Suburban Permaculture w/ Janet Barocco and Richard Heinberg

Peak Moment 100: Tour Janet and Richard's quarter acre for an example of what's possible in suburbia. Their front yard of edible plants also provides habitat for birds and insects. The backyard radiates out from an herb and kitchen garden to vegetable beds and containers; 25 fruit and nut trees; and a restful Zen garden. Near a future pond is a "three sisters" spiral of corn, beans and squashes. Check out their rainwater catchment barrels system, solar ovens, grid-tied photovoltaics with backup batteries, a low-energy house, solar-heated garden room, and a comfortable "summer palace" of natural & salvaged materials. [www.richardheinberg.com]

Looking for a specific topic in our Peak Moment library? Visit www.peakmoment.tv/conversations and click a tag or do a search. Subscribe to our email newsletter. Join the dialogue on Janaia's Journal at www.peakmoment.tv/journal.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• permaculture
• gardening
• suburbia
• sustainability
• rainwater
• catchment

[oggleman]

This is Richard's "partner"? That sounds kinda gay, why not call her his girlfriend? Cool video though.

[peakmoment]

@oggleman, out of respect, I used the term they use for one another. They're married.

[jason1973tl]

NIce, but I am battling a homeowners association that doesn't like sustainability.

[peakmoment]

@jason1973tl, hang in there with it. You're not alone. Necessity may be what forces homeowners associations to change their rules & regs. And pressure and common sense.

[rawkinrawmama]

Awesome. We are doing this right now in our city. We have lots of fruit trees. Everyone needs to check their city for perks. Our city allows us 5 free trees a year and edible trees count!

[peakmoment]

Does the city give you free fruit trees? Where do you live? How enlightened - to plant fruit (and nut) trees throughout our suburbs and cities!

[Zavatari]

This video is so inspirational. This video illustrates so clearly why Ethanol is NOT a solution to our energy problems. They are using 16 square feet of their quarter acre to raise energy crops. The energy they produce will show that that 16 square feet are wasting energy compared to growing tomatoes in the same space.

[rspawn]

Imagine the expanse of the suburbs if all city dwellers would move to locations where they can have a garden.

I'm not saying it's an obstacle to sustainable living, but i imagine it may present a bit of a problem in the not to distant future.

[CimaraNyx]

@CandianBear 3 years ago, but anyway... I plan on helping my neighbors get started with their sustainability garden as soon as we get moved over there.  She is practically disabled and he had a recent heart attack, but they both love to garden. So if I share my seedlings and give them tips on composting, I believe they will be as self-sustaining as they want to be soon enough. Careful prodding can ease neighbors into this, as long as they like to garden in the first place. I'm lucky mine do!

[Jacob22030]

Amazing what some people can do with a quarter acre. Since most people in america live in the suburbs they should look at this video to get some ideas of how to grow vegetation:)

[gaiagale]

It is dark -25 degrees and I'm dressed in wool because my house is a cool 57 degrees seeing you walking in your green garden bathed in the bright yellow sun glow ...so I'm a bit envious ...still... I'm inspired to grow more edibles during our long warmer days

...I harvested a bounty of mushrooms and apples from my neighbours' yards (with permission of course) this fall ...most of which would have been left to rot or worse yet it would have been picked up and garbaged

thanks for sharing

[jokerbookshop]

lol @ all the birds telling their friends about the habitat. awesome.

[Axbent]

@CandianBear When they come over he probobly will be handing out advice to grow their own. If they just take his veggies thell starve when the garden is empty...He is far to valuable to do away with!

[MrEnergyCzar]

Heinberg does it right. Look how well he lives on a small lot, walkable to town, gardens, healthy etc...he could probably live in a mcmansion but doesn't....