RetroSuburbia: The Downshifter's Guide to a Resilient Future

David Holmgren

ISBN 10: 0994392877 / ISBN 13: 9780994392879

Published by Melliodora, Hepburn, 2020

About this Item

27cm x 21cm. 592 pages, colour illustrations and photographs. Pictorial wrappers. "This 592 page manual shows how Australians can downshift and retrofit their homes, gardens, communities and, above all, themselves to be more self-organised, sustainable and resilient into an uncertain future. It promises a challenging but exciting mix of satisfying work, a more meaningful way of living and hope for the next generation. RetroSuburbia is divided into three main sections: the Built, the Biological and the Behavioural along with the introductory section 'Setting the scene'." (publisher's blurb) Multiple copies available this title. Shipped Weight: 1-2 kilos. Category: Natural History & Resources; Farming & Rural Life. ISBN/EAN: 9780994392879. Inventory No: 0013772.

Seller Inventory # 0013772

Bibliographic Details

• Title: RetroSuburbia: The Downshifter's Guide to a Resilient Future
• Publisher: Melliodora, Hepburn
• Publication Date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0994392877
• ISBN 13: 9780994392879
• Binding: Softcover
• Edition: Reprint.
• Condition: New Book
• Seller catalogs:
  • Natural History & Resources

About this title

Synopsis

Setting The Scene The first section explores the big-picture issues, concepts and thinking tools that David thinks are useful in creative household level responses to the challenges of the coming years and decades. Key challenges and retrosuburban responses outlines the connections between the personal and global challenges of the near future and how suburbia might a good place to survive and thrive in challenging futures. It also introduces some of the thinking tools, such as permaculture and pattern languages, to help retrofit suburbia one household at a time. Built Field: Patterns of Human Habitats The Built Field covers the recurring patterns and design solutions relevant to retrofitting detached houses and the other physical systems that support suburban households. This is an obvious starting point for many who want to make their place a better long-term prospect. Retrofitting is less costly than new construction, allowing permaculture downshifters to focus on food production, water systems, home-based livelihoods and community resilience rather than sinking all their efforts into state of the art eco-housing. Biological Field: Patterns of life and growth The possibilities for retrofitting the Biological Field are many and varied. Every residential block has soil with a history of use and/or abuse, established plantings, some of which may produce food, and a wider ecological context of sunshine, water, wind, vegetation and wildlife that influence the site. This section introduces recurring patterns and proven design solutions for abundant garden farming in suburbia. It doesn’t tell you how to raise seedlings or graft a tree but it will help you select and design the best growing systems for vegetables and fruit trees, along with guidelines on what to grow to make best use of what space you have without moving to a rural property.