(→‎See also: cleaned "See also" section)
m (Added Appropedia link to https://www.appropedia.org/Ecovillages_%26_Intentional_Communities_Energy_and_Climate_Action_Research_Project)
 
(38 intermediate revisions by 12 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{topic header| default.png |Ecovillages}}
[[File:Govardhan Ecovillage.jpg|thumb]]


'''Ecovillages''' are a kind of sustainable [[neighbourhood]], which are typically planned and managed cooperatively. They are intended to be socially, economically and ecologically [[sustainability|sustainable]] [[intentional communities]]<ref>[http://www.ic.org/wiki/ecovillage-2/ What Is Ecovillage? by Tony Sirna]</ref><ref>[http://www.ic.org/wiki/ecovillage-retrofit-los-angeles-healing-inner-city-neighborhood/ An Ecovillage Retrofit for Los Angeles: Healing an Inner-City Neighborhood by Lois Arkin]</ref> - though they include models that may be less intense and offer more privacy than some intentional communities. Compared to [[sustainable cities]], they are smaller and typically aim for a population of no more than 150 individuals, which is considered to be the maximum [[social network]] according to findings from [[sociology]] and [[anthropology]] (Hill & Dunbar, 2002). However, cooperative [https://ecovillage.org/ networks of ecovillages] do exist.
'''Ecovillages''' are a kind of sustainable [[neighbourhood]], which are typically planned and managed cooperatively. They are intended to be socially, economically and ecologically [[Sustainability|sustainable]] [[intentional communities]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170702195456/http://www.ic.org/wiki/ecovillage-2/ What Is Ecovillage? by Tony Sirna]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170702224124/http://www.ic.org/wiki/ecovillage-retrofit-los-angeles-healing-inner-city-neighborhood/ An Ecovillage Retrofit for Los Angeles: Healing an Inner-City Neighborhood by Lois Arkin]</ref> - though they include models that may be less intense and offer more privacy than some intentional communities. Compared to [[sustainable cities]], they are smaller and typically aim for a population of no more than 150 individuals, which is considered to be the maximum [[social network]] according to findings from [[sociology]] and [[anthropology]] (Hill & Dunbar, 2002). However, cooperative [https://ecovillage.org/ networks of ecovillages] do exist.


Ecovillage members are united by shared [[ecological]], social or spiritual values (''see'' [[Intentional community]]). An ecovillage is often composed of people who have chosen an alternative to centralized power, water, and sewage systems. Many see the breakdown of traditional forms of community, wasteful [[consumerism|consumerist]] lifestyles, the destruction of natural habitat, urban sprawl, factory farming, and over-reliance on fossil fuels, as trends that must be changed to avert ecological disaster. They see small-scale communities with minimal ecological impact as an alternative.  
Ecovillage members are united by shared [[ecological]], social or spiritual values (''see'' [[Intentional community]]). An ecovillage is often composed of people who have chosen an alternative to centralized power, water, and sewage systems. Many see the breakdown of traditional forms of community, wasteful [[Consumerism|consumerist]] lifestyles, the destruction of natural habitat, urban sprawl, factory farming, and over-reliance on fossil fuels, as trends that must be changed to avert ecological disaster. They see small-scale communities with minimal ecological impact as an alternative.


==Definition==
== Definition ==
In 1991, [http://www.context.org/about/who-we-are/robert-gilman/ Robert Gilman] set out a definition of an ecovillage that was to become a standard.  Gilman defined an ecovillage as a settlement:
* which is [[human-scale]]
* which is full-featured
* 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.<ref>[http://www.context.org/iclib/ic29/gilman1/ "The Eco-village Challenge" by Robert Gilman]</ref>


Note: In recent years, Gilman has stated that he would also add the criterion that an ecovillage must have ''multiple centers of initiative''.  <ref>[http://www.ecovillagenewsletter.org/wiki/index.php/Robert_Gilman_on_%22Multiple_Centers_of_Initiative%22 Robert Gilman on "Multiple Centers of Initiative"]</ref>
In 1991, [http://www.context.org/about/who-we-are/robert-gilman/ Robert Gilman] set out a definition of an ecovillage that was to become a standard. Gilman defined an ecovillage as a settlement:


