Ecovillages Around the World
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A Concise History of the Global Ecovillage Movement
A Concise History of the Global Ecovillage Movement by E.C. Mare Autumn 2000 Elisabeth’s House COPYRIGHT © 2000/2012 – Village Design Institute – All Rights Reserved 1 The “ecovillage” is the latest conceptualization in a long history of utopian visions: model living situations that have the potential for bringing out the best in human nature. It seems that every age has its own version of Utopia, which literally means ‘no place.’ Sir Thomas More set the stage in 1518 by publishing the first Utopia, an ironic satire of Elizabethean England at the dawning of the Age of Colonialism. His story subtly ridiculed the pretentiousness, avariciousness, and pompousness of the colonial gentry and noble classes by depicting an ideal society in a fictional new land that achieved social stability, peace and justice by adopting values of simplicity and egalitarianism. In Utopia, captured military intruders were paraded around in gaudy gold jewelry and elaborate clothing while the native population were unadorned and wore unassuming plain linen cloth.1 Many more utopian visions were practiced, preached, or experimented on in Europe – and especially in the new land of America – in the next several hundred years: the Puritans, the Luddites, the Zionists, the Amish, the Quakers, the Mormons, Amana, Walden and Walden Two, etc….the list is quite long, and includes varied backgrounds – religious, secular, social co-operative, political. All of these groups were revolutionaries or reactionaries of some kind that sought to address the excesses and problems of their respective times by setting themselves apart somewhat from the mainstream and adopting and following creeds and values believed to be qualitatively superior to the status quo, often creeds and values of a spiritual nature that framed human potential in a higher, more resplendent light. -
The Right to Food and the Impact of Liquid Biofuels (Agrofuels) Photo by © FAO/18079/M
The Right to Food and the Impact of Liquid Biofuels (Agrofuels) Photo by © FAO/18079/M. Griffin RIGHT TO FOOD STUDIES Photo by © FAO/18079/M. Griffin The Right to Food and the Impact of Liquid Biofuels (Agrofuels) Asbjørn Eide FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2008 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. ISBN 978-92-5-106174-9 All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to: Chief Electronic Publishing Policy and Support Branch Communication Division FAO Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy or by e-mail to: [email protected] © FAO 2009 The Right to Food and the Impact of Liquid Biofuels (Agrofuels) Photo by © FAO/18079/M. -
Living Sustainably: It's Your Choice
EC 1614 Revised December 2011 Oregon State University Extension Service Living Sustainably: It’s Your Choice Social Economic Environmental What this guide is all about Our goals are to: l Introduce the concept of sustainable living l Identify three barriers to living sustainably in the United States and suggest ways to overcome them l Help you begin to identify your personal values l Show you how to use the “triple win” sustain ability triangle in your lifestyle choices l Help you decide how to incorporate sustainable behaviors into your everyday life This booklet doesn’t start where you might think a typical guide should. We won’t ask how many lamps you have in your house, or what kind of vehicle you drive, or whether you use paper, plastic, or cloth bags at the grocery store. All that—and more— comes later. We start first by helping you identify what’s important to YOU—as an individual and as a member of a family and a community. This guide focuses on making choices to improve quality of life and reduce negative impact on the environment. We hope it will help you determine your lifestyle choices and what’s really important to you and your family. We’ve included space to jot down your ideas, or you might want to keep a journal as you go through the guide. The decision to live sustainably is intensely personal. Some people make changes to save money; others make changes to protect the environment; still others make changes to allow more time to pursue other things in life. -
An Example of a Sustainable Island As a Part of a Biosphere Reserve
