DOCSLIB.ORG

Building Capacity to Live and Work Together at an Ecovillage in Support of Sustainable Community: a Case Study

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

BUILDING CAPACITY TO LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER AT AN ECOVILLAGE IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY: A CASE STUDY by Lisa Helen Mychajluk A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Lisa Helen Mychajluk (2014) BUILDING CAPACITY TO LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER AT AN ECOVILLAGE IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY: A CASE STUDY Master of Arts 2014 Lisa Helen Mychajluk Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education University of Toronto Abstract Ecovillages are important models of sustainable community and reflective of an alternative lived paradigm that values collectivism over individualism and cooperation over competition, in pursuit of bio-regionally-based, shared prosperity. In the face of growing threats to the predominant social and economic models of individualism, globalization, and unfettered growth (e.g. the decline of cheap oil), some experts have postulated that the greatest contribution that ecovillages can make is to help us understand of how to live ―smaller, slower and closer (Litfin 2013)‖ – in other words, how to organize socially and economically in a post-carbon world. Through a qualitative case study of Whole Village ecovillage in Caledon, Ontario, this thesis explores the structures and processes through which ecovillagers build capacity for living and working together, and reveals the complex interplay between elements of community building, community dynamics and capacity building, which can either support or undermine the development of sustainable community. ii Acknowledgements The deepest of thanks to my thesis supervisor, Professor Jennifer Sumner, for your guidance and support, which helped shape this thesis and provided a much needed lift whenever I was starting to feel bogged down. Thanks also to my second reader, Professor Edmund O‘Sullivan, who validated for me the importance of my research topic, and the need to create sustainable human experiences under drastically changing planetary conditions. I credit both of these professors for igniting my desire to undertake this research, as I was inspired after taking their courses in Education for Sustainability (Sumner) and Transformative Learning (O‘Sullivan). Thanks also to the residents and members of Whole Village ecovillage and intentional community in Caledon, Ontario; in particular, those eight brave souls who opened up to me, without apparent reserve, to be interviewed for this thesis research. Each of you provided invaluable insight on the ecovillage experience. In addition, I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to have spent time in the community, making friends and building a greater personal understanding of what it truly means to live sustainably. I have come to think of ecovillagers as ‗front-liners‘ in the quest for sustainability, and I commend you all for your dedication and the energy you have committed to this pursuit. Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to my amazing husband, Marcel Pijper – I would not have been able to do this without you. Thank you for keeping our family functioning throughout this process; for your positive attitude; for the thoughtful discussions after putting the kids to bed; for your endless and unwavering support. I simply cannot thank you enough. iii Dedication To my children, Simon Alexander and Evelyn Grace: ―When you act on behalf of something greater than yourself, you begin to feel it acting through you with a power that is greater than your own. This is grace.‖ - Joanna Macy (edited into verse by Tom Atlee), Grace and the Great Turning iv Quotes ―There is one overriding problem with collaborative groups – they are groups of people, and people are damn difficult to get along with. Were it not for that fact, we would have already saved the world many times over. Instead, we‘re left down here in the muck, struggling with the irritating, irresponsible, pig-headed, stubborn, judgmental, egotistical and petty people who are supposed to be our allies.‖ - Starhawk, The Empowerment Manual ―If you want to bring fundamental change in people‘s belief and behaviour, you need to create a community around them where their new beliefs can be practiced and expressed and nurtured.‖ - Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point v Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iv Quotes .............................................................................................................................................. v Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research questions .......................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Chapter Outline ............................................................................................................... 4 Chapter Two: Contextualizing the research .................................................................................... 7 2.1 What is sustainability? ..................................................................................................... 7 2.1.1 Ecology .................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.2 Economy ................................................................................................................ 11 2.1.3 Community ............................................................................................................ 15 2.1.4 Consciousness........................................................................................................ 18 2.2 Getting to Sustainability – The three-part model of bioregionalism, permaculture and ecovillages ........................................................................................................................ 20 2.3 Ecovillages .................................................................................................................... 23 2.4 Why study ecovillages? ................................................................................................. 26 2.5 Chapter conclusion ........................................................................................................ 28 Chapter Three: Theoretical framework ......................................................................................... 31 3.1 Group dynamics theory ................................................................................................. 31 3.1.1 The study of groups and group dynamics .............................................................. 32 3.1.2 Group qualities and group efficacy ....................................................................... 33 3.1.3 Understanding the dynamics of cooperative groups .............................................. 37 3.1.4 Section conclusion: the effective group ................................................................. 40 3.2 Interactional theory of social organization and capacity-building for sustainable community development .................................................................................................. 42 3.2.1 What is ‗community‘? ........................................................................................... 42 3.2.2 Ecovillages – a post-carbon community model ..................................................... 44 3.2.3 Interactional theory and sustainable community development ............................. 46 vi 3.2.4 Community capacity building: definition and operational framework .................. 49 3.2.5 Section conclusion: capacity-building for sustainable communities ..................... 53 3.3 Linking the theoretical frameworks ............................................................................... 54 3.4 Chapter conclusion: theoretical framework ................................................................... 56 Chapter Four: Literature review .................................................................................................... 58 4.1 Community building structures and processes .............................................................. 58 4.1.1 Purpose / Vision / Principles ................................................................................. 59 4.1.2 Membership process .............................................................................................. 63 4.1.3 Decision-making process ....................................................................................... 65 4.1.4 Agreements / rules ................................................................................................. 69 4.1.5 The Intangibles: group cohesion, interdependence and reciprocity .....................
Recommended publications
  • Cooperative Housing in the United States

