1. “The first six principles tend to consider systems from the bottom-up perspective of elements, organisms, and individuals.”
   1. 1. Observe and Interact
      1. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
         1. “reminds us that the process of observing influences reality, and that we must always be circumspect about absolute truths and values.”
   2. 2. Catch and store energy
      1. “Make hay while the sun shines”
         1. “reminds us that we have limited time to catch and store energy before seasonal or episodic abundance dissipates.”
   3. 3. Obtain a yield
      1. “You can’t work on an empty stomach”
   4. 4. Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback
      1. “The sins of the fathers are visited on the children unto the seventh generation”
   5. 5. Use and value renewable resources
      1. “Let nature take its course”
   6. 6. Produce no waste
      1. “Waste not, want not’
      2. ‘A stitch in time saves nine”
2. “The second six principles tend to emphasise the top-down perspective of the patterns and relationships that tend to emerge by system self-organisation and co-evolution.”
   1. 7. Design from patterns to details
      1. “Can’t see the forest for the trees’
      2. Subtopic 2
         1. “Complex systems that work tend to evolve from simple ones that work, so finding the appropriate pattern for that design is more important than understanding all the details of the elements in the system.”
   2. 8. Integrate rather than segregate
      1. “Many hands make light work”
      2. “the purpose of a functional and self-regulating design is to place elements in such a way that each serves the needs and accepts the products of other elements.1”
      3. “As well as deliberate design, we need to foresee, and allow for, effective ecological and social relationships that develop from self-organisation and growth.”
      4. “In developing an awareness of the importance of relationships in the design of self-reliant systems, two statements in permaculture literature and teaching have been central:
         1. • Each element performs many functions.
         2. • Each important function is supported by many elements.”
      5. “ Co-operative and symbiotic relationships will be more adaptive in a future of declining energy.”
   3. 9. Use small and slow solutions
      1. “The bigger they are, the harder they fall’
      2. ‘Slow and steady wins the race”
      3. “Systems should be designed to perform functions at the smallest scale that is practical and energy-efficient for that function.”
   4. 10. use and value diversity
      1. "don't put all your eggs in one basket
         1. “embodies the common sense understanding that diversity provides insurance against the vagaries of nature and everyday life”
      2. “While many environmental and social movements only recognise prior biological and cultural diversity, permaculture is just as actively engaged in how to create new bioregional diversity from the melting pot of nature and culture we have inherited.”
   5. 11. use and value the marginal
      1. “Don’t think you are on the right track just because it is a well-beaten path”
         1. “reminds us that the most common, obvious and popular is not necessarily the most significant or influential.”
   6. 12. Creatively use and respond to change
      1. “Vision is not seeing things as they are but as they will be’
      2. This principle has two threads:
         1. designing to make use of change in a deliberate and co-operative way
         2. creatively responding or adapting to large-scale system change which is beyond our control or influence.”