About Us

Who is the Phoenix Permaculture Guild?

The Phoenix Permaculture Guild is a non-profit, non-member (meaning we do not keep a membership directory or charge to join), volunteer run, 501c3 organization that currently has a nine person volunteer board and an Executive Director.

The Executive Team and board include:

Executive Director, Liz Lonetti liz@phoenixpermaculture.net
Chair, Doreen Pollack
Vice-Chair, Diann Peart
Secretary, Kelli Donley
Treasurer, John Hundman
Board Member, David Iwaniec
Board Member, Rachel Linden-Rossiter
Board Member, Lisa Miller
Board Member, Eric Mytko
Board Member, Vicki Normandin
Board Member, Joni Pourchot
Board Member, Richard Ross
Past Chair, Randy Yavitz

We are always looking for volunteers...

willing to contribute time and talents toward achieving The Guild’s mission of inspiring sustainable living through education, community involvement and creative cooperation. If you are interested in volunteering with us we have the following positions that might be a good fit for you! Please fill out the Volunteer Information Form PDF and return it to liz@phoenixpermaculture.net

Volunteer opportunities include:

Event Information Booth
Downtown Farmers Market Info Booth
Event Set Up/Take Down
Classroom Assistant
Tour Assistant
Office Work / Data Entry
Committees:

• Finance – oversight of guild resources
• Fundraising – Fundraising and Grant Writing
• Marketing & Promotion – Create a comprehensive marketing plan that meets the mission and vision of the organization
• Programs - Provide a range of services to foster and promote sustainable communities, locally and universally
• Audit - financial reports and activities as required by Sarbanes-Oxley
• Human Resources - Volunteer and staff development and support

Contact Us:
Executive Director
Liz Lonetti
602-325-1230
liz@phoenixpermaculture.net

By Mail:
Phoenix Permaculture Guild
PO Box 84633
Phoenix, AZ 85071

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is a term created by Bill Molison and his student David Holmgren in 1974 while teaching at the University of Tasmania. The term is a combination of “Permanent” and “Agriculture” and addresses sustainability of human and natural ecosystems – each dependent on one another.

Some descriptions include:

• The Art and Science of Living with Nature
• The conscious design of cultivated ecosystems that include diversity, stability and resilience
• An ethical design system for creating human environmental systems that is ecologically sound, socially appropriate and financially viable.

The Ethics of Permaculture:

• Care of the Earth
• Care of the People
• Share the Surplus

Permaculture Principles:

• Observation – notice the patterns, weather & interactions with natural systems
• Multipurpose - every element must have many functions
• Work with Nature – not against it. Build natural succession, microclimates, balance.
• The Problem is the Solution – If you get lemons, make lemonade
• Efficiency - Make the least change for the Greatest Possible Effect
• Abundance – The yield of a system is unlimited
• Everything Gardens – the interaction of all elements creates a permaculture system
• Multi-Disciplinary problem solving – Permaculture designs are information and imagination intensive with low and high tech solutions working together

“Permaculture is about sustainable human settlements. It is a philosophy and an approach to land use which weaves together microclimates, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, water management, and human needs into intricately connected , productive communities.” – Bill Mollison From “Intro to Permaculture”