Catch and Store Energy
Good design reduces or eliminates the need for buying non-renewable and non-sustainable energy because natural energy is caught and stored.
• Compost collects and changes resources, reusing and storing the energy in the ground. • Food is energy. In the tropics a lot of energy is stored in root vegetables, small animals, and fish. Wasted food is wasted energy. Some practices also waste a lot of stored energy too, such as poisoning whole ponds or sections of rivers for a few fish, burning large amounts of land for a few animals, or using dynamite on coral reefs for a fish harvest. • In colder regions rock walls collect heat energy from the sun during the day and release that energy at night to keep houses warm. • All trees, grasses, and other plants use the sun’s energy to grow. When they are burnt that energy is wasted and becomes pollution. When they are protected and used, that energy is stored and recycled. • Natural food storage systems, such as coolgardie safes, use wind and water to cool food effectively and keep it fresh. Solar dryers use the sun and air to dry food quickly.• Solar, wind, microhydro, and other renewable energy systems provide electricity from natural energy.
A great example is biogas. Manures, fresh plant material, and water are put into a sealed chamber. As the materials decompose, they release methane gas, which is caught in the container and used for cooking or turned into electricity. The materials and water become excellent liquid compost for growing fruit and vegetables.
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QUALITY IS THE BEST USE OF ENERGY
Something that is well made saves money, time, and energy. Everything that is made requires energy and resources. Much less energy and fewer resources are used when a product is made to last a long time. It also costs less money in the long run.
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SOURCE: INFORMATION SOURCED AND REPRODUCED FROM: TROPICAL PERMACULTURE GUIDE BOOK- A GIFT FROM TIMOR LESTE.
It’s a wonderful open-source practical permaculture reference guide book with 2000 beautiful illustrations and comprehensive language which enables even a beginner to understand the permaculture design, food sovereignty, and environmental regeneration strategies and techniques. The vision of this project is to make knowledge comprehensible and accessible for everyone to accelerate sustainable practices in every corner of the world. It is especially useful when working with poor, low literacy, and disadvantaged communities and schools.
This edition was developed from the Permaculture Guidebook from Timor-Leste produced in 2008 and published by Permatil (Permaculture Timor Leste-NGO). It is used by farmers, families, community groups, government departments, schools, universities, agricultural colleges, and NGOs in Timor Leste, and re-used and translated in more than 10 countries.
Please find the link below to download this book and learn more about their work on their website.