Creating the Impossible - O.U.R. Ecovillage

Peak Moment 84: O.U.R. stands for "One United Resource," expressing how interdependence and inclusion undergird this 25 acre demonstration sustainable community on Vancouver Island. This model ecovillage comprises natural buildings, a school, long- and short-term residences, extensive gardens, greenhouses, and even a bed & breakfast. Brandy Gallagher MacPherson describes how they created an entirely new zoning category by building relationships with regulatory agencies that go beyond "us versus them". [www.ourecovillage.org]

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• our
• ecovillage
• zoning
• sustainability
• intentional
• community
• Brandy
• MacPherson

[kkob]

This video hilights one of the biggest problems with responding to PO, AGW and economic collapse: is it sustainable if Average Joe can't do it?

How many groups of people people with past government experience, soil experts, can afford to get environmental studies done, etc?

And how many people have 50k to be able to join in?

What is needed is a blueprint that can be copied by almost anyone almost anywhere, adjusted for the specifics of your local issues, plan, etc.

[Utka9]

I say the same, Bravo Sandy! I love the idea of Ecovillage. I have been to Vancouver and someone told me about your project. Very beautiful!

[000Winter000]

After the dollar crashes and the world economy goes kaput, people will be screaming for this lifestlye. This next round of economic crisis will not get better, many of us will be homeless and eating worms for lunch. When all hell breaks loose (in the next 1 -3 years) people wont be turning their noses up at cob.

[d5a4m3o2n1]

I love this idea of "O.U.R."

[packoftwenty]

You can build a strawbale house for under £10,000. No mortgage. Just think about that. We could all have £10,000 houses which we built ourselves, if we got OUR land back, off the land thieves, who think they can continue to convince us all that it is somehow THEIR right to own almost ALL the land in our country.

[kkob]

Hmmm... given I am actively living this transition, I suggest you actually try it out. Can anyone build a cob hut? Sure. If you have the right soils and climate. Can anyone afford to? Sure, but not in the way OUR did. And that is my point, of which I was specific. We need a model that is easily replicable. An ecovillage that needs 40k - 100k to get into? Not replicable. I admire their work, just saying it's not a global model.

[martinez85]

Can average joe do it? Well yes I would say it can be done. This was a unique group that went above and beyond. No reason a group couldn't get together and buy some land way out in the interior of BC. All work together to make the downpayment. Then work together and build a couple small cob huts. Apparently you can learn to build these (probably not as good) in a week long workshop. Your being negative and saying it can't be done. It can, and quite easily by anyone.

[yanjiaren]

I am now in BC! Just got married here and we want to come and live in an Eco village and help the World more..I am really excited and optimistic that one day we can visit you..God bless.

[margot980]

Bravo, Brandy, and thank you peakmoment