Presentation by Penny Dex (Patricia Marienthal). Discover how military veterans use permaculture to enrich their lives, Eco-literacy is the ability to comprehend the patterns which drive the life-sustaining systems of planet Earth. The veteran demographic is plagued by suicide, post traumatic stress, moral injury, and survivors guilt. Veterans need to find a new purpose for being alive. Permaculture is a good way to find that purpose. Penny Dex served in the Army from 2004-2008 and saw firsthand the true cost of war. Upon discharge, she began working with veterans groups, helping to develop the first veteran-taught permaculture course in the United States. Her work focuses on the one question, “How do we make tangible, concrete differences in veterans lives?”