Ecological and Sustainable Urban Design: Eco-Villages, Eco-Districts, and Eco-Cities [2011]

Ecological and Sustainable Urban Design: Eco-Villages, Eco-Districts, and Eco-Cities

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Tulu Toros, AIA, NCARB

Graduate Student, Regional and Community Planning, College of Architecture, Planning and Design, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

——— E-mail: [email protected]

1. Introduction

With the exponential growth in human populations and

economies the natural environment comes under increasing stresses

that translate to significant concerns in depleting resources,

increasing wastes, pollution, and deterioration of life-supporting

ecosystems. As the human environments continue to expand within

a finite natural environment these stresses begin to establish limits

to further growth. Under these constant stresses even more

resources and energy are needed to make sustain the current

operations where the rehabilative healing processes of natural

systems of the earth slow down tremendously, and in many cases

cease to function altogether.

McKibben (2007) observes that "we have gone too far down the

road we're traveling. The time has come to search the map for better

possibilities, to strike out in new directions. Inertia is a powerful

force; marriages and corporations and nations continue in motion

until something big diverts them" (p. 226). Indeed, there has been a

multitude of initiatives to change the unsustainable assault of the

human civilization on Nature whereby the probability of sustaining

life on earth beyond this century may be accomplished. Even though

there are many skeptics of these prospects there are those who still

remain optimistic about the possibility of revolutionizing the

civilization to a point where the human civilization may live in

peace and harmony with Nature. Meadows, Randers & Meadows

(2004), for instance, believe that "the sustainability revolution will

be organic. It will arise from the visions, insights, experiments, and

actions of billions of people. The burden of making it happen is not

on the shoulders of any one person or group. No one will get the

credit, but everyone can contribute" (p. 269).

In an age of constantly increasing environmental stresses the

theory and practice of ecologically responsive and environmentally

responsible design principles continue to gain prominence and

significance. As professionally responsible environmental designers,

we are constantly improving on the design theories and practices for

human establishments to be in better tune and harmony with the

places, processes, and balances of Nature. While some of these

design attempts may not go beyond utopian theory, there are indeed

a large number and variety of examples of sustainable and

ecologically-friendly settlements, which are successfully

implemented and operated.

Especially in the last several decades there have come online

many idealistic settlement models both conceived and implemented

in order to the neutralize the negative human impacts and to

minimize the footprint of human activities. McKibben (2007)

observes this by recording that "if the sprawling new subdivisions

with two people to an acre represents one end of a spectrum, the

opposite end might be anchored by the so-called cohousing

communities that began to spring up in Denmark in the last few

decades and since spread around the world" (p.155). Those

cohousing communities as well as a series of other types of

ABSTRACT

This study briefly examines the theoretical and practical landscape of prominent Eco-Villages, Eco-Districts, and Eco-Cities throughout the world. It

presents a concise summary of the principles behind successful application projects around the globe. The literature review and research explores

various definitions for ecovillages, ecodistricts, and ecocities focusing on sources that are most commonly associated with the terms documenting

several different examples under each category in the literature. The good news is that the types of applied research, demonstration and training that the

ecovillages, ecodistricts and ecocities are engaged in are "precisely those that will be needed to navigate the rough waters ahead. Seen in this context, the

initiatives that have been described on these pages – in reforestation, seed-saving, place-specific technologies for energy-efficient housing, food-

growing, energy-generation, the development of inclusive decision-making structures, voluntary simplicity, and so on – appear not so much

idiosyncratic tinkering as the very stuff that the building of future societies will be made of" (Dawson, 2006, p. 77).

Keywords: Architecture; Sustainable Development; Urban Planning; Urban Studies; Green Architecture; Environmental Sustainability; Sustainable Architecture;

Urban Design; Ecology; Ecological Design; Sustainable Urbanism; Sustainable Urban Design

Copyright © 2011 Tulu Toros. All rights reserved.


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communities, neighborhoods, and even cities, continue to make

progress toward not only improving the sustainability of human

civilization on earth but also accomplishing the restoration of

natural environment.

It is now widely recognized that significant portions of

regenerative ecosystems in natural environment have already been

paralyzed under anthropocentric pressures, which have been

brought to the brink of collapse. Beyond mere preservation and

conservation of these systems the genuine efforts for recovery,

rehabilitation and restoration are now needed. Hence, a multitude of

concerned citizens, groups, organizations, professionals, scientists,

experts as well as national and international government agencies

are mobilized to take action in changing the course. Berger (1990)

points out this fact by recording that “an epochal development has

clearly begun: For the first time in human history, masses of people

now realize not only that we must stop abusing the earth, but that

we also must restore it to ecological health. We must all work

cooperatively toward that goal, with the help of restoration science

and technology" (p. xvii).

The same intelligence, energy, and ingenuity with which the

human race has subdued the earth is now being put to use heal it.

The restoration efforts include that of agricultural lands and

drylands, temperate forests, watersheds, freshwater and saltwater

wetlands, seagrass beds, vernal pools, estuaries, rivers, lakes,

fisheries, streams, and so on. From the soil bioengineering and

revegetation technologies to solid, toxic, and radioactive waste

management techniques the restoration efforts are pointed at not just

urban areas but also suburban and rural areas.

Within this context, the primary goal of this study is to identify,

examine, and document the prominent types and notable examples

of Ecological and Sustainable Design efforts that have been broadly

categorized under the titles of ecovillages, ecodistricts, and ecocities

in the literature. Depending on the size and scope of these

establishments sometimes these categorical labels do tend to

become ineffective and even counterproductive. Nonetheless, for

the purposes of this study under each one of these design categories

the pertinent principles and examples are reviewed and critically

analyzed.

And, finally, following the rigorous scholarly review and

analysis of the available literature including the sources and extends

of defining issues and concerns a series of conclusions are drawn.

Studying these examples provides further awareness, understanding

and appreciation of the underlying ecological and sustainable design

principles and strategies behind these settlement patterns, and

presents hope for a more sustainable future.

2. Ecological and Sustainable Urban Design

The recent literature on the issues and practices of environmental

design establishes a number of human-made causes behind the

deterioration of health and longevity in the natural world. These

causes are headed by the exponential increase of human population

on the planet. Directly linked to the overwhelming increases in

population numbers, the lifestyles and requirements of the masses

add tremendous ecological pressures on the deteriorating natural

environments and diminishing resources. Private and public

mobility, spreading isolation and sprawling decentralizing urban

areas predicated by design policies and regulations continue to

contribute steadily to the current crises of climate change, energy

scarcity, food shortages and environmental health concerns that are

now threatening the entire globe.

