The realities of life in the 21st century demand from all of us a transition to more sustainable behaviors and reduced ecological impacts. This is a great challenge, of course, one which Thomas Berry aptly characterizes as the “Great Work” that lay before us. The great work is really about providing for future generations a quality of life that is, at a minimum, as rewarding and fulfilling as ours. And to help preserve the planet, it is essentially about balancing environmental and social equity needs with more tempered personal and corporate economic gains.
In pursuit of these goals and our own guiding principles, the Ecovillage has been conceived to invigorate a vibrant local economy. Five distinct sectors have been systemically designed into Ecovillage operations to encourage the production and management of local food, energy, education, housing, and transportation. These, in turn, will foster new local employment opportunities while introducing a community-based approach to more sustainable lifestyles and reduced carbon footprints. Altering unsustainable behavior is difficult, but much less so when infrastructure is sustainably planned to provide convenient, safe, and pleasant alternatives.
The Fiscal Responsibility Approach
The Ecovillage embraces a financially conservative model that respects the true spirit of what ecovillages have always stood for: intentional, self-supporting community. Ecovillage residents and the college itself will be financially responsible for paying annual assessments for maintaining the various sustainable features of healthy living that will be preserved through permanent land covenants that are immutable. Developer subsidies for programs related to transportation, agriculture and renewable energy will be required in annually decreasing amounts through 2014. At build out, the operational and maintenance expenses of sustainable local community programs in transportation, water, wastewater reclamation, farming, energy, schools, land conservation, affordable housing, and public safety have been carefully analyzed to settle into acceptable market-based norms for households in the Bay Area.
The Homeowners Association
As with most communities today, assessments will be necessary to maintain infrastructure for neighborhood residents. The Ecovillage will retain professional property management for sound fiscal practice. A public works staff will oversee building, water and roadway maintenance, recycling and water harvesting operations, solar and geothermal systems, and landscaping and lighting maintenance. The Community Supported Agricultural farm will also be professionally managed and participation will be mandatory for all Ecovillage residents and the college, guaranteeing the CSA a strong consumer base to supplement what will likely be the farm’s two main customers, the Angwin Ecovillage Market, and the college students, faculty and staff. Residents and the college will also support a comprehensive transit program and alternative travel vehicles, from bikes to electric share-cars, to hybrid shuttle buses. These programs are all addressed under feasibility and cost/benefit analyses documented by highly respected professional third party financial consultants. Lien-based covenants will be placed on private Ecovillage parcels and certain college campus facilities to ensure the continuation of the sustainable programs in perpetuity.
Fostering Sustainable Behavior
There are many tried and true methods for assisting people to adopt new sustainable behaviors and to shift away from wasteful and polluting habits. For example, the Ecovillage will actively promote removing barriers to transit use and informing residents as to the benefits of altering auto-centric tendencies. A full-time Transportation Coordinator paid position is budgeted to help make this shift much more convenient for Angwin and Ecovillage residents. Pilot programs and social-based marketing will be utilized to encourage people to easily and conveniently live more sustainably. The college will be a full-time participant in such programs. Consistency in implementation will be a hallmark of the Ecovillage sustainability team, which in turn should result in a perception of utmost integrity in the programs and a willingness of residents and the college community to participate enthusiastically.