Eco-Villages: A Model for Environmentally Friendly Community Living

2009-05-05T22:55:00.007-04:00

Kimberton Hills Ecovillage in Photos

2009-04-21T08:41:00.007-04:00

Camphill Village Kimberton: An Ecovillage in our Backyard!

As mentioned on our group blog Ecovillage Evolution, Kimberton is part of the Camphill Village movement. This movement began in Scotland and now has many villages throughout the world. Members of these villages are also natives from various parts of the globe. Camphill Villages emphasize ecologically sound living principles and community conviviality while recruiting members with disabilities, giving them a chance to be productive in life.

This village is in close proximity to Philadelphia, located in a town called Kimberton, Pennsylvania. The JEM group was given a personalized tour for over 2 hours around the village observing the low impact modes of living.

I was informed by Diedra, one of the coordinator's of the village/ tour guide, an array of information pertaining to water, waste, recycling and sewage.

Water, like most ecovillages, is seen as a precious necessity to life. Looking after its health is of utmost importance at Kimberton. Along its rivers they maintain riparian buffer zones to prevent runoff, contaminants and other threats to the health of the water. The also took out many invasives. All water is sourced from the creek and a well, which are both located on the 422 acre property.

They use a cistern to collect toilet water, landscape water and laundry water while rain water is collected in specialized catchment areas. They use a Wetlands mimicking system to purify their gray and black water. It purifies sewage for about 50-60 people. They also use flow forms to add oxygen to the water to help purify it.

Conservation is also key here. They use low-flow-toilets and shower heads and even have 2 composting toilets.

The community tries very hard to watch its trash output. They donate clothes, have rummage sales, make art out of old jeans and monitor carefully them amount of trash they produce. There craftiness is a communal attempt towards internal recycling. They collect food from Kimberton Whole Foods and Tritter Joes and consume what they can, feeding the pigs and composting. Recyclable items are sent to Pottstown by local services. There trash is collected by the local service.

All in all I was very impressed to have seen the village firsthand and witness the wonderful things being done! A+ to Kimberton! Thanks for allowing our visit!

2009-04-16T12:53:00.011-04:00

Source: Traindevie

Solborg: A Camphill “Ecovillage”

Solborg is a Camphill Village located in southern Norway. Camphill was established in 1940 and from then until now has constructed "ecovillage style" communities throughout the world with a special emphasis on allowing residents with disabilities. Although not officially recognized by GEN as an ecovillage, it still reflects similar traits that make up the traditional composition of them. They believe society marginalizes disabled citizens and believe living at Camphill eneables them a chance to be productive and self sufficient.

In terms of waste, water and sewage Solborg carries out a few different attributes to ensure conservative, sustainable, and low impact usage of its resources. Waste for the most part is composted and later used for nutritious soil. They use horse to transport wastes to mitigate carbon emissions from motorized vehicles. Recycling is often done as well. I would assume they are connected to the local municipal services, but am unclear.

Sewage is typically treated with "ponds, reedbeds and "Flow Form" water cascades. There are many types of Flowforms, "but the central concept is that it is a vessel which brings streaming water into a flow pattern similar to that of liquid in the heart. See Picture.

Source: Storms Journal

Sources:

http://gen.ecovillage.org/iservices/publications/articles/CM117EcoVLandIc.pdf

http://home.earthlink.net/~johnrpenner/Articles/Flowforms.html

http://www.solborg.net/english/archive.html

2009-04-06T19:31:00.006-04:00

Ecovillage of the Week II: The Farm

Nestled in the beautiful country of Tenessee lies an ecovillage called The Farm. It was literally started by vans full of Hippies in the early 1970's. It is considered an ecovillage but falls on top of much criticism with its operations.

In terms of water, the community scores big points by having its own ground water supply. This is mostly gravity-fed and distributed from a 25,000 gallon storage tank. It supplies water to 90+ residents. Aside from potable well water, the Farm does have and rain water catch systems. It has been claimed the Farm doesn't have any mechanisms for doing so however, a recent You Tube video claims there are rain collecting gutters which channel rainwater to a cistern for later usage. During the dry summer months they use electricity to pump there water. Critics see this as inefficient.

For sewage, the farm does treat its gray and black water anaerobically, but they channel it to the forest when it completes its treatment stages. Some of the phosphates from gray water are used to grow phosphate-loving plants.

Waste is composted, while reusage and recycling remain extremely important.

There is a limited amount of information available about this topic at this time.

