I've been involved in appropriate technologies since the 1970's, when I went to work for the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Co. While working there, I got to meet a lot of amazing people like Amory Lovins, Hazel Henderson, and Dennis Meadows, who became an influential person in my life. He is an author of the Limits to Growth series, which I consider the most important environmental work of the modern era.

In the 1980's, I started hearing about permaculture and took an interest because it's a design method for integrating appropriate technologies so that a system produces more energy that it uses, while also creating a diverse and vital ecosystem. I didn't, however, get a PDC (permaculture design certificate) until recently, taking the 12-day course from a truly awesome Aussie, Geoff Lawton. I've also done an earthworks practicum at The Farm's Ecovillage Training Center.

My goal is to empower myself and others to deal gracefully with collapse by building self-sufficiency skills.

I have nearly an acre in town that's a perfect permaculture demo site. The keystone element will be the conversion of an inground pool into a pond/aquaculture system. This will be fed by rainwater channeled off the roof. Nearby garden beds  will be irrigated with the pond's nutrient-rich  water. I'm also planning an edible food forest, a small rainwater harvesting system for drinking water, poultry, and many other elements.

For professional information, here's my LinkedIn profile:

http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=36544575&trk=tab_pro