The #WeLoveLiving campaign is run by the Permaculture Association (Britain)'s Ambassadors project. There are many ways we can work with nature and each other to live lightly on the planet. This campaign is based around the Holmgren Flower and its seven domains of permaculture action highlighted below. We hope you will feel inspired and learn something from it.
#WeLoveLiving.... so we forage for wild food
Forage in nature’s larder and gather free wild food. Throughout the year you can often find ingredients for nutritious meals in woodlands and hedgerows, whether it’s blackberries for an autumn crumble or leaves for a wild salad in spring.
Here's some more ideas for Land & Nature Stewardship:
#WeLoveLiving... so we use appropriate technology
Technology doesn’t need to be hi-tech. Using a rocket stove to reduce the amount of biomass needed for cooking and boiling water or vermicomposting, where worms break down food waste into compost, are both examples of ‘appropriate technology’ which can help towards a lower carbon future.
Here's some more ideas for Energy Technologies:
#WeLoveLiving.... so we care about where we live
People are coming together all over the UK to set up community co-housing projects, such as LILAC in Leeds (featured photo). Not everyone is able to live in this way, or build their own eco-building. However, even small choices, such as using energy efficient devices, or retrofitting your home to be more energy efficient, can add up to a big difference.
Here's some more ideas for Building (or Built Environment):
#WeLoveLiving.... so we use our money wisely
Alternative trading systems help create more equitable local communities. What began as the Totnes Pound, an alternative currency which keeps money within the local economy, has spread to other towns and cities across the UK. You can also barter produce, goods or your time through timebanks and WWOOFing or on a more informal basis.
Here's some more ideas for Finances & Economics:
#WeLoveLiving.... so we value community
We have the opportunity to develop innovative solutions at a community level that can have a knock-on effect on a much grander scale. Everything starts small! From Transition Towns to the Incredible Edible movement, permablitz and community car clubs, all these solutions are a response to local issues we can all relate to. See if there’s a permaculture group near you to learn and act together.
#WeLoveLiving.... so we look after ourselves
Our health and wellbeing is deeply connected to community, wider society and the natural world. We can care for ourselves in ways that acknowledge this interconnection. Research has shown that five accessible ways to care for your wellbeing are: connect with others, take notice of the world around, keep learning about topics which interest you, get active to keep your body healthy and give your time and energy to causes you care about.
Here's some more ideas for Health & Wellbeing:
#WeLoveLiving... so we look after the land
Having a plot of land is a dream for many, but it doesn’t have to remain so. You can rent, borrow or share land with others through community land trusts, such as the Ecological Land Co-op. There are also landshare schemes, which put people who have land they can’t use in touch with those wanting to cultivate their own.
Here's some more ideas for Land Tenure and Community Governance:
#WeLoveLiving... so we use permaculture design
Permaculture mimics patterns found in nature, creating an abundance of food, natural materials and energy through minimal effort. It is being used by people around the world to design thriving systems that can help bring about the vital changes we need to live more harmoniously on the planet.
Ethics
Principles
Design
To find out more about the Holmgren Flower and its seven domains of permaculture action, visit their website.
Learn more from permaculture practitioners around the world:
Share
Share how you are taking steps to live lightly on the planet using the hashtag #WeLoveLiving on social media.
You can download a PDF file of the posters and also the postcards here. These files are intended for previewing online or printing at home for personal use.