Reflecting on these environmental design challenges, many

urban design experts concur that the western world has spent the last

sixty plus years developing towns, cities and rural regions based on

the convenient availability of cheap oil. All of these built

environments as well as the associated lifestyles are now bound to

be reconfigured under the promise of an entirely different future

(Newman, Beatley and Boyer, 2009, p. 23). Indeed, in

contemplating the future of urban civilization, many designers,

experts and policy-makers identify the importance of planning for

connectedness, diversity, and resilience of neighborhoods, districts,

cities, and regions.

One of the most influential figures of theory and practice in

ecological environment design perhaps is Dr. Ken Yeang, who

defines 'ecological design' or 'ecodesign' as "the use of ecological

design principles and strategies to design our built environment and

our ways of life so that they integrate benignly and seamlessly with

the natural environment that includes the biosphere, which contains

all forms of life that exists on earth. This goal must be the

fundamental basis for the design of all our human-made

environments" (Yeang, 2006, p. 22).

Yeang (2006) establishes that ultimately ecodesign should aim to

restore the previous environmental conditions that existed before the

age of industrialized mass corruption" (p. 29). To accomplish such a

restoration he offers three ethical principles: 1) Responsibility of

current generation for the welfare of future generations; 2)

Limitations and fruitfulness of the earth's resources and carrying

capacity; and 3) Right-to-life of all species including humans"

(Yeang, 2006, p. 44). From this perspective, in designing for

biointegration within nature, the designer is to deduce the key

design principles, inspiration and basis for invention through

ecomimicry of ecosystems.

The ecological design approach, therefore, questions the basic

premises of design such as needs, functions, lifespan, footprint,

configuration, conditions, complexity, etc. and determines the

appropriate lifespan, specificity, and fixation of systems to be

designed while determining the level of environmental integration.

A successful ecological design approach evaluates the history of any

given site for a viable strategy while establish a baseline to

contextualize the planning and design not only to protect

ecosystems but also to restore disturbed and degraded ecosystems.

An environmentally sensitive ecological design may establish a

system boundary to mark the extent of ecosystem or biodiversity

enhancement within which biotic and abiotic components are

balanced and degraded ecosystems are rehabilitated.

Environmentally restorative ecological design should aim to

improve existing and create new ecological systems and corridors

while reducing heat-island effects, transportation consequences,

light and noise pollution. Ecological design optimizes all-passive

modes through building configuration, enclosure design,

landscaping, passive-cooling systems, etc. while facilitating

integration of biomass with inorganic mass, water conservation,

recycling, harvesting, wastewater and sewage treatment, recycling,

food production (urban agriculture or permaculture), and

minimizing waste, and maximizing reuse, recycle, reintegration.

The combination of all these measures increases the resilience in the

resulting community establishments, which can be exemplified by

the ecovillages, ecodistricts, and ecocities studied herein.


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The resilience approach in urban design is not a new concept, yet

it is rapidly gaining prominence especially among the urban design

theoreticians as well as practitioners. The term resilience generally

refers to the capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and still be

able to retain the basic functions or structure. "Increasingly, cracks

are appearing in the capacity of our communities, ecosystems, and

landscapes to provide the goods and services that sustain our well-

being. Our resource base, planet Earth, is shrinking while our

population continues to expand" (Walker & Salt, 2006, p. xiii).

Walker and Salt (2006) identify 'the heart of resilience' as

embracing change and argue that "the key to sustainability lies in

enhancing the resilience of social-ecological systems, not in

optimizing isolated components of the system" (p. 9). In promoting

what the term as 'Resilience Thinking', they outline three guiding

concepts: Concept 1) we are all part of the system; Concept 2)

appreciating that it is a complex adaptive system; Concept 3)

Resilience is the key to sustainability (Walker & Salt, 2006, p. 37).

They insightfully point out to the balance between control and

resilience where when the aim is to increase the efficiency of returns

from some part of the system by trying to tightly control it, usually

the resilience of the entire system is compromised. "Other parts of

the system begin to change in response to this new state of affairs a

part of the system, now constant, that used to vary in concert with

others. A system with little resilience is vulnerable to being shifted

over a threshold into a new regime of function and structure. And,

as we have seen, this new regime is frequently one that doesn't

provide us with what the goods and services we want. And, very

importantly, it is not a space from which we can easily return"

(Walker & Salt, 2006, p. 141).

The nature and limiting factors of growth also reveals relevant

concerns for the future which need to be addressed in the design of

human settlements. Brown (1995) warns that little is said about

what will actually limit the growth in human demands where

increasingly "it looks as though our ability to expand food

production fast enough will be one of the earlier constraints to

emerge" (p. 23). He calls for an approaching 'era of scarcity' which

is currently "most evident with seafood, where human demand is

pressing against the sustainable yield of oceanic fisheries. In recent

years, seafood prices have been rising by 4 percent a year in real

terms" (Brown, 1995, p. 127). He notes that for our generation, the

overriding issue is whether we can "reestablish a stable relationship

between our numbers and aspirations on the one hand and the

earth's natural support systems on the other" (Brown, 1995, p. 141).

"When Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, she launched the modern

environmental movement, a transformation that would envelop the

entire world... The loss of food security promises to become the

defining focus of the global environmental threat" (Brown, 1995, p.

131).

From this perspective, a thorough review of the prominent

literature in environmental design reveals a wide variety of urban

design principles and examples aimed at achieving sustainable

existence, harmonious ecological integration, and greater

environmental resilience for human settlements. The following

closely examines a select group of such principles and examples for

ecovillages, ecodistricts, and ecocities primarily located at various

locations on the globe as well as in the United States, Canada and

Europe.

3. Eco-Villages

Since the size, scope and nature of ecovillages cover a wide

spectrum of concerns, initiatives, and approaches it is relatively

difficult to categorize them into rigid classifications. However, in

general, most settlements that are characterized to be ecovillages

share a fundamental trait, which is simply striving "to lead a

sustainable lifestyle in harmony with each other, other living beings

and the Earth" (Jackson & Svensson, (Eds.), 2002, p. 10). Most

commonly, their main drive behind an ecovillage formation is to

provide a nurturing social and cultural environment with a low

environmental impact lifestyle.