Sources:

http://www.thefarm.org/lifestyle/antiochecovillages.html

http://www.ecovillagenews.org/wiki/index.php/Is_The_Farm_an_Ecovillage?

2009-04-03T09:29:00.010-04:00

Photo courtesy of EcoVillage Ithaca

Ecovillage of the Week I: Ithaca (EVI) - Recycling, Water, Waste, Sewage

Recycling, aside from their rigor of reusing, is done simultaneously with day-to-day activities. Carts full of metals, glass, compost, paper, plastic and trash are collected. It is often times moved in one trip, revealing EVI's efforts of re-usage and minimalistic consumption. Anyhow composting is successfully practiced with brown matter being put over green. When it heats up it turns to rich, odorless humus. This can be used later as nutrients for crops.

There is a common dumpster where 160 of the residents deposit their trash in a 108-cubic-foot dumpster. This is a quarter of what the typical U.S. housing development generates per week. For the recyclables, there is a shed that has bins for each item. They are collected by the local Municipal service. It is diversely successful. Lastly there is a "reuse room" where residents can donate clothing, shoes, toys and other goods. It's all so well planned!

Sewage and water at Ithaca, like anywhere else, are of utmost importance. Water is perceived as a dire necessity and conservation is extremely crucial. Water use is limited daily, while many residents have composting toilets or toilets that use minimal water in comparison to conventional toilets. Plants that are grown there are intended to use little water, while the watering of them primarily occurs in the evening, to inhibit rapid evaporation. Rainwater is avidly collected, where gutters transfer it to the pond or rain barrels collect it. It is also transferred to an underground cistern, to be drawn from for later usage. It's used for watering plants and quenching the thirst of animals.

Sewage treatment is still linked to the local municipalities system mostly because an alternative treatment system is out of EVI's current price range. They would like to see a "Living Machine" implemented however it may be pricey so they think a wetlands or reed bed system may be more likely. In the meantime, houses are equipped with dual piping systems that separate gray water from black water. The next step is to build a filtration system to cleanse the gray water.

Sources:
Walker, Liz. Ecovillage At Ithaca Pioneering A Sustainable Culture. New York: New Society, 2005.

2009-03-31T18:24:00.013-04:00

It's Alive! The Living Machine at Findhorn Ecovillage & Recycling

Photo Courtesy of Flickr

Findhorn uses the Living Machine. The machine treats sewage water from the 300 residents living there. In addition to that, it serves as a brilliant example for many students and visitors to observe and study. Many can enjoy seeing the creative processes in action that make the Living Machine possible.

Findhorn currently uses the machine to undergo Phase I water treatment. They plan to install a Phase II treatment system in the near future to get off the "water grid" or mains they use now. This system will reuse the water for all purposes and distribute it accordingly. The final goal is to someday be completely self sufficient with their water resources.

As for recycling, Findhorn has a rather extensive system. They recycle paper, glass, batteries, metal and even have a clothing drive. They do not have plastic listed as being recycled, however the document may be a bit outdated. It is unclear what they do about non recyclable items, but I assume they are connected to the Findhorn's municipal trash service.

2009-03-23T20:09:00.011-04:00

The Living Machine

The Living Machine; What exactly is it? The Living Machine have been defined as a "decentralized waste water treatment system that mimics processes found in wetland environments" and provides tertiary sewage treatment to allow dirty water to be used for irrigation, bathing and toilets. It is a remarkably innovative technology that seeks to lessen the usage of water as well as the energy put into water treatment. It breaks away from centralized sewage treatment by using natural, biological principles to treat water.

The machine itself is backed by mechanical operations and computer systems, which allow a self regulating pseudo-environment. The machine works in succession. First a series of tanks are meticulously arranged by design. Each tank "contains an ecosystem built up with materials gathered from the wild or other Living Machines" (Bang 165). The components of the ecosystem consist of microorganisms, invertebrates, fish, plankton, shrubs, flowers and mollusks. All of them provide a critical role in the overall purification process of the water treatment.

The machine is responsible for organizing and developing its own ecosystem. Then each organism is carefully assigned its tank or specific area, depending upon which biological function it will perform and carry out. The organisms literally "live off pollutants" and as the sewage enters each tank, it gradually becomes cleaner and cleaner until the end (Bang 167).

The end is when the organisms known as the "scrubbers" process and clean the water one last time to prepare it for irrigation and sometimes drinking. Living Machines can process anywhere from 2,500 - 200,000 gallons of water! It also conserves water. A zoo in the Netherlands cut its water production by 84% (Worrell 3). This helped to lower water bills and increase revenue for separate usages.

