DEFINITION
Urban and rural communities formed by groups of people striving to integrate environmental considerations, low-impact living, and a strongly supportive social network. Ecovillages focus on creating cooperative, participation-based communities with local production and livelihoods when feasible.

AKA
Sustainable community, intentional community

RELATED FUNCTIONS
Ecovillages address a wide range of functions: social networks via strong community engagement and empowerment, support for local green businesses,special focus to include elderly and young community members, and fostering cultural expression; metabolic networksare addressed via local food production, local sourcing and use of materials, energy conservation and waste reuse, using "common" tools to minimize waste and unnecessary duplication; circulatory functions are addressed via emphasis on a lifestyle integrated directly into - or located close to - food production and work, urban communities locate next to public transit; geologic, hydrologic and biologic functions can be addressed through clustered development in rural communities, water conservation and water quality protection, biodiversity protection, wilderness and open space conservation, organic food production, habitat creation in urban areas.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Performance is measured in a variety of ways -perhaps most directly by community success in achieving sustainable lifestyle goal with a low-impact footprint. Criteria for design differ depending on rural or urban settings - urban settings would require easy access to public transit, for example, while a rural community might cluster living and work areas close together to minimize the need for transit.

ILLUSTRATION

"Ecovillage at Ithaca" above

CASE STUDIES
Ecovillage at Ithaca in New York
Los Angeles Ecovillage in California
SomerVille Ecovillage in Australia

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) "GEN offers inspiring examples of how people and communities can live healthy, cooperative, genuinely happy and meaningful lifestyles --- beacons of hope that help in the transition to a more sustainable future on Earth. We foster a culture of mutual respect, sharing, inclusiveness, positive intent, and fair energy exchange (from website)."

GEN Flyer

Ecovillage Newsletter