==Characteristics of ecovillages==
* Which is [[human-scale]]
The principles on which ecovillages rely can be applied to [[urban area|urban]] and [[rural]] settings, as well as to developing and developed countries. Advocates seek infrastructural independence and a sustainable lifestyle (for example, of [[voluntary simplicity]]) for inhabitants with a minimum of trade outside the local area, or [[ecoregion]]. Rural ecovillages are usually based on [[organic farming]], [[permaculture]] and other approaches which promote [[ecosystem]] function and [[biodiversity]]. Some ecovillages integrate many of the design principles of [[cohousing]], but with a greater ecological focus and a more "organic" process, typical of permaculture design.      
* Which is full-featured
* 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<ref>[http://www.context.org/iclib/ic29/gilman1/ "The Eco-village Challenge" by Robert Gilman]</ref>
* Which has multiple centers of initiative<ref>[http://www.ecovillagenewsletter.org/wiki/index.php/Robert_Gilman_on_%22Multiple_Centers_of_Initiative%22 Robert Gilman on "Multiple Centers of Initiative"]</ref>
 
== Characteristics ==
 
The principles on which ecovillages rely can be applied to [[Urban area|urban]] and [[rural]] settings, as well as to developing and developed countries. Advocates seek infrastructural independence and a sustainable lifestyle (for example, of [[voluntary simplicity]]) for inhabitants with a minimum of trade outside the local area, or [[ecoregion]]. Rural ecovillages are usually based on [[organic farming]], [[permaculture]] and other approaches which promote [[ecosystem]] function and [[biodiversity]]. Some ecovillages integrate many of the design principles of [[cohousing]], but with a greater ecological focus and a more "organic" process, typical of permaculture design.


An ecovillage usually relies on:
An ecovillage usually relies on:
* "[[green economics|Green]]" [[infrastructural capital]];
 
*[[autonomous building]] or clustered housing, to minimize [[ecological footprint]];
* "[[Green economics|Green]]" [[infrastructural capital]]
*[[renewable energy]];
* [[autonomous building]] or clustered housing, to minimize [[ecological footprint]]
*[[permaculture]];
* [[renewable energy]]
*[[cohousing]] or other forms of supportive community.
* [[permaculture]]
* [[cohousing]] or other forms of supportive community


The goal of most ecovillages is to be a [[sustainable habitat]] providing for most of its needs on site. Its organization also usually depends upon some [[instructional capital]] or [[moral code]]s - a minimal [[civics]] sometimes characterized as [[eco-anarchism]]:
The goal of most ecovillages is to be a [[sustainable habitat]] providing for most of its needs on site. Its organization also usually depends upon some [[instructional capital]] or [[moral code]]s - a minimal [[civics]] sometimes characterized as [[eco-anarchism]]:
*[[local purchasing]] so as to support the local economy;
 
*[[local food]] production and distribution;
* [[local purchasing]] so as to support the local economy
*[[moral purchasing]] to avoid objectionable [[Consumption (economics)|consumption]];
* [[local food]] production and distribution
*[[consensus decision-making]] for governance;
* [[moral purchasing]] to avoid objectionable [[Consumption (economics)|consumption]]
*a choice to [[respect diversity]].
* [[consensus decision-making]] for governance
* a choice to [[respect diversity]]


The term ''ecovillage'' should not be confused with [[micronation]], a strictly legal, not infrastructural, concept.
The term ''ecovillage'' should not be confused with [[micronation]], a strictly legal, not infrastructural, concept.


==Eco-municipality==
== Map of ecovillages ==
 
An [[eco-municipality]] is an area that has formally adopted something like [http://www.thenaturalstep.org/our-approach/ The Natural Step Framework]
or the [https://www.planning.org/media/document/9117770/ APA's Sustainability Policy Framework], <ref>[http://www.instituteforecomunicipalities.org/Eco-municipalities.html Eco-municipalities]</ref>
and could possibly be considered an ecovillage.


[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652615015930 "A framework for strategic sustainable development"] provides more information.
{{Excerpt|Ecovillages map}}


==List of ecovillages==
== List of ecovillages ==
===Ecovillages in Europe===
* [http://ecocommunity-transylvania.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=34 Mediaeval Ecovillage Transylvania]


Findhorn Eco Village Scotland http://www.ecovillagefindhorn.com/<br />
{{Main|List of ecovillages}}
Suderbyn Ekoby (Sweden): http://www.suderbyn.se<br />