Pangatalan: an example of a sustainable island as a part of a biosphere reserve Cinzia Alessi1, Thomas Pavi1, Laure Thierry De Ville D`Avray1, Mélanie Santo1, Frederic & Christina Tardieu 1 1 Sulubaai Environmental Foundation Inc., Pangatalan Island, brg Depla, Taytay, Palawan Keywords: zero-carbon emission, eco-sustainable activities, marine protected area, habitat restoration, local community integration Abstract: Sulubaai Environmental Foundation (SEF), a Filippino non-profit organization created in 2012, has been devoted to implement ecosystem protection through targeted actions together with a self- sufficient sustainable development in Pangatalan Island (Shark Fin Bay). Before 2012 vegetation was exploited to produce charcoal, a very impacting activity that left only 306 trees on the island. Marine surveys revealed a similar situation underwater, with more than 60% of coral reef turned into rubble with a direct decrease in fish biomass. During time SEF replanted over 50,000 of native plants and 9.000 of mangrove trees. One goal of SEF is to increase the protection of natural resources. For this reason a Marine Protected Area has been implemented in 2016 and a coral restoration project has started. 85% of the electricity used on the island comes from 20 kW solar-powered system making Palangatan Island a zero-Carbon emission place. Food comes from a 2 ha organic farm initiated and developed by the foundation on the main land nearby the island. Water used on the island comes from the mountain nearby thanks to a gravity-based system, making water use 100% green. SEF is promoting up-cycling of materials in order to reduce the ecological footprint: thus SEF re-uses dismantle wood from old buildings of the surrounding villages and material waste (e.g. -
Alternative Political Ecologies Through the Construction of Ecovillages and Ecovillagers in Colombia
Chapter Thirteen Creating Alternative Political Ecologies through the Construction of Ecovillages and Ecovillagers in Colombia Brian J. Burke and Beatriz Arjona Ecovillages as Alternative Political Ecologies Ecovillages are spaces and collectivities that are reinventing sustainability in its ecological, economic, communitarian, and worldview dimensions. They are experiences of life in community and in search of a more respect- ful relationship with the earth, others, the Other, and ourselves. Real and concrete paths for right livelihood and living well, now and in the future, they are pockets of hope. In this sense, ecovillages are laboratories for alter- native political ecologies and their cultural and subjective underpinnings. They are experiments in alternative systems of relationships with the nat- ural environment, human communities, productive processes, broader economic dynamics, and state structures. Global ecovillage movement supporters hope they will become lifestyle options “possible for every- body on the planet” (R. Jackson 2004: 2), and a broad range of actors have adapted the highly fl exible ecovillage model to their local conditions. In this chapter, we focus on two cases that highlight the wide range of ecovillage experiences in Colombia and, we hope, help advance the ef- fort to make ecovillages a more widely accessible and realizable political ecological possibility. Beatriz Arjona’s story exemplifi es the most common ecovillage dynamic in Colombia—that of a disaffected middle- or up- per-class urbanite seeking a more fulfi lling life through new connections with nature and community. We especially examine the challenges she has faced in becoming an ecovillager, inspired by J. K. Gibson-Graham’s assertion that “we must be ready with strategies for confronting what 236 | Brian J. -
GEN Ecovillage Transition Strategy 2015-2020 Index
GEN Ecovillage Transition Strategy 2015-2020 Index CONTENT Gen’s vision and core principles 2 GEN’s achievements and success stories 3 The international context and GEN’s response 4 GEN – thinking and acting Locally and Globally 6 Conclusions 9 APPENDIX What is an ecovillage? 11 Gen mission, objectives and targets 13 GEN’s Future Strategy 2015-2020 Gen’s vision and core principles GEN has evolved organically from small beginnings. The network itself was founded in 1995 in order to bring together the rich and diverse tapestry of Ecovillages and intentional communities that had grown 2 independently across the world. 3 Each community within this network is inspired by the profound belief that their own future, and the world‘s future are inextricably linked. The central belief and tenet is that respect for the natural environ- 4 ment, respect for each other, and respect for individual and cultural diversity, will bring solidarity and unity across the world. The dynamic integration of the four essential dimensions of sustainability – economic, 6 social, ecological and cultural – is the true characteristic of a community-led, participatory Ecovillage. 9 Such communities have developed over time an astonishing array of internal democratic governance sys- tems and low impact/high quality lifestyles. They have been proven to successfully empower, sustain and promote truly sustainable ways of living, both in rural and urban settings. The glue that binds all GEN’s communities together, from Colombia to Thailand, from Senegal to India, 11 from Nepal to Canada is the deeply felt sense of shared core Values and a shared Vision of the way all hu- 13 mans should live together on Earth. -
Eco-Collaboration Between Higher Education and Ecovillages A
