Urban PermacultureUrban Permaculture

By Selwyn PolitBy Selwyn Polit

Austin, TX USAAustin, TX USA

The problem with cities is The problem with cities is that we don't know how to that we don't know how to think about them. think about them.

Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of the American City . the American City .

Scientific thinking – 3 wavesScientific thinking – 3 waves

Simplicity, 2-variable (x & y)Simplicity, 2-variable (x & y) Disorganized complexity - billions of Disorganized complexity - billions of

variables, probability, averages, chaos variables, probability, averages, chaos theory theory

Organized complexity - many factors Organized complexity - many factors interrelated into an organic wholeinterrelated into an organic whole

Living Systems & CitiesLiving Systems & Cities

Tactics for understanding both are similar

Organized differently

Both: Organized complexity

Understanding CitiesUnderstanding Cities

Great consumption organism with end Great consumption organism with end product of great waste problemproduct of great waste problem

Think of:ProcessesEnergy & Material flow

Understanding CitiesUnderstanding Cities

Work inductively:Work inductively:From particulars to the general (real From particulars to the general (real examples to theory)examples to theory)

Understanding CitiesUnderstanding Cities

Seek “unaverage” clues:Seek “unaverage” clues:Check out the small stuff to reveal the much Check out the small stuff to reveal the much larger. larger.

Principle: observation

Understanding CitiesUnderstanding Cities

The edge is where the action is. (buildings, The edge is where the action is. (buildings, covered/not covered, concrete, roads, covered/not covered, concrete, roads, chopped up, jumbled up)chopped up, jumbled up)

Urban EcologyUrban Ecology

More hard surface than soft More hard surface than soft landscapelandscape– ClimateClimate– HeatHeat– Run-offRun-off– Wind tunneling & turbulenceWind tunneling & turbulence

Urban EcologyUrban Ecology

High dependence on fossil High dependence on fossil fuelsfuels– CarsCars– ElectricityElectricity– Increased pollution and heatIncreased pollution and heat

Urban EcologyUrban Ecology

High dependence on large High dependence on large support systemssupport systems– ElectricityElectricity– GasGas– WaterWater– sewagesewage

Urban EcologyUrban Ecology

Low levels of self-sufficiencyLow levels of self-sufficiency– FoodFood– ImportsImports– Flow through (very few loops)Flow through (very few loops)– Social dislocationSocial dislocation

PrinciplesPrinciples• Observation of Observation of

NatureNature• Focus on Natural Focus on Natural

Patterns & EdgePatterns & Edge• DiversityDiversity• Each element Each element

performs multiple performs multiple functionsfunctions

• Relative LocationRelative Location• Each critical function Each critical function

supported by many supported by many elementselements

• Energy Efficient Energy Efficient PlanningPlanning

• Biological Biological ResourcesResources

• Energy CyclingEnergy Cycling• Appropriate Appropriate

TechnologyTechnology• Small Scale Small Scale

Intensive SystemsIntensive Systems• StockingStocking• Stacking & PackingStacking & Packing

HealthHealth

Start at Zone 0 Start at Zone 0

Clean drinking Clean drinking waterwater

Clean indoor airClean indoor air Spider plants are Spider plants are

one of the best air one of the best air cleaners among cleaners among houseplantshouseplants

Grow some food - Grow some food - sprouts, sprouts, mushrooms, greens, mushrooms, greens, espaliered fruits espaliered fruits

Organically grown Organically grown food - as local as food - as local as possible possible

Meet Your NeighborsMeet Your Neighbors

Buying/barter clubs (Austin freecycle, Buying/barter clubs (Austin freecycle, more local freecycle)more local freecycle)

CoopsCoops PlaygroundsPlaygrounds Community gardensCommunity gardens Block partiesBlock parties Creek watchCreek watch

Get some chickensGet some chickens

Get a ProjectGet a Project

CohousingCohousing EcovillageEcovillage Political and social Political and social

actionaction Environmental Environmental

actionaction

Design Strategies in CitiesDesign Strategies in Cities Analyze Analyze

– Yields:Yields: social edges, social edges, resources (waste?), resources (waste?), informationinformation

– Needs:Needs: security, self- security, self-reliancereliance

Inner CitiesInner Cities Increase BiomassIncrease Biomass Vertical PlantingVertical Planting Rooftop gardensRooftop gardens Balcony and window box Balcony and window box

gardensgardens Pollution tolerant species Pollution tolerant species

(Gingko, London Plane, (Gingko, London Plane, Acacia Longifolia, Black Acacia Longifolia, Black LocustLocust

