28 Aug Ecovillage Concepts

Opportunities for in-fill development in my neighborhood began my interest in the concept of an ecovillage a few months ago. As I begin to delve into the subject, I am discovering that this concept offers a great deal of common sense approaches to community sustainability we could definitely stand to consider as we revise Austin land development code during the Code Next process. Here are some intriguing bits as food for thought:

What is an ecovillage?

This term was first used by a Georgia Institute of Technology professor named George Ramsey in 1978. He used this term to describe a “self-sufficient pedestrian solar village” designed by one of his students. Now there is a Global Ecovillage Network born out of conferences in what is probably the oldest ecovillage in the world – Findhorn in Scotland. Ecovillages tend to have the following features:

1. They are not government-sponsored projects, but grassroots initiatives.
2. Their residents value and practice community living.
3. Their residents are not overly dependent on government, corporate or other centralized sources for water, food, shelter, power and other basic necessities. Rather, they attempt to provide these resources themselves.
4. Their residents have a strong sense of shared values, often characterized in spiritual terms.
5. They often serve as research and demonstration sites, offering educational experiences for others.

What is an intentional community?

Ecovillages are a type of intentional community. This kind of community usually consists of maybe 100 to 200 individuals forming a residential neighborhood built on social cohesion and teamwork. New residents are typically selected by the current residents, or an appointed committee of residents. Common practices include: community meals, cooperating to complete daily operational activities and voluntary simplicity.

What is sociocracy?

Ecovillages often are governed by sociocracy. Sociocracy can be described as an evolution of democracy based on equality and consensus-building similar to the tenets of the Quakers. Instead of majority rule as in democracy, you have matters addressed by finding a solution that is mutually acceptable to all members. The ideal size for a group of people solving problems like this is about 40 in number. In larger ecovillages there may be an appointed or elected group that conducts governing functions. Besides consensus, interdependence and transparency are core concepts.