    Cooperative Housing in the United States

    HOUSING COOPERATIVES UNITED STATES 1949-1950 Joint publication of Division of Housing Research Housing HOUSING AND HOME FINANCE AGENCY Research Bureau of Labor Statistics UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WASHINGTON 1951 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Cooperative Housing in the United States 1949 and 1950 Housing Research Paper No. 24 Bulletin No. 1093 HOUSING AND HOME FINANCE AGENCY UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of the Administrator Bureau of Labor Statistics Housing Research Division For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U . S. Government Printing: Office, Washington 25, D. C. Price 65 cents (paper) Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis P r e f a c e After the end of World W ar II the severe housing shortage in this country led to an increased interest in cooperative housing as one means of solving the problem. This gave further impetus to a movement which began in the United States about a third of a century ago among people who held that by joining together in the purchase of land and the construction of houses they could obtain dwellings of good quality at less cost than those being provided in other ways. As things have worked out, some housing cooperatives have been outstandingly successful and have accomplished everything their sponsors hoped for. Others, however, have proved to be disap­ pointing, either falling by the wayside or failing to attain the original objectives.
  • Cooperatives in Industrial and Service Sectors in the Asia-Pacific Region

    Cooperatives in Industrial and Service Sectors in the Asia-Pacific Region

    Cooperatives in industrial and service sectors in the Asia-Pacific region Models, work and employment, ecosystem and public policies International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific & 9, Aradhana Enclave +91-11-26888067 ica-asia and pacific Sector-13, R. K. Puram International Organisation of the Industrial and Service Cooperatives New Delhi-110066 +91-11-26888250 icaapac [email protected] icaasiapacific ica-ap.coop Cooperatives in industrial and service sectors in the Asia-Pacific region Table of contents List of tables iv List of figures ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ iv Abbreviations and acronyms ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� v Synthesis note 1 Introduction���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1 2 The scope of target types of the present study ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 3 Method����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2 ‘Type’ and ‘model’�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
  • Cooperative Growth Ecosystem