A common tread in almost all prominent ecovillages is the urge

to create a model for future where, in contrast to the degenerating

impacts of the industrialized world operated by the capitalist

mechanisms and systems, the human presence is actually

regenerative for the immediate natural environment, and inherently

sustainable. Most ideologies behind these settlement patterns start

with an honest and humble recognition that all creatures are

inextricably connected and interdependent.

One can clearly observe that the ecovillages operationalize a

series of goals embedded firmly in the concerns and requirements of

specific ecologies, communities, culture as well as spiritual

orientations, which tend to lay the foundation of the design,

formulation, formation, and operation of any ecovillage.

Ecologically, the residents of almost all ecovillages maintain a

explicit and pronounced connection to the living Earth, which is

primarily comprised of soil, water, wind, plants and animals.

Socially, the formation of the ecovillages facilitate for the

participant to spend time, interact, share experiences, enjoy

freedoms as well as attend to various responsibilities together. In a

comfortable atmosphere of independence from the globe, and within

a certain sense of local interdependence, the economic ramifications

of life are equitably welcomed by all.

In some of the ecovillages, the cultural or spiritual dimension is

by-far the most dominant characteristic, which homogenizes and

bonds the members forming the foundation of the community.

Sometimes these cultural bonds are along the lines of religions,

traditions, or belief systems, and sometimes they could be more

materialistic and worldly. In either case, they bring to the members

a certain harmony with all beings on an often well-defined spiritual

path. It is also very common to find traditional villages and

international communities forming networks of villages, for

instance, in Sri Lanka, Senegal, India, and Burkina. Global

Ecovillage Network (GEN) is perhaps one of the most well-known

organizations that organize communications, relations, associations

and linkages.

3.1. Ecological Dimension

From a design perspective, the ecovillages typically display a

strong orientation toward health and sustenance of ecological

systems. Among the key elements of these settlements are the use of

permaculture, passive design sensitivities, climatic orientation, and

energy consciousness. Bang (2002) describes these sustainable

human settlements as displaying "a philosophical and practical

approach to land use integrating micro climate, functional plants,

animals, soil, water management and human needs into intricately


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connected, highly productive systems" (p. 18). Often times the

ecovillage design allows for cooperation with nature, promoting

diversity, stability and resilience in the surrounding natural

ecosystems, regenerating the damaged land, as well as preserving

natural environments in many cases. Couple of significant

ecovillages with a prominent emphasis on Ecologically-Oriented

development could be cited as:

a. Village Homes - Davis, CA

b. Crystal Waters Permaculture Village - Queensland, AUS

c. Hertha Ecovillage - Munksgaard, DEN

3.2. Social Dimension

The planning and design of some ecovillages are more rigorous

in their Social-Motivation than others, which tend to be centered

around a heavily used community hall, house or building. While the

main goal is to achieve sustainable abundance the members of an

ecovillage society have to practice voluntary simplicity in order to

ensure longevity of available resources. These villages typically

feature a better economic structure that forms a platform for various

social experimentations. Prominent examples of such villages are:

a. Hertha Ecovillage - Munksgaard, DEN

b. Damanhur Ecovillage, ITA (1977; 500 residents)

c. Hertha Ecovillage - Munksgaard, DEN (Rudolf Steiner

workshop)

d. Solheimar, IRA

e. Solborg Camphill Village, NOR

f. Tamera Ecovillage - Colos, POR

g. Huehuecoyotl Ecovillage - Tepoztlan, MEX

h. Sieben Linden Ecovillage, GER

i. Clil Ecovillage, ISR (1973; 170 residents; Spiritual;

Galilee)

j. Old Bassaisa, EGY (5,000-10,000 years ago; 400

residents; Muslim)

k. Bhole Baba, ITA (1979; 7 residents).

In some of the ecovillages it is possible to find a particular focus

on healthy lifestyles, preventative healthcare, or complementary

medicine such as:

a. Sieben Linden Ecovillage, GER

b. Findhorn, SCO (1962; 250 residents)

c. Gesundheit! - Pocahontas Co., VW

d. Torri Superiore Ecovillage, ITA (1989; 166 rooms;

GEN Europe)

3.3. Cultural Dimension

Another major group in the planning and design of ecovillage is

formed by a pronounced Cultural-Focus where strong local cultural

traditions including ethnic, religious or other ritual customs are

tightly adhered to. A couple of such villages are:

a. Huehuecoyotl, MEX

b. Scandinavian Villages

3.4. Spiritual Dimension

Frequently the social or cultural focus of an ecovillage may

culminate in a specific Spiritual-Orientation, which defines the

entire purpose and nature of the settlement like a central meditation

hall or temple, as in:

a. Twin Oaks, VA (1967; 70 residents; Permaculture;

Modern American)

b. Zegg Ecovillage, GER (1991; 80 residents; Spiritual)

c. Auroville, IND

d. Snabegaard Vrads Sande, DEN (Meditation center)

e. Eco-Yoff - Dakar, SEN

f. Huehuecoyotl Ecovillage - Tepoztlan, MEX

g. Tlholego Ecovillage, South Africa

Regardless of the origin, the orientation or the focus for an

ecovillage, a sensitive approach, careful planning and design acts as

a critical tool in facilitating current operations as well as

accommodating future growth. "The ecovillage vision is far more

than establishing a cohousing in the countryside and growing your

own food. It is about a new lifestyle that incorporates ecological,

social and spiritual/cultural dimension, a lifestyle that reestablished

the local networks that have always been a part of human existence,

but which have been disintegrating in more recent history for a

variety of reasons. That lifestyle can in principle be established in a

mega-city or a suburb as well as countryside. However, it is easier

in the current environment to start with some virgin land to get

some convincing models established" (Jackson & Svensson, (Eds.),

2002, p. 132).

3.5. Earth Restoration

Another aspect that is central in the design, implementation and

operation of most ecovillages is the compelling stimulation to

restore the health, wholeness, sanctity, and beauty of the Earth as

well as the precious life forms that reside on it. Marstrand-Strong

(2002) discusses in detail this particular aspect that is common in a

significant majority of ecovillages and observes that "ecovillages

are perfect training grounds for Earth Restoration" (p. 26). The

underlying ideologies behind ecovillage cultures promote the

restoration of the self first, then the consciousness, morals, and

personal ethics. Only such a restoration may bring learning one's

place in the universe, learning to restore destroyed ecosystems such

as forests, soils, waters, air and finding out processes and behaviors

that do not further destroy ecosystems. An exemplary village that

both practices and teaches living strategies is:

a. Earth Restoration Corps by The Manitou Foundation -

Crestone, CO

Another source actually gives out the "10 Principles of Earth

Restoration" as 1) Mimic Nature wherever possible, 2) Start with

ecosystems in most natural conditions, 3) Protect keystone species

with central role in ecosystems, 4) Restore Pioneer species and

Natural succession, 5) Recreate ecological niches, 6) Reestablish

eco-linkages, reconnect web, 7) Control or remove introduced

species, 8) Remove limiting factors preventing restoration, 9) Let

Nature do the work, and 10) Give beneficial effect of love on life

(Watson Featherstone, 2002, p. 27).