===Ecovillages in North America===
== See also ==
* [http://bosquevillage.com/ Bosque Village] (Michoacan, Mexico) : [https://www.facebook.com/bosqueforest/ Facebook] : [https://www.youtube.com/user/bosquevillage YouTube ]
* [http://dancingrabbit.org/ Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage] (Rutledge, Missouri)
* [http://earthaven.org/ Earthaven Ecovillage] (Black Mountain, North Carolina)
* [http://www.ecoreality.org EcoReality] (British Columbia, Canada)
* [http://www.ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us/ EcoVillage Ithaca] (Ithaca, New York)
* [http://www.laecovillage.org Los Angeles Eco-Village] (Los Angeles, California)
* [http://www.thefarmcommunity.com/ The Farm] (Summertown, Tennessee)
* [http://www.weinviteyou.org A-Welcome-To-All: We Invite You Ecovillage] (Olympia, Washington)
* [http://directory.ic.org/21200/PAZ_Ecovillage/ PAZ Ecovillage] (Terlingua, Texas)
* [http://ranchodelicioso.com/ Rancho Delicioso] (Montezuma, Costa Rica)


===Books===
* [[List of ecovillages]]
*[[Diana Leafe Christian|Christian, D.]] 2003.  ''[https://ecovillage.org/resources/market/creating-a-life-together/ Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities]''  New Society Publishers.  ISBN 0-86571-471-1
* [[Ecovillages & Intentional Communities Energy and Climate Action Research Project]]
*Hill, R. and Dunbar, R. 2002. "[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281203308_Social_Network_Size_in_Humans Social Network Size in Humans.]"  Human Nature, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 53-72.
* [[Sustainable cities]]
*Jackson, H. and Svensson, K. 2002.  ''Ecovillage Living: Restoring the Earth and Her People''.  Green Books.  ISBN 1-903998-16-6
* [[Intentional communities]]
* [[Bioneers]]
* [[Cohousing]]
* [[Eco-municipality]]
* [[Types of communities]]
* [[Sustainable cities]]
* [[Sustainable development]]
* [[Sustainable design]]
* [[Green living]]
* [[Green communities]]
* [[Appropriate technology villages]]
* [[Sustainable city living]]


== Interwiki links ==
== External links ==


* [http://wiki.ic.org/ Intentional Communities wiki]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080725040608/http://wiki.ic.org/ Intentional Communities wiki]
* [https://www.ekopedia.fr/wiki/Écovillage Ecovillages on Ekopedia]
* [https://www.ekopedia.fr/wiki/Écovillage Ecovillages on Ekopedia]
* [[Wikipedia:Ecovillages]]
* [[Wikipedia:Ecovillages]]
* [http://ecovillage.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Ecovillage Wiki] - intended to facilitate ecovillages to develop regional and global networks. (Still active at mid-2011, but a low level of activity.)
* [http://ecovillage.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Ecovillage Wiki] - Dead wiki intended to facilitate ecovillages to develop regional and global networks
 
* [https://ecovillage.org/ Global Ecovillage Network]
==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417101452/https://gen-europe.org/home/index.htm GEN-Europe]
 
* [https://ecovillage.org/ Global Ecovillage Network]
* [http://gen-europe.org/home/index.htm GEN-Europe]
* [http://www.ic.org Intentional Communities website]
* [http://www.ic.org Intentional Communities website]
* [http://www.ic.org/directory/ecovillages/ Ecovillage Directory] - List of Ecovillages in the [http://directory.ic.org Intentional Communities Directory]
* [http://www.ic.org/directory/ecovillages/ Ecovillage Directory] - List of Ecovillages in the [http://directory.ic.org Intentional Communities Directory]
Line 84: Line 79:
* [https://vimeo.com/ondemand/voicesofcohousing Voices of Cohousing: Rebuilding villages in the city] - Documentary on mainstream urban ecovillages (cohousing)
* [https://vimeo.com/ondemand/voicesofcohousing Voices of Cohousing: Rebuilding villages in the city] - Documentary on mainstream urban ecovillages (cohousing)
* [http://rihmasto.fi/ Network in Suomi]
* [http://rihmasto.fi/ Network in Suomi]
* [http://www.context.org/iclib/ic29/cluster/ A Cluster Of Eco-villages]
* [https://www.context.org/iclib/ic29/cluster/ A Cluster Of Eco-villages]
* [http://www.ic.org/community-bookstore/product/eurotopia-2/ Eurotopia: Living in Community - A Directory of European Intentional Communities]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170703234404/http://www.ic.org/community-bookstore/product/eurotopia-2/ Eurotopia: Living in Community - A Directory of European Intentional Communities]
* [https://permaculturenews.org/2017/09/14/revolutionary-civilizational-paradigm-eco-villages/ THE REVOLUTIONARY CIVILIZATIONAL PARADIGM ECO VILLAGES]
* [https://permies.com/f/162/ecovillage Ecovillages forum]at [https://permies.com Permies.com]
* [https://permies.com/f/6/intentional-community Intentional Communities forum]at [https://permies.com Permies.com]


