PermaCulture, Thank You!

If somebody asked me why bother with permaculture. What would I reply?

The best way explain is by giving the account of my personal experience
And later with the use of testimonials

Experiencing permaculture.
There is something exquisite in practising permaculture on a regular basis. I have been lucky to get on board the Permaculture Research Foundation project funded through the YiA. This way I have guaranteed myself a front seat to an experience which is at least a year long. Though after this project finishes I am sure we will manage to build the community which any permacultural design requires.
I go in for this expereince, for the fun of it, for the curiousity and much more on those lines... But, certainly not for the belief! I was and most probably still am the sceptic of holistic living. Being a student of economics I had many reservations to how I percieved permaculture as a concpet.
Everything turned around the moment I went into the design and started hearing the wealth of knowledge being gathered through this project and seeing the social value created in the project and hearing of other similar local projects. Things are starting to tie up in my mind over the loose strands which once characterised permaculture in my mind.
Right now I can say permaculture has thought me how to appreciate. In the future I can't tell what I will say with regards to the permacultural experience on the island of Malta. But, certainly permaculture has become a reference point to my self-development.

Reviewing Testimonals
I would also like to bring together the testimonials of all the people in the past invovled in permaculture at the Bahrija Oasis. Hoepfully in a more tangible manner then as I did with my account. This is critical as community building is at the centre of any permacultural design and the Bahrija Oasis is no short of that.
For this blog I extracted a video made by Tobias a German friend whom I met in a Green Drinks Malta permacultural woprkshop at the Bahrija Oasis. Enjoy his video make over a weekend workshop.

Living Roof.Why not?

The idea of a living roof is pretty simple. Basically using the roof area as a growing medium for plants. Simple.

A living roof provides a colorful alternative to the grey urban landscape where the drab concrete is replaced by the ever changing mixes of greens. Flowers provide additional splashes of colors ,brightening up our grey boxes.

But apart from the aesthetic value a green roof provides other advantages. One can grow a small kitchen garden and herbs ( some would do quite well in our climate) There is nothing like eating fresh vegetables you grew your self. Also a green roof provides excellent insulation against cold winters and the backing hot summer sun. In fact green roofs have been used for centuries in northern countries.

Here is a few ideas abroad. Imagine looking from ones roof on a sea of green roof tops. Think about the cleaner air we would be breathing.

So way don't we see them here? The implementation is not so difficult. One could start with a small patch, a few pots with plants. So , go on. Have a go.

Ian