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Ecovillages especially distinguish themselves in practicing

numerous means and methods in self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

Local organic food production, consumption, and distribution is

often termed as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) where

life-sustaining crops are attended collectively. In generation of other

forms of energy typically Integrated Renewable Energy Farm

(IREF) or Integrated Energy Farm (IEF) techniques are used. An

average ecovillage relies on fuel forest, perennial energy crops, oil

crops, animal food crops, grazeland, flowers, cereals, sugar-crops,

apiculture, fruits, veggies, spices, medicine, herbs as well as a fish

nursery. In more urbanized areas the practice may take the form of

Farmer's Markets which eliminates the middleman. Exemplary

ecovillages with most of these features are:

a. Earthaven Ecovillage - Appalachians, NC (bush-freaks)

b. Kimberton Hills Camphill, PA (1972; 300 residents;

Antroposophoric)

c. Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, AUS

d. Northern Jutland, DEN

e. El Bassam - Dedelsdorf, GER

f. Kibbutz Lotan, ISR (Permaculture; School)

g. Kibbutz Ketura, ISR (1973; 225 residents; Desert

agriculture; Jewish)

h. Upacchi, ITA (1990; 40 residents)

In the physical construction of the buildings the villagers

primarily utilize locally available raw materials such as stone, wood,

clay, earth, straw (Prima Materia). At the same time most

settlements inherently seek to understand the Genius Loci (Soul of

Place) and be harmony with the local resources, soil, climate,

vegetation, topography, atmosphere, light, and smells for a natural

fit (Jacobsen, 2002, p. 42). A few of the brilliant ecovillages can be

cited as:

a. Terre d'Enaille, BEL (1992; 15 residents; Sewage

solutions inspired by John Todd's Living Machines)

b. Dyssekilde Ecovillage, DEN

c. Sieben Linden Ecovillage, GER

d. Lebensgarten - Steyerberg, GER (1985; 100 residents;

Cultural/Ecological; Solar heating; Insulation;

Landscaping)

e. Wilhelmina, HOL (1990; 800 residents; New

Amsterdam; Building reuse; Water sewage treatment;

Energy for heating)

f. Kibbutz Samar, ISR (1970; 188 residents; Collective

environment; Hydro power (falling water); Wind;

Solar; Bio-energy; Super-insulation)

g. Findhorn, SCO

h. Jarna, SWE

Ecovillages do indeed provide "models for living close to the

land and in community with one another - a vision that is inspiring

for the increasing numbers of people who long to live a way that is

spiritually rewarding, as well as ecologically sustainable" (Jackson

& Svensson, (Eds.), 2002, p. 175). Like other planned communities,

the process of an ecovillage starts with a shared vision that

predicates common goals toward which activity teams and groups

are formed. Further planning, implementation and fundraising are

employed in order to either expand the original concept or

operationalize it in a step-by-step fashion. Sometimes local

government support is sought for and received, and other times the

villages may be planned communities by different agencies of

governments as in the cases of cohousing projects.

a. Ecovillage at Ithaca, NY (EVI) (1994; 176 acres;

Biodiversity)

b. Hertha Ecovillage - Munksgaard, DEN

c. Saettedammen, DEN (Cohousing to ecovillage)

Ecovillage communities are surprisingly well-organized and

interconnected throughout the world by prominent organizations

such as Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), GAIA Trust, Ecovillage

Networks of the Americas, Ecovillage Networks of Canada,

Utopian Ecovillage Network Federation, Ecovillage Network UK,

Danish Ecovillage Association, and so on. Naturally, some of the

more established or principled villages serve as role models for the

newer establishments anywhere in the world. Few of the most

illustrious, educational, and followed settlements are:

a. The Manitou Institute, CO

b. The Farm (Ecovillage Training Center), TN

c. Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, AUS

d. Ecotop, GER

e. Lebensgarten - Steyerberg, GER

f. Gyurufu, HUN

g. Ladakh Project - Kashmir, IND

h. Kibbutz, ISR

i. Camphill Village, NOR (1940; Camphill Network;

Rudolf L. Steiner)

j. Camphill Solborg, NOR (1974; 45 residents;

Biodynamic farm; Vegetable gardens; Bakery;

Weavery; Forest for timber and firewood; Herb and

drying garden; Carpentry; Organic waste composted;

Horse transport; Wastewater flow forms (ponds,

reedbeds, flow form water cascades); Communal halls

and chapels; Natural material (strawbale) houses; Self-

sufficiency (permaculture); Large extended families;

Workplace contribution; No money)

k. Eco-Ville - St. Petersburg, RUS

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of an ecovillage is the

modified nature of value exchange system. In a significant portion

of the ecovillages money and local economics display

characteristics of alternate economics. As the community becomes

isolated from the world economics the use of money for exchanges

diminishes and leaves its place to more prominent shareholder

politics and a platform of sustainable economic welfare. Typically a

form of LETS or LETSystem (Local Exchange Trading System -

also known as Local Energy Transfer System) designed by Michael

Linton is adopted. Some of the examples of these modified

exchange systems can be found in:

a. Woodcrest Bruderhof, NY (1950; 400 residents;

Christian; Report writing; Project presentation)

b. La Paix-Dieu, BEL (1997; Environmental

permaculture; Step-by-step design; Site assessment


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c. Camphill Botton, ENG (1955; 350 residents;

Antroposophoric)

d. New Bassaisa, EGY (1993; No residents)

e. Lebensgarten, GER

f. Harman Center - Ankara, TUR (1990; 4 residents)

In the United States, there are hundreds of ecovillages which

display similar characteristics as those outlined thus far. Since these

settlements are better suited to the rural areas and countryside they

seem to be widespread in the western states more than the eastern

states of the U.S. Most prominent ecovillages according to their

states of location can be cited as:

a. ARIZONA: Aquarian Concepts Community – Sedona;