    Cooperative Growth Ecosystem

    BUILDING the Report 1 Report 2 Report 3 INCLUSIVE Broad-Based Cooperative Growth Strategies for Financing ECONOMY Ownership Models Ecosystems the New Economy THE COOPERATIVE GROWTH ECOSYSTEM Inclusive Economic Development in Action A joint project of Project Equity and the Democracy at Work Institute Melissa Hoover & Hilary Abell, Lead Authors project Building the Inclusive Economy series: Through three groundbreaking reports funded by Citi Community Development, Building the Inclusive Economy series sets out new, cutting-edge economic development models for city leaders and community development practitioners interested in embedding equity, community wealth, and sustainability into their local economic growth plan. This series, authored by The Democracy Collaborative, The Democracy at Work Institute, and Project Equity, lays out key tools and building blocks for equitable local economic growth where all residents are able to maximize opportunities, thereby expanding urban economies where all can meaningfully participate and benefit. To learn more about the series, visit www.CitiCommunityDevelopment.com. The Cooperative Growth Ecosystem Project: This paper is the fruit of a year-long project carried out by the Democracy at Work Institute and Project Equity in 2014 and 2015. Hilary Abell and Alison Lingane of Project Equity, Melissa Hoover and Tim Palmer of the Democracy at Work Institute, and consultant Tim Lohrentz comprised the team that developed the Cooperative Growth Ecosystem framework; piloted it as an analytical and strategy tool looking at five regions around the country; hosted a national convening, in coordination with Citi Community Development, to get feedback and provide space for regions to develop actions plans; and developed this paper to share with the field.
  • Articulating Value in Cooperative Housing International and Methodological Review

    Articulating Value in Cooperative Housing International and Methodological Review

    Articulating value in cooperative housing International and methodological review Louise Crabtree, Sidsel Grimstad, Joanne McNeill, Neil Perry, Emma Power January 2019 Contents CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 BOXES .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 TABLES ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 THE BENEFITS OF COOPERATIVE HOUSING ..................................................................................... 11 1.1.1 Social capital ................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.2 Housing quality and stability ..........................................................................................................
  • Sustainable Communities

    Sustainable Communities

    Sustainable Communities A Twenty-seven Year Study of Sustainable Communities Part I Where we visited, volunteered or lived ● Sustainable Communities for Adults with Special Needs ● Land Trust Communities ● Eco Villages ● Educational Communities ● Co-Housing Communities Camphill Villages Copake, NY Kimberton Hills, PA Glenmore, PA Camphill is an international movement of intentional communities designed to meet the needs of young adults with developmental disabilities through a combination of community life, the arts, crafts and work on the land. Raising their own foods through biodynamic practices leads to optimum health for all residents. Celo Land Trust and Community Burnsville, NC This artistic community, about an hour away from Asheville, was started by 3 Quaker families in 1938. It is now the home of: Toe River Swim Area Ten Thousand Things The Celo Inn and Garden Food Co-op Camp Celo Arthur Morgan School Toe River Craft Coop Celo Health Center Earthaven Ecovillage Black Mountain, NC Earthaven members consciously develop sustainable lifestyles, utilizing permaculture principles in design as well as in agricultural practices. The residents live off-the-grid, ride bikes or walk in the village and some own and operate green businesses. Earthaven Ecovillage Council Hall & Community Center Interior View Exterior view with edible landscaping Wherever possible, builders used recycled materials, such as reclaimed hardwood flooring. They also built with trees culled from the land, rubber tires, cranberry pallets, mud and straw. Earthaven Ecovillage Earthaven homes range from small cabins to large, multi-family structures. The Hobbit House Multi-family Apartment Building A Cobb House Passive Solar, Harvested Wood Home Omega Institute and Center for Sustainable Living Rhinebeck, NY Although the Omega Institute is not an ecovillage, the Rhinebeck campus is laid-out like a small community with cottages of various sizes, a large dining hall, library, shops, canteen, a beautiful garden, Zen meditation trails, a lake, gazebos, walking paths, etc.
  • POLITECNICO DI TORINO Repository ISTITUZIONALE

