CANTON -- Dr. John Radigan of Paul Smith's College will speak on "Permaculture: A Soft Landing for a New Era” Nov. 21 at the annual meeting of the Laurentian Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

Permaculture seeks to work with nature instead of against it, and rests on three basic ethical principles: care for the earth, care for people, and redistribution of surplus. It shows how to mimic natural systems in designing our human spaces, consciously creating environments that produce no waste while maximizing the efficiency of each element in the system.

A possible outcome will be a shift to a new "Energy-Descent Culture" in which future generations will have less energy to draw upon than did those who preceded them.

The presentation take places at First Presbyterian Church, 17 Park St. The potluck begins at 5:30 p.m. and those attending should bring a dish to share and a table service. The annual meeting and Radigan's presentation will begin at 7 p.m.