Partnerships for Sustainability: Eco-Collaboration between Higher Education and Ecovillages A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Kiernan Jeanette Gladman IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF LIBERAL STUDIES February 2014 ©Kiernan Jeanette Gladman 2014 For John May the soles of our shoes wear down together. i Paradise (John Prine) When I was a child, my family would travel Down to western Kentucky where my parents were born And there's a backwards old town that's often remembered So many times that my memories are worn Chorus: And Daddy, won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County Down by the Green River where Paradise lay Well, I'm sorry, my son, but you're too late in asking Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away Well sometimes we'd travel right down the Green River To the abandoned old prison down by Adrie Hill Where the air smelled like snakes and we'd shoot with our pistols But empty pop bottles was all we would kill Chorus And the coal company came with the world's largest shovel And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man Chorus When I die let my ashes float down the Green River Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam I'll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin' Just five miles away from wherever I am Chorus ii CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................................... -
Ecovillage Community Hostel “Living Space Inspired by Nature Connection for Youth and the Young at Heart to Transform”
EcoVillage Community Hostel “Living space inspired by nature connection for youth and the young at heart to transform” Findhorn EcoVillage: Findhorn Ecovillage is an experimental architectural community based at The Park, in Moray, Scotland, near the village of Findhorn. The project's main aim is to demonstrate a sustainable development in environmental, social, and economic terms. Findhorn Foundation, founded in 1962 is a “dynamic experiment where everyday life is guided by the inner voice of spirit, where we work in co-creation with the intelligence of nature and take inspired action towards our vision of a better world. Findhorn Foundation shares learning and way of life in experiential workshops, conferences and events that take place within a thriving community and ecovillage” Demand Findhorn Ecovillage enjoys 4,000 attendees at programmes and conferences and around 10,000 visitors each year and generates over £5m for the local economy each year. Orignally the Findhorn Foundation encompassed all areas of community life and ran all courses, programmes and facilities. Today there is a thriving community of around 600 people (NFA estimate) connected to Findhorn EcoVillage with its 35 independent organisations. Findhorn Foundation has over 50,000 followers across the world on Facebook. New accommodation is needed ● To replace capacity being lost with the change of use of various bed and breakfast facilities ● Visiting friends and family as part of the expanding local community ● Overflow for conferences, events and festivals several times -
Table of Contents
Introduction In Creating a Life Together, Diana Leafe Christian estimates that 90 percent of attempts to start an intentional community do not survive past the initial stages. Similarly, many personal searches for intentional community fizzle out due to lack of adequate information, guidance, or exposure to fellow travelers’ stories. In both cases, ignorance of the wide array of options possible, and of the breadth of resources and support available through the Fellowship for Intentional Community and allied groups, undoubtedly contributes to the “failure” rate. This volume on “Starting a Community” and the next volume in this series, on “Finding a Community,” address the need for one-stop collections of stories to help founders and seekers. They are meant to complement the Communities Directory (available in print and online: ic.org/directory), COMMUNITIES magazine, a quarterly publication focused on Life in Cooperative Culture, and educational resources available through Community Bookstore (ic.org/bookstore). These books should broaden anyone’s outlook on what is possible and how to pursue their dreams of community. Within each section we hear from a range of voices spanning a great diversity of perspectives and experiences. In this volume, following more general “overview” articles, we dive into on-the-ground stories from founders, arranged roughly chronologically, followed by a separate roughly chronological flow about experiences of community that don’t fit the classic intentional community definition but are nonetheless powerful for their creators and participants. Most articles are drawn from the past decade of COMMUNITIES magazine, with several excerpted from the Communities Directory and a few from older issues of COMMUNITIES that were also excerpted in our Best of collections, Volumes I and II. -
Ecological Economics: Solutions for the Future - 2
