ABOUT US

There are key distinctions between ecovillages and modern day society that ought to be laid out.   Indeed, many of these distinctions are the reason why many folks embrace ecovillages and reject living amongst the modern layperson.  Among the many traits that distinguish ecovillages from modern society are: an embrace and reliance upon permaculture, an embrace of bioregionalism and a rejection of supply-chain consumerism, the utilization of renewable resources, implementation of direct-democracy/sociocracy form of governance, concentrism, and localism.

As mentioned above, permaculture is one of the key differences between ecovillages and modern day living.  As such permaculture is the conscious design and  maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the  diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the  harmonious integration of landscape and people — providing their food,  energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in a  sustainable way.  Thus, permaculture offers human beings an opportunity to live harmoniously within Nature and to simultaneously harness Nature in such a fashion that its resources and bounties are not exploited, ruined or depleted but are instead part of a cycle of renewability and reusability.

In addition to permaculture, Eden Ecovillage  - and ecovillages in general - embrace bioregionalism as a fundamental philosophy and way of life.  In short, bioregionalism is a philosophy which advances the notion that social systems organized around natural ecosystems are more just and sustainable as opposed to social systems organized around capitalistic societies with nation-state boundaries.  Without rejecting national and state boundaries, Ecovillages seek to advance ecological systems as the driving force behind commerce, culture, politics and social systems as opposed to the traditional driving forces of modern society.  In other words, communities like Eden Ecovillage that are organized around and in harmony with the Natural known environment would not only do less damage to the environment and ecosystems but are also more sustainable as it pertains to cultural, social and political realms of life.  Of course, this approach to life is a rejection of supply-chain economics which organizes and distributes resources , commodities, services and good throughout large geographic regions irrespective of the toll that it has on human resources, the natural environment and the labor system.

Another key trait of Ecovillages is their reliance upon and utilization of renewable resources as necessary element of their state.  In direct opposition to coal and oil reliant systems, ecovillages rely on the Natural Environment (wind, solar, water, etc.) as their source of energy and dependence.  Ecovillages, therefore offer humanity a path forward as it pertains to humankind's paradoxically dependent relationship on oil.  This of course is one way that human kind can avoid catastrophes that have already begun to emerge as direct result of climate change and warming of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans.

From a governance stand-point, Ecovillages also contrast with modern society because of their utilization of sociocracy and/or direct democracy as the main method of governance.  This, of course, is in direct contrast to many societies' reliance upon representative democracy as a means of goernance.  The important distinction to draw is that in the Ecovillage format, corruption is much harder to come across because decisions are made entirely at the local level through a decision making process rather than in chambers far away from the common man and often times behind closed doors.  The removal of money from the political process also prevent substantial corruption of Ecovillage politics and ensures that decisions are not made out of special interest but in the best interest of the common welfare.

Although not necessarily common among all ecovillages, many ecovillages do embrace a concentric pattern or layout with a community center or gathering space in the center of the village where ecovillagers gather to assemble.  The importance of congregation and communing can not be underexpressed, therefore, as ecovillages successfully do away with social isolation, representative democracy, and other gaps in society that are all too often accentuated by the mere lack of a central gathering space where commune is possible.  Furthermore, with the dissolution of many community centers throughout America, many Americans have fallen prey to social inequities that are often times resolved with cohesive communities.  As such, Ecovillages seek to resolve this pressing issue by substantiating their existences in the presence of concentric designs that, therefore,  allow an equivocal commune between members and residents to take place and that also drive a healthy circulation of ideas, goods, political decisions and phenomenon throughout the village.

Driven and sustained by the concentric nature of may ecovillages, localism is a principle that is not necessarily exclusive to ecovillages but one that is best put into practice through an Ecovillage.  Part of that reason is because of the difficulty encountered in the average borough or town in trying to implement a local economy in light of the onslaught of mass commercialism and capitalism.  Surely, there are examples of towns through American that have implemented principles of localism well but more often than not, towns throughout America succumb to the influence of big businesses and take precedence over the creation of a strong local economy and a prosperous individualism.