Camo, commando, and dreads?

Alternative living styles are expressed in innumerable ways, today. The range could vary from neo-paleolithic to New Urbanist chic. An approach somewhere between the two is found in the Ecovillage Movement which focuses on lifestyles which can be sustainably maintained into the indefinite future. In an ecovillage neighborhood the edible landscape of a privacy buffer zone might consist of heirloom grains that are manually harvested which you grind as an ingredient for home made breads. Your indoor environment could be heated by a combination of passive solar design with lots of glass to invite the sun in to shine on rock for thermal mass, as well as a radiant in floor heating system that is wood powered via a 1093 deg C gasification chamber. These two images of landscape and home illustrate an important aspect of ecovillage thought. Take the best from past and the present and weave them into a sustainable matrix.

In 2005 at the 10 year anniversary gathering of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN)almost 200 people from 22 countries met in celebration. They came from Auroville in India; Crystal Waters in Australia; Svanholm in Denmark; Los Angeles Eco-Village; Eco Yoff in Senegal; Kitzeh in Russia and many others. It's estimated there are now over 15,000 ecovillages around the planet.

For more information see: gen.ecovillage.org or www.gaiaeducation.org.

To support Urban Ecovillages see: www.gopetition.com/petitions/la-eco-village