Permaculture thrives at UMaine

What ties happiness, women’s empowerment, and sustainable living together? A UMaine permaculture course created by New Media faculty explored this question with Jim Merkel, director of the award-winning documentary Saving Walden’s World.

On December 3rd, the Fernald Center hosted a packed screening of Merkel’s film, which highlights the connection between happiness, land stewardship, and women-led initiatives worldwide. Praised for showcasing communities prioritizing people over profit, the documentary has garnered over a dozen awards. CBS affiliate WABI featured Merkel discussing the screening and its connection to UMaine’s permaculture course.

The event aligned with PAX 590, a graduate course inspired by a student-led Honors project, the “Permaculture Discussion Group.” Guided by faculty Joline Blais, Anthony Sutton, and Melissa Ladenheim, the course emphasizes regenerative systems that draw on nature’s principles. The ethics of permaculture—Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share—intersect with the film’s themes, showcasing practices like Cuba’s herbal medicine innovations and India’s Kudumbashree lending bank.

Merkel shared his philosophy of “voluntary simplicity,” offering hope to students navigating financial challenges with humor: “Consciousness grows faster than inflation.” The permaculture course, led by Blais, features projects ranging from a rewilded campus in Minecraft to PFAS awareness campaigns and the UMaine Greens initiative. Though currently for graduate students, there’s interest in creating an undergraduate Honors version and a potential permaculture minor, reflecting growing enthusiasm for regenerative design’s transformative potential.