Re: sustainable communities

To: erba@lincolnu.edu, permaculture-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Re: sustainable communities
From: Elfpermacl@aol.com
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 1997 07:39:35 -0500

In a message dated 1/3/97 10:28:42 PM, erba@lincolnu.edu (Andrew Erb) wrote:

>I would like info/advice on building and sustainable communities.   
>Is it possible to have a sustainable community without limiting the 
>population density?  I'm trying to get a feel for what the values of 
>"permaculture" are.
>
>Andrew Erb
>2119 B Millbrook Ct. 
>Jefferson City, MO USA 65101
>573-636-8732

Yes and no.  Cluster development, where people are bunched together leaving
more uninhabited (by human) lands around them, works.  New York City (or
Mexico City, etc.,) does not, ever.  Four thousand people per block, which
was the population density where I lived for a time ont he lower-East-side of
NY, is too concentrated.  There are limits to everything.  

Cluster reduces many kinds of transport, particularly with good permaculture
design of food, energy and water systems.  Transport is a major energy sink
in the "developed" world.  

Contact me privately if you want more help on your particular community.

For Mother Earth, Dan Hemenway, Yankee Permaculture Publications (since
1982), Elfin Permaculture workshops, lectures, Permaculture Design Courses,
consulting and permaculture designs (since 1981), and now correspondence
permaculture training by email. Copyright, 1996, Dan & Cynthia Hemenway, P.O.
Box 2052, Ocala FL 34478 USA  YankeePerm@aol.com  

We don't have time to rush.