A teacher on a permaculture course in Kingston wants to show the borough the idea is more than just glorified gardening.

Mark Warner, who is running the Design for Sustainable Living course at the Environment Centre, said it was a design system which could help in the battle against climate change.

He said: "It is about working with nature. Societies which rape and pillage the earth eventually collapse because they can no longer support themselves.

"If you look at people like the South American Indians, whose society has survived for hundreds of years, they work with nature. That's the principle of permaculture."

During the course, he will be teaching these principles of design taking into account resource management and the fine balance between man's needs and the planet's.

He said: "You look at working with what nature gives you. For example, when you design a building it should be south-facing for the sun.

"Also, it should have overhanging eaves which block the high sun in the summer, keeping your home cool, but in winter let the lower-hanging sun in to warm your home."

He also said permaculture, which focused on life's basic needs of shelter, food, energy and water, could be used in gardens and the design of agricultural and urban communities.

The course costs £100. A follow-on course will take place on April 5 and 6.

For more information, call Jean Vidler on 020 8549 2698.