The second permaculture principle is "Catch and Store Energy." In the context of urban communities, this principle can be interpreted in a few different ways.
One application of this principle is to make use of the energy that is already present in the urban environment. For example, urban permaculture designers might look for ways to capture and use sunlight, wind, rainwater, and heat from buildings to power and heat homes and other buildings. This could involve installing solar panels, building green roofs or walls, using rain barrels or other methods to capture rainwater, and using passive solar design principles to make buildings more energy-efficient.
Chicken coop solar panels
Another application of the "Catch and Store Energy" principle in urban permaculture is to make use of waste materials as a source of energy. This could include composting food waste to create nutrient-rich soil for urban gardens, using biogas digesters to convert organic waste into methane for cooking or heating, and repurposing construction or demolition waste to create new building materials.
Allowing biological material to breakdown into natural soil amendments with the help of local microorganisms
Finally, this principle can also be applied to social and cultural energy in urban communities. This might involve identifying and harnessing the skills, knowledge, and creativity of community members to develop more sustainable and resilient ways of living in the city. This could involve community gardening projects, skill-sharing workshops, and other initiatives that bring people together to work towards common goals.
Learn more about how you can help us build a community around urban agriculture. https://forms.gle/mnMETVqTMLoP6uNc8
Help Us Grow!
At Rusty Top Farms, we're dedicated to supporting our veterans and helping them experience the healing power of gardening. We're currently raising funds to build garden crates for veterans who may not have access to a garden or who may need extra support to get started.
Each garden crate costs us $300 to build, and we rely on donations from our community to make this project possible. If you'd like to support our mission and help us build garden crates for veterans, please consider making a donation through our fiscal sponsor at rustytopfarm.com/donate. Every donation counts and makes a difference in the lives of our veterans.
Thank you for your support and let's continue to work together to support our veterans and build a more resilient community!