Hello!
I looked around and couldn't find any discussion over the creation of the American Climate Corps, so I want to do that myself. I'm not totally sure if this is the right forum for it, but it seems applicable as the conversation I am interested in is the idea of it for
permaculture design brainstorming in a sense.
I was initially excited about the prospect of it, but recognize the ways
politics and bureaucracy can taint things I want to see in the world. This is the nature of putting ideas out into the world though, they are accessible to anyone and will be used in whatever way someone wants too. What is ACC? This is a quote from their website:
The American Climate Corps (ACC) will empower a new, diverse generation to tackle two of the greatest challenges of our time: environmental injustice and climate change. We are creating a world in which individuals are equipped with the career training and hands-on skills to make change — change we can breathe, see, feel, and touch. And where together, we have the power to reimagine and reorient the course of our lives, our communities, our country, and our planet.
Since this isn't the cider press (and I think that just discussing the political side of this isn't really
permaculture related in the first place) I think it would be more fun to talk about this as a means for
world domination. ACC is in it's early phase of establishment and there is room for us to dream- not what it probably is or what it likely will be, but
what we want it to be.
Application of
permaculture is more than just a black and white
answer to an issue. To me
permaculture is a way of integrating civilization and nature- taking two things that seem separate, dissolving perceived barriers and utilizing boundaries to create abundance and new forms of environments. Permaculture is not a one answer to a problem, but paradigm shifting
system that has the ability to be utilized at different scales; capturing both nuance and the big picture, for individual and global impacts. This is a unique opportunity in a time where it seems like more and more people are finding their own connections to their environment. There is a spiritual thirst to reconnect with nature and it seems like people are beginning to recognize the need to plan on larger time scales (as opposed to human lifetimes and political lifecycles). I feel that there are soooo many things to say about why this can't/won't work, views on climate change, the politics, opinions on our government's role in our lives... all opinions on either side are valid. I am much more interested in the childlike perspective in all of us, and what they would want to do with a blank check to "be the king of the world" and do permaculture stuff with it at a grand scale. Let yourself believe that world peace is achievable, that we can solve world hunger and that we can save the planet- however that looks to you!
TL;DR: If you were a kid again and could dream big with permaculture to impact the world, what would you do with an -
in theory- endless supply of labor and funding?
What issues in your town/watershed/state/country have you become aware of using your permaculture lens (not limited to climate)?
What applications of the permaculture lens would benefit your locale- what long-term projects you could dream up?
-Kenyon
3
