How to Start a Modern Sustainable Living Community (right where you’re at)
By Andrea
A couple of weekends ago I had the privilege of attending the Plant Healer’s Herbal Resurgence Rendezvousat Mormon Lakejust outside of Flagstaff, AZ.
It was a magical time!
One full of cutting-edge classes,folk music, dance, and plant celebration.
But more importantly, it was the community.
The weekend was driven with purpose. Everyone was happy, healthy, and active. For a few days we all lived together in a community where it became the norm to:
§ wake naturallywith the sun.
§ laugh.
§ engage in intellectual socialization.
§ sharemealtimes.
§ drink tea together.
§ take plant walks.
§ hike in the forest.
§ rest our bodies as needed.
It certainly was asharp contrast tothe lifestyle ofmany in the U.S.– as weoften find ourselvesliving in communities where it is largely common to wake in the morning with an obnoxious alarm, live with anxiety, sit isolated most of the day, eat whateverfoods arefast and/or convenient, watch tons of TV, stress out about time…
It is true that many of us have found ways to rejectthesenegative habits of our culture, yet I think it’ssafe to say thatwe often struggle to find a supportive group of peopleto foster further/deeper growth.
So what are we supposed to do if we’re”in with the wrong group of people”?
Start a sustainable living community.
Framework of a Sustainable Living Community
*As I was searching online for tips on starting a sustainable living community, I was enlightened by reading this article written by Leo Babauta. It was the trigger that set my mindoncourse andthecatalyst for this post.
Thankfully, there isn’t one single shapefor which asustainable living communitycan fit into –if you look at other successful communities such as the examples set forth in the…
§ intentional community
§ eco-village
§ cohousing
§ commune
§ co-op
§ religious cooperatives
…there are a plethora of routines and practices that the people living in these communities hold to.
Nevertheless, here are seven thatseem to be of utmostimportance:
1. Live within seasonal bounds. Proponents of sustainable living aim to conduct their lives in suchaway that mimic the example given to usin nature. Natural balance and respectfulfor humanity’s relationship with the Earth’s natural ecology and cycles should be our driving force. Thiscould include — yet is by no means limited to –the practices of: (a) Waking up naturally. As quoted from Sherry L. Ackerman, Ph.D., inImprove your sleep quality by waking up naturally, “waking up naturally is far gentler on the body. Teach yourself to wake up on time by priming your body’s internal clock– stick to a regular bedtime routine and train yourself to wake at a certain time. Go to bed at the same time every night and allow yourself to sleep until you wake up naturally. No alarm clocks!
If you continue to keep the same bedtime and wake up naturally, you’ll eventually dig your wayout of fatigue and arrive at the sleep schedule that’s ideal for you.” (b) Eating seasonal foods. Those foods that can either be grown, preserved, hunted for, or gathered in your local area during — and throughout — each change in season.(c) Using plants as medicine.For every season of the year and of life, there is a plant to help the body heal.
2. Meet together. Interacting daily with others isof vitalimportance within the sustainable living community. Whetherit be talking via phone or email, visiting neighbors, ride-sharing, coordinating bulk food purchases, going to church, or hosting a DIY get-together…interact daily with others in the community.
3. Positive outlook on life. Attitude is EVERYTHING. A “can-do,” positive attitude possesses healing powers. Dispel all negativity within the community and live with purpose.
4. Reduce Poisonous Habits. A majority ofour most poisonous habits have their roots in hyper-consumption andconvenience.In order to reduce poisonous habits, we mustfirst look to alter our spending habits,methods of transportation, energy consumption, and diet. Likewise, it is important to note that the mosthealthy sustainablesocietieshave built-inrequirements for daily physical activity –whether it isworking the landor walkingtoget around. It is usually performedfor exercise, out of necessity,and/or for socializing purposes.
5. Eat together. Adopting a traditional diet –and sharing it in the company of others — is a truly nourishing experience. The hunter/gatherer within the sustainable living communityisresponsible for, and finds joy in,food preparation and meal coordination. Theyachieve ultimate fulfillment in bringing life-giving sustenance to the group — and likewise recognize the importance of eating together.