High Density ResidentialHigh Density Residential Food ParksFood Parks Food treesFood trees Home gardening education – Home gardening education –

square foot gardenssquare foot gardens Vertical plantingVertical planting Community gardensCommunity gardens School gardensSchool gardens Children community Children community

plantingsplantings Warehouse – live/work Warehouse – live/work

communitiescommunities

High Density ResidentialHigh Density Residential

Urban Patchwork - Paige hill - Urbanpatchwork.org

Med-Low Density ResidentialMed-Low Density Residential

Food ParksFood Parks Community OrchardsCommunity Orchards City Farms (chickens, bees, City Farms (chickens, bees,

livestock)livestock) Home Food ProductionHome Food Production Food trees on quiet streetsFood trees on quiet streets

Med-Low Density ResidentialMed-Low Density Residential

Design Strategies in CitiesDesign Strategies in Cities Manage local wastes as a nutrient Manage local wastes as a nutrient

resource, while maintaining resource, while maintaining public health. public health.

Design Strategies in CitiesDesign Strategies in Cities

Redesign storm water & wastewater Redesign storm water & wastewater systems to prevent erosion, catch systems to prevent erosion, catch nutrients, and provide for plant nutrients, and provide for plant growth. growth.

Gabion

Build soilBuild soil

Build soilBuild soil

Catch waterCatch water

Design Strategies in CitiesDesign Strategies in Cities Identify & use local energy sources - Identify & use local energy sources -

solar, wind, water, and methane. solar, wind, water, and methane. Support home retrofit, and new-Support home retrofit, and new-

homes, using passive solar design homes, using passive solar design and green building materials and and green building materials and techniques. techniques.

Design Strategies in CitiesDesign Strategies in Cities Encourage small Encourage small

farms and farms and community gardens community gardens throughout the city. throughout the city.

Encourage edible Encourage edible landscaping, both landscaping, both public and private.public and private.

Design Strategies in CitiesDesign Strategies in Cities

Nurture local celebrations - Nurture local celebrations - culture, history, nature, art, culture, history, nature, art, music, dance, education, music, dance, education, barter/trade fairs, seasons, barter/trade fairs, seasons, harvests. harvests.

Build sense of community - coops, Build sense of community - coops, local pubs, sidewalk art, gardens, local pubs, sidewalk art, gardens, block parties, creek watchblock parties, creek watch

Support local businesses. Support local businesses.

Design Strategies in CitiesDesign Strategies in Cities

Minimize the need for transportation: Minimize the need for transportation: – Design for mixed-use urban Design for mixed-use urban

neighborhoods neighborhoods – Design suburban areas with shops, Design suburban areas with shops,

schools, parks in walking distanceschools, parks in walking distance– Provide public transportationProvide public transportation

City SwaleCity Swale

FoodFood

Buying Buying – Local trading feeds your Local trading feeds your

community several times for community several times for each dollar, whereas the $ each dollar, whereas the $ goes away when you buy goes away when you buy from a national company from a national company

– Community Supported Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Agriculture (CSA)

– Buying clubsBuying clubs

FoodFood

Growing without a garden Growing without a garden – Balconies, trellises, windowfarms Balconies, trellises, windowfarms

window boxes, window sill, sprouts, window boxes, window sill, sprouts, mushrooms, planter boxes mushrooms, planter boxes Community gardens, vacant lots, Community gardens, vacant lots, friends/neighbors/relatives with friends/neighbors/relatives with garden space garden space

– Trees in large planter boxes, city Trees in large planter boxes, city streets streets

FoodFood

Windowfarms.orgWindowfarms.org

Building CommunityBuilding Community

Community sizes Community sizes – 30-40 people - minimal 30-40 people - minimal

number of people to cover number of people to cover most human functions most human functions

– 200-300 people minimum 200-300 people minimum for genetic variability, for genetic variability, smallest village smallest village

– 600-1000 people can know 600-1000 people can know each other by name, each other by name, optimum village size optimum village size

Building CommunityBuilding Community

Community sizes Community sizes – Over 250 households in community/over Over 250 households in community/over

3000 people in a school = dysfunction 3000 people in a school = dysfunction (cliques, theft & cheating, hierarchies) (cliques, theft & cheating, hierarchies)

– 1000-5000 max for federation of tribes, 1000-5000 max for federation of tribes, bioregional group, maximum village size bioregional group, maximum village size

Building CommunityBuilding Community Community sizes Community sizes

– 7000-40,000 people in towns; not 7000-40,000 people in towns; not workable unless broken into smaller workable unless broken into smaller cooperatives/villages cooperatives/villages

– 50,000 = optimum city size50,000 = optimum city size– Regions of the world = 10 million Regions of the world = 10 million

optimumoptimum

Building CommunityBuilding Community

Sharing utilities Sharing utilities – 4-5 families share 1 washer 4-5 families share 1 washer – 5-10 people share 1 shower, 5-10 people share 1 shower,

