold interest in these operations. This ethic, the third ethic is Give Care to the Future (aka return the surplus). We must save funding for the huge remediation effort that will be crucial for the life systems in the boreal forest of Northern Alberta. It is my belief that more jobs will be had in remediation than extraction and refining could ever supply. However, if we use permaculture as a business model we can greatly reduce the monetary expence of this undertaking. I would also argue that no amount of money can make up for the destuction of the original landscape, but we are beating a dead horse on that topic. The current housing options for a massive workforce are already in place, however they are incredibly resource intensive and are not self supporting in any way, shape or form. This doesn't mean these structures cannot be retrofitted to be more efficient. Here's the thing, there are thousands of mining truck tires laying in piles all over the place. These tires are really big. Filled with compacted earth or mature fine tailings (a blend of clay particulate and polymers) these tires would be a fabulous building material for large scale earthships, the thermal mass of the huge tires would make many earthship builders quiver with excitement I am sure. With garbage building we could house many workers with little to no input for heating or cooling, an enormous savings. If we located these buildings proximate to the worksite transportation needs would also be mitigated. All waste products from the kitchens could be composted for the gardens or fed to the on site farm animals that could then be used as a protien source for the workforce. All blackwater could be added to the wastewater biofiltration stream. All potable water could be collected from the rooftop collectors and through solar distillation of grey water or snow melt. All food could be grown on site, just because the growing season is short doesn't mean it can't be done.
So now I put myself in the same spot. Only this time I am lounging in a hammock strung between a hazelnut tree and an apple tree, wildflowers sway in the breeze as swallows snatch mayflies out of the sky. The marsh is full of life. The air is clean. The only semblance of the old mine is the terraced slopes, now each one a working forest, each one lending nutrients to the one below. The houses barely recognizable but for the panes of glass soaking in the warmth of the sun and recharging the thermal batteries for the cold winter ahead. For the winter will bring new opportunities in this newly discovered oasis. An educational retreat where we teach the future generations how we came together as one to overcome the most destructive force ever known to the earth. Us.
The power of nature is beyond our understanding. We can only be humbled by her unrelenting need to heal. We can be healers too, but only if we let go of ourselves and let her guide us through this land. For one day we will all be returned to the land and the cycle will begin anew.

Driving Towards Nothing

I get inspired by books, by radio programs and podcasts and sometimes I write about them. This time it's a book. I guess you could say I stole this book. I downloaded a pdf file online. It was free. The authour passed away some years ago and after reading a bit of his book I am sure he would not mind. The One Straw Revolution, written by Masanobu Fukuoka is one of those life manuals that are often overlooked by the mainstream. It has had brief surges of popularity over the past 35 years but most people have never heard of it.
Fukuoka was a farmer in Japan. He maintained some of the most productive lands in that country with natural farming practices. He used no fertilizers, no chemicals, no conventional compost methods and, possibly most impressively, never turned the soil. He called his method "do-nothing" farming. This is slightly inaccurate, the true expression has been lost in translation from japanese to english. It was Fukuoa's belief that humans could not fully understand nature, as the complexities of the relationships found in nature are beyond our mental capacity. This is a view that I share. He also came to realize that our beliefs and efforts are meaningless, self centered even if in the best of intentions. This is a hard idea to grasp for alot of people, but it is so true. We are only part of a cycle. Life and death.
Our egos drive us. Everything you do throughout your whole life is the name of self aggrandizement. Your feelings, happiness, embarrassment, anger, frustration, lust, all ego. Perhaps the only one that is not directly tied to ego is true love. True love cannot be explained. It's natures' realm. Like one of the elements. I suppose every living creature feels love, yet only humans have the capacity to be driven by ego.
So are we truly driving towards nothing? I have been asking myself this question alot lately, have written about my frustrations with the system on this blog. Fukuoka has shown that a productive existence can be lived without the means of modern industrial methods. A small group of people are trying to incorporate this knowledge into the mainstream and we are largely being ignored, or pointed out to be radicals, anti establishment and political extremists. We are the permaculturists.
We do not arm ourselves with grenades and rockets. We do not use violence. We do not inflict damage upon the land, nor impose ourselves upon the rights of others. We pledge ourselves to a simple element. Love. Love of nature. That simple element goes far beyond the realm of our understanding but we do not fear. We can only observe nature and try to duplicate her methods to the best of our abilities. Once we have found success in our work and have gathered enough resources for ourselves we must share the surplus. It is in our ethics. This is why we share our knowledge with you. Often free of charge, for only in times of no surplus can we accept payment for our duties. We are born with nothing and so shall we return to the earth free of material belongings. Our legacy is in the systems we create that will sustain life in natures' terms for decades after we are gone.
If any of this makes sense to you, or if you are completely baffled by it but intrigued at the same time, get yourself a copy of One Straw Revolution.

