How European ecovillages achieve self-sufficient ecological living
Many people think ecovillages are wonderful, but feel they seem unworkable in reality.
"In fact, you don't have to live in an ecovillage to lead a sustainable ecological life. It starts with the individual: live a sustainable lifestyle, then expand it to the family, the community, society and the nation, and a sustainable world is born." Documentary director Stefan Wolf says optimistically.
- An ecovillage is a community with shared goals that also values organic and local food, emphasizing a "self-responsibility" attitude and putting it into action. (Provided by Stefan Wolf)
The Rise of the Family Garden
How did small family gardens come about? Wolf says Russians were moved by the bestselling book Anastasia, which sparked a back-to-the-land movement among many Russians, and hundreds of ecovillages consequently appeared in Russia. The book mentions that each family can realize the ideal of self-sufficiency through its own "family domains."
Wolf takes the Kovcheg ecovillage in Russia as an example. The village was founded in 2001, has 250 people and more than one hundred houses. They build their own houses with natural building materials, produce their own organic food, have their own school, and keep bees using natural methods. Each family possesses all the necessary elements for a happy and simple life.
"Their lives are like heaven." Wolf describes.
Someone asks: "But how do the second generation of the ecovillage continue it, when they grow up and leave the village to work elsewhere?"
Wolf says: "That gets to the core point, but the situation differs from one European ecovillage to another; ecovillages formed of direct blood relations are still the main reason people stay together." He observes that many young people return to the ecovillage after studying at university or working, and for example the population of the Sieben Linden ecovillage is still growing.
"In this world, you must be the change you wish to see!" Wolf concludes, quoting Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi.
(The author of this article once worked at the Wutong Environmental Integration Foundation; this article was previously published on 2013/03/17 by the Public Television News Issue Center / P Today's Picks)