Zone 1 garden Zone 1 garden – 15-35 families share kitchen, 15-35 families share kitchen,

gardens, food processing (2-3 gardens, food processing (2-3 people shop, prep, cleanup people shop, prep, cleanup for each meal)for each meal)

Building Building CommunityCommunity

Projects Projects – Coops - food buying, child care, Coops - food buying, child care,

automobile automobile – Barter, banks, etc. Barter, banks, etc. – Farm Links - Bulletin board with NEED Farm Links - Bulletin board with NEED

LAND/HAVE LAND listingsLAND/HAVE LAND listings

Strathcona Community Gardens – Strathcona Community Gardens – Vancouver, BC CanadaVancouver, BC Canada

Community GardensCommunity Gardens Began in 1985 when local residents saw Began in 1985 when local residents saw

gardening potential in an abandoned 3-gardening potential in an abandoned 3-acre industrial dump site, got a one-year acre industrial dump site, got a one-year lease from the parks board lease from the parks board

Tested soil for metals- OK, but very poor Tested soil for metals- OK, but very poor soil, so began composting - Now soil, so began composting - Now composting a ton of garbage a week from composting a ton of garbage a week from local restaurants local restaurants

From this…From this…

To this…To this…

And thisAnd this

andand

200 individual plots

Vine walk & espaliered orchard

Apple trees & meadow

Wild Area

Nursery beds Kids area

StrathconaStrathcona

No fence – open to all people to sit on a No fence – open to all people to sit on a bench, help, connect with nature & other bench, help, connect with nature & other people - Surplus-produce table - free people - Surplus-produce table - free

Learned that gardening is political Learned that gardening is political Some members of city govt. want to use Some members of city govt. want to use

garden for playing field or park; gardeners garden for playing field or park; gardeners must keep area clean, though it is used by must keep area clean, though it is used by prostitutes, drug-users & the homeless. prostitutes, drug-users & the homeless.

StrathconaStrathcona

It's growing - gardening on some It's growing - gardening on some unused land adjacent to Community unused land adjacent to Community gardensgardens

Created connection with the larger Created connection with the larger community: coalition to stop an community: coalition to stop an environmentally unfriendly garbage environmentally unfriendly garbage processing plant- and stopped processing plant- and stopped spraying herbicides in Vancouver spraying herbicides in Vancouver parksparks

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Create lots of symbiotic relationships Create lots of symbiotic relationships

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Create city-country fingers, so all Create city-country fingers, so all have easy access to countryhave easy access to country

Break into villages/pods with Break into villages/pods with community-bonding activities: community-bonding activities: – neighborhood-size facilities neighborhood-size facilities – block parties block parties – local markets & night-life local markets & night-life – ecological projects ecological projects

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Human scale buildings & activitiesHuman scale buildings & activities Create safety Create safety Create a stable biological base:Create a stable biological base:

– SoilSoil– WaterWater– species protection. species protection.

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Increase biomass (Green:other-l:2 Increase biomass (Green:other-l:2 minimum) minimum) – Green belts not just around traffic, but Green belts not just around traffic, but

for walking trails, etc. for walking trails, etc. – Texture hard surfaces (biotexturing) Texture hard surfaces (biotexturing)

Create negative ion generator sites Create negative ion generator sites (plants, splashing/falling water)(plants, splashing/falling water)

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Create people- friendly economic Create people- friendly economic system system – Recycling is main source of raw Recycling is main source of raw

materials for industry. materials for industry. – Barter systems/new currency with no Barter systems/new currency with no

advantage to hoarding advantage to hoarding – Business in homes Business in homes – Reduce social tensions, by reducing gap Reduce social tensions, by reducing gap

between rich & poor between rich & poor

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Energy systems based on solar & Energy systems based on solar & wind wind – Decentralize energy production Decentralize energy production – With PV, homeowners become With PV, homeowners become

producers of electricityproducers of electricity

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Transportation Transportation – Mostly rail & bus, bicycles; people live Mostly rail & bus, bicycles; people live

closer to workplace closer to workplace – Close some streets to prevent/reduce Close some streets to prevent/reduce

thru traffic thru traffic roads = traffic roads = traffic Big Roads = Big TrafficBig Roads = Big Trafficas population increases, roads widen so less as population increases, roads widen so less

space for humans & wider gulfs to traversespace for humans & wider gulfs to traverseurban sprawl = more roads and so on.urban sprawl = more roads and so on.

