Discover Our Practical, Hands-on Solutions For Beyond-Sustainable Change For Yourself, Your Neighbours, Your Community, And The World!
Empower yourself with the tools, knowledge & support to positively transform your land, your life and your livelihood.
Climate change. Tar sands. GMOs. Massive drought.
… Faced with world-threatening issues like these, many people numb out in hopeless overwhelm.
But we’re guessing that – since you’ve landed here – you’re among the stubbornly hopeful tribe of practical dreamers who are looking for effective, do-it-yourself solutions. Real-world solutions that start right here, right now, to create a more sustainable home, resilient community and healthy ecosystem.
Maybe you’re looking to cut your energy use and invest in solar or wind power. Maybe you’re imagining what it would be like to keep backyard chickens, start composting your kitchen scraps or grow healthy food on your front lawn (or a year-round garden in your passive solar greenhouse). Maybe you’ve even got ambitions of reducing water consumption, or living in an off-the-grid strawbale house!
If you’ve ever asked, “How can I create a sustainable livelihood doing something for the earth, something I love?” — or “How can I set up a small-scale farm?” — or “How can I harvest water or stop erosion?” or even just “What is permaculture?” — you’re in the right place.
Verge Permaculture provides the answers you’re looking for: practical answers based on the idea that humans and nature can work together. As engineers and long-time permaculturists, we’ve been transforming our inner-city Calgary house into a permaculture demonstration site since 2009. We’ve asked and found answers to many of your questions. We’ve travelled the world to learn about – and implement – renewable energy design, sustainable agriculture, landscape re-hydration, food forests, and wastewater treatment with some of the best known experts.
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Over the past five years I have watched Rob and Michelle build Verge Permaculture from the ground up and I am proud to say that Verge Permaculture is now one of North America's premier permaculture design and education companies.
Director of The Permaculture Institute
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Every so often someone comes along who seems to change the game. In this case, Alberta’s good fortune is doubly so, as it is a dynamic husband and wife who have changed people’s lives in service of environmental stewardship. As engineers-turned-sustainability designers, Rob and Michelle Avis have brought back Permaculture from a global learning expedition and innovated—adapted tools to Alberta conditions—sustaining not only their own small business but so much more…
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Rob and Michelle’s continuous passion for seeking out innovative approaches and finding ways to disseminate valuable information in the community with a keen eye for business sense has been a game-changer in Calgary, and across Alberta.
The Meaningful Work Project
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Rob is a dynamic, informative speaker who clearly knows his subject matter. As an engineer and an ecologist, Rob offers a unique and refreshing perspective.
Solar Energy Society of Alberta
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Rob & Michelle - I'm proud of your work and your vision. What a delight to see young people like you embrace and then lend your savvy talents to this movement.
Owner/Operator of Polyface Farms
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Author of The Urban Farmer
Rob and Michelle truly inspired me in so many ways. It's their passion for social change, that keeps me inspired to keep on given er'.
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If you want to schedule an event with them, or just attend one, I recommend them very, very highly.
Author of Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture
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Michelle, Rob and the rest of the Verge crew dedicate an enormous amount of care and energy to make life-changing educational opportunities available to their community.
Dryland Solutions Inc.
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I've never seen a permaculture endeavour marry business and permaculture together so well and I've rarely met finer people in my life.
Marketing For Hippies
LOOKING TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE WORLD? START HERE…
We provide solid, proven, real-world theory combined with hands-on, dirt-under-the-fingernails training. Training that you can put to use right away in your own home or garden to feed your family or to create a sustainable income. Training that puts the power for change in your hands…
Browse our site, check out our blog, videos, sign up for our newsletter, meet our team…and discover just how you can create positive, sustainable change for yourself and your community!
Rob & Michelle Avis, and the whole team at Verge