6. Grow your own.Gardens are sprouting up (literally) all over the place (home and public). It’s a revolution of sorts! Gardening is an extremely therapeutic, empowering,and bonding experience. An absolute necessity for the thriving sustainable living community.
7. Foster accountability. To be accountable within a sustainable living community means you have an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account foryour ownactions.A lifestyle that attempts to reduceone’s own –or society’s –use of the Earth’s natural and personalresourcesalmost demands accountability in order for the dream to be realized.
okay…and one more
Live with an open heart and open hands. The very word “community” tells a story of devotion to others…notonly tooneself. The sustainable living community must live with an open heart and open hands toward each other — sharing everything and combining resources.When wearecommitted to each other,as a group, and have everything in common…selling our possessions and goods in order to give to anyone as they have need, healing the sick, and caring for those who need our helpdoesn’t seem sofar-fetched.
There are without a doubt other practices that are important to a sustainable living community (include yours in the comments below), but I think the seveneight things outlined above would be a sure part of laying a good foundation for the group.
What does a sustainable living community look like? Practically.
Iassume that thelarge majority of us live “regular” lives in eithera modernurban, suburban, or rural setting.
Hear me when I say…completely withdrawing from society and living in a commune is notAT ALLthe goal here.
Asustainable living community can besuccessfully createdin a multitude ofsituations.
For example ::
With Like-Minded People
Two people are all that’s needed to form a community. All we need is one otherperson that “gets it” to join us in our mission. Andas the pillars, practices, and new routines of our lifestyle begin to bleed out…others close to you might be inspired to join when they see all of the healthy,more sustainable,changes you’ve made.
Start with local like-minded family and/or friends.
And perhaps, in the beginning, just start by meeting regularly together.
You all could…createtheritualof some sort of physical activity together (i.e. yoga/hiking/walking/perhaps helping with farm chores/etc.). In a few weeks, aim to coordinate bulk buying habits and perhaps schedule a day to preserve the foods together (maybe even combining financialresources to purchase items necessary for canning, energy reduction, and water conservation). Next, you could commit to reducing one poisonous habit together. And so on.
Get togetherregularly — daily if at all possible, but2-3times a week minimally.But if you can’t, make sure toyoutalk on the phone, on Facebook, or via email. Makeit a daily priority. This type ofconsistent contact helps you get support from each other, keep each other accountable, andforms a bondwhiledoing something meaningful together.
Online
If you can’t seem to findanyonelike-minded person locally, then find them online.
Todaywe have littleexcuse for not being able to find people interested in similar things to what we’re interested in– they exist in troves online.
Unsure and nervous aboutwhere/how to start?
How about Facebook friends, or Facebook groups? Ordaily visitsto afewsustainable, natural living, eco-friendlyblogs and join the commenting community. You could also search for (on Google or ask in the comments of this blog post) and find online forums thatfocus onthe topics you’re interested in.
And when youdo find a few online friends, start your own group. Or forum. Or better yet…start your own blogging community together!
There are a multitude of ways to join and/or form an online group that communicates regularly. Onethat can support each othertowarda moresustainable lifestyle.
Your Neighborhood
Attempting to start a sustainable living community within your neighborhood may be one of the toughest options out there!
This based on several different reasons,yet most often due to the fact that:
§ influencinga large group of people to change ishard.
§ you may not talk to your neighbors that much (consider it a blessing if you do)!
§ trying to convince people who might not want to change that they need to change is near impossible.
But don’t focus on the negative!
You can start smallby simply getting to know your neighbors,and creating something new and exciting.
In the beginning, you couldlay the foundation for a sustainable living communityin your neighborhood by:
§ starting a community garden
§ hosting aDIY get-together
§ open your home to teaching people sustainable living practices such as soap-making, herbal medicine, gardening, or keeping chickens.
§ ride-sharing.
These are just a few ideas.
The greatest challenge is learning the needs and desires of those living around you and coming up with ways to meet them…sustainably.