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Goals Goals – Value systems emphasizing quantity, Value systems emphasizing quantity,

expansion, competition, domination will expansion, competition, domination will

be replaced by be replaced by quality, quality, conservation, cooperation, conservation, cooperation, partnership partnership

– Measure of success is sustainability, not Measure of success is sustainability, not growthgrowth

Greening CitiesGreening Cities

Some city examples: Some city examples: – L.A. dedicates 70 % of its space to L.A. dedicates 70 % of its space to

automobiles - roads, parking lots, automobiles - roads, parking lots, garages, etc. garages, etc.

– Hong Kong raises 45 % of its vegetables Hong Kong raises 45 % of its vegetables – Cuba is creating the first post-fossil fuel Cuba is creating the first post-fossil fuel

economy economy – Norway's gov't is investing in farms Norway's gov't is investing in farms – Vietnam - PC is the official agricultural Vietnam - PC is the official agricultural

policy policy

Hopi VillagesHopi Villages

The oldest cities in North America.The oldest cities in North America. The village is an entity, the plaza its heartThe village is an entity, the plaza its heart Many homes built by women-like giving Many homes built by women-like giving

birthbirth Built by the people, for the people Built by the people, for the people Apartments were created as extended Apartments were created as extended

family units family units Building was art instead of science Building was art instead of science face to face society instead of back to face to face society instead of back to

back."back."

Curitaba - BrazilCuritaba - Brazil

CapitalCapital City of 2.4 million City of 2.4 million

people , people , Changes began in Changes began in

1971, when Jaime 1971, when Jaime Lerner was Lerner was elected mayor elected mayor

Curitaba - BrazilCuritaba - Brazil

PRIORITIESPRIORITIES Decrease the number of vehicles Decrease the number of vehicles

– many roads designated for the sole use of many roads designated for the sole use of collective vehicles collective vehicles

– increased public transportation - buses increased public transportation - buses Increase ratio of green areas to inhabitants Increase ratio of green areas to inhabitants

– in 1970, .5 sq. meters/person in 1970, .5 sq. meters/person – in 1992, 50 sq. meters/person in 1992, 50 sq. meters/person – 1.5 million trees have planted in 20 years 1.5 million trees have planted in 20 years

Curitaba - BrazilCuritaba - Brazil

"GARBAGE THAT ISN'T GARBAGE" "GARBAGE THAT ISN'T GARBAGE" Began as an education program, now almost Began as an education program, now almost

90% are separating garbage in home 90% are separating garbage in home Special collection van for recyclables " Special collection van for recyclables " Paper recycling alone spares 1200 trees Paper recycling alone spares 1200 trees

daily! daily!

Profit is reinvested in social programsProfit is reinvested in social programs

Curitaba - BrazilCuritaba - Brazil

"GARBAGE THAT ISN'T GARBAGE" "GARBAGE THAT ISN'T GARBAGE" – Landfill is sparedLandfill is spared– Garbage Purchase where no access for vans Garbage Purchase where no access for vans – pay people to bring garbage to vans instead of pay people to bring garbage to vans instead of

paying garbage collection company paying garbage collection company – pay with transport vouchers or surplus produce pay with transport vouchers or surplus produce

(gov't buys surplus produce at low price (gov't buys surplus produce at low price instead of having it thrown in river or burned)instead of having it thrown in river or burned)

Curitaba - BrazilCuritaba - Brazil

LOCAL DISTRICT EMPOWERMENT LOCAL DISTRICT EMPOWERMENT – Local districts belong more to the people Local districts belong more to the people

than to the city (Polish Woods, Italian than to the city (Polish Woods, Italian district, etc.)district, etc.)

– The people who live in a district knows The people who live in a district knows best what its needs are best what its needs are

Curitaba - BrazilCuritaba - Brazil

CITY GOV'T DUTY: ENVIRONMENTAL CITY GOV'T DUTY: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EDUCATION – Environmental education is not a separate Environmental education is not a separate

course, but is inserted into the curriculum. course, but is inserted into the curriculum. – Free University for the Environment - short Free University for the Environment - short

courses designed for the people - energy courses designed for the people - energy efficiency, recycling, gardening, planting trees, efficiency, recycling, gardening, planting trees, etc. etc.

– Green Guard - police who work in parks and Green Guard - police who work in parks and teach people about the environment teach people about the environment

Curitaba - BrazilCuritaba - Brazil

LESSONS: LESSONS: – Search for the simplest possible solution Search for the simplest possible solution – Work with local people - people who Work with local people - people who

know and like the city know and like the city – Changes should be done on the Changes should be done on the

broadest scale possible broadest scale possible – Although started with traditional top-Although started with traditional top-

down legislation, now recognize the down legislation, now recognize the importance of involving the people in importance of involving the people in every initiative every initiative

A sustainable society is one which A sustainable society is one which satisfies its needs without satisfies its needs without diminishing the prospects of diminishing the prospects of future generations.future generations.

Thanks for your kind attentionThanks for your kind attention

Questions?Questions?