Venue/Location: Mission Theater, 1624 N.W. Glisan St., Phone: (503) 224-0166
Date: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 7:00 PM
OMSI Science Pub
The Science and Art of Permaculture
Presenter: Deke Gundersen, PhD, professor of environmental science, past chair of the environmental studies program, coordinator of the Life and Sol Garden, former co-director of the B Street Permaculture Project at Pacific University
Admission: $5.00 suggested cover charge
21 and over, or minor with adult
We all know that we face many environmental challenges as individuals and as a society, but coming up with ways to solve these problems can be daunting. There are so many issues – energy production, food and water resources, exposure to toxic chemicals – that one can get paralyzed by just trying to figure out where to start.
Enter permaculture. Derived from “permanent” and “agriculture”, the term is used to describe design systems that work WITH nature and the things that live there (plants, animals, and humans), rather than trying to make biological systems bend to human needs alone. It includes a combination of biological concepts such as organic farming and using native plants in our yards, to ethical considerations such as reducing waste and making sure all members of society have enough resources to thrive.
Join us for a lively presentation and good conversation about the design science of permaculture, including a description of what is it, how it got started, and why we should do it.
Deke Gundersen, PhD, is a professor of environmental science, past chair of the environmental studies program, coordinator of the Life and Sol Garden, and was a co-director of the B Street Permaculture Project at Pacific University where he has been for over 11 years. Deke specializes in environmental toxicology and sustainability education. He is currently interested using permaculture as a natural systems design for teaching sustainability in higher education. Deke received his permaculture certification from the Bullock's Permaculture Homestead in Orcas Island, WA. He has been teaching permaculture at Pacific University for four years and has presented his ideas on permaculture in higher education at national sustainability meetings. Deke has also published in several areas related to environmental studies including works related to toxicology, sustainable design, and permaculture.