Why Ecovillages?

by Frederica Miller, editor

Welcome on an amazing journey! This book will take you around the world, and through time, to 20 wonderful ecovillage projects. Each project is unique and different, but united in its commitment to providing solutions to the global social and environmental challenges that confront us. Ecovillagers meet the climate goals we all have to meet, and they are doing it with innovation, enthusiasm and joy!

Voluntary simplicity, luxurious simplicity, doing more with less, collaborative consumption, sharing or gift economy, these words describe the creation of a lifestyle that makes it easy to consume less, live more lightly on the planet, and give space for all living creatures.

There are initiatives taken by grass-root groups, individuals, top-down projects, projects that have changed lifeless deserts into green oases. There are those that provide income and food for the climate vulnerable, that bring water back to drought-ridden areas, that question the fundamental flaws of our economic system by creating local currencies, that provide the affluent middle class with a lower carbon footprint. It seems there are ecovillages all over the world that have solutions for any and all environmental, social, economic and cultural challenges our era faces. It is possible, and they are doing it! Not only are they providing practical solutions, they are doing it in a non-violent way, with a profound respect for our individuality and diversity, while promoting communal solutions.

Social sustainability is one of the keys to transformation. In an era that is constantly searching for the quick techno fix, ecovillages are going a different route. Without a socially sound and biological grounding, technology alone cannot solve our era’s enormous challenges. People are the problem, and the problem is the solution. If we don’t fundamentally change our lifestyles, we will undoubtedly continue to destroy our and many other living beings’ habitats. To change we need to DO things differently—action leads to transformation—we need practical laboratories where we can create a fundamentally different culture. Ecovillages are certainly some of the most intensive living laboratories we have!

Many of the foremost ecovillages have been scrutinized by academic research to see if they actually deliver what they promote—in practice. Available research shows that all ecovillages dramatically reduce their ecological footprint (a way of measuring our need for resources). The most successful have reached the goals we all have to reach—to live well within a finite planet. In the affluent Western world, this means reducing the ecological footprint by anything from a third to a tenth of today’s norm. For the exploited parts of the world, it means increasing their footprint without following the destructive example set by the conventional Western world.

This book provides a view into the future. Its many diverse examples show solutions in particular times and places. In all their experimental imperfection, ecovillages are perfect examples of what we need more of! I have chosen to place them chronologically, with the oldest projects first and the newest last. This shows an interesting development, from projects that originally had a more spiritual origin, like Findhorn, or socially responsible origins like Solheimar, to fully-fledged ecologically planned villages that provide ready-built homes for anyone and everyone interested in making a difference, like Hurdal and Permatopia. To me this shows that the concept of ecovillages is no longer a marginal movement, but a powerful force for change. A change that is happening not by revolution but by gentle evolution—the natural way.

“If your goal is to enrich the society that you are a part of, and to have your own needs met by the society you have created, then the principle that works is: the less I take for myself, the more I will get.”

Ruben Khachatryan, Camphill Village, Norway.

The United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals introduced in 2015 are almost a checklist of ecovillage practices: people—planet—prosperity—partnership and peace. In this sense, we are all in need of development. In fact, the richest and most affluent need it more than any others do!

I want to thank all of those who so generously have contributed to this book. As individuals, I have come to appreciate each and every one of you! As representatives of the amazing projects you represent and have presented you are, as you have been careful to tell me, only one of many voices. Depending on whom you ask, very different stories can be told. This to my mind is another confirmation of the richness inherent in all ecovillages.

To me your existence is a huge inspiration; you are demonstrating how we can create supportive, tolerant human communities, which also respect our mother earth and all its diversity. You are a beacon of light and hope in the challenging times we inhabit!

The choice of projects in this book is entirely Hildur’s. Her extensive and first-hand knowledge through many years has ensured an impressive choice of ecovillages. Thank you Hildur and Ross for giving me the opportunity to edit this book.

Using a term like “the best” is always difficult, not least in this context. There is only one criterion for “the best” ecovillage and that is whether you actually answer the challenges you face where you are. In this sense, these ecovillages are only a small number of examples, which represent the many thousands of wonderful initiatives constantly popping up all over the world. In a modern day context, all these initiatives represent the BEST of what we humans can do! Thank you. May diversity reign and the seeds of this book multiply!