Eco-communities in Denmark A possible model for transition to a sustainable society in the economic growth oriented reality Aalborg University Environmental Management & Sustainability Science Magdalena Trifonova Erik Péter Párdi Cover pictures: The photo at the top left of the cover page depicts a dwelling in the eco-community of Hjortshøj. Picture was taken by the authors of this paper in 2017. Other pictures: People work together on the strawberry fields of Svanholm: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Svanholmstorkollektiv/photos/ Common dining in Svanholm: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Svanholmstorkollektiv/photos/ Building process in Karise Permatopia: https://www.facebook.com/pg/karisepermatopia/photos/ Dwelling in Fri & Fro: http://www.visitegebjerg.dk/friogfro Preface The current research has been developed by two master students from the Environmental Management and Sustainability Science study program at Aalborg University, under the semester theme: “Master’s thesis”. The report was written between the 1st of February 2017 and the 1st of June 2017. Acknowledgment During the conduction of this thesis, we came over many barriers and challenges, and fortunately, we were able to solve these issues with the support of various people with diverse backgrounds. We greatly appreciate the continuous assistance and support of our master’s thesis supervisor, Ole Busck, whose advices have been playing a crucial role in the successful completion of this current scientific paper. Most of the utilized valuable data and information about eco-communities in Denmark and the Danish Ecovillage Network came from our interviewees, namely Freja Nygaard Rasmussen, Kennet Harpsøe, Ziggie Jensen, Christian Lausen, Niels Aagaard, Peter Larsen, Gitte Jakobsen and Michael Skands - we would like to express our gratitude to them for their significant input to our research. Furthermore, we are also immensely thankful to John Holten-Andersen for providing us a thorough vision from the perspective of degrowth, and Uffe Elbæk for his insights on the investigated problem from a decision-maker’s point of view. Last but not least, we appreciate the warm welcome of Else Mikel Jensen and Lise Reinholdt from the Co-operative Society in Hjortshøj, who gave us the opportunity to make personal observations inside their community, and allowed the firsthand experience of eco-community living. Department of Planning Environmental Management and Sustainability Science Vestre Havnepromenade 5 DK-9000 Aalborg http://www.environmentalmanagement.aau.dk/ ABSTRACT: Title: There has been an increasing debate related to the environmental, Eco-communities in social and economic issues deriving from the neo-liberal political Denmark – A possible model for transition to a economic system of the West, where monetary profit is in the core. So sustainable society in the far, the state and the market seems to have failed in addressing these economic growth oriented reality issues properly. Academic critiques have been developed, but lacking a definite practical approach, they do not provide a clear vision of the Theme: actual path for transition towards sustainability. The focus of this Master’s thesis thesis is the lifestyle of eco-communities in Denmark, as a practical Project period: approach towards a more sustainable society, where environmental Spring semester 2017 consciousness, social welfare, solidarity and democracy are fundamental. Using interviews and observations, the aim is to provide Authors: Magdalena Trifonova a thorough investigation about “How can eco-communities thrive, grow and spread in the present economic growth oriented context of Erik Péter Párdi Denmark, and to what extent do they represent a viable model for Supervisor: transition to a sustainable society?” During our critical investigation, Ole Busck we found out that even though the communality typical for the Danish society seems to be in favor for these eco-communities to thrive and Page numbers: 87 grow, there are political, social, economic and institutional peculiarities, which challenge significantly the overall goal of Date of completion: June 1st, 2017 sustainability in these communities, and their possibilities for spreading in the country. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Erik Péter Párdi Magdalena Trifonova Study No. 20151877 Study No. 20151874 [email protected] [email protected] Table of contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 2. Problem presentation ................................................................................................................ 3 2.1. Growth and the problems deriving from it ............................................................................ 3 2.2. Responses to the drawbacks of economic growth ................................................................... 7 2.3. Presenting the problems of Denmark ...................................................................................10 2.3.1. A small historical review of the Danish Folk High Schools and the Cooperative Movement from the 19th century .............................................................................................................10 2.3.2. Agricultural and land-use issues in Denmark ................................................................11 2.3.3. Excessive production and consumption of resources and materials .................................14 2.3.4. Further aspects ...........................................................................................................17 2.3.5. Build-up to problem formulation ..................................................................................18 3. Problem formulation ................................................................................................................21 4. Methodology ............................................................................................................................22 4.1. Theories of science. Critical realism....................................................................................22 4.2. Research design .................................................................................................................23 4.3. Methods ............................................................................................................................25 4.3.1. Semi-structured interviews ...........................................................................................25 4.3.2. Observation method. Observer-as-participant ...............................................................28 4.3.3. Second-hand data ........................................................................................................29 4.4. Methodology limitations and reflections ..............................................................................30 4.4.1. Reflections on research design .....................................................................................30 4.4.2. Reflections on methods ................................................................................................30 5. Theoretical framework..............................................................................................................32 5.1. Ecological Economics ........................................................................................................32 5.2. Political Ecology ...............................................................................................................36 5.3. Degrowth ..........................................................................................................................37 5.4. Institutional theory and institutional change ........................................................................40 6. Analysis and discussion ............................................................................................................45 6.1. A general overview of eco-communities in Denmark.............................................................45 6.2. An analysis and discussion of the initiatives of Danish eco-communities ................................50 6.2.1. Environmental aspects .................................................................................................50 6.2.2. Social aspects..............................................................................................................58 6.2.3. Economic aspects ........................................................................................................64 6.3. A comprehensive discussion about the future prospects of eco-communities for growing and spreading in Denmark ..............................................................................................................65 7. Conclusion...............................................................................................................................75 8. Bibliography ............................................................................................................................77 9. Appendix .................................................................................................................................87 9.1. Annex I..............................................................................................................................87 1. Introduction As the ecologist Eugene F. Stoermer and the Nobel laureate Paul J. Crutzen proposed,