Academic rigour This book arose from the ANZSEE (Australian New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics) conference ‘Ecological Economics: Solutions Now and in the Future’ held at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia in November 2019 (https://anzsee.org.au/2019-anzsee-conference/). In the planning for this conference we agreed that the book arising from this would be self-published so that the pdf could be given away free, and the paperback would be as cheap as possible so that students and the general public could purchase it easily. I took on the role of Editor pro bono to ensure we ended up with a book. However throughout this process we have remained committed to academic rigour. All chapters were reviewed twice by the Editor (sometimes more). Some chapters were also reviewed by other academics when the Editor thought this was needed. The Introduction was developed by the Editor and ecological economist A/Prof Philip Lawn, who originally had hoped to be co- Editor, but had to cancel due to personal reasons. Several chapters were reviewed by Dr Boyd Blackwell, President of ANZSEE. Hence, although this book was not published by a major publisher, it upholds academic rigour. The Editor, Dr Haydn Washington PANGEA Research Centre, BEES, UNSW Lead Editor of ‘A Future Beyond Growth’ (Washington and Twomey 2016); Editor ‘Positive Steps to a Steady State Economy’ (Washington 2017) Co-Director of CASSE NSW Co-Facilitator of the Ecological Economics Hub of the New Economy Network of Australia Ecological Economics: Solutions for the Future - 2 Copyright © Haydn Washington, 2020. All Rights Reserved. -
Literally, Stories of Climate Change
NONPROFIT CIVIL SOCIETY CSR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PHILAntHropy 18 Winds of Change 24 The Birds and the Bees: Lessons from a Social Enterprise 36 Face-Off: End-of-Life Ideas for Plastic 52 Short Fiction: Monarch Blue Edition 27 | JAN-MAR 2019 | /AsianNGO | www.asianngo.org/magazine | US$10 It’s not all doom and gloom Find nature conservation stories with a happy ending at: Table of Contents 24 the Birds and the Bees: LessOns FrOm a SociaL enterPrise 34 PhOtO FEATURE: Last Forest Enterprises is a social initiative based in South India that supports communities dependent on biodiversity for their livelihood. iMPACT traces their women and the journey, and some lessons they learned along the way. envirOnment PHOTO CREDITS Graphics, stock photos by flaticon.com, freepik.com, 123rf.com, Pixabay, Unsplash, Pexels, Ten Photos to Shake the World and Getty Images • Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Co. Ltd. • ABC Central Victoria: Larissa Romensky • B&T Magazine • BioCote • Canopy • Colossal • Conservation International • Digital Green 18 Winds of change 37 Face-Off: end- • Endangered Emoji/World Wide Fund For Nature • Florence Geyevu of-LiFe ideas for • Ian Kelly Jamotillo Renewable energy, despite its promise • Last Forest Enterprises of a cleaner planet, is not without its • Lensational PLastic • Misper Apawu problems. Meera Rajagopalan explores • National Wildlife Federation wind energy and its effect on bird Plastic pollution is putting countries • Sanna Lindberg in danger, yet improper waste • SDF fatalities, and how organizations such • Sasmuan Bankung Malapad Critical Habitat as Birdlife International promote clean disposal continues. iMPACT takes a Ecotourism Area (SBMCHEA) look at three possible solutions for • The Elephants & Bees Project / Lucy King energy from a biodiversity prospective. -
Sustainability As/In Culture and Design
587 Unmaking Waste 2015 Conference Proceedings 22 – 24 May 2015 Adelaide, South Australia Sustainability as/in Culture and Design Session 19 Anti-consumerism. Contributions and paradoxes in the ‘sustainable turn’ in consumer culture – Juan SANIN Greening ‘The Block’: Sustainability in mainstream lifestyle TV – Aggeliki AGGELI and Gavin MELLES Dreaming sustainability, realising utopia: ‘convergence’ and ‘divergence’ in art and design practice – Robert HARLAND, Maria Cecilia LOSCHIAVO DOS SANTOS, Gillian WHITELEY 588 Unmaking Waste 2015 Conference Proceedings 22 – 24 May 2015 Adelaide, South Australia Anti-consumerism: Contributions and paradoxes in the ‘sustainable turn’ in consumer culture Juan SANIN RMIT University, Australia Industrial Design / Cultural Studies This paper examines three artefacts representative of anti-consumerism: the ‘Blackspot Unswoosher’, a shoe produced by the ‘Blackspot Anticorporation’ and publicised as the shoe that will reinvent capitalism; ‘Buy Nothing New Month’, a Melbourne-based initiative promoting a ‘more “custodial” valuing of possessions’ based on the premise of ‘old is the new new’; and ‘Buy Nothing Day’, an international day of protest against over-consumption that encourages consumers to advance sustainable causes through the slogan ‘participate by not participating’. In doing this, it aims to shed light on new approaches to sustainability emerging from consumer culture. These approaches, as the paper shows, advocate for a movement away from modern consumerism towards sustainable ways of consumption. The discussion of these artefacts draws on critical approaches to consumer culture and is framed by what I propose to call “the sustainable turn”. The literature suggests that from all the approaches to sustainability emerging from consumer culture, anti-consumerism appears to be the most radical and paradoxical.