"Always favour biological solutions." Bill Mollison, Founder of The Permaculture Movement
"Always favour biological solutions." This is my preferred way to interpret the 5th Permaculture Principle. Put forth by Dave Holmgren, the 5th principle is stated "Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services." While this is good advice, I find that stubborn adherence to this principle can sometimes cause more trouble than its worth.
I have seen people disregard useful materials that are all around them, just because they are 'not natural'. At Atitlan Organics, we are not purists nor idealists.
For example, when we moved on our land, there was a bunch of left over cement blocks from the former owner. We decided to use the blocks to build a sauna. Otherwise, we would have had to dispose of them, creating more waste, and overlooking a useful resource.
That being said, we still prefer to use and value renewable resources. Our whole farm runs off of fire wood that is sustainably harvested. We use this sweet rocket stove to heat water, cook meals, make yogurt, and more.
Our house is built with adobe blocks that we made from soil we harvested on the farm. And its fun to mix adobe i.e play in the mud!!!
But, by far, I love to think of this principle from a slightly different angle. I like to ask myself, "How can a plant (or animal) help me solve this problem?"
Predatory insects are the best insecticide. Using Ladybugs to solve the aphid problem, as opposed to some concoction of gross stuff from your kitchen, or something worse, like harmful chemicals.
Plants are the best erosion control. And they give you useful products like food, animal fodder, or medicine and building materials.
And what about animals? Pigs to turn the garden after it has been fallowed. And we use our chickens to weed and fertilze our food forest and to turn our compost.
By using plants and animals, we tap into the resilience of nature, building systems that experience negative entropy, or systems with creative and organising properties. Unlike unnatural solutions which breakdown and degrade, these natural solutions grow and increase in complexity and mesh into their surroundings.
How do you favour biological solutions?
And as always, this list of 12 Permaculture Principles was given to us by the great David Holmgren, co-founder of Permaculture. https://permacultureprinciples.com/
NOTE: This post is proudly filled, COMPLETELY, with original writing and photos. ENJOY!
