Three different thinkers are interviewed by Energy Bulletin's Adam Fenderson on the unrealised potential of some both familiar and unfamiliar plants, and the need for new attitudes to agriculture and cropping.

A perennial solution to a terminal problem?

Jerry Glover from the Land Institute talks about Peak Oil, the ecological costs of conventional agriculture, the challenge to organic agriculture to wean itself off oil, and the Land Institute's visionary plan to revolutionise farming. The Land Institute is attempting to breed perennial grain varieties, a first in 8000 years of agriculture.

Useful weeds and permaculture

Might 'weeds' in fact be an untapped or unappreciated resource? These two interviews take on different aspects of this question - both lead us towards the conclusion that we might become more self-reliant, and less ecologically destructive, if we can learn to work with, rather than against, 'weeds'.

In part 1 natural medicine practioner Pat Collins talks about edible and medicinally valuable common garden weeds.

In part 2 permaculture co-originator David Holmgren takes a fresh approach to the issue of environmental purity, arguing out that many
plants labeled weeds can provide valuable ecological services.

For more on Pat see:
www.thecentrewebsite.com/

For more from David see:
www.holmgren.com.au