What is it?
All
over the western world today, many people are choosing to re-investigate
the idea of community. Many feel that an important quality of life was
lost when village life disappeared for most of us. In the rush of city
life crime seems to be random and ever increasing as less and less of us
know our neighbours. A lot of us are dismayed at the inefficiency of
having so many individual homes that each have a lawnmower, whipper
snipper, trailer etc.
An
ecovillage is a subdivision that will have a beneficial or minimal
environmental impact and at the same time enrich peoples’ lives. This is
achieved through the application of sustainable design practices where the
enhancement of community is paramount.
Sustainability
is the measure of providing for the present in balance with the needs of
the future. This should be the main criterion for the development of any
ecovillage. In any optimistic vision of the coming century, emphasis on
quality of life, rather than consumerism at any cost, is fundamental. The
future rests on educating ourselves and our children to see that the good
life depends on quality rather than quantity. An ecovillage is just such a
setting to begin this education and to reclaim a balance with the land and
within ourselves.
There
are only two resources that can make or break a community; people and
land.
Things provided by the
ecovillage could be:
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