Growing Eco-Communities

The author of this work has considerable experience in both creating and living in communities. His earlier book, Ecovillages, explained how to set up and maintain a sustainable community. Here he looks at the life cycle of communities in three phases: pioneering youth, maturity and stability, old-age. Interestingly, only 40% of communities more than ten years. In communities that survive more than 50 years, the rate of survival for religious ones is twice that for secular. The basic issues for communities arise from differing motivations and temperaments in relationship. Differences that mattered little at an early stage in a mature into complex conflicts. The chapter headings of the different parts are revealing: in part one everybody does everything, not counting the hours, not enough money, open the door or close the gate. In the second part, there needs to be a procedure new members and for kicking out troublemakers, business needs to be built and sold in the wider economy, while issues about integrating with the outside world are bound to arise. In the third phase, 'the professionals take over' and people may want their own money; intergenerational issues will also arise. The book, beautifully illustrated, is also full of practical advice and vignettes about particular communities. It has to be essential reading for anyone embarking on creating a new community (and many more have arisen since 1990).