==See also==
== Books ==
<!--Note: Please do not list ecovillages here. There is a list (below) for that purpose.-->


*[[Sustainable_cities]]
* [[Diana Leafe Christian|Christian, D.]] 2003. ''[https://ecovillage.org/resources/market/creating-a-life-together/ Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities]'' New Society Publishers. ISBN 0-86571-471-1
*[[Intentional communities]]
* Hill, R. and Dunbar, R. 2002. "[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281203308_Social_Network_Size_in_Humans Social Network Size in Humans.]" Human Nature, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 53-72.
*[[Bioneers]]
* Jackson, H. and Svensson, K. 2002. ''Ecovillage Living: Restoring the Earth and Her People''. Green Books. ISBN 1-903998-16-6
*[[Cohousing]]
*[[Eco-municipality]]
*[[EcoVillage Myth]]
*[[Types of communities]]
*[[Ecocities]]
*[[Sustainable cities]]


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
 
<references />
 
{{Page data
| keywords = intentional communities, utopian communities, urban planning, environmental design, intentional communities, rural community development, ecovillages, simple living, green living, sustainable agriculture
| sdg = SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
}}


[[Category:Intentional communities]]
[[Category:Intentional communities]]
[[Category:Utopian communities]]
[[Category:Urban planning]]
[[Category:Urban planning]]
[[Category:Environmental design]]
[[Category:Intentional communities]]
[[Category:Rural community development]]
[[Category:Rural community development]]
[[Category:Ecovillages|*]]
[[Category:Ecovillages]]
[[Category:Simple living]]
[[Category:Simple living]]
[[Category: Green living]]
[[Category:Green living]]
[[Category:Sustainable agriculture]]
[[Category:Sustainable agriculture]]

Latest revision as of 17:33, 26 February 2024

Govardhan Ecovillage.jpg

Ecovillages are a kind of sustainable neighbourhood, which are typically planned and managed cooperatively. They are intended to be socially, economically and ecologically sustainable intentional communities[1][2] - though they include models that may be less intense and offer more privacy than some intentional communities. Compared to sustainable cities, they are smaller and typically aim for a population of no more than 150 individuals, which is considered to be the maximum social network according to findings from sociology and anthropology (Hill & Dunbar, 2002). However, cooperative networks of ecovillages do exist.

Ecovillage members are united by shared ecological, social or spiritual values (see Intentional community). An ecovillage is often composed of people who have chosen an alternative to centralized power, water, and sewage systems. Many see the breakdown of traditional forms of community, wasteful consumerist lifestyles, the destruction of natural habitat, urban sprawl, factory farming, and over-reliance on fossil fuels, as trends that must be changed to avert ecological disaster. They see small-scale communities with minimal ecological impact as an alternative.

Definition[edit | edit source]

In 1991, Robert Gilman set out a definition of an ecovillage that was to become a standard. Gilman defined an ecovillage as a settlement:

  • Which is human-scale
  • Which is full-featured
  • 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[3]
  • Which has multiple centers of initiative[4]

Characteristics[edit | edit source]

The principles on which ecovillages rely can be applied to urban and rural settings, as well as to developing and developed countries. Advocates seek infrastructural independence and a sustainable lifestyle (for example, of voluntary simplicity) for inhabitants with a minimum of trade outside the local area, or ecoregion. Rural ecovillages are usually based on organic farming, permaculture and other approaches which promote ecosystem function and biodiversity. Some ecovillages integrate many of the design principles of cohousing, but with a greater ecological focus and a more "organic" process, typical of permaculture design.

An ecovillage usually relies on:

The goal of most ecovillages is to be a sustainable habitat providing for most of its needs on site. Its organization also usually depends upon some instructional capital or moral codes - a minimal civics sometimes characterized as eco-anarchism:

The term ecovillage should not be confused with micronation, a strictly legal, not infrastructural, concept.

Map of ecovillages[edit | edit source]

Octicons puzzle-piece.svg

This is a collaborative map of ecovillages around the world (most of them ported from ecovillage.org).

List of ecovillages[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Books[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.