I have been living in an ecovillage almost all my adult life - and I absolutely love it. Tonight I chatted with ABC Queensland Evening host, Trevor Jackson, about what it means to me to live in an ecovillage. Here is the podcast (14:35 mins). I hope you enjoy listening.
An ecovillage is a place where people are working together to live more simply and sustainably. People are attracted to ecovillages to live a more ecological, peaceful and productive way of life. As long as I can remember I have been curious, passionate and interested in exploring different ways of life that have a holistic approach to sustainable living and regenerate natural and social systems. Over the past few decades I have travelled around the world to experience sustainable ecovillages in urban, suburban and rural areas, and both traditional and intentional communities.
This is me threshing grain in Ladakh, Little Tibet, where I spent many many months in 1992 and 1995. My experience in Ladakh helped me understand what it really means to live sustainably and the value of deep community connection.
Ecovillages look different in each different context, but the core is similar. I am convinced if more people knew that there were other ways to live, and have the opportunity to experience ecovillage life, that they'd be more confident to make the transition. I often do talks and workshops around urban areas explaining what it means to live in a place like Crystal Waters. Often people are surprised - they did not know that such a place existed, let along just up the road from them. Ecovillages are human scale - nourishing, peaceful and relaxing. They provide a healthy way to live and raise a family.
My livelihood is predominantly through permaculture design and workshops, and consulting. I just love being involved in designing useful education programs.
These are some of the reasons I love living in an ecovillage. To:
think, act and be ecological
connect with nature, self and others
have practical ways to engage in positive action for the future - demonstrate and share, show don't tell, walk my talk ...
share the ecovillage experience through educational programs and workshops
be creative - find solutions, new ideas, trial innovate strategies and appropriate technologies
work with others to meet local needs - to create the future and environment we are seeking
be surrounded by amazing wildlife and nature
have space to grow good food
create a home affordably - through sharing land costs, resource costs, owner building etc
find a work-life balance
strive to live and work with a sustainability ethic at the core
have time to contribute and volunteer more
to need less, want less and live a less consumer-based way of life
raise children naturally
live mindfully, slow down and breathe
regenerate landscapes
be amongst fresh air, fresh water and fresh food
live with a lesser footprint - low-consumption, reduced waste, more sharing
to cultivate deep and lasting friendships
care for community - elders, those in need, those grieving, those birthing and caring for little kids, those celebrating moments
the list just keeps going.....
Sharing Crystal Waters is what I do. I love working with youth and seeing how their eyes open - realising that ecovillages aren't some kind of weird concept to be dismissed, but actually a really valid and appealing way to live, and taking home ideas of things that could do differently.