Ahimsa Ecovillage - A vision for a low-cost, low-impact, vegan ecovillage in or near Ithaca, New York

Ahimsa Ecovillage

Upcoming & ongoing Research, skill-sharing, online organizing and outreach, meetups in Ithaca, property search... Past project milestones September 20, 2008: A presentation and discussion of the project at Club Veg Southern Tier's Smart Monkey Ithaca restaurant outing, with the Ithaca Area Vegan Meetup Group August 31, 2008: We moved to Ithaca to begin research and organizing June 18-22, 2008: Outreach at Vegetarian Summerfest, Johnstown, PA May 31, 2008: We attended a cohousing workshop at Ecovillage at Ithaca May 12, 2008: Discussion list started; this webpage went up April 10, 2008: The project is mentioned in Forbes magazine, of all places March 1, 2008: Listing first posted in the Intentional Communities Directory		A vision for a low-cost, low-impact, vegan ecovillage in or near Ithaca, New York Greetings! We're Shira Golding and Ari Moore, an activist / artist couple with three adopted vegan cat friends. Since we are looking to settle down and start a family, we have been considering where and how we want to live. We want to be close to the land and surrounded by people who share our values of compassion, social-consciousness and sustainability. There are many amazing intentional communities out there, but surprisingly few that are vegan. For the animals, for the environment and for humans, this needs to change. If we can create a thriving vegan ecovillage, we can hopefully inspire others while enriching our own lives. "Ahimsa" is the Sanskrit word for nonviolence, and it is tied closely to veganism. Practicing ahimsa means striving to do the most good and the least harm. It means being compassionate towards all animals, including humans and, of course, ourselves. And it means protecting and nurturing the earth -- there's only one, and we all have to share it. While we could pursue this vision as individuals, we believe strongly that collaboration and cooperation lead to a much deeper and substantial impact, not to mention, it's a lot more fun and interesting. We want to create a community that's not only vegan and sustainable but also a center of activity and education, a place where art and music flow, a laboratory for innovation, and a hub for social change on a local and global level. We are looking for other people who share this vision. We are both leaders, but we don't want to lead this community. Rather, we want to find others who want to join us in creating and sustaining a community. We are looking for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences who are open-minded, good at communicating and hard-working. We are looking for creative people who believe in the power of art and music to change the world. We are looking for people who have a sense of humor. What form will Ahimsa take? Our current plan, subject to change depending on who gets involved and what we collectively decide, is to buy a farm or other property with a large house that would serve as temporary housing and shared studio / office space. In addition to working to bring in personal income, many of us would team up a few hours a day to help build houses for each person / couple / family group, one or two at a time until everyone has a cozy earth-friendly residence of their own design. The original house would then serve as a shared community space and guest housing for visiting family and friends. We're also picturing a treehouse and hammock, a solar-heated hot tub, picnics and bonfire jam sessions, creative collaboration and cross-pollination in art and work, group unschooling for kids, and frequent communal meals and celebrations. Maybe we could have room available for visiting artists or activists to stay with us for free. Maybe we could figure out how to power our computers by trampoline. You never know. We're still educating ourselves about legal structures, permits and zoning and welcome ideas and help on this front. So far, it looks like the best course of action might be to form a cooperative which would sell houses to residents at an artificially low price (and to which leaving residents would then sell their houses, so the community can find new folks to move in). Get involved Contributions are not all economic: knowledge and experience, building and agriculture skills, labor and time, the social work of caring for and sharing with friends and family, are all every bit as essential to a sustainable community as is money. If you really want to help make this idea happen and have something to contribute, don't let a lack of money, ability, or knowledge be a deterrent - get involved. Here's what to do: Make sure you agree with the Ahimsa Essentials listed above. If you're not vegan yet, read "Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach" by Gary Francione. Those with concerns about health are encouraged to check out Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's excellent literature on the many health benefits of a vegan diet. Make sure you're comfortable with the idea of living in a community that treats all animals as equals. Join our discussion list and read the (members-only) archives to meet the other folks on the list. Send an introduction to the list. Tell us about yourself, why you're into this project, and what you can bring to the table. If you have points of disagreement or questions for us, fire away. We're using the list as a place to dialogue about the project, to share knowledge, and to see where our visions match up, so the idea can continue to grow and evolve. We're looking forward to meeting you! Once you've joined the list and introduced yourself, if you're seriously interested in making this project happen, help us build the groundwork! Spread the word, and encourage folks you know who might be interested in the idea to visit this webpage. Join us in self-education about consensus and nonviolent communication, community living, natural building and renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. Read books. Attend workshops. Tell the list what you've learned to help this project evolve and grow. Get our newsletter If you're interested in the project but trying to keep your email to a minimum, consider joining our ultra-low traffic announcements-only mailing list. This alternative to the discussion list will help you keep track of what's going on with brief updates sent out only once a month or so - and you can always join the discussion list later if you like what you see and want to get more involved. Get the newsletter »		Ahimsa Essentials Most of the land will be undeveloped, leaving natural habitat intact. Permaculture gardening and landscaping. Producing a lot of our own food would be ideal. Close enough to Ithaca center to get around by bike or via public transportation (see our always-evolving Ithaca Google Map). We could also try carsharing. Renewable energy generation, with an aim to go off-grid if possible. Zero waste would be ideal - we'll work toward it! Houses will be built using natural and/or salvaged materials (more info / examples: Low-impact Woodland Home, Lammas Eco Village, Strawbale House Plan, UndergroundHousing.com, Mortgage Free! Radical Strategies for Home Ownership). We will not support sweatshop labor and other human exploitation. Children will be treated with respect and the community will be planned with child-friendliness in mind. Free-living and companion animals will be treated equitably and with respect. This means no exploitation, use, or consumption of animals or animal products (i.e. no animal breeding, rat traps, fishing, beekeeping, horseriding, animal labor, roaming cats walking around killing birds, etc.).

other ithaca-area vegans: club veg southern tier \| ithaca area vegan meetup group other ithaca-area intentional communities (not vegan): ecovillage at ithaca \| white hawk ecovillage vegan community info: vegans in community (ic.org) \| vegans and vegan-friendly communities get in touch: email us \| join the discussion list \| get the newsletter see also: our ithaca map \| our ic.org directory listing