# The 12 Principles of Permaculture: A Comprehensive Overview

Permaculture, a portmanteau of "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture," is a design philosophy developed by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970s. It aims to create sustainable systems that are ecologically sound and economically viable. The following 12 principles, formulated by Holmgren, guide permaculture design and practice:

| Principle | Explanation |
|-----------|-------------|
| 1. Observe and interact | Take time to engage with nature to design solutions that suit a particular situation. |
| 2. Catch and store energy | Develop systems that collect resources when abundant for use in times of need. |
| 3. Obtain a yield | Ensure that you are getting truly useful rewards as part of the work you are doing. |
| 4. Apply self-regulation & accept feedback | Discourage inappropriate activity to ensure systems continue to function well. |
| 5. Use and value renewable resources & services | Make the best use of nature's abundance to reduce consumptive behavior and dependence on non-renewable resources. |
| 6. Produce no waste | By valuing and making use of all the resources available, nothing goes to waste. |
| 7. Design from patterns to details | By stepping back, we can observe patterns in nature and society. These can form the backbone of our designs, with the details filled in as we go. |
| 8. Integrate rather than segregate | By putting the right things in the right place, relationships develop between them and they support each other. |
| 9. Use small and slow solutions | Small and slow systems are easier to maintain than big ones, making better use of local resources and producing more sustainable outcomes. |
| 10. Use and value diversity | Diversity reduces vulnerability to a variety of threats and takes advantage of the unique nature of the environment in which it resides. |
| 11. Use edges and value the marginal | The interface between things is where the most interesting events take place. These are often the most valuable, diverse and productive elements in the system. |
| 12. Creatively use and respond to change | We can have a positive impact on inevitable change by carefully observing, and then intervening at the right time. |

These principles work together to create resilient, productive, and sustainable systems. They can be applied not only to agriculture but also to social, economic, and cultural systems, promoting a holistic approach to design and problem-solving.