What is “beyond
sustainable”
Just like the term Organic has been cooped by well-heeled
elitists and big business interests, so has the term and usage
of sustainable. To counter this, the wise organic community
has proposed, and now often uses the term, “Beyond Organic”
to mean ‘getting back to the “spirit” behind the word.’ By
this they mean that those who can afford the expensive government
certification process have used the word ‘organic’. And also
that many compromises with being organic are political in
nature and not what the average person means by organic.
Sustainable is also much more a myth that an actuality in
practice. For example when we look at the solar industry (which
serves a great purpose) and praise its “greenness” we forget
to mention that almost all the components used to make the
system work are based on extraction industries from the plastic
and metals in it to the electricity used to assemble it and
even the oil consumed to get the panels and other components
to the job site, the energy expended by workmen to come to
the site and install it, the advertising to sell the product,
the energy in many forms the company that sells and/or installs
the system uses at their office, and so on. The final cost
of even as green a product as solar systems is far higher
and not all that green or likely not really sustainable if
you count up all the costs.
So ‘beyond sustainable’ simply takes into account that there
are hidden costs and we can try and mitigate them if we don’t
get too religious and righteous about what we are doing. For
example concrete isn't really green or sustainable taking
into all the above as consideration. But on the other hand,
a concrete structure built correctly may last for centuries
when a much greener built house (if there is such a thing)
may have a life expectancy of one tenth that time. So ultimately
which is greener or more sustainable...
When is this eco village going
to come out of the ground
Our founder and chief motivator died in 2016, so we are working
thru leagal issues, but have done considerable work with the
county and can sell lots for your developement.
As of January 2013 we have purchased the main site and begun
the process of laying out the home sites. So far we have established
boundaries with a barbed wire fence, purchased a mobile home
as a community resource center and contracted for building
plans and hydrological studies. Much work has gone into working
with the county to establish our approach to building on the
site. We should have a number of homes well under construction
in the mid term and be resident by 2017.
Where is the property located
The property is located west of Sandario off Manville Rd
on Sassy Dr. The property is 22 acres in size located one
mile south of Manville on Sassy.
What exactly is an eco village or this
groups concept of it
This is of course a work in progress and it will evolve as
we encounter problems and issues and solve for them. But here
is a good bit of information taken from Wikipedia along with
links that may be useful to you.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eco villages are intentional communities with the goal of
becoming more socially, economically and ecologically sustainable.
Some aim for a population of 50–150 individuals because this
size is considered to be the maximum social network according
to findings from sociology and anthropology. Larger eco villages
of up to 2,000 individuals exist as networks of smaller sub-communities
to create an eco village model that allows for social networks
within a broader foundation of support. Certain eco villages
have grown by the nearby addition of others, not necessarily
members, settling on the periphery of the eco village and
effectively participating in the eco village community.
Eco village members are united by shared ecological, social-economic
and cultural-spiritual values. An eco village is often composed
of people who have chosen an alternative to centralized electrical,
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. However, such communities often
cooperate with peer villages in networks of their own (see
Global Eco village Network for an example). This model of
collective action is similar to that of Ten Thousand Villages,
which supports the fair trade of goods worldwide.
In 1991, Robert Gilman set out a definition of an eco village
that was to become a standard. Gilman defined an eco village
as a: human-scale, full-featured settlement· in which human
activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world
in a way that is supportive of healthy human development,
and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future.
In recent years, Gilman has stated that he would also add
the criterion that an eco village must have multiple centers
of initiative
Eco villages are "urban or rural communities ... who
strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a
low-impact way of life." Although there is no blueprint
for realizing this goal, eco villages may integrate various
aspects of ecological design: ecological building, alternative
energy, environmentally benign manufacturing or production,
permaculture (landscaping designed to mimic nature and to
provide the community with food, fiber and fuel), and community
building practices. The hindrance of restrictive policies
such as zoning and building codes to the development of sustainable
housing and infrastructure in urban areas in particular is
discussed. It is argued that the eco village movement provides
some of the most relevant work and knowledge available for
moving into a more sustainable future.
The principles on which eco villages rely can be applied
to urban and rural settings, as well as to developing and
developed countries. Advocates seek a sustainable lifestyle
(for example, of voluntary simplicity) for inhabitants with
a minimum of trade outside the local area, or eco region.
Many advocates also seek independence from existing infrastructures,
although others, particularly in more urban settings, pursue
more integration with existing infrastructure. Rural eco villages
are usually based on organic farming, permaculture and other
approaches which promote ecosystem function and bio diversity.
Eco villages, whether urban or rural, tend to integrate community
and ecological values within a principle-based approach to
sustainability, such as permaculture design.[7]
An eco village usually relies on: "Green" infrastructure
capital; autonomous building or clustered housing, to minimize
ecological footprint; renewable energy; permaculture;
The goal of most eco villages is to be a sustainable habitat
providing for most of its needs on site. However self-sufficiency
is not always a goal or desired outcome, specifically since
self-sufficiency can conflict with goals to be a change agent
for the wider culture and infrastructure. Its organization
also usually depends upon some instructional capital or moral
codes - a minimal civics sometimes characterized as eco-anarchism:
local purchasing so as to support the local economy; local
food production and distribution; moral purchasing to avoid
objectionable consumption; · consensus decision-making for
governance; a choice to respect diversity.
Are you going to sell houses and
or plots of land or lots
We will let the marketplace in at our village. By that we
mean that all to often some green group gets a wild idea to
go live somewhere together and just do it with no thought
to consequences or even reasonable long range or sustainable
planning. The purpose of this eco village is formed from the
concept of “Scientific Shamanism” which says "observe
what is and do what works." It is to show that nearly
anyone who can afford even a moderate house can live a ‘beyond
sustainable green lifestyle” while still participating in
the NEW great American Dream Experience for lack of a better
term at present.
So it is envisioned that lots will be sold and sustainable
homes built on the lots. Additional buildings may be constructed
for visitors to rent or lease. We will try to make this a
model of what can be done if we put our collective thoughts,
love, hope, and dreams together for a positive purpose, which
this is. While the majority of the homes will be built by
those who opt into this community others may join with us
in other aspects of living in an intentional community. |
