[permaculture-oceania] Re: Care of spirit - a question of ethics (jedd)

[Rosemary Morrow]

I remember having a discussion about ethics in a PDC group once, and  
I was a bit perplexed.   Later I was talking to Bill Mollison and  
asked what he thought about this,  and I appreciated his response  
because of its clarity:

"Permaculture is about tangibles"

I think this is a useful guide to not adding new items.  Also almost  
everything people want to add is subsumed under the ethics.  Although  
I was just thinking that we have principles, strategies and  
techniques for Care for the Earth, and distribute surplus, and reduce  
consumption, we really dont have very many for Care for People.   I  
have added a chapter on Permaculture at Work, with help from Margot  
Turner, and it adds such things as

Value people for their differences,

and then uses many of the principles at work such as co-operate don't  
compete.

I have also been thinking that the design of permaculture for water  
or soils, actually enables some extra human rights which will be  
required this century such as the:

Right to clean water, air, uncontaminated soils etc.  Right to non  
genetically modified food

I could see these being included in any Bill or Charter of Human  
Rights which aims to meet the needs of the future.

I guess you will take some of these ideas further.

Warmly,

Rowe Morrow