2. Pattern 1: Contour Planting
Planting along contour lines is a very important pattern
within the permaculture design in California. Within the
Neighborhood Center site, things are planted on contour
along with little ditches that run along contour lines as
well. This is beneficial to the design because it allows the
plants to get nutrients such as water at all the same level
as each other, preventing one from flourishing more than
another or having certain beds fail and certain ones
prosper. The little ditches dug along the contour lines are
just as important as well because they catch the runoff
water, and then allows the water to seep into the soil as
to not waste any resources that would otherwise be lost
if the ditches were not there.
3. Pattern 2: Roof Catchment
The roof catchment system is pivotal in the California
permaculture design. First of all, water is scarce in CA
due to the drought, so catching it in any way is beneficial
because it allows for reuse and for it to be used only as
needed. This ingenious water tank has a built in “filter”
where water flows into a tube before any is able to enter
the storage tank. This allows the caretakers to use the
water as they need it instead of just having it present
when it rains. This is also pivotal to the design because it
resonates with the principle of having multiple sources
of important aspects in case one fails, making it a very
important and necessary part of the design.
4. Pattern 3: Salvaged
Materials
Salvaged Materials is also present within this
permaculture design. For one, the whole
permaculture design itself is a salvaged parking lot
that has since been transformed. Things such as the
pizza oven within the design are made of all
reclaimed material as well, meaning it had been
used before and the design was not creating any
new waste, only recycling. This is very important to
the design because it resonates with Earth Care
where waste is minimized and therefore, less
pollution. It is important for the design to reuse to
have the most efficient set up.
5. 2 Interconnected Patterns:
Neighbors and Strangers
and Communal Labor Neighbors and Strangers and Communal Labor are interconnected
patterns within this permaculture design. The permaculture design
attracts people who are well known to it and people who come for the
first time to learn about permaculture. This design provides for people
within the community that are known to the site, but sometimes enough
is produced to feed a good majority of the suburban area. It is even called
the Neighborhood Center because it encourages everyone to come
whether they had been in the past or not. Communal Labor is also present
because everyone comes to do their part at the design, different people
have different tasks. For example, the community got together to build
the pizza oven together out of reclaimed material. There are different
communal areas within the design that bring together neighbors and
strangers. These are interconnected because if neighbors and strangers
were not informed of the design site, it would be very tough to get people
to want to help with communal labor at the site. One increases the
awareness of the other.
6. Pattern in my life:
Communal Labor
Communal Labor is a part of my every day life in both
my school and work environments. In school, I would
guess that at least 80% of my classes have involved
group projects where everyone must do their part in
order for everything as a whole to succeed. At work, I
intern and am given tasks daily that will help the full
time employees reach their goals, whether they be sales
or marketing. For example, sometimes I need to do
prospecting for sales persons so they can then use my
findings to try to better themselves and in turn the
company as a whole. This relates to communal labor
because everyone has to do their part in order for
stability and success.