Arcosanti – Mayer; Global Community

Communications Alliance – Tumacacori; Global

Community Communications Alliance – Tubac; The

Grove – Mesa; Manzanita Village – Prescott; Phoenix

Cooperative Ecovillage – Phoenix; Sacred Garden

Sanctuary – Douglas.

b. CALIFORNIA: 611 Ecovillage – Oakland; The Cell

Habitat – Cantil; EcoVersity – Santa Fe, NM; Eden

Project – Kenwood; Green Valley Village –

Sebastopol; The Happy Brigade Community – Soquel;

LECASE – San Diego; Los Angeles Ecovillage – Los

Angeles; Nevada City Ecovillage – Nevada City;

Pacifica Ecovillage; Project Sunstone – Oxnard;

Rancho Estrella – Sonoma; San Diego Ecovillage – San

Diego; San Mateo Ecovillage – San Mateo.

c. COLORADO: Colorado Ecovillage – San Luis; Earth

Mountain Education Farm – Weston; EarthArt Village

– Moffat; Eden Ranch Community – Paonia; Gaia

University – Boulder; Prairie Sage Colorado – Boulder.

d. OTHER LOCATIONS: Olahonua – Hana, HI;

Abundance Ecovillage – Fairfield, IA; Berea College

Ecovillage – Berea, KY.

e. GEORGIA: Big Island Cohousing and Ecovillage –

Atlanta; Elfentree – Arlington, TN; Enota – Hiawassee;

Enota Mountain Ecovillage – Hiawassee; Yonders

Farm – Jeffersonville.

f. MASSACHUSETTES: Earthlands – Petersham;

heARTbeat Collective – Jamaica Plain; Katywil –

Colrain; Odonata Ecovillage – Newburyport; Sawyer

Hill Ecovillage – Berlin; Sirius Community –

Shutesbury.

g. MARYLAND: Ecovillage of Loudon County –

Frederick; Heathcote Community – Freeland.

h. MAINE: Belfast Cohousing and Ecovillage – Belfast;

Peskotomuhkati Nation – Perry.

i. MICHIGAN: Hei Wa House – Ann Arbor; Ecovillage

Detroit – Detroit; Manitou Arbor Ecovillage –

Nazareth; Michigan Ecovillage – Flint; Solaris Valhalla

CSA Farm and Educational Center – Cabool; Upland

Hills Learning Community – Oxford.

j. MISSOURI: Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage – Rutledge;

East Wind Community – Tecumseh; Heartwood

Hamlet – Zanoni; Ravenwood Ecovillage – Caulfield;

Sundog Ecovillage – Potomac; Western Cultural

Heritage Institute – Corvallis.

k. NORTH CAROLINA: Earthaven Ecovillage – Black

Mountain; Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community –

Gerton; Zendik Farm – Mill Spring.

l. NEW MEXICO: Bodhi Farms – Las Vegas; Broken

Earth Tribal Pueblo – Ojo Caliente; Island Park

Sustainable Community – Fridley; Hummingbird

Community – Mora; Piñon Ecovillage – Santa Fe;

Southwest Sufi Community – Silver City.

m. NEW YORK: Aurora Dwelling Circle – Ithaca;

Ecovillage at Ithaca – Ithaca; White Hawk Ecovillage –

Ithaca; Point Of Infinity Retreat Center & Community

– Greenfield Park; Stuberdorf Solar Village – Bradford.

n. OHIO: Cleveland Ecovillage – Cleveland; The

NEOhaus Ecovillage – Akron.

o. OREGON: Alpha Farm – Deadwood; Breitenbush

Community – Detroit; Cerro Gordo – Cottage Grove;

Eastern Oregon Ecovillage – Eastern; Lost Valley

Educational Center – Dexter.

p. PENNSYLVANIA: Eco Community Farm – Winfield;

Green Village Philadelphia – Philadelphia;

Hundredfold Farm – Cashtown; Hundredfold Farm

Cohousing – Orrtanna; Three Groves Ecovillage –

West Grove.

q. TENNESSEE: The Farm – Summertown; Moonshadow

– Whitwell; Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center –

Washburn; NuTribe Ecovillage – Jefferson City; Sun

Valley Community – Liberty.

r. TEXAS: Dancing Bear Ecovillage – Rusk; La Flor del

Agua – Laredo; Oak Village Commons – Austin.

s. VIRGINIA: Abundant Dawn Community – Floyd; Acorn

Community – Mineral; Claytor Nature Study Center –

Lynchburg; Gesundheit! Institute – Arlington; Living

Earth Ecovillage – Buena Vista.

t. WASHINGTON: Alderleaf Farm and Wilderness

College – Monroe; Clearwater Commons – Bothell;

Dapala Farm – Elk; Friends of the Trees Society –

Bellingham; Jordan Village – Arlington; MoonShire –

Bellingham; Mountain Treehouse Ecovillage –

Hoodsport; Port Townsend Ecovillage – Port

Townsend; Sacred Groves – Bainbridge Island.

In the course of this study, many of these establishments were

closely reviewed in order to better understand planning, design and

sustainability aspects pertaining to groups of cases. While a

significant majority of the case studies appeared to have been driven

by the particular cultural and spiritual forces they are also

inadvertently shaped by the local regulations, economic markets,

social and political circumstances.

All of these settlements and projects provide significant

contributions individually to the well-being of their immediate

natural surroundings within which they are located as well as

collectively to the long-term sustainability on a global scale.

Jackson and Svensson (Eds., 2002) rightly asserts that the

permaculture design and ecovillage projects are the "impulses of our

time, a response to the past and direction into the future" (p. 248).

There are no rigid guidelines, regulations or constraints these types


7

of settlements, where the implementational rules and operational

regulations are created along the way. "We have created a new

international nation, a culture which looks to the future, which is

building a positive way of life, and which is largely inclusive and

welcoming" (Jackson & Svensson (Eds.), p. 249).

4. Eco-Districts

Brickman (2009) defines an Ecodistricts as "a neighborhood that

generates all its energy from on-site renewables, collects and

recycles rainwater and waste, and prioritizes pedestrian, bike, and

transit access" which would inherently combine "mixed use, mixed

income development, neighborhood scale parks, schools,

community centers and services, and enhanced IT infrastructure”

(p.27). So, from this new alternative perspective, ecodistricts view

buildings "not as individual entities but as interconnected structures

capable of producing and sharing resources like water and energy”

(Brickman, 2009, p.27).