The Living Machine is a highly researched, relatively new approach towards sewage treatment, but it's popularity and development are increasing. Not only is it a more environmentally friendly approach to confronting the impediment of sewage, but it is aesthetically appealing to people of all ages. In fact it may be hard to tell you are in one! Only time will reveal the succession of this spawning, technologically innovative achievement. More posts to come!

Sources:

Bang, Jan Martin. Ecovillages A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities. New York: New Society, 2005.

Worrell. "Living Machine Systems: Treating Wastewater Nature's Way." The Living Machine. 2008. Worrell Water Technologies LLC. 23 Mar. 2009.

Sewage, Water and Waste

2009-02-27T16:53:00.011-05:00

There are many attributes that contribute to the overall synergistic success of an ecovillage. In dealing with issues like sewage, water and waste one is left with the question of how to deal with these matters in a sustainable fashion. Many rural ecovillages are connected to the local towns sewer main or have a biological means of breaking down wastes via microorganisms , obtain and collect water from local sources or rain and deal with waste by recycling, reducing, reusing and composting. In an urban setting, things are a bit more difficult. For example a city like Philadelphia has thousands of row homes interconnected throughout the city. If a particular community were to establish sustainable systems of the aforementioned aspects, how would they go about doing so? What are the boundaries from one community to the next? Who can implement, regulate and maintain such systems?

These and many of questions will be addressed throughout this blog in posts to come. But first it is important to mention the what kind of technologies exist and how to apply them to an urban setting in a practical way.

Many ecovillages have self-sustaining systems which break down sewage and excess water. There are two types of waste water; Black water and gray water. Black water is waste water that contains fecal matter (sewage). It is very difficult for it to break down in a natural setting however, much thought has been put into how to develop a sustainable means of dealing with it. With all the energy/materials cost put into sewage transport and purification processes, it would be more logical to have the sewage system local. Technologies such as "reed-bed technology" or sewage gardens are a sustainable, autonomous solution to the problem. Reed bed systems work as followed

"Reed beds use common reed plants (phragnmites communis, a second cousin of the common marsh plant) to dewater solids in a confined area. The beds can be any shape to accommodate existing land conditions and areas. Specially designed ponds with underdrains covered by a sand and gravel mixture are constructed and filled with reed plants. Modified sludge drying beds also work well and are an ideal retrofit. They already have side walls, layers of sand and gravel, an underdrain system which collects and carries away filtrate, and an impervious membrane liner. Solids are pumped into the reed beds. Dewatering occurs through evaporation, plant transpiration, and decantation. Decanted water seeps through the bottom of the bed and through the layers of sand and gravel into the underdrains, traveling back to the wastewater treatment plant for secondary treatment. During dewatering the solids change from liquid to "cake." Six inches of solids and water will compress to a half inch of solid cake. The cake is left in the bed and the process is repeated. Sludge reed beds are a significant improvement over existing drying beds. Sludge can be dewatered and converted into biomass and a low-grade compost without chemical addition or energy. They have lengthy turnover time and are capable of reducing sludge volumes by up to 95% over time."

The technology is innovative, however in an urban setting spacial issues would present an indefinable challenge. Also it may be difficult to implement based on zoning laws, income levels, social participation and willingness to accept.

The second, more feasible type of water treatment is with gray water. Gray water is the water left over after showering, doing laundry and dish washing. It is ideal for houses to be equipped with two sets of drainage pipes: one for black water and one for gray so each can travel separately for further treatment without unnecessary mixing. A filtration system would be needed to filter out soaps, shampoos, etc... The benefits of collecting grey water are beneficial and less energy intensive. It can be used to water plants, to clean, brush teeth, etc... The hardest part of implementing such a system would be financing, design, maintenance, and government approval.

The technology is there but many hurdles keep it's implementation small scale. It is slowly catching on. More posts to come.....

Sources:
http://www.lagoonsonline.com/reedbeds.htm

Barton, Hugh. Sustainable Communities The Potential for Eco-neighbourhoods. Minneapolis: Earthscan Publications Ltd., 2000.

Walker, Liz. Ecovillage At Ithaca Pioneering A Sustainable Culture. New York: New Society, 2005.

