Agriculture, Energy and Permaculture: Stepping back for perspective

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Agriculture, Energy and Permaculture Stepping
back for perspective

• World Grotto, Knoxville
• March 14th, 2009

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Energy Production through Agriculture Created
Civilization

• Energy Output to Input
• Egypt (Historical) 1.8
• Afghanistan (today) 2.9
• U.S. (1920) 3.1
• U.S. (1974) 0.7

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Icon of Transformation1924 Farmall Tractor
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Milestones

• 1924 - Farmall tractor introduced
• 1933 Chronic low commodity prices
• 1935 peak farmers (6.8 million)
• 1945 35 farms have tractors
• 1960 agriculture becomes net energy user
  instead of a net source.
• 2006 One U.S. farmer feeds 130 people.
• 2008 -- 100 barrel oil

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Typical Farms Land Allocation

• Upwards of 75 of land was for growing fuel!

Calorie Balance At the gate 10 in 31 out At
the plate Roughly the same
Calorie Balance At the gate 10 in 7 out At
the plate 10 in 1 out
Cheap energy allows for separation of components
and specialization
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U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil
Oil Reserves
Rate of Use
25
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7
3
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The United States uses more oil than the next
five highest-consuming nations combined.
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3
3
3
3
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Updated July 2005. Source International Energy
Annual 2003 (EIA), Tables 1.2 and 8.1-OGJ.
Canadas reserves include tar sands.
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Example of Peak Oil Occurrence North Sea
Drill more and more, but so small they dont make
up for decline
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Global Oil Situation

• Challenge of agriculture is to, once again, be a
  net SOURCE of energy.

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Energy Output to Input RatioPerspective!
Switchgrass
Source M. Bender, 2003. M Wang, 1999.
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Stepping Back for Perspective

• Nothing beats the energy value of OIL!
• 20th Century was about TAKING ADVANTAGE of this
  GREAT DEAL.
• The search is on for a solution to DECLINING OIL
  production and the continuation of our Way of
  Life.
• BEWARE BIG FIX SCHEMES (biofuels, electric cars,
  solar power, wind)

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What we MUST do this century

• Reverse the energy balance of agriculture to
  become a net provider of energy again.
• Rebuild topsoil that is rapidly eroding (area
  the size of Ohio abandoned every year).
• Feed 6 billion people.

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The Promise of Permaculture
let's stop talking about making better cars and
start talking about occupying the landscape
differently which we're going to have to do
anyway. -- James Howard Kunstler

• Permaculture is a holistic approach to land use,
  which works with natures rhythm and patterns,
  weaving together the elements of microclimate,
  annual and perennial plants, animals, water and
  soil management, and human needs into intricately
  connected and productive communities. Keith
  Johnson
• Transform High Energy Lifestyle through Smart
  Design
• Connections are key! Permaculture is about the
  glue.
• We push the system, nature pulls
• Successful systems will
• Yield more energy than you put into it.
• Build soil fertility and ecosystem stability.
• Feed people.

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Examples of Permaculture
(e.g. agro-ecology, integrated agriculture,
polyculture)
The New
and the Old.
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PermacultureKey Principles

• Use Nature as Image
• The problem can be the solution
• Make least change for greatest effect
• Yield is theoretically unlimited
• Everything gardens

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More Principles
Nature as image Model our designed systems after
natures systems
Integration Allow the wastes or byproducts of
one component to feed another component
Stack functions Get many yields from each part
of the designed system
Repeating functions Create resilience by meeting
each need in several ways
Appropriate Scale Should be on human scale and
doable with available time, skills and money
Diversity Using many species creates resilience
Intuition We, too, are part of the system and
can trust our intuition to guide appropriate
design
Conservation Use only what is needed and use
resources on-hand creatively
Observation Watch how the system performs and
react with the lessons learned
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Signs of Permaculture

• Water Catchment
• Sheet mulch
• Wetland use
• Edible forest gardening
• Greywater use
• Productive ponds
• Backyard animal raising
• Composting
• Cob/strawbale
• Keyline plowing

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What will your permaculture look like?
The Guild acts as a network to facilitate the
sharing of permaculture related knowledge and
events, and to build a local community grounded
in the practice of permaculture.
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When a crisis happens, people pick up whatever
ideas are handy-- Milton Friedman (conservative
economist)
Lets make sure the right Ideas are handy!

• Thanks for coming!