Principles of a Permaculture Economy Quotes

“Productivity is about turning valuable inputs into valuable outputs. Individual people are more productive when all the elements of the permaculture economy are at work in their lives. When individuals are productive, then businesses become productive. When businesses become productive, the nation becomes productive.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“The Profit function: Individual profits cause collective growth and prosperity. It is necessary for individual people and businesses to profit in a Permaculture Economy where justice is maintained and fairly applied. Profits are earned when efficiency is mastered. With profits, individuals invest in (a) new and innovative means of production which will allow more profits, or (b) buying products and services from other individuals who are also seeking profit by providing value.

Profits also incentivize individuals to be productive participants in society to begin with. If there will be no profit in an activity, business or industry, then individuals will decline participation in that activity, business or industry. Since profits are only possible when buyers are satisfied with the productivity of sellers, then it is also true that an individuals willingness to participate in an activity, business or industry is preceded by the buyers satisfaction which allows the seller to profit. But when buyers are dissatisfied and decline participation, it forces sellers to decline participation. Inversely, if profits are eradicated through the force of price-controls by the government, then sellers will decline participation which then causes buyers to decline participation. And when both sellers and buyers decline participation, then whole industries and economies collapse.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“A circular economy is a step in the right direction towards a permaculture economy.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“In today's constantly evolving economy, business models cannot be static. The business model of each business must be consistently changing and evolving in order to stay relevant and to succeed.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Individual profits cause collective growth and prosperity. It is necessary for individual people, businesses, and companies to profit, in a Permaculture Economy where justice is maintained and fairly applied. Profits are earned when efficiency is mastered. With profits, individuals invest in (a) new and innovative means of production which will allow more profits, or (b) they use profits to buy products or services from other individuals who are also seeking profit by providing value. Profits also incentivize individuals to be productive to begin with. If there will be no profit in an activity, business or industry, then individuals will decline participation. Since profits are only possible when buyers are satisfied with the productivity of sellers, then it is also true that an individual's willingness to participate in an activity, business or industry is preceded by the buyers satisfaction which allows them to profit. So, when buyers decline participation it forces sellers to decline participation. Inversely, if profits are removed through force of price controls by the government, then sellers will decline participation which then causes buyers to decline participation.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“When we ask ourselves what is an economy; I think the best place to find the answer to that question is in a forest. Go and sit in a forest and observe with all of your sensory faculties, and meditate there. And while you're observing and meditating, ask yourself questions about everything.

And if you want maybe hit a few puffs of a certain herb while you're meditating there. And you'll find out exactly what an economy is. And you'll also find out exactly what business is. And all of the economic and business concepts like capital allocation and liquidity and service and profit and growth... It'll all start to make more sense as you sit there meditating in that forest.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Things nature is good at include - organizing matter in a way that is multi functional, mass customization, network adaptation to circumstance, responsive evolution, growth as a mechanism for construction, decentralization, data management and asset management. Regardless of what kind of business we are talking about, there's something vital to learn from nature.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“The real cost of something is its value in alternative uses. This truth always presents itself in prices. There is no benefit that may be gained without cost to the same individual who gained the benefit. There is no benefit that may be presented without cost to the same individual who present the benefit.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Humans as a species will need to embed the concept of symbiosis into our global society such that in all of our activities - we are voluntarily benefitting from and providing benefit to a multitude of other life forms. And businesses should be leading the way with this.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“A lot of people are talking about the circular economy. But the ultimate goal is to have a permaculture economy.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Good cities implement good systems design - systems that cultivate life, systems that utilize waste, systems that promote wellbeing among its residents.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Stewardship of capital is at the heart of permaculture economics.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“When cities prioritize sustainability, the residents in that city are more inclined to embrace sustainability as well.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Cities that prioritize being in harmony with nature, experience a variety of benefits including less waste, less crime, less mental health problems, a greater sense of community among residents, greater biodiversity, and so much more.

At Mayflower-Plymouth, we are providing solutions to help cities improve along these lines.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Good cities are integrated with nature, not separate from nature. A good city works with nature instead of against it. And the greatest cities are nearly indistinguishable from nature.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“One of the great themes of nature is abundance. One of the great themes of every city should also be abundance. In every city, there should be an abundance of opportunities, an abundance of food, an abundance of available homes, an abundance of biodiversity, an abundance of spaces to play.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Businesses are better positioned in cities that prioritize sustainability.

For example, business leaders look at the architectural environment - whether or not the buildings in the city designed for efficiency and resiliency. Business leaders look at energy - whether or not solar and other renewable energy sources are designed into the city's systems. And business leaders look at a variety of other factors regarding sustainability when they're deciding where to establish or relocate a business. So cities that prioritize sustainable development are positioning themselves to be hubs of business success.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Capitalism emphasizes the utility of capital. Permaculture Economics emphasizes the stewardship of Capital.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“We do not need to force altruism onto people. We only need to allow Permaculture Economics to flourish and people to pursue their own self interest.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“In a Permaculture Economic system, participants view capital from a holistic perspective, as stewards of Capital rather than just users of Capital.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Permaculture Economics includes Capitalism but it’s bigger than Capitalism.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“When we apply the design principles of permaculture to economics, we end up with an economic ecosystem where every participant adds to and benefits from maximized productivity.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“In any economic ecosystem whereby things are measured primarily according to their present gross utility; it becomes tolerable and even profitable to create, sell and buy products and services which cause net future harm even as they provide present gross utility. This is why a permaculture economy is superior to every other economic ecosystem.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Permaculture Economics is about designing an economic ecosystem of maximized productivity.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Capitalism is great at facilitating the maximization of production — regarding efficiency only as it effects the profit of the producer and the profit of the buyer in any given transaction. But permaculture economics is great at facilitating the maximization of productivity — regarding efficiency more holistically and measuring according to multiplicative value effects.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“In nature, capital is stewarded and not merely used. Permaculture Economics shares this stewardship approach to capital.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Permaculture Economics embraces the value of all kinds of Capital — financial capital, spiritual capital, biological/living capital, material capital, intellectual capital, and social capital.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“An economic ecosystem that disrespects natural ecosystems will be disrespected by natural ecosystems.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Veganism is critical to the next stage of human evolution. Slaughtering animals and eating their dead carcasses is both uncivilized and disgusting. How do we expect to be a multi planet species sailing the galaxy and building cities on new planets if we haven’t even grown out of the barbaric practice of killing sentient beings and eating their flesh? As higher level beings, humans should be optimizing our stewardship of earth, our utilization of plants and our nurturing of life. Being vegan is about health, morality, and the evolution of humanity.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy

“Jobs make the world go around.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy