[Scpg] Energy and Permaculture David Holmgren (David will be in SB Aug 2)

[Darwin Thorpe]

Wesley Roe et al.,

Thanks for Holmgren's material; the thermodynamic laws, especially  the 2nd, are arguably the most important limiting factors on civilization's attempts at sustainability.  He did make one error; his statement that, "These laws are taught in every science course..."  In fact, they should be, but are not, especially in the earth and biological sciences at the college level.  Many professors, and I was one of them, think these laws, along with Newton's mechanical laws, should be the foundation laws for instruction not only in all science courses, but in engineering, and the social sciences as well.  Then we could begin to say that Americans are truly educated.

Darwin Thorpe
Professor emeritus,
Compton Community College
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Wesley Roe and Marjorie Lakin Erickson<mailto:lakinroe at silcom.com> 
  To: scpg at arashi.com<mailto:scpg at arashi.com> ; sdpg at arashi.com<mailto:sdpg at arashi.com> ; ccpg at arashi.com<mailto:ccpg at arashi.com> ; lapg at arashi.com<mailto:lapg at arashi.com> ; hd-l at slonet.org<mailto:hd-l at slonet.org> 
  Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 9:59 AM
  Subject: [Scpg] Energy and Permaculture David Holmgren (David will be in SB Aug 2)


  Energy and Permaculture
  by David Holmgren
  Reprinted from The Permaculture Activist #31  (to subscribe check info at bottom of article)
  http://www.permacultureactivist.net/Holmgren/holmgren.<http://www.permacultureactivist.net/Holmgren/holmgren.>htm

  <http://www.permacultureactivist.net/Holmgren/holmgren.htm>David Holmgren only Southern CA appearance will be on Santa Barbara Ca Tues  Aug 2 , Workshop and evening lecture see details at bottom or go to www.sbpermaculture.org<http://www.sbpermaculture.org/> click upcoming events

  Copyright The Permaculture Activist PO Box 1209W, Black Mountain, NC 28711 USA

  The sustainability debate has shown a deep confusion about the processes and systems which support life and humanity. The lack of conceptual tools to incorporate previously ignored environmental "givens" into calculations used by economists and decisionmakers is painfully obvious. There are no simple answers to the complex question of costs, benefits, and sustainability. However, there is a natural currency we can use to measure our interdependence on our environment and assist us to make sensible decisions about current and future action. 
  That currency is energy.

  Energy Laws

  The energy laws governing all natural proceses are well understood and have not been challenged by any of the revolutions in scientific thinking during the 20th century. These laws are called the first and second laws of thermodynamics.

  First Law: the law of conservation of energy. Energy is neither created or destroyed. The energy entering the system must be accounted for either as being stored there or as flowing out.

  Second Law: the law of degradation of energy. In all processes some of the energy loses its ability to do work and is degraded in quality. The tendency of potential energy to be used up and degraded is described as entropy, which is a measure of disorder which always increases in real processes.

  These laws are taught in every science course, but, in a manner typical of our fragmented society and culture, are completely ignored in the way we conduct our economic life and relationship to the natural world. The laws of thermodynamics are widely seen as true, but not very useful theoretical ideas. The second law has always represented a fundamental threat to the modern notion of progress. More traditional and tribal views of the world are in keeping with the second law. For example, the ancient Greek idea of the universe being used up by the passage of time is very pessimistic to the modern mind.

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