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A comprehensive manual for planning, establishing and maintaining a sustainable community. Includes issues of management, design, farming and food, water and sewage, energy sources and economics.
Exploring religious and spiritual intentional communities active in the world today, Spiritual and Visionary Communities provides a balanced introduction to a diverse range of communities worldwide. Breaking new ground with its focus on communities which have had little previous academic or public attention, the authors explore a part of contemporary society which is rarely understood. Communities studied include: Israeli kibbutzim, Mandarom, the Twelve Tribes, ‘The Farm’ and the Camphill movement. Written from a range of perspectives, this collection includes contributions from members of the groups themselves, former members, and academic observers, and as such will offer a unique and invaluable discussion of religious and spiritual communities in the U.S., Europe, and beyond.
A joyful celebration in pictures and words of the story of Camphill.
In his first book Ecovillages, Jan Bang explained at the principles and practice of setting up a sustainable community, including difficult decisions about management, design and architecture, farming and food, water, sewage, energy sources and economics.Growing Eco-Communities looks at what comes next. Groups aren't fixed by those earlier decisions and directions: they grow and develop, and not always in expected directions. Jan Bang here provides a comprehensive overview of the different changes that groups can undergo and offers experienced advice on how to handle particular situations. As in Ecovillages, the book is anchored by numerous case studies of real-life communities and how they'...
Exploring religious and spiritual intentional communities active in the world today, Spiritual and Visionary Communities provides a balanced introduction to a diverse range of communities worldwide. Breaking new ground with its focus on communities which have had little previous academic or public attention, the authors explore a part of contemporary society which is rarely understood. Communities studied include: Israeli kibbutzim, Mandarom, the Twelve Tribes, ’The Farm’ and the Camphill movement. Written from a range of perspectives, this collection includes contributions from members of the groups themselves, former members, and academic observers, and as such will offer a unique and invaluable discussion of religious and spiritual communities in the U.S., Europe, and beyond.
Permaculture design as divine creative activity. Permaculture looks for the patterns embedded in our natural world as inspirations for designing solutions to the many challenges we are presented with today. It is a philosophical, spiritual and practical approach to the use of the land, integrating microclimate, functional plants, animals, soils, water management and human needs into intricately connected, highly productive systems. In essence, permaculture uses observation as basis for creating sustainable and effective human settlements. The authors discuss the components Earthshare, Fairshare and Peoplecare, with a specific emphasis on the spiritual aspects of the design process. Topics ra...
Permaculture design has been the bedrock of the growth of the worldwide network of Ecovillages since the mid 1990s. A well-developed set of educational programmes has evolved too. This book takes as its basis the well-known Permaculture Design Course. This invaluable source book brings together everything students on such courses need to know about Ecovillage design. Starting with a historical survey of the tradition of intentional community, the book covers topics ranging from the size of community, gardening and farming, building and technology, to economics, and tools for helping communities to grow and develop. Additionally, the guide features a number of richly observed Ecovillage case-studies with photographs, alongside lots of tips for facilitators and self-study groups. This comprehensive book will also be of interest to those wishing to contribute to the founding and building of Ecovillage communities for a sustainable future.
How the sustainability movement has been co-opted: from ecobranding by Wal-Mart to the “greening” of the American military. The idea of “sustainability” has gone mainstream. Thanks to Prius-driving movie stars, it's even hip. What began as a grassroots movement to promote responsible development has become a bullet point in corporate ecobranding strategies. In Hijacking Sustainability, Adrian Parr describes how this has happened: how the goals of an environmental movement came to be mediated by corporate interests, government, and the military. Parr argues that the more popular sustainable development becomes, the more commodified it becomes; the more mainstream culture embraces the ...
How to research, visit, evaluate, and join the ecovillage or sustainable community of your dreams. Finding community is as critical as obtaining food and shelter, since the need to belong is what makes us human. The isolation and loneliness of modern life have led many people to search for deeper connection, which has resulted in a renewed interest in intentional communities. These intentional communities or ecovillages are an appealing choice for like-minded people who seek to create a family-oriented and ecologically sustainable lifestyle—a lifestyle they are unlikely to find anywhere else. However, the notion of an intentional community can still be a tremendous leap for some—deterred...
A comprehensive guide to safeguard your livelihood, income, and standard of living through the ups and downs of any economy. Most Americans, no matter what their economic circumstances, identify themselves as middle class. A recent Gallup poll showed that 63% consider themselves upper-middle or middle class. And they are feeling burned out and squeezed, under pressure to bring home more and more money just to maintain their standard of living. Middle Class Lifeboat is an answer to that pressure, a comprehensive guide to living a more stress-free lifestyle. Part I: Safeguarding Your Livelihood: profiles the 53 best jobs to have to be self- sufficient whether the economy is up or down. Part II: Safeguarding Your Income: 6 ways to extend your earnings, that don't always involve money. Part III : Safeguarding Your Standard of Living: 10 off-the-grid lifestyle choices to increase your quality of life