[Pil-pc-oceania] A few rough ideas for National P-Day-design solution needed

[RussGrayson]

Hi...
Wrote on the P-Day topic yesterday and sent it out earlier. Here's a few
additional thoughts.


WHAT ARE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF A NATIONAL P-DAY?
Thanks, Wolfgang, for bringing up this question in your email today.

Were we approaching the question in a more rationale way, identifying the
aims  - and the objectives we need to achieve to realise those aims - would
rightly have formed the starting point of the conversation. In teams I have
worked with, this has usually been the case, and the process of exploring
facts and ideas around the topic would then unfold calmly and rationally and
a decision may be easier to arrive at.


THE PROCESS SO FAR
The processs so far in thinking about a National P-Day is that there has
been none. What we don't have is a DESIGN APPROACH to this National P-Day
decision and, really, is that fitting of permaculture?

Our colleagues in permaculture put up their favourite date and validate it
by referring to their permaculture association's support. Thus, we have a
number of probably viable dates - all good ideas - each with regional
permaculture association support and each competing for acceptance. Now,
wasn't there something that someone said somewhere, sometime about
competition and cooperation, and did they not say something about one being
preferred over the other? Someone remind me...

So far, there has been a conversation about the idea of a National P-Day and
this has explored the idea and some proposed dates. So much is good. But, do
we now need to move on and into a rational structure to come to an eventual
decision?


HEADING FOR WIN-LOSE
At the moment, we appear to be heading for the classic win-lose outcome. It
seems that whichever of the proposed dates are accepted, there are many
people who will be unhappy. If this unhappiness is felt strongly enough it
may lead to non-participation in a National P-Day. The consequence of this
is that the celebration would become regional rather than national. In that
case, the 'national' may have to be dropped from the name and the fact
accepted that permaculture, as a movement, is incapable of coming to
collective decisions in some cases. The precedent, of course, could well
affect how permaculture deals with this sort of thing in future.

It would be unfortunate if permaculture could only achieve a win-lose
outcome because it would mean that we are no better than the mainstream
organisations when it comes to decision making. Thus, permaculture would
have nothing to offer the world in this regard.

The desired ourcome should be win-win. That is, it should be agreeable to
most and acceptable to those who initially disagree with it. What it would
require, were it to become truly national, is the cooperation of all in
participating in it.

If we cannot achieve a win-win decision as to the date for a National P-Day,
then we can adopt the 'win-win or no deal' outcome in which we agree that we
cannot come to agreement and, so, drop the idea of a National P-Day and set
up regional dates instead. This is an honourable decision.


SO FAR...
A number of dates have been proposed, those gaining most support being May 1
and the Spring equinox. There are those that agree with one of the two and
some, like me, who are not committed to any of the particular dates (I still
prefer the month of the launch of Permaculture One, the true birthday of
permaculture), and there are many undecided.

Reading from recent emails about May 1:

1. It's becoming clear that there will be people unhappy with May 1 as a
National P-Day because it is already an international day for the labour
movement.

A National P-Day would have to compete against this established use for the
day. 

The dominance of the existing significance of the day would probably work
against the gaining of significant publicity to stimulate interest in a
National P-Day. 

Furthermore, would permaculture be trying to attract some of those who are
already committed to May 1 as international labour day?

2. May is the time around which, in Sydney, local governments hold their
sustainability fairs. The day could be seen as environmental overload and,
for those committed on weekends, there would be the decision as to what to
attend - National P-Day or an environment fair? If there are children, then
probably the latter would be chosen.

3. A gardener said to me that gardens are starting to become bare at that
time of year and that it is starting to get cold and the days shorter, which
might discourage people.


IS PERMACULTURE COHERENT ENOUGH TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL DAY?
It may be that the regional nature of permaculture works against our coming
to a collective - and national - decision. Permaculture may in fact be a
prisoner of its own decentralised history.

If this is the reality, then it bodes poorly for future decisions of the
type in question and for the presentation of permaculture as a unitary and
national entity. What it could evolve into is a collection of regional
entities dominated by the strongest associations in a region all going their
own ways while adhering to the ethics and principles as a metasystem.

For some, this will be a pleasing prospect because it fits into the
regionalist structure often promoted as desirable for permaculture. For
those desiring a national, influential voice for permaculture, it offers
little prospect.


LET'S TAKE A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO COMPILING INFORMATION AND MAKING THE
DECISION
To assist thinking on the question, perhaps we could:

1. Identfy a limited set of aims for a National P-Day. Aims are stated in
general and succinct terms and are limited in number.

2. Identify the objectives that we could achieve and that would move us
towards these aims.

Objectives have to be achievable with resources at hand, comply with the
aims and have a means of knowing when they have been achieved or of
identifyng progress being made towards their achievement.

3. Analysing our ideas systematically, perhaps using de Bono's useful PNI -
Positive, Negative, Interesting - formula to provide structure. This
categorises information for consideration in coming to a decision.

So far, we have put up arguments in favour of our preferred dates. Building
on this, the above proposes a rational process to consider the arguments for
particular days and to come to a win-win or win-win-or-no-deal decision.

Here's a template we can replicate for the preferred dates. You would have a
template for May 1, another for the Permaculture Melbourne Spring equiniox
date, and more for other proposals that have some support.

When filled out within a reasonable time, the tabulated information could be
set aside for consideration and final argument, then a decision made. If
that's impossible, then the fallback position is to regionalise the National
P-Day via the proposed win-win-or-no-deal decision.


OUR DECISION - A NATIONAL P-DAY

1. What is a limited set of aims for a National P-Day?

Eg. A National P-Day will draw public attention to solutions proposed by the
permaculture design system to global and local issues.

B)...

C)...

Let's call it quits at four aims otherwise it gets a bit unwieldly.


2. What are the achievable objectives that are within the capability of
permaculture groups/individuals/businesses to implement and that contribute
to achievement of the aims?

Eg. (ref example aim above)...

- Organisation of public presentations and permaculture solutions on
National P-Day. 

- Opening of properties and community enterprises that demonstrate
permaculture design to public visitation.


3. Consideration of information pesented to date categorised in a PNI table.

TOPIC: May 1 as National P-Day

POSITIVE...
1. Penny's arguments of the other day insuport of her argument...

2. 

3. 


NEGATIVE...
1. Competition with international labour day.

2. Gardens starting to become bare.

3. Weather starting to cool and days shorter - may discourage people.

4. Local government sustainability fairs around May - competition and
overload.

5. Any links between National P-Day and international labour day could
alienate those who do not identify with the labour movement celebration.


Spring equinox as National P-Day
1.

2. 

3.


(Other date) as National P-Day
1.

2. 

3.


INTERESTING...

May 1 as National P-Day
1. Possible links with international labour day.

2. Possible use of international distress call 'mayaday mayday mayday this
is planet Earth planet Earth planet earth in difficulty... our location is
third planet from the sun... Immediate assistance from permaculture design
required etc' to attract publicity for National P-Day.

Spring equinox as National P-Day
1.

2. 

3.


(Other date) as National P-Day
1.

2. 

3.

So, that's all that comes to mind at the moment.

Hapy thinking, happy ideas hunting...

...Russ