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In permaculture, waste isn't just something to dispose of—it's a resource waiting to be cycled back into your system. You're being tested on your understanding of closed-loop thinking, the principle that outputs from one element become inputs for another. This means knowing how organic matter transforms into soil fertility, how water moves through a landscape, and how energy can be captured from biological processes rather than lost to landfills.
The techniques below demonstrate core permaculture ethics: earth care, people care, and fair share. Each method represents a different strategy for keeping resources in productive use while reducing environmental harm. Don't just memorize what each technique does—understand which resource cycle it addresses (nutrients, water, energy, or materials) and how it connects elements within a designed system.
These techniques close the nutrient loop by transforming organic "waste" into soil fertility. Decomposition—whether aerobic or facilitated by organisms—breaks down complex organic compounds into plant-available nutrients while building soil structure.
Compare: Composting vs. Vermicomposting—both transform organic matter into soil amendments, but vermicomposting works faster in confined spaces while traditional composting handles larger volumes and woody materials. For an FRQ on urban food production, vermicomposting is your go-to example.
Compare: Composting vs. Mulching—composting pre-decomposes materials before soil application, while mulching lets decomposition happen in place. Mulching feeds soil life continuously; compost delivers a concentrated nutrient boost.
These systems treat water as a resource to be slowed, spread, and cycled through the landscape multiple times. The goal is maximum beneficial use before water leaves your site.
Compare: Rainwater Harvesting vs. Greywater Systems—rainwater provides cleaner water suitable for edibles and potable use (with treatment), while greywater offers consistent daily volume but requires careful plant selection. A complete permaculture water design typically incorporates both.
Rather than letting organic matter decompose without benefit, these systems capture energy released during breakdown. Anaerobic digestion produces methane (biogas) as microorganisms break down organics in oxygen-free conditions.
Compare: Composting vs. Biogas Production—composting is aerobic and produces heat plus stable humus, while biogas systems are anaerobic and produce fuel plus liquid fertilizer. Choose biogas when energy independence is a priority; choose composting for maximum soil-building.
These strategies address non-organic waste streams by extending product lifecycles and reducing virgin resource extraction. The waste hierarchy prioritizes reduction over recycling, and recycling over disposal.
Compare: Recycling vs. Upcycling—recycling typically involves industrial processing and some material degradation, while upcycling happens at household or community scale with minimal energy input. Upcycling better demonstrates permaculture's creativity principle, but recycling handles larger material volumes.
| Concept | Best Examples |
|---|---|
| Nutrient cycling (organic to soil) | Composting, Vermicomposting, Humanure, Mulching |
| Water conservation | Rainwater Harvesting, Greywater Systems |
| Energy recovery | Biogas Production |
| Material lifecycle extension | Recycling, Upcycling, Waste Reduction |
| Urban/small-space applications | Vermicomposting, Greywater, Upcycling |
| Methane reduction strategies | Composting, Biogas Production |
| Soil biology support | Composting, Vermicomposting, Mulching |
| Off-grid solutions | Humanure, Rainwater Harvesting, Biogas |
Which two techniques both reduce methane emissions but through completely different mechanisms? Explain how each achieves this outcome.
If you were designing a waste management system for a small urban apartment, which three techniques would be most appropriate and why?
Compare and contrast greywater systems and rainwater harvesting in terms of water quality, consistency of supply, and appropriate uses.
A permaculture design question asks you to create a closed-loop system for a small farm. Which techniques would you combine to address nutrient cycling, water management, AND energy production? Explain how outputs from one system become inputs for another.
Why does the waste hierarchy prioritize reduction over recycling, even though recycling is often more visible in sustainability campaigns? Which technique from this guide best represents the reduction principle?