Steve Whitman, AICP, and Sharon Ferguson discuss what planners need to know about Permaculture, a holistic, integrated system analysis and design tool that very few planners are using.
Offering "a pathway to a positive transition beyond sustainability to resilient communities," the authors argue, "Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that are modeled on the relationships found in natural ecologies."
Differing from sustainable community planning efforts in that Permaculture, "seeks to integrate the proposed sustainable elements (e.g., water catchment, renewable energy, district heating, food growing, waste recycling, transportation, etc.) into a whole system that operates efficiently so that the number of inputs are minimized but outputs attained are maximized," write Whitman and Ferguson, "The goal is to create an ecosystem that provides as many useful products and functions out of the system as the designer's abilities allow while healing the planet."
In this article, Whitman and Ferguson spotlight four examples that "illustrate the range of applying permaculture tools and strategies."
Thanks to Sharon Ferguson
Read the full story: Taking the Permaculture Path to Community Resilience
In the 1990s, Kansas City's Womontown offered queer women community and independence
A group of women created a safe space that gave them the opportunity to buy homes and build wealth in a supportive community.
For Some, Co-Housing Offers Social and Economic Benefits
Residents of co-living developments say the built-in community helps ease the growing isolation felt by many Americans.
Cohousing as a Solution to High Housing Costs and Social Isolation
Living arrangements designed to encourage social interaction and provide shared facilities can lower the cost of living and build more friendly, supportive neighborhoods.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority