principles.mdwn (16156B)
1 Introduction 2 ------------ 3 4 Contemporary permaculture is founded on three core ethics: Earth Care, People 5 Care, and Fair Share. These ethics serve as a guiding compass for its design 6 principles, co-creating a holistic framework for regenerative living. 7 Similarly, permacomputing is built upon 10 principles that encourage and raise 8 awareness about more sustainable digital practices. 9 10 Whether you are a tech specialist, someone who uses a computer for daily tasks, or deals with technology only occasion, there are steps that you or the group you are involved in can take to 11 reduce the environmental and socio-economic impact of your digital activities. 12 The following section explores the permacomputing principles, showing how and where to start. 13 14 Each principle is illustrated through: 15 16 17 - **Issue/background** 18 - **What can YOU do?** 19 Strategies and interventions for all, from techie to casual user, or something in between 20 - **Principle in action & examples** 21 Further reading, tools for deeper engagement, and examples of implementation 22 23 24 The community of permacomputing promotes a comprehensive approach to the design 25 of human technology, taking into account social and ecological issues, 26 encouraging resilience and supporting a fair coexistence. These design 27 principles are meant to not to be just technical guidelines but rather represent strategies for 28 positive changes. 29 30 **That said, permacomputing is not prescriptive;** it instead favors situatedness 31 and an awareness of contextual diversity. We, the Permacomputing working group, 32 hope these design principles can serve both as a guide for practice in specific 33 situations and as a tool for identifying systemic issues in the relationship 34 between computer technology and ecology. 35 36 37 Furthermore, the Permacomputing community is more than this site! It is 38 inspired by—and builds upon—a diverse range of initiatives, research, projects, 39 and bodies of knowledge. 40 And just like we learn and expand concepts of permacomputing further, these principles will also continually be developed and refined. The text 41 below is meant to serve as a starting point. :) 42 43 44 --- 45 46 Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst 47 ---------------------------------------- 48 49 It is good practice to design systems that are resilient and tolerant to 50 interruptions and even if you do not personally believe such scenarios are 51 imminent. This principle invites reflection: **why prioritize resilience? 52 Rather than being a defeatist mindset, it is a practical exercise. ** 53 54 By imagining a world shaped by limits, constraints and planetary boundaries, 55 you sharpen your creativity and adaptability. Acknowledging breakages happen 56 and taking into account the possibility of collapse can inspire self-imposed 57 limitations that lead to resourceful solutions—often uncovering societal 58 scenarios previously unexplored, while also acknowledging that less privileged 59 groups are already experiencing harm and damage. 60 61 [[do you want to know more|hope for the best prepare for the worst]] 62 63 64 --- 65 66 Care for All Hardware — Especially the Chips 67 -------------------------------------------- 68 69 Caring for the planet also means caring for the material foundations of digital 70 technology: our hardware. Every device, chip, and component originates from 71 Earth’s finite resources—and eventually end up as e-waste. 72 73 The production of new hardware, especially microchips, which are at the heart of 74 nearly every device we use, is highly resource-intensive and energy-consuming. 75 Microchips are particularly problematic because they are difficult to recycle, 76 cost an immense amount of energy and resources to manufacture and their 77 production is highly polluting. Maximizing the lifespan of hardware components 78 is critical for reducing environmental impact and promoting a more sustainable 79 and less harmful digital culture. 80 81 One of the core principles of permaculture is to "produce no waste," 82 encouraging us to value and reuse all resources at hand, turning waste into a 83 resource whenever possible. 84 85 **Digital technology cannot be produced without waste.** To mitigate this 86 situation, this principle calls us to step outside the capitalist model of 87 perpetual consumption and growth. Instead, it invites us to recognize the 88 inherent value of the devices, components, and materials we already have—and to 89 care for them intentionally. 90 Caring for the planet also means caring for the 91 material foundations of digital technology: our hardware. **Every chip and 92 component is made from Earth’s finite resources, and once discarded, becomes 93 part of the growing e-waste crisis.** 94 By acknowledging that these devices are not self-sustaining, we underscore the importance of extending their lifespan through intentional maintenance and thoughtful use. 95 96 [[do you want to know more|care for all hardware-especially the chips]] 97 98 99 --- 100 Observe First 101 ------------- 102 103 Before taking action, it’s important to first observe. **What are the current 104 relations? What is valuable and beautiful? What is needed? What problem are you 105 trying to solve? Is it a social issue? Does it even require technology?** If 106 not, refer to Principle "Not Doing". If technology is necessary, what is its 107 purpose, and who will benefit? 108 109 In permaculture, before working on a piece of land, it’s essential to observe 110 it over time, ideally through at least one full seasonal cycle. This process 111 helps reveal insights about what can be done with minimal intervention, using 112 limited resources and energy. Similarly, permacomputing involves carefully 113 observing a problem or situation to create space for evaluating what needs to 114 be done and how. 115 116 Observing can also relate to sensing the world, where computing can play a key 117 role in strengthening ecosystems through citizen sensing and science projects. 118 Careful observation—gathering data on air quality, water, biodiversity, local 119 temperatures, and more—can help citizens collect the evidence needed to 120 advocate for a healthier environment. These projects gather data on pollution, 121 biodiversity, weather, and more, which can then be used to push for a healthier 122 environment for both humans and non-humans. 123 124 [[do you want to know more|observe first]] 125 126 127 --- 128 129 Not Doing 130 --------- 131 132 To reduce the resource use and waste generated by technology, embracing 'not 133 doing' aka 'refusal' is essential for achieving degrowth. Given computing’s potential for violence and oppression, resistance and collective action must go beyond abstract ideals of justice. They should create opportunities to question the foundations of technical projects and actively reimagine more just futures. By 134 refusing the idea of technological inevitability, we enable forms of resistance to emerge and alternative futures to be considered. 135 136 **The history of computing is deeply intertwined with capitalism and militarism. 137 From playing a role in warfare and geopolitical power struggles to driving the 138 automation of labor, computing has significantly contributed to the increased 139 use of resources and fossil energy.** The latest example of this trend is the 140 construction of hyperscale data centers for running generative AI. Despite the 141 promise of increased efficiency, the [Jevons 142 Paradox](https://permacomputing.net/Jevons_paradox/) applies: higher efficiency 143 tends to lead to greater resource use. Efficiency is often presented as a 144 technical solution to a political decisions about how and why we 145 use computing —without questioning the extractive business 146 model. 147 148 Curbing demand through refusal has proven to be one of the most effective ways 149 to reduce computing’s harm to people and the planet, and that's where the value 150 of 'not doing' comes in. By observing and questioning what is truly needed, we 151 bring attention to the broader issues:** What is necessary? Who benefits? Who 152 is harmed? And what are the impacts on the human and more-than-human 153 environment?** 154 155 [[do you want to know more|not doing]] 156 157 158 --- 159 160 Expose The Seams 161 ---------------- 162 163 Seamlessness in software obfuscates inner-workings and is a myth: things are 164 only seamless to those who fit an idealized standard. To complicate things, 165 software vendors often use the term "transparency" when in fact still designing 166 interfaces in which underlying processes remain hidden to the user. However, 167 making a technology appear transparent or seamless to users, can become an 168 obstacle to understanding how it works, to critical engagement, and to 169 knowledge and skill sharing. Obfuscating inner workings could also be 170 intentional - it makes it harder to question and challenge a technology and, by 171 extension, systematic oppressions. 172 173 Exposing some of the inner workings of infrastructure is also essential to 174 making it tangible and to help understand meaning, motivation and materiality: 175 **Why has it been implemented this way? How much energy does it use? What 176 processes are happening in the background?** Showing the seams is important for 177 decision making about computational processes: are they really needed? How 178 often and how much resources should they be allowed to consume? Who needs 179 access? Who can repair, stop or restart it? 180 181 Not everything needs exposing, however. Although this principle doesn't concern 182 personal information, it can be confused with the call for full transparency 183 which is considerably dangerous to some and undesirable for most (forced and 184 full transparency can be dangerous to hactivists and activists alike) . 185 186 [[do you want to know more|expose the seams]] 187 188 189 --- 190 191 Consider Carefully The Interaction Between Simplicity, Complexity and Scale 192 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 193 194 Some simple systems need less energy, less hardware, and less maintenance. They 195 are easier to understand, adapt, and share. By keeping things simple, we create 196 space for care, accessibility, and long-term sustainability. At the same time, 197 especially in relation to programming languages and hardware design, what is 198 perceived as simple can be energy inefficient and arcane. Similarly, from 199 scaling up datacenters to scaling up the resilience of off-the-internet 200 wireless networks and protocols, scale is also an ambivalent notion in 201 telecommunication, network infrastructure and topologies. 202 203 **There is no magic bullet.** 204 205 We acknowledge that some problems are inherently complex and achieving simplicity can be the result of a difficult and arduous process. Sometimes simplicity is simply not possible. However, this phase of questioning is rarely properly addressed. The idea of uncritically "enjoying a good challenge", combined with over-engineering and scaling up for the sake of scaling up, prevents assessing if keeping it simple will suffice. Sometimes, a partial, semi- or non-automated, supervised, or otherwise "incomplete" solution is the most appropriate choice for everyone involved. 206 207 [[do you want to know more|consider carefully the interaction between simplicity complexity and scale]] 208 209 210 --- 211 212 Keep It Flexible 213 ---------------- 214 215 Flexibility means adaptability to different purposes and circumstances, 216 including ones that were never even considered by the original designer. While 217 we value simplicity, **we know that very simple systems can also be inflexible, 218 and this principle exists as a counterweight to that kind of oversimplicity.** 219 Ideally, one should aim at a mutually supportive balance between simplicity and 220 flexibility. 221 222 Computing systems should adapt to the changes in their operating environments 223 (especially in relation to energy and heat). 24/7 availability of all parts of 224 the system should not be required, and neither should a constant operating 225 performance (e.g. networking speed). 226 227 If it is possible to imagine all the possible use cases when designing a 228 system, the design may very well be too simple and/or too inflexible. 229 Smallness, simplicity and flexibility are also part of the "small, sharp tools" 230 ideal of the [[Unix]] command line. Here the key to flexibility is the ability 231 to creatively combine small tools that do small, individual things. 232 233 [[do you want to know more|keep it flexible]] 234 235 236 --- 237 238 Build On Solid Ground 239 --------------------- 240 241 Consider when to build on solid ground and when to design for disappearance. If 242 longetivity is required some considerations are needed. 243 244 Many computing systems are based on platforms, frameworks or even languages 245 that change very rapidly, may become obsolete at any time, and are too complex 246 to be easily reimplemented. This principle exists to minimize 247 [obsolescence](https://permacomputing.net/obsolescence/) and superfluous 248 maintenance work in systems intended to last. 249 250 It is good to experiment with new ideas, concepts and languages, but forming 251 hard dependencies on them is usually a bad idea. Appreciate mature 252 technologies, clear ideas and well-understood theories when building something 253 that is intended to last. Software that uses open, well-documented standards 254 will be more useful in communicating with the wider technological world. It 255 also means that data can survive and still be readable even if the software is 256 no longer functioning. 257 258 [[do you want to know more|build on solid ground]] 259 260 261 --- 262 263 (Almost) Everything has a place 264 ------------------------------- 265 266 There is a place for almost everything. Nothing is obsolete or irrelevant. Even 267 if they lose their original meaning and context, most programmable systems may 268 be readapted to new purposes for which they were not originally designed. Think about 269 technology as a rhizome rather than a "highway of progress and constant 270 obsolescence". 271 272 Computing is often framed as a kind of ideal universal medium. But the reality 273 is that **computing is culture!** It can be very diverse, full of color, 274 contingency and expression that is part of any cultural production. Sadly in 275 practice, and in its current form with military industrial roots, this culture 276 exists mostly to reproduce and reinforce existing power structures within 277 societies and support economic growth. Today's computing cultures are still 278 dominated by Human Interface Guidelines designed and controlled by a small 279 group of people with similar backgrounds, priorities and values. But if we can 280 let go of some of the ideas of technological conformity, we might start to see 281 a much wider spectrum of possible ways of computing, some of which might better 282 reflect local needs, desires and societal issues. 283 284 This can also open to much wilder and diverse creative practices and 285 aesthetics. 286 287 [[do you want to know more|almost everything has a place]] 288 289 290 --- 291 292 Integrate Biological And Renewable Resources 293 ------------------------------------------- 294 295 Permacomputing seeks to support sustainable and regenerative practices, playing 296 a beneficial role in natural ecosystems, but until we can grow computers on 297 trees, this goal remains largely aspirational. The whole electronic industry is 298 based on using some of the most artificial materials ever created. The majority 299 of computer components are firmly tied to complex, extractive and exploitative 300 manufacturing processes linked to the semiconductor industry. There is an 301 increasing incentive and an increasing number of experiments to replace some 302 physical parts of digital hardware with more sustainable materials, while 303 rethinking how supply chains can be more ethical. **How can this be encouraged? 304 How can this be prioritized? How can this be more than symbolic or marketing?** 305 306 In the same sense, we can think of energy use, not just in terms of efficiency 307 but also in terms of local impact. Stemming from the observed principle, see to 308 what extent it is possible to work with (local) biological and renewable 309 materials and resources. Not only does this minimise the ecological footprint 310 of the supply chain, it also allows for a closer relation to nature. 311 312 By using more basic kinds of materials, we attend to the labour of making, which pushes us to reflect on conditions, resources, and access to resources as well as how 313 energy is generated, materials decompose and matter is recycled. Crafting, DIY 314 and idiosyncratic approaches to hardware design can help situate computing 315 culture and reveal points of friction. 316 317 [[do you want to know more|integrate biological and renewable resources]] 318 319