Permaculture Principle 12: Creatively Use and Respond to Change
Permaculture is about the durability of natural systems and human culture, but paradoxically, this durability depends on flexibility and change.
For example, science has shown us that the apparently solid and permanent is, at the cellular and atomic level, a mass of energy and change. It is important to integrate this understanding of impermanence and continuous change into our daily consciousness and understand that stability, permanence, and sustainability are shifting as we go.
Permaculture uses design to make use of change in a deliberate way. For example, if we were to plant a forest today, it would evolve over time into larger trees, different species of plants and animals, altered interactions with elements such as air and water, etc. Knowing how it might look and function in the future, and what the climate and social contexts might be at that time, will help us design for tomorrow. The proverb “vision is not seeing things as they are but as they will be” emphasizes that we can contribute to design that is evolutionary rather than static.
Permaculture also looks for ways to creatively respond to large-scale change which is beyond our control or influence. And if something happens that was not predicted (which it likely will), it is seen as an opportunity to learn and adapt.
Activity:
What changes are occurring in your community? How are you and your community creatively responding to these changes? What future changes might be coming down the road?
- - -
I would like to acknowledge David Holgrem’s writing and ideas for greatly influencing this post.
Holmgren, David. (2013). Essence of permaculture: A summary of permaculture concepts and principles taken from ‘Permaculture Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability.

