    POLITECNICO DI TORINO Repository ISTITUZIONALE

    POLITECNICO DI TORINO Repository ISTITUZIONALE The role and management of physical space in social innovation Original The role and management of physical space in social innovation / Perello, Michelle. - (2017). Availability: This version is available at: 11583/2678524 since: 2017-08-24T16:35:09Z Publisher: Politecnico di Torino Published DOI:10.6092/polito/porto/2678524 Terms of use: Altro tipo di accesso This article is made available under terms and conditions as specified in the corresponding bibliographic description in the repository Publisher copyright (Article begins on next page) 04 August 2020 DOTTORATO DI RICERCA IN SISTEMI DI PRODUZIONE E DESIGN INDUSTRIALE CICLO XXVII Phd Thesis The role and management of physical space in social innovation Michelle Perello Tutor: Prof. Alberto de Marco Coordinator: Prof. Maurizio Galetto A Giulietta, Gabriel e Alessandro. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................1 I - Research objectives ......................................................................................................................................3 II - Research methodology ...............................................................................................................................4 Chapter 1 – Social innovation IN LITERATURE ................................................................................................6 1.1 The evolution of innovation .......................................................................................................................6
  • Eco-Collaboration Between Higher Education and Ecovillages A

    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 ...............................................................................................................
  • Articles Cooperative Enterprise As an Antimonopoly Strategy

    Articles Cooperative Enterprise As an Antimonopoly Strategy

    ART 1 - COOPERATIVE ENTERPRISE (DO NOT DELETE) 10/22/2019 4:02 PM Articles Cooperative Enterprise as an Antimonopoly Strategy Sandeep Vaheesan* & Nathan Schneider† ABSTRACT After decades of neglect, antitrust is once again a topic of public debate. Proponents of reviving antitrust have called for abandoning the narrow consumer welfare objective and embracing a broader set of objectives. One essential element that has been overlooked thus far is the ownership structure of the firm itself. The dominant model of investor- owned business and associated philosophy of shareholder wealth maximization exacerbate the pernicious effects of market power. In contrast, cooperative ownership models can mitigate the effects of monopoly and oligopoly, as well as advance the interests of consumers, workers, small business owners, and citizens. The promotion of fair competition among large firms should be paired with support for democratic cooperation within firms. Antitrust law has had a complicated history and relationship with cooperative enterprise. Corporations threatened by cooperatives have used the antitrust laws to frustrate the growth of these alternative businesses. To *Legal Director, Open Markets Institute. †Assistant Professor, Department of Media Studies, University of Colorado Boulder. The authors thank Lauren Bridges, Michelle Meagher, Sanjukta Paul, and Ganesh Sitaraman for thoughtful feedback on earlier drafts of this Article. 1 ART 1 - COOPERATIVE ENTERPRISE (DO NOT DELETE) 10/22/2019 4:02 PM 2 PENN STATE LAW REVIEW [Vol. 124:1 insulate cooperatives from the antitrust threat, Congress has enacted exemptions to protect cooperative entities, notably a general immunity for farm cooperatives in the 1922 Capper-Volstead Act. As part of an agenda to tame corporate monopoly, all three branches of the federal government and the states should revisit these ideas and seek to protect and enable the cooperative model across the economy.
  • Analysis and Proposal

    Analysis and Proposal

    Analysis and Proposal by Leah Gibbons, Hamish, Joe Cole, Thumbs ~Table of Contents~ Executive Summary …………………………………………………………………….. 3 I. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………... 6 Hart’s Mill Background…………………………………………………………. 7 Purpose ………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Consulting Team Vision ………………………………………………………… 11 Consulting Team Mission ………………………………………………………. 11 Consulting Team Objectives…………………………………………………….. 11 II. Hart’s Mill Design Proposals ……………………………………………………… 12 A. Worldview Dimension……………………………………………………….. 13 Story of Change …………………………………………………………………. 18 Worldviews ……………………………………………………………………… 20 Spirituality ………………………………………………………………………. 22 B. Social Dimension ……………………………………………………………. 23 Governance ……………………………………………………………………… 24 Leadership ………………………………………………………………………. 29 Celebrations …………………………………………………………………….. 33 Rituals …………………………………………………………………………… 35 Bioregional Networking ………………………………………………………… 38 C. Ecological Dimension ……………………………………………………….. 43 Nature Conservation …………………………………………………………….. 44 Permaculture and Regenerative Principles ……………………………………… 48 Green Building …………………………………………………………………... 51 Water Systems …………………………………………………………………… 55 Carbon Neutrality ……………………………………………………………….. 58 Climate Change Impacts ………………………………………………………… 62 D. Economic Dimension ……………………………………………………….. 66 Who Are We Now? ……………………………………………………………… 67 Who Are Our Allies?……………………………………………………………… 71 What Do We Do Next?…………………………………………………………… 73 Remaining Questions ……………………………………………………………. 82 Conclustions …………………………………………………………………….. 83 References
  • With Or Without Class: a Comparative Study of Union-Worker Cooperative Relations in the U.S

