Ecovillages: Lessons for Sustainable Community

Bought it for class, did not read because I am lazy. Pretty cover! Seems interesting!

This book is about people who have decided to do something to improve the ecosystem, self chosen strategies within volunteer communities which use a wide variety of settings world wide, urban and rural, spiritual or secular to address the needs of our groaning planet. Well written and interesting. Inspiring to those who are bummed out over the current trends towards self destruction.

“Ecovillages attract two kinds of people: those who feel a sense of urgency to build another world and those who crave a deep sense of community.”Ecovillages are Solarpunk in action and are the most hopeful things I’ve ever read.Starting in 2007 Professor Litfin visited fourteen ecovillages on five continents and came back to start her own. Her stories and perspectives are an inspiration!As of publication, there were 400 ecovillages worldwide and the movement has grown! Aardehuis, an Earthship ecovillage pictured above, was pouring foundations in 2012. Now it’s giving workshops. EcoVillage Ithaca’s discussed third neighborhood has sold out.This stuff makes my soul dance!

This book was very insightful. It provided an interesting account of sustainability and ecovillages. The author provides a bit too much "personal" accounts at times, but it was good overall.

Written with such joy and insight. If you are curious about ecovillages, do yourself a favor and stroll through the mind of a professor who visited over a dozen. Some of the stories are the best you will ever hear in your life and you may wonder, why we all don't live in this kind of rich, meaningful settlement.

Ecovillages is an amazing book. This book addresses the myriad challenges we face as a planet with inspiration for a new world. Whether you are an ecovillager living off-grid on acres of land, or a mainstream urban American, this book offers lessons and inspirations for anyone who wants to see our world thrive.

I have visited many of the EV's described in this book and at times it felt like I must have been visiting villages with the same name but different time.One which I know well is so different from what Karen described that I had to share her views with some friends. The problem is that her book was researched 5 years or longer ( in some cases) ago and communities move on - hopefully forward.The books by Diana Leafe Christian are much more useful. The reason I guess can be found in the fact that Diana lived in an Ecovillage longer then 2 weeks!!

Answers most of the unknowns about village life and it's functionality. Well written and easy to enjoy. Highly recommend.

The book is written from a scientific point of view, I would have preferred a more hands on practical book. I also found the writing style didn't grab my attention. It annoyed me that she said she interviewed a lot of people but repeats the same quotes many times throughout the book.To be fair there were some interesting parts but all in all I would say the book could have been written in a much more interesting way.I will not be reading this book a second time.

Beautiful amazing book!

How can common sense be so well written and inspiring? Seldom happens, but in this book the writing is beautiful, the heart and consciousness guiding the writer is a delight to immerse oneself in, and the clarity of scholarship belongs to a very wise professor. A magnificent book and a real partner in focusing oneself for the road ahead. Highly recommended.

This is recommended for community builders everywhere. Whether you are interested in ecovillages or just creating sustainability in the communities where you live and work, this book is well worth the read.

I'm doing research on ecovillages right now, and karens book is what i'd love to do! Its a really great insight to ecovillages and not simply just bigging up ecovillages but examining at the different principles and whether they work.Read this if you are interested in ecological living, she also shows examples of ecological living who are living in huge prosperity so it is not just limited to hippy deprived living.