The ecodistricts aim to accomplish a multitude of different goals

at the same time. These goals may include on-site energy generation

(e.g. biogasification), district thermal energy (e.g. composting, heat

loop systems), on-site wastewater treatment (i.e. scalable, energy

savings in storage, filtration, pumping, etc.), water quality systems

such as green roofs. A diverse mix, pedestrian, bike, street-car and

light-rail transportation system lies at the heart of the ecodistrict

redevelopment projects especially in the urbanized areas. And,

finally, a successful ecodistricts plan incorporates a strong sense of

community and place that is anchored by social and cultural

diversity.

For instance, Lloyd District Sustainable District (LCSD) in

Portland, OR was conceived and planned to an ecodistrict

redevelopment of the existing urban fabric surrounding the Lloyd

District, a neighborhood that features a variety of businesses; multi-

family housing; two sports stadiums; limited greenways; and a

number of pubic transportation options, including light rail and bus

as well as a new streetcar line” (p.28). The project heavily relies on

the support of local government agencies, private landowners,

developers, and businesses involved.

The environmental and ecological advantages of ecodistricts are

intended to increase the resilience of their urban environments,

similar to ecovillages, typically providing improved waste

management, reduce carbon footprint, energy efficiency, water

efficiency, stormwater management, pollution reduction, as well as

habitat integration. The 'Resilient City' model offered by Newman,

Beatley and Boyer (2009) similarly outlines inherently compact,

walkable, inclusive, adaptable, diversified, redundant, regenerative,

and life enriching human environments (ch. 6).

The principles of the resilience model start with a vision in

preparing a phased improvement strategy. The model promotes

setting strong goals in planning and implementation which target

public buildings, parking and road structures. In achieving

resilience, the urban districts are encouraged to integrate the

principles of TODs (Transit-Oriented Developments), PODs

(Pedestrian-Oriented Developments), GODs (Green-Oriented

Developments) with resilience infrastructure systems.

An ecologically responsive district design also needs to

appropriately accommodate market prices as drivers of change

where the rural regions, urban neighborhoods and household need to

contribute to the overall regenerative design. Another key aspect of

ecologically resilient districts is their conduciveness to facilitating

localism as well as regionalism in terms of business, food,

enterprises, tourism, materials, etc. which should help the

realization of post-oil transition. Even though most of these

principles have stood the test of time the principle to let market

prices drive change needs to taken with extra caution. Much like

other well-intended design movements or trends, this aspect of the

resilience model may potentially result in unfavorable new

situations.

It is easy to notice that the urban environments predicated by the

Resilient City model closely resemble those of preindustrial towns

and cities prior to the infiltration of personal vehicles into urbanites

lives. It is possible to visualize a similar future where urban

residents may rid themselves of cars for a pedestrian lifestyle

centered around shorter trips for shopping. Small neighborhood

stores may then be reintroduced to the residentially integrated urban

district once again.

A former military base in Freiburg, Germany - Vauban - can be

viewed as a successful Ecodistrict that accommodates about 5,000

households on. Newman, Beatley and Boyer (2009) identify Vauban

as "a model ecological community", which is being studied "with

increasing interest as the economic, health, and environmental costs

of car dependence come into focus. Residents are offered numerous

incentives (such as free tram passes and options for carpooling) and

disincentives (extremely pricey parking only available on the edge

of town) to live car free. (There is already strong disincentive to

driving with gas over eight U.S. dollars per gallon.) The car

ownership rate in Vauban is 150 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants,

compared to the U.S. 640 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants" (p. 55).

The Vauban district also employs a series of applied technologies

on neighborhood scale such as a cogeneration power plant using

wood chips generated from the local forestry. "The plant provides

the five thousand residents and one thousand local businesses with

heat and power. Vauban’s buildings contain some 450 square

meters of solar heating panels and 1,200 square meters of PV

collectors” (Newman, Beatley & Boyer, 2009, p. 75). The genius in

the Freiburg process was the fact that local residents "understood

the value of involving the community, and this gave those involved

a chance to reflect on the value of the framework they were using to

solve the problem. Real innovation then had a chance to emerge,

and professionals were able to provide advice as they learned on the

job” (p. 75).

Another model for a self-reliant and inherently resilient

community can be seen in the redevelopment of the Western Harbor

in Malmö, Sweden, where the initial goal was to achieve a 100

percent renewable energy produced from local resources. That goal

has been largely realized by integrating a mix of renewable energy

production ideas and technologies into the fabric of this new

neighborhood such as a wind turbine and façade-mounted solar hot

water collectors. "The solar panels are a visible feature of this

delightful urban district, which boasts other sustainability initiatives

(innovative storm water management, habitat and biotope,

restoration, and green courtyards and green rooftops)” (Newman,

Beatley & Boyer, 2009, p. 72).

Located near the German city of Hannover, Kronsberg is another

great example for an ecological urban district. Newman, Beatley

and Boyer (2009) note that a number of low energy or renewable

energy strategies have been "integrated into this compact, walkable

community. There are relatively large wind turbines (the largest 1.8

megawatt turbine) have been sited just a few hundred meters from


8

some residences, and many of the apartments are supplied with a

centralized solar hot water heating system. Direct heating and two

small combined heat and powers stations (one in the basement of a

residential building) provide the neighborhood’s remaining hot

water needs and produce electricity. The use of district heating, and

combined heat and power plants, has become a standard design in

new European developments and is a much more efficient and

sustainable way to heat and power communities" (p. 72). These

kinds of small, self-sustaining, and inherently resilient communities

with small ecological footprints prove to be most effective in

sustaining a large number of people within a relatively compact land

area. A potential difficulty lies perhaps in the hardship of

accommodating future growth without outward expansion.

All of these efforts closely parallel those of ecovillages, which

are typically grassroots community initiatives by the local residents

of a closed region. Dawson (2006) considers the ecological

environmental design to be the frontline of building future

communities and notes that the types of applied research,

demonstration and training that these projects are engaged in are

"precisely those that will be needed to navigate the rough waters

ahead. Seen in this context, the initiatives that have been described

on these pages – in reforestation, seed-saving, place-specific

technologies for energy-efficient housing, food-growing, energy-

generation, the development of inclusive decision-making

structures, voluntary simplicity, and so on – appear not so much

idiosyncratic tinkering as the very stuff that the building of future

societies will be made of" (p. 77).