Little Green Lies

Today has been interesting. It was my last 12 hour night shift before a well deserved week off. Today is also my travel day, so after working all night I get to sleep for an hour or two before I have to pack up my belongings and head for the airport. I do not have a vehicle in Fort McMurray so I use transit, taxi or my own two feet. It works and is way less hassle than you might think. Suncor provides our transportation to and from site, this helps alleviate much of the traffic on the highway north of town. Once again I find myself going of track...
To make a long story short the airstrip in Comox was fogged in so my homeward flight was diverted to Victoria.  Now I am riding a bus north to Comox.  I spend alot of time on the bus! What a green way to travel right? Well maybe not so much.
Throughout the last couple years I have been interested in and studying the way we live. Let me tell you, the more I learn the more disgusted I become. Green tech is all the rage right? CFL, low flush toilets, low-e windows, high eff gas furnaces and water heaters, fuel efficient trucks with ecoboost 400hp engines, plant based water bottles, green detergents, green cosmetics, the list goes on. Guess what? All that stuff, all that new, cutting edge tech, it's all bullshit. It's all a consumerist fucking lie and society is buying it hook, line and sinker.
All these innovations are patches on a ship that has already sunk.
What I ask of you now is to go to youtube and search a man named Michael Reynolds.  Alternatively type in earthship. You will find some short videos, Ted talks and most importantly a full length video called "Garbage Warrior". Once you have watched a few of these videos you will begin to form an understanding of what real green tech is. We're talking permaculture living. Biotecture. It's an art of passion. It's almost too easy to believe. Total freedom. What a way to live. My dream. A necessity.

Of Weal and Wealth

Hello,
Today I would like to discuss a definition. The definition of wealth. I have cited a few online dictionaries and have a slightly different view on the term.
You see most definitions of wealth speak of intrinsic value, they imply a monetary value to the word. They define wealth as the collection of material items or monies. Items that can be used as collateral or trade. In this search I found the root of the word which is weal (pronounced well). Weal is a state of wellness that goes beyond the wallet. In communal terms, the common weal of the people is a measure of the health and prosperity of a community.
To me wealth is an egoic term. Wealth is dangerous. Wealth or the lust for it causes war, destuction of the ecosystem, and the statifacation of society. It is hierarchical. It is non inclusive. It is what our current model is based upon. Capitalist, consumerist, disgusting. You see it is my belief that by chasing wealth you are in fact making yourself and others sick and are directly contributing to the desecration of your home. You must understand that your home is more than just the four walls that surround you. Your home is your neighborhood, your town, your province, your country. Your earth is your home. It is the only place in the universe where you, as a living creature can survive.
The earth is regenerative. It uses its rivers and oceans to cleanse the atmosphere and regulate climate. It uses plants and animals to heal damaged ecosystems and create successive, biodiverse communities that have one thing in common. Weal. Natural ecosytems are interdependent. From the microscopic nematodes to the mycelium to the rhizome all the way up to the bear, the puma and the raptor, each organism contributes to the common health and prosperity of the system. Fungi, prarie grasses, krill, salmon. These are keystone species, organisms that the natural world relies on for survival. Humans are not a keystone species.
If we want to survive we must embrace weal. For our common well being is interdependent on the health of our environment. Weal is stewardship. Weal is forgiveness. Weal is healing. Weal is love. Weal is easy. It is what nature intended for us.

The Night Shift

So, I got myself this fancy new superphone and the Blogger app. So far this is alot easier than using the tablet I was on before. Two reviews in one. Samsung Galaxy S4, amazing technological device, not sure if I will ever use it to its full potential. Blogger app, easy as pie to use. There you are hopefully the check is in the mail.
Alas, the whole reason I decided to write tonight is because I cannot get to sleep. I do not typically suffer from sleep abnormalities, except a lack of good rest. I suppose this is self inflicted as I have chosen a line of work that requires long hours. My current schedule is 7 days, 7 nights, 7 off, 12 hour shifts plus 1.5 hours commute. It is a bit of an arduous schedule. Apparently it's safer than working straight days or nights. Whoever figured that out never tried it for a year or two. I don't really know where this is going so bear with me. I think where I am at right now is just a general dissatisfaction with work in general. Mostly the machine. I am not a fan of feeding this machine. I am sick of being a hamster on the wheel. It's not that I am a slack ass, or completely anti- establishment, an anarchist maybe, but I have a strong sense of community which is actually a value of an anarchist system. I have a want to be part of something epic. Creating something good. For the betterment of mankind. I feel restrained. Shackled to the bars that seperate me from my goals. I can see it but can't seem to break free. This is a resentment that is eating at my soul, it turns me inward, towards the darkness. The night shift.
I look for inspiration and it surrounds me.
I see it in a few of my friends, the ones that are finding happiness in simplicity. The amature athletes competing in the winter olympics in Sochi, Russia. Through pain an adversity they struggle to accomplish their dreams.
Maybe I am not trying hard enough. Maybe I am before my time.
I really don't know. For possibly the first time in my life I feel like that is the right answer. I do not know. That's a step in the right direction I guess, not having the answer and being ok with it. Waiting for guidance, a sign from above that it's time to make a move. A move to break the chains. Simplicity is sustainability, I think there is something to that statement.  How I implement that is another question.  The answer lies in observation. The natural systems that surround us always hold the answer, you just have to go in with eyes wide open. Day or night.