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Earthhaven Ecovillage is a community of people who have grouped together to build their vision of a sustainable community. While I think that some of these people's beliefs and practices are way out there, it is the way they have structured their community that I think is interesting.
Done intelligently, I think "sustainable building" should be a guide for survivalists and preppers, after all, we are trying to become more self-sufficient and rely less on mass produced food. Designing your landscape to produce food year after year with little human interaction should be a goal for anyone not living on rented or leased property, unless you have an indefinite lease and permission from the property owner.
So what is an Ecovillage?
Sounds like a bunch of tree-hugging right?
From Earthaven's website:
"Ecovillages are human-scale, full-featured settlements in which human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world in a way that is supportive of healthy human development, and which can be successfully continued into the indefinite future.”
—Robert and Diane Gilman, Ecovillages and Sustainable Communities, 1991
Destroying our environment to live at odds with nature is not the brightest of ideas', not much of a future either!
Incorporating technology into a earth friendly structure would seem to be the best of both worlds. An earth sheltered or underground house would help curb temperature swings and with the integration of grey-water recycling, solar and wind power, could make for a very energy and water efficient home. Perhaps be off-grid completely.
I encourage you to take the time and visit their website and look at it in it's entirety. It should get your prepper's genes motivated.
It could be a model for a Survival community, somewhere!
Earthaven Website: http://www.earthaven.org/
FAQ: http://www.earthaven.org/faq/
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Well... not digging that hippy vibe, sorry. I'm not putting on a skirt and going vegan, nor am I letting go of my firearms.
ReplyDeleteAhhh... your missing the point. It is not the message they present it is the structure... how they set it up to function, not their beliefs. As I said in the post,
ReplyDelete"While I think that some of these people's beliefs and practices are way out there, it is the way they have structured their community that I think is interesting."
I am not a hippy, a reformed hippy, nor do I agree with their BS. I do however think for a prepper or survivalist to "Thrive" after the coming collapse, they will need to be smarter in how they conduct their lives if they wish survive longer than a few months after SHTF.
The legal model, fee structure and "zoning" within their community is what should analyzed for setting up "prepper/survivalist" communities. The fact that they can all get along is just a testament to their moral character. They can select who they allow into their community through the probationary period.
Read their site thoughtfully, leave behind any preconceived notions or prejudices, see what they have accomplished through your survivalist viewpoint. The same community structure will work for those wishing to create havens for group protection as it does for those wishing to hug trees!
I have to apologize in advance for a necro posting at this late date.
DeleteI agree that there is much merit in many of the ways of doing things. Many of the preppers would benefit from their example.
But, I would not be welcome with them any more than I am with any of the survival groups. #1. I can't afford to even try to join with them or even others. No Funds... #2. While they claim to embrace others diversity, they mainly attract only like minded tree hugger types. Vegan, crystal gazers and the like... #3. I was part of a similar group who became stagnant and allowed complete strangers to infiltrate and ultimately co-opt a promising project. They worked for years to get rid of every founder possible using methods that stopped short of criminal. That describes my Y2K group to a "T". They are no longer functional in 2012.
Now, the last I heard of them was that they were headed to the carolinas to join another group. Maybe even the one you posted on.
The structure leaves the group open for hostile takeovers. I have seen several like groups destroyed much in the same way. The left over factions almost always try to restart, but never gain the original momentum of the core group.
So much for the New Age/Hippy Dippy/Wiccan/Neo pagan/groups...
Now if we look to Tribes and Tribal, those have had a head start on the Political motivated take overs...Haves VS have nots.... That will stand as long as the state and federal governments. The mildest SHTF and then blood bath ensues..The bullies first, then the corrupt chiefs, Then Karma on all the neighbors...
The Survivalists: I could go to town here. Most of them are "NOT" going to survive. "MOST OF THEM"! To old or not old enough. to out of shape. (round)... To narrow of a world view. To inflexible. Recipe for Extinction! Adios!!!
The Preppers: You decide. I show them square foot, no dig gardens with mulch and they are still gardening with square gardens with out dated methods...Inflexibility and an outright resistance to buggout VS buggin... Scratch %50 of them in 24 hours. Most of them have prepared for they guy who kills of the looters who took them out. Maybe %10 over all of them will make it a decade if they adopt new methods. Most of them I probably won't want to know or meet.
The last set me laughing. The numbers favor the totally unprepared. 10% of the world population can expect by chance alone.
Thanks for commenting Elder Dragon. I always enjoy and value your contributions and insights. I agree, there are some pitfalls in trying to organize any group as there are always those who are spoilers. You would be a welcome addition to any group I were to form / help co-ordinate.
DeleteToo much pressure is already being put on the environment through greenhouse gases. Something should be done about it.
ReplyDeleteHowdy! I know this is kinda off topic but I'd figured I'd ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog article or vice-versa? My site discusses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other. If you happen to be interested feel free to send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Fantastic blog by the way!
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