5. Eco-Cities

There is a fortunate and definite increase in the awareness of

American public toward how their everyday lives are actually

sustained, and at what costs. Many authors and organizations are

coming on board with bold facts and figures of what the American

lifestyles take away from the world and more importantly how they

may or may not be resupplied. The awareness of the human

footprint on ecology and the carrying capacity of the environment is

helping put the industrialized lifestyles in clear plain view. And, in

the balance is the need to reconsider and to reconfigure the

environments that facilitate those lifestyles i.e. the cities.

Numerous authors document the important relationships between

the usage of energy and land-use patterns, buildings performance or

efficiencies. Approaching ecocities from a perspective of

redesigning and redeveloping existing urban areas, Register (2006)

rhetorically questions "how could we be blind to something so

gigantic and obvious as the sprawling city of cars with its direct

impact on climate, war, and the 'cutting down' of the last 'tree' of

fine oil? How could the people of the most oil-addicted country

have a President, a Vice President, and a Secretary of State who are

all oil company executives and believe that conquering the second

larges oil field in the world has nothing to do with oil? Oil, that's the

word that never passes government lips except in rare disclaimers

that it has anything to do with anything. The people don't want to

see, and the press shuts its eyes and closes its mouth, too" (p. xxii).

He asserts that the ecocity, if dawning, is still way out over the

horizon. "We've waited so long I am beginning to wonder if we will

have enough time to build a sustainable, much less a vitally healthy

and inspiring civilization at all" (Register, 2006, p. xxv).

Register (2006) is unimpressed and even discouraged by the lack

of commitment on behalf of cities toward taking more rigorous

actions in facilitating the needed changes, and he records "precious

little progress on ecocity development has transpired anywhere

while enormous 'progress' has been made on behalf of the

car/sprawl/freeway/ cheap energy way of building" (p. xxi). With

the Ecocities methodology Register (2006) proposes "a

fundamentally new approach to building and living in cities, towns,

and villages, an approach based on solid principles from deep

history and an honest assessment of a troubled future" (p. 1).

The Ecocity approach to development and redevelopment cities

promotes simple but comprehensive planning and implementation

principles such as: building the city like the living system it is

(three-dimensional, integral, complex); making the city's function fit

with the patterns of evolution, following the builder's sequence

(starting with the foundation i.e. land-use pattern and

infrastructure); reversing the transportation hierarchy (stating with

the pedestrians, bicycles, rail, and then accommodating trucks and

other vehicles); and building healthier soils and enhancing

biodiversity (Register, 2006, p. 184).

Though the idea of creating ecologically responsive and

sustainable urban areas is not new the means and methods of

achieving that goal have been improving as the experience and

knowledge of environmental design professions deepen. Most

planning and urban design experts today defend that the urban areas

are inherently more sustainable than suburban or rural areas due to

their compact, dense, and integrated environmental qualities.

However, by contrast, "anti-urbanism still animates American

environmentalism, and is evident in the technical term that is widely

used for sprawl: 'urbanization'. This is unfortunate, because thinking

of freeways and strip malls as 'urban' phenomena obscures the

ecologically monumental difference between Manhattan and

Phoenix, or between Copenhagen and Kansas City, and fortifies the

perception that population density is an environmental ill” (Owen,

2009, p. 25).

Irrespective of the obstacles on their roads the cities and urban

areas of the industrialized need to find their way to transform

themselves into the ecocities that they have been long envisioned to

become. Among other environmental designers, Todd and Todd

(1994), perhaps most successfully outlined a theoretical framework

of biologically-based ecological design that includes nine

fundamental precepts: 1) The living world is the matrix for all

design; 2) Design should follow, not oppose, the laws of life; 3)

Biological equity must determine design; 4) Design must reflect

bioregionality; 5) Projects should be based on renewable energy

sources; 6) Design should be sustainable through the integration of

Living Systems; 7) Design should be coevolutionary with the

natural world; 8) Building and design should help to heal the planet;

and 9) Design should follow a 'sacred ecology', which they define as

"the undifferentiated interconnectedness of the human and nature

worlds in an unknowable 'metapattern which connects'" (p. 79).

Todd and Todd (1994) naturally project the emerging 'living

system' model to the redesign of neighborhoods, communities, and

cities. Discussing the bioregional restoration efforts in many

metropolitan areas such as New York, Chicago, New Orleans,

Kansas City, Denver, Phoenix, Tucson, and San Diego, they

reference various environmental quality and restoration projects (ch.

4).

Another relevant focus in their ecological design theory is the

integration of food production and local agriculture. The scope and

scale of the agricultural practices that Todd and Todd (1994)

anticipate transcend the current techniques of extraneous energy,


9

machinery, fertilizers, irrigation, electricity and biocides. The

agriculture integrated into the 'living systems' are based on bio-

sensitive soil management, intense planting techniques, aquaculture,

bioshelters, small pot grains, and agricultural forestry.

Arcosanti is a vigorous project, 'an urban laboratory' located in

Mayer, AZ, in search of innovative sustainable urban design

strategies that spring from the concept of arcology (architecture +

ecology), developed by Italian architect Paolo Soleri. In an

arcology, the basic principle is for the built and the living

environment to interact as various organs of a highly evolved being

would, which means that "many systems work together, with

efficient circulation of people and resources, multi-use buildings,

and solar orientation for lighting, heating and cooling"

(www.arcosanti.org).

Arcology, Soleri's concept fusing architecture with ecology in

cities, proposes "a highly integrated and compact three-dimensional

urban form that is the opposite of urban sprawl with its inherently

wasteful consumption of land, energy and time, tending to isolate

people from each other and the community". The arcological

miniaturization is believed to enables radical conservation of land,

energy and resources, needing only about two percent as much land

as a typical city of similar population. Whereas modern cities devote

more than sixty percent of their lands to roads and automobile

services Arcosanti effectively eliminates the automobile from within

the city through "multi-use nature of arcology design" which puts

the “living, working and public spaces within easy reach of each

other walking (www.arcosanti.org).

Began in 1970 by the Cosanti Foundation as an experimental

town in the high desert, the Arcosanti project is an inspirational

attempt at the implementation of ecocity concepts. The settlement is

planned to accommodate 5000 residents "demonstrating ways to

improve urban conditions and lessen destructive impact on the

Earth. Its large, compact structures and large-scale solar

greenhouses will occupy only 25 acres of a 4060 acre land preserve,

keeping the natural countryside in close proximity to urban

dwellers". On the educational front, the project offers a workshop

on “building techniques and arcological philosophy, while

continuing the city's construction” with volunteers and students

from around the world" (www.arcosanti.org).

