Eco-villages: A Sustainable Alternative
If you have never heard of an eco-village, they can be described as intentional communities focused on sustainability and independence from the outside world. Beyond just the sustainable practices, many people and families are drawn to eco-villages for the strong sense of community that comes with it.
Similarly to how one would imagine life before suburban sprawl, eco-villages have a community life where everyone is involved in helping take care of the community and each other. This is pretty contrary to the typical American life of people who don't know their neighbors and only go to and from their houses to work.
One eco-village is called Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Rutledge, Missouri. This eco-village was built on 280 acres of land in a rural part of Missouri. As for their mission, ecological sustainability is the main focus. They are able to accomplish this by using solar and wind energy, growing their own seasonal food, and restoring much of the land mass to a wildlife habitat. They also grow trees that they plan on using for lumber as the eco-village grows over time.
As for the people who live at Dancing Rabbit, they have families and individuals as well as an income sharing community. Though a lot of people would consider income-sharing as radical, everyone who lives in Dancing Rabbit benefits from the aspects of living in a shared community, so it works for them. Income sharing in our modern society is hard to imagine; however, accepting the benefits of your entire communities labor surely makes everyone feel that they are benefiting.
Beyond just sharing the resources inside the community, residents also have a market where they can sell goods outside of the community. On their website (dancingrabbit.org) they specify that they sell quilts, acupuncture appointments, chinese herbs, cruelty-free feathers, jam, and pickles.
Eco-villages go above and beyond what one would expect from even a close-knit and active community. However, it is important to note that this option definitely isn't for everyone. Because of what we are used to living in modern day America, this option seems really out-there and unconventional. Though many would perceive it as such, it is evident that Dancing Rabbit is more similar to what life would have been like beyond the industrial revolution. It is hard to imagine a world where people are helping and supporting each other like they would their own families. Dancing Rabbit is a a testament that despite how the world has changed, this type of living is still possible.
Overall, eco-villages are a rare sight to see in this day and age, though increasing in popularity. Despite their reputation as radical, they are increasingly becoming a valid option for those who are tired of the isolated life of suburbia.
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