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Re: The Permaculture Institute



Gene Monaco wrote 10/24/97 and Scott Pittman replies 10/24/97
>Folks, I agree that perhaps this discussion has gotten out of hand
>emotionally, but I think there are serious issues here nevertheless.  The
>issue of accrediation has come up before.  There are many folks working in
>the kingdoms of corporatia or officia (read government) that can get
>reimbursment for courses that are accrediated.  This would help struggling
>consultants.

The PRIMARY reason for accreditation is because some of the permaculture
graduates want degrees, for whatever reason!  Some think they will have a
better crack at changing corporate practices if they carry equivalent degree
certification as the corporate people they are talking to.  Some think it
gives them more credibility in the mainstream culture, I happen to agree
that it opens doors but once in the door you have to perform and a degree is
no guarantee of performance.  Some hope that they will be able to make a
better living with an MS or PhD tacked to their names, I wish them luck.

>Everybody knows that that accrediation was created to weed out the
>charlatans, and that in that proces, some slip through the cracks and
>others get left out.  I think many of us agree that permaculturists have
>been left out.  
>
I think that the charlatans get in no matter what you do.  I don't think a
degree guarantees that one is not a charlatans.  Have a look at all the
degrees in Congress!!

>Once someone steps up and claims to be the holder of the keys to the
>standards, it will cause riffs among the other pioneers who are around. 
>And pioneers aren't likely to give up ground any more than they do in
>nature; but succession persists nevertheless.

Noone to my knowlege is claiming to hold keys to standards.  The standards
as they exist now are pretty much what they have been from the first
permaculture course, and are encapsulated in "Permaculture A Designer's
Manual".  I have attended more courses than I can recall and I have seen
very little that is new as far as standards are concerned.  New information
is added as it is made available by students, teachers, designers, other
scientists, etc. but basically we are still working from the original course
outline.  I also find this true internationally.  The f

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