Such boldly utopian endeavors may remind the reader of William

Weston's journey to Ecotopia, where the details of crossing the

border and the streets of the capital are provided. The Ecotopian city

is depicted as converting all food wastes, sewage, and garbage into

organic fertilizer, which in turn goes back into the food production

process. In that utopian ecocity sewage is recycled, garbage is

composted, crops are rotated and relied upon for nitrogen-fixing.

Alviso, CA, a sleepy village in Ecotopia, is portrayed with a

factory in center, surrounded by restaurants, library, bakeries, core

store groceries, small shops, and apartment buildings on narrow

streets. The reader gathers that this particular is home to about 9,000

people living car-less within 1/2-mile of transit station, which is

approximately a 5 min. walk, and 5 min train ride from many other

amenities (Callenbach, 1975, p. 27). Perhaps one of the core

revelations of the Ecotopian epic is the change of mind-set and

worldview as reflected in the following excerpt:

"Mankind, the Ecotopians assumed, was not meant for

production, as the 19th and early 20th centuries had believed.

Instead, humans were meant to take their modest place in a

seamless, stable-state web of living organisms, disturbing that web

as little as possible" (Callenbach, 1975, p. 44).

Conclusions

“…Underlying the beauty and the spectacle there is meaning

and significance. It is the elusiveness of that meaning that

haunts us, that sends us again and again into the natural world

where the key to the riddle is hidden. It sends us to the edge of

the sea, where the drama of life played its first scene on earth

and perhaps even its prelude; where the forces of evolution

are at work today, as they have been since the appearance of

what we know as life; and where the spectacle of living

creatures faced by the cosmic realities of their world is crystal

clear.” (Carson, 1955, p. 7)

This study briefly examines the theoretical and practical

landscape of prominent Ecovillages, Ecodistricts, and Ecocities

throughout the world. It presents a concise summary of the

principles behind successful application projects around the globe.

The literature review and research explores various definitions for

ecovillages, ecodistricts, and ecocities focusing on sources that are

most commonly associated with the terms documenting several

different examples under each category in the literature.

The good news is that the types of applied research,

demonstration and training that the ecovillages, ecodistricts and

ecocities are engaged in are "precisely those that will be needed to

navigate the rough waters ahead. Seen in this context, the initiatives

that have been described on these pages – in reforestation, seed-

saving, place-specific technologies for energy-efficient housing,

food-growing, energy-generation, the development of inclusive

decision-making structures, voluntary simplicity, and so on – appear

not so much idiosyncratic tinkering as the very stuff that the

building of future societies will be made of" (Dawson, 2006, p. 77).

One of the expert authorities on environmental issues, Brown

(2001) lays out three areas immediate recognition and action for

ecological and sustainable human settlements at global scale: "One,

we are losing the war to save the planet. Two, we need a vision of

what an environmentally sustainable economy - an eco-economy -

would look like. And three, we need a new kind of research

organization - one that offers not only a vision of an eco-economy,

but also frequent assessments of progress in realizing that vision"

(p. xv).

Brown (2001) goes on to suggest that we need to make personal

changes, involving everything from using bicycles more and cars

less to recycling our daily newspapers. "But that in itself will not be

enough. We have to change the system" (p. xvii). He further notes

that the economic policies that have yielded the extraordinary

growth in the world economy are the same ones that are destroying

its support systems. By any conceivable ecological yardstick, these

are failed policies. Mismanagement is destroying forests,

rangelands, fisheries, and croplands - the four ecosystems that

supply our food and, except for minerals, all of our raw materials as

well" (p. 7).

Meadows, Meadows and Randers (1992) argue that world faces

not a preordained future, but a choice. The choice is between

models. "One model says that this finite world for all practical

purposes has no limits. Choosing that model will take us even

further beyond the limits and, we believe, to collapse" (p. 236). "We

can now see how to restructure the global economy so as to restore

stability between the economy and the ecosystem on which it rests"

(Brown, 2001, p. 23).


10

Ecovillages, ecodistricts, and ecocities are incremental but

necessary steps in the right direction. The value systems that govern

the populace of the world have change in the favor of biospheric

ecology and natural ecosystems. All forms of the limited global

natural capital have to be valued and appreciated as much as human

lives, needs, desires, and wants. And, a natural venue in that

direction is the formation of ecovillage throughout the world.

In support of the ecovillages, ecodistrict redevelopments present

another promising venue for ushering in widespread results towards

environmental restoration primarily focused on already developed

urban areas. The partnerships between public and private entities are

shown to provide a strong basis for solid redevelopment projects at

much larger scales, with much farther reaching consequences.

At the city planning and urban design level, ecocities promise to

amend the major environmental mishaps of industrial civilization

that are specifically attributed to land-use planning, zoning and

infrastructure provisions. Through a renewed focus on ecologically

responsive and environmentally responsible design ecovillages,

ecodistricts, and ecocities can realize their full potentials.

In the underdeveloped, the developing and the developed

countries alike there are people who are keenly aware that the

environmental change starts with an individual person and continues

one person, one group, one community, one region, and one nation

at a time. The history of ecovillages, ecodistricts and ecocities in the

last several decades prove that the change is possible, the change is

happening, but at painfully slow speeds while the consumption,

deterioration and destruction races ahead. Through a genuine sense

of excitement and wonder the task of earth restoration can be

accomplished. It is hoped that it all can be materialized just in time

to make a difference.

“A Child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of

wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of

us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is

beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before

we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy

who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children

I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense

of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life,

as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and

disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with

things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our

strength.” (Carson, 1956, p. 54)

Author

Tulu Toros, AIA, NCARB has over 20 years of professional

experience as Designer, Planner and Manager, with expertise in

sustainable community planning and design, environmental

analysis, project programming, code compliance, cost analysis,

value management, as well as construction documentation and

management related to architecture, urban design, and land

development in the United States, China, Russia, Turkey, Saudi

Arabia, and Kazakhstan. Mr. Toros has studied architecture, urban

design, and regional and community planning and is currently a

PhD student at the College of Architecture, Planning & Design at

Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.

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Documents

Ecological and Sustainable Urban Design: Eco-Villages, Eco-Districts, and Eco-Cities [2011]