With a background in sustainable architectural design, I saw how design was limited to a small percent of the population. Even though I volunteered my design time pro-bono, it was not enough to spread these design principles to the people that would benefit the most. But when I learned about the grass-roots philosophy of Permaculture, I was excited to learn more about the process and the time-tested tools that create regenerative systems.
Taking the PDC with the Permaculture Women’s Guild gave me both a broad understanding and specific skills that I can now easily apply to a variety of landscapes and living situations. As a renter of a home in an urban area, I often felt so limited in what I could do with the property that I sometimes didn’t act or try to make changes. But after this class, I now look at our space as a living system, understand how to look at the various influences acting on the space and have a systematic design approach that I can follow. After completing the course, I see my own space with a hopeful lens and a renewed designer’s mind. And I see how I can use my skills at a variety of scales and situations.