Permaculture designfora bundance_rdi

Urban Permaculture:

Design an Abundant Future

for AllKevin Bayuk

Sept. 2009

Presentation Objectives

What is Urban Permaculture?

What are common urban techniques and strategies?

A little insight, a little inspiration

A little laughter and fun

What did you bring with you?

- Mark Henson

What is Urban? urbanized area denotes an urban

area of 50,000 The US Census Bureau defines an

urban area as: "Core census block groups that have a population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile (386 per square kilometer)

About 70% of the population of the United States lives within the boundaries of urbanized area (210 out of 300 million).

Combined, these areas occupy about 2% of the United States. The majority of urbanized area residents are suburbanites; core central city* residents make up about 30%

of the urbanized area population (about 60 out of 210 million).

50% + global humans – homo sapiens urbanis

What is Urban?

DENSITY: SQUARE MILE UA PD Core Suburban % Dif. Cases

Australia & New Zealand 3,600 6,000 3,000 50% 6Canada 4,600 11,500 3,600 31% 6Japan 12,000 22,100 7,300 33% 8United States 3,100 7,700 2,700 35% 31Western Europe 8,100 18,800 6,200 33% 41. Outside United Kingdom 7,700 20,200 5,300 26% 35. United Kingdom 10,800 10,900 11,900 109% 6Overall 6,300 14,000 4,700 34% 92

Urbanize at What Scale?

Context is crucial Declining energy

production Commute GHGs Social justice implications Mass transit options “Smart growth” vs.

“Degrowrth”

Problem is the Solution?

Cities draw in and accumulate resources

Cities are walkable Microclimates Can we decentralize and

localize needs production?

Assessment

Site history Reading the landscape

and the resources What is in abundance in

the city? Importance of invisible

structures

All Forms

Temporary

Light?

Food

6 Month Transition6 Month Transition Wean off packaged foods

Farmers markets and/or CSA Bulk from cooperative grocers

Begin to seek out space to grow your own

Research nutrition Assess diet Basic gardening training

GFE Basic cookery training

Try baking or fermenting or …. 50% + meals at home

Water

6 Month Transition6 Month Transition Monitor and measure current

water usage by month Implement basic conservation

Low flow shower heads Mellow yellow Bulk to toilet tank Check for all leaks Dishwashing basins Wash clothes less 5 gallon bucket in shower

Source food from local soil building farms

Downspout diversion

Energy 6 Month Transition6 Month Transition Monitor and measure current

kwh and/or therms use Basic conservation

LED or CFL bulbs Plug strip habit Fill refrigerator with water

containers Launder cold Solar clothes drying

Examine insulation/leaks Move from car to bike or public

transit for 75% of trips Research car sharing

Research moving closer to workplace

Eat more raw, fresh food

Shelter and Material

6 Month Transition6 Month Transition Monitor and measure “trash” and

recycling Research basic composting Remove toxins from household

Cleaners, paints, etc. Bring plants inside to clean the air

Create space in shelter by giving “stuff” away

Consume less Accumulate less

Thrift Retrofit with reused materials (e.g.,

Building Resources) Begin to research natural building

techniques and materials options Begin to research crafts/hobbies

Shelter and Material

12 Month Transition12 Month Transition Focus purchases of material

from Reused or recycled or “waste”

materials Locally offered goods and

services Support worker owned coops

Try to eliminate packaging Use libraries or create your

own library for sharing media with your community

Set up vermi-composting and/or other composting as appropriate

Research cooperative housing and become member of community land trust

Community and Economy

6 Month Transition6 Month Transition Self inquiry – right livelihood ID reference points Host a potluck at appropriate

scale Begin planning street closure

event ID local neighborhood

organizations and attend meeting Begin to explore NVC or similar

training Consume less Reduce all expenditures if possible

BioFuel

Weed Wackers

Waste?

Focus on the Kitchen

City Scale

Good Fences Make...

Backyard Orchard Culture

Compost Systems

Use & Value Diversity

Use Edges & Value the Marginal

HVF

Sidewalks

www.plantsf.org

Decentralize - E.g., Food

Use of Space

Urban Food Forests?

Backyard: Before

After

F U E L (e.g.)

How Many?

Backyards?

www.sfvictorygardens.org

Unaccepted Streets

www.sfpt.org

HVF

Animals

Water

Source to Sink

Passive Solar Design

Community and Economy

Community and Economy

Transitioning Urban StrategiesTransitioning Urban Strategies Join Timebank

http://timebank.sfbace.org/ Meet with reference points,

mentors and others for livelihood guidance

Host a regular, periodic potluck File block party application and go

door-to-door on block Create blog for block with asset and

skills inventory (under guise of disaster planning)

Join board of local neighborhood group

Support localization initiatives Practice NVC

Transitioning Urban StrategiesTransitioning Urban Strategies Join Timebank

http://timebank.sfbace.org/ Meet with reference points,

mentors and others for livelihood guidance

Host a regular, periodic potluck File block party application and go

door-to-door on block Create blog for block with asset and

skills inventory (under guise of disaster planning)

Join board of local neighborhood group

Support localization initiatives Practice NVC

Community and Economy

Evolving Urban StrategiesEvolving Urban Strategies Organize urban ecovillage

resource share Form worker owned cooperative or

independent cottage craft “career” Work in and from your “village”

owned in trust Evolve neighborhood group to seek

autonomy Advocate for municipal

decentralization Initiate service projects in your

neighborhood with your community to provide support for those requesting help

Practice NVC and CELEBRATE!

An Ecotopian Vision

kevin@uas.coop