Ecovillages can remain financially viable by generating revenues through rents, grants, donations, and loans while simultaneously reducing their expenditures through voluntary simplicity, non-commodified work, common ownership, a communal economy, and a good understanding of the legal system. … Read more
Solutions
- Lifelong Education
- Diversity & Cohesion
- Trust & Communication
- Health & Healing
- Leadership & Governance
- Conflict Resolution
- Wisdom & Innovation
- Art & Celebration
- Vision & Purpose
- Nature Connection
- Mindfulness & Self Reflection
- Defend & Protect
- Leading from the Future
- Contextualised Design
- Whole Systems Thinking
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Intervention & Transformation
- Alliance Building
- Prototyping & Feedback
- Rank & Privilege
A small farm in the mountains
The reason behind writing this short book was to introduce the travelers, volunteers and future farmers to the story of this farm, the experiences of people who have worked here and the philosophy that serves as the foundation for this project, feeds it and makes possible for it to continue to thrive. As this documentation could also be useful for more farms in the region and in similar climates, some background on the practices and refrences for planting and harvesting have been included. We … Read more
Educating for transitions: ecovillages as transdisciplinary sustainability “classrooms”
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the pedagogical tools that can enhance transdisciplinarity in higher education and stimulate sustainability transitions, based on the case study of a partnership between the University of Brasilia and an ecovillage in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study was carried out, based on professors’ experience, students’ reports and registration data. Emergent themes were discussed based on the concepts of sustainability transitions, … Read more
Tesis de Economía Ecológica: “Opciones de subsistencia en comunidades ecológicas” "El caso de la Ecoaldea Findhorn, Escocia"
Los resultados muestran que, mientras que las necesidades básicas son exitosamente satisfechas y hay una alta satisfacción en los trabajos, el sentimiento de sus miembros respecto a su situación económica, especialmente a lo que necesidades secundarias se refiere, es ambiguo. Además, los entrevistados más jóvenes tienen incertidumbres acerca de su futuro financiero. Por otro lado, la cosmovisión de los miembros muestra ausencia de ambiciones financieras y monetarias. La suya es una filosofía de … Read more
Ecological Economics thesis: “Livelihood options in ecological communities” "The Findhorn Ecovillage case, Scotland"
Results indicate that, while basic needs are successfully met and there is high job satisfaction, the feeling of members about their economic situation, especially regarding secondary needs, is ambiguous. Also, the youngest interviewees have uncertainties about their financial future. On the other hand, the worldview of the members shows a lack of financial ambition and monetary goals. Theirs is a philosophy of voluntary simplicity. In this way, the presence of social capital seems to counteract … Read more
Tesis sociológica: Formas de organización social de la Ecoaldea “X”
El uso teórico común que se le da a la comunidad (como una forma de organización represiva) podrían mermar la imagen y el prestigio de las ecoaldeas a los ojos de la comunidad académica. Por lo tanto, clarificar, mediante investigación científica y datos empíricos, que las ecoaldeas no tienden a ser represivas sino todo lo contrario, podría posicionar a las ecoaldeas como una buena manera de organización, no solo desde la obvia y ya provada perspectiva ecológica, sino que también desde una … Read more
Sociological thesis: Organizational forms of the “X ecovillage”
The common theoretical use of community (a repressive way of organization) could erode ecovillages’ image and prestige in the eyes of the academic community. Therefore, clarifying, through scientific research and empirical data, that ecovillages tend not to be repressive but all the contrary, might position ecovillages as a good way of organization, not only from the obvious and already proven ecological perspective but also from a social view. … Read more
Unit of Self-Sufficiency Unplugging from Consumerism
Unit of Self-sufficiency is a concept, that describes a way of life where the least number of people using modern technology can become self-sufficient, and through that unplug from consumerism. … Read more
Almost Heaven Farms
We created a project called RTR or Resilience Through Recovery. This project is an integrated approach to helping different communities in Nepal sustainably recover from the recent earthquakes allowing them to be even more resilient and prepared to deal with future challenges. We envisage that the learnings from this project will have relevance for rural communities in many parts of the world who are faced with the need to become increasingly self-sufficient, and resilient during these times … Read more
CASA Latina and EmerGENcies Musurrunakuna-Mocoa-Colombia
Key challenges for people on the ground - both affected and responding: The Musurrunakuna people lost their territory for third time. This people of the Inga's lineage faced a third displacement by natural disaster (the 2 previous by land conflict and violence), which entails a great hit against community sovereignty and cultural survival. The situation of emergency in Mocoa has its origin in the lack of urban planning and historical non-favorable political leadership inside the city’s … Read more
