The 12 Principles of Permaculture Explained
This article introduces the foundational ethics of permaculture—Care for the Earth, Care for People, and Fair Share—and details the 12 design principles developed by David Holmgren. These principles serve as tools for creating sustainable, nature-inspired systems by encouraging observation, energy conservation, and valuing diversity.
Permaculture is a design philosophy that uses nature as its model to create stable, productive systems providing for human needs, without exploiting or polluting the environment. At its heart are three core ethics: Care for the Earth, Care for People, and Fair Share.
Building on these ethics are the 12 principles of permaculture, as articulated by David Holmgren. These principles are thinking tools, that when used together, allow us to creatively design our environment for a more sustainable and resilient future. They include concepts like "Observe and Interact," "Catch and Store Energy," and "Use and Value Diversity." Each principle offers a different lens through which to view a design problem, leading to holistic and regenerative solutions.
Join the Discussion
Lena
about 2 years ago
I always forget a few of the principles. This is a great refresher, thanks!
Marcus
about 2 years ago
This is a fantastic overview! The 12 principles really click when you see them laid out like this.