TerrieMiller.com
Citizen Science, Permaculture, and Sustainable Food Systems
In case you didn’t already see it on my Citizen Science Projects weblog, I was a guest blogger on Science Cheerleader, with a post there titled Getting back to our roots as everyday scientists: Permaculture. (Yes, Science Cheerleader is Darlene Cavalier, a former NBA cheerleader; and no, you won’t see me in her promised “Hot Women in Science and Engineering” photo gallery. ‘Cause technically I’m not in science and engineering…)
Ahem. Back to the subject at hand. I’ve been contemplating the connection between citizen science and permaculture ever since returning from the permaculture design certification course I took this summer. The similarities seemed so clear; both include grass-roots (sometimes literally!) movements, foster a deeper connection to nature, and encourage exploration and experimentation. The more I contemplated it, the more I realized that permaculture helps get us back to our ancestral roots as everyday scientists. AND it has interesting implications to everything from tracking to rehabilitating our disastrous current food systems.
You’ll find the full essay here: Permaculture, Citizen Science, and the Opportunities for Sustainable Food Production.