    With Or Without Class: a Comparative Study of Union-Worker Cooperative Relations in the U.S

    University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2016 With or Without Class: A Comparative Study of Union-Worker Cooperative Relations in the U.S. and South Korea Minsun Ji University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the International and Area Studies Commons, and the Political Science Commons Recommended Citation Ji, Minsun, "With or Without Class: A Comparative Study of Union-Worker Cooperative Relations in the U.S. and South Korea" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1230. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1230 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. With or Without Class: A Comparative Study of Union-Worker Cooperative Relations in the U.S. and South Korea ____________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies University of Denver ____________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ____________ by Minsun Ji November 2016 Advisor: Dr. George DeMartino Author: Minsun Ji Title: With or Without Class: A Comparative Study of Union-Worker Cooperative Relations in the U.S. and South Korea Advisor: Dr. George DeMartino Degree Date: November 2016 ABSTRACT This dissertation examines to what extent union-cooperative partnerships in the U.S. and S. Korea might revitalize labor movements and to what extent class-based narratives (or their absence) shape labor movements.
  • Co-Op Housing Development Guide

    Co-Op Housing Development Guide

    HOME BASE The Playbook for Cooperative Development ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS NCB Capital Impact would like to thank the following organizations and people for their support and dedication to making this publication possible in order to create more affordable cooperative homeownership opportunities: NCB provided funding for this project. About NCB: National Cooperative Bank is now simply NCB. While our name and look have changed as of October 1, 2006, our commitment to our customers remains as strong as ever. NCB is dedicated to strengthening communities nationwide through the delivery of banking and financial services, complemented by a special focus on cooperative expansion and economic development. Primary markets we serve include the basic ingredients of vibrant communities: housing, education, healthcare, cultural centers, local businesses and social services. In addition, NCB has a growing community banking network in southwestern Ohio. Since being chartered by Congress in 1978, NCB has answered the financial needs of America’s cooperatives and member-owned businesses for more than 25 years. NCB is distinctly qualified to understand first-hand the challenges facing cooperatives, having become one in 1981, and today boasting more than 2,600 customer-owners and more than $6.19 billion in assets under management. About NCB Capital Impact NCB Capital Impact, the non-profit affiliate of NCB, provides financial services and technical assistance designed to spark systemic change and empower communities to create more affordable cooperative homeownership,
  • Together Resilient

    Together Resilient

    T What if community is the answer? O “When people ask me where to move to escape climate change, I tell them G there’s no escape and that the thing to look for is a strong community. is E book explains how to build that kind of community anywhere—it’s a manual T for the future.” H Bill McKibben E Author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet R “Is it possible to jettison our current system of exploitation and R environmental destruction, and create a new system, that is not only E S Resilient sustainable but affords us a comfortable and fullling life? e answer is a resounding yes. Ma’ikwe Ludwig eloquently reminds us how the way is I L fraught with challenges and shows us how to conquer them. is is a I must-read for anyone who cares about the future of the human race.” E Chong Kee Tan, PhD N Founder of Bay Bucks T Real hope comes from looking uninchingly at our current circumstances and then committing wholeheartedly to creative action. Never has that been more urgently needed than right now, with the climate crisis looming larger every day. is book advocates for citizen-led, community-based action rst and foremost: why wait for the government when you can take action today, with your neighbors? From small solutions to the full re-invention of the systems we nd ourselves in, this book mixes anecdote with data-based research to bring you a wide range of options that all embody compassion, creativity, and cooperation.