2009-02-16T20:19:00.016-05:00

"Ecovillage Style Living" in the Rich Coast

Studying abroad at the School for Field Studies in Atenas, Costa Rica during the spring semester of 2008 allowed me an early glimpse into the frontiers of "ecovillage style living," without knowing anything about it at the time. Although the campus I was a part of is not recognized as an official Ecovillage, there were many daily rituals and practices related to certain fundamentals encompassing the essential concept. First off the property was previously an old farm. So all of the orange and mango groves were left intact and are still maintained. The fruit is used to eat, make orange juice and is also sold to the local community at a low, affordable price. It is maintained by using an all natural herbicide made from molasses. It is 100% environmentally friendly! We used this herbicide as well as planted and maintained the organic garden which provided food for our own personal consumption. It was also interesting to note that many people in the neighborhood grew there own food or raised there own livestock for personal consumption as well. The electricity was from hydroelectric sources and mostly used at night because of all the sunlight Costa Rica gets during the day. Fluorescent light bulbs were used to promote energy efficiency when electricity ws being used. The center decided to forgo hot water heating systems so consequently the showers, where we cleaned ourselves with organic/environmentally safe products, were always cold. The centers location at the top of the hill allowed for breezes to pass through consistently, a sort of 'passive cooling system'. The professors and workers mostly lived either on campus or in the neighborhood. So there was no need for a car to get there. To leave one would take the bus or call the cab, both of which are common means of transportation because many Costa Ricans in Atenas either own one car or don't have a car. Students all lived in one house with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, a common area, classroom and an outside patio with chairs and hammocks. Recycling was huge. Everything like glass, paper, cardboard, tin foil, containers, plastic, batteries and more were all collected for reuse. Food was eaten in the main house. Wasted food was composted and later used as fertilizer. Dishes were cleaned by a "Pandilla" system where a different group each week would do the washing by hand, while another group cleaned the bathroom, and another grouped planned a community event. It was structured so that each week a group would do a different task. Meetings and other classes were held in the outdoor classroom. The campus itself is full of various plants that attract multiple forms of wildlife. Butterflies, monkeys, snakes, tarantulas, bats, birds and even a sloth were seen throughout my stay at this campus. Many of these critters were common place.

Living here taught me the value of team work and group cooperation. It shows that with structured, well planned systems, sustainable concepts can be initiated and can work. It requires work but with the help of the group, its gets accomplished quickly. There was surprisingly minimal conflict between members of the group (30 of us) despite everyone being very unique. Although there is much room for improvement to make the SFS center even more efficient and environmentally sound, it has done a relatively good job so far and continues to strive in doing so on its current budget. Although it is not in an urban setting it still provides an example of how ecovillage dynamics can work. It would be interesting to see how it all pans out 10 years from now......
http://www.fieldstudies.org/pages/147_center_for_sustainable_development_costa_rica.cfm

2009-02-16T19:46:00.008-05:00

An Artist's Innovative Conception on Ecovillages

The artist Roger Dean, made famous for doing many album covers (amongst other achievements) in the 60's and 70's for bands such as Yes, Boston and Pink Floyd is now pushing his artistic abilities even further to enhance the present conceptions of sustainable design by inventing it through his unique vision. Truly remarkable. Check it out!

http://www.rogerdean.com/architecture/willowater.htm

2009-01-30T14:56:00.008-05:00

About Ecovillages

Eco-villages are a relatively new idea that some say has Archaic roots. The goal of ecovillages, in the words of Hildur Jackson, is to "honour the cycles of nature and to live as beautifully and in as dignified a way as possible with them; respect the soil, the plants, the animals and our fellow human beings in an earth centered world view to follow the pulse of life." Current economic institutions are set up for egocentric exploitation among many competitors, which has now reached a global scale.
What does this mean for planet earth? This means further environmental degradation, resource exploitation, increased consumption and many many more environmentally related dilemmas. The current balance of earth has been severely disrupted and it must reach or strive towards a sustainable equilibrium. This balance will require a shift in consciousness on how we view our world, a break from egocentric, materialistic consumption and massive social participation. This also goes hand in hand with how we live our daily lives and what must change in order to reach the desired goal.
Eco-villages offer the possibility of a newly found conscious understanding of planet earth, helping to direct our actions and the choices we make. Members of the communities all do their part to contribute to the group collectively. All the members are free to think, exchange ideas, share items and live in a communal manner. The ecovillage's daily functioning will be based off ideas related to sustainability. For example food will be grown in an organic matter, energy will be renewable, waste and consumption kept at a standard, etc... The purpose of this blog is to elaborate on the potentials of ecovillages in rural and urban settings, how they can be implemented, the trade-offs, the positives and negatives and much more. The overall goal is to accurately describe to the public this relatively new idea.

Source: Jackson, Hildur. Creating Harmony: Conflict Resolution in Community Gaia Trust/ Permanent Publications. 1999