The Role of Permaculture in Modern Survivalism

1. The Role of Permaculture in Modern Survivalism Presented by Jack Spirko

2. Modern Survivism What It Is, What It Isn’t It Is Not This It Is More Like This

3. Defining Permaculture and Modern Survivalism • Permaculture – a conscious design of agriculturally productive ecosystems based on principles and ethics that have the diversity, sustainability and resilience of natural systems, designed to create a permanent culture of humanity. ~ Bill Mollison • Modern Survivalism – A lifestyle based on principles and tenants that are designed to create a resilient and positive way of living that is highly sustainable, if times get tough or even if they don’t. ~ Jack Spirko

4. The Permaculture Ethics • Care of the Earth • Care of People • Return (NOT redistribution) of Surplus

5. The Prime Directive • The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for the existence of ourselves and that of our children. • If there is a better blueprint for human survival I have yet to hear it!

6. Common Myths about Surviving • Go it alone, be a rugged individual • The only way to survive is to be 100% self sufficient • Survivalism only pays off if we have TEOTWAWKI • Living off the land is the way to survive if TSHTF • If I have a gun and ammo I can just take what I need • I will be completely safe if I just go to/live in _______

7. Economic Collapse/Recession/Depression • The current US Debt is 15.9 Trillion Dollars • SSI, Medicaid and Medicare have a 100 Trillion Dollar Hole in Unfunded Liabilities • City, County and State Municipal Debt exceeds 2 Trillion Dollars • All money is debt and paying off debt contracts the monetary supply

8. Solutions to the Economic Crisis • Create stores of value in real wealth • Create barter economies and local currencies • Develop all 8 forms of capital

9. Food Shortages/Costs • China, India, The United States, The United Kingdom, Malaysia, South Africa and Japan are now all “net importers of food”. • Enough U.S. produced grain to feed a half billion people for a year was converted to ethanol in 2009. • Companies such as Monsanto are altering food at a genetic level taking massive risks with our food supply. • 70% of global water usage is for agriculture and we are running out of the water used for that purpose.

10. Solutions to the Food Crisis • Grow your own food and learn how to preserve it • Save, trade and give away heirloom seed • Replace non productive trees, bushes, etc. • Support local agriculture, CSA, ranches, etc. • In my view naturally grown local beats “organic” • Create a decentralized secondary food system

11. Energy Shortages/Costs • I will bet you a thousand dollars no living person will see the last drop of oil in their lifetime, we are still screwed. • China and India have a combined population of 2.7 billion and they are just now moving into a “western model”. • Every product and service is dependent on energy as it the cost of delivery.

12. Solutions to Energy Costs • Focus first on efficiency • Develop more resilient local economies of production • Get creative with “alternative energy” • Solar is for independence it will not save the planet, yet.