Solution provided by Tamera, Portugal Humus and topsoil can absorb a large amount of water and release it slowly. In this way floods and droughts are prevented. But erosion has widely degraded both humus and topsoil in the landscape. In order to restore the water cycle, we need to enable rainwater to be absorbed by the earth even without the topsoil layer. Water Retention Landscapes are systems for the restoration of the full water cycle by retaining the water in the areas where the rain … Read more
Consultancy
Cameroon: Come Learn With Us Opportunities for Education and Engagement
International Summer Training Camp, August 2016 – Bridging cultural boundaries to share, learn, and cultivate peace and tolerance at a global level. … Read more
Greece: Alternative Economy A Crisis can Turn into a Chance
The SKALA Ecovillage leverages the economic crisis in Greece as a chance to learn about and implement alternative economic systems. SKALA co-founder Anna Filliopu reports. … Read more
Strand Report “Emergencies” Responding to a World in Crises the Whole Systems Way
"How are we responding to crises using a whole systems and regenerative approach?” This was the question that a group of ecovillagers, consultants, volunteers, and other interested participants gathered to explore during a week-long session during the 20th Anniversary of the Global Ecovillage Network in July. Facilitator Sarah Quebatlin and Leila Dregger report. Natural disasters triggered by climate change are responsible for 150,000+ deaths every year and cause millions of people to have to … Read more
Cool Villages Cool Lives
Cool Villages Cool Lives supports work in GENs target areas of Ecovillage Development/ Transition, Consultancy, and the research of 100 showcase ecovillages around the world. Beneficiaries are GEN members and trainers, researchers and the general public. Outputs are: An ecovillage impact assessment tool tested on 30 ecovillages, related to the SDGs and indexes like Carbon Footprint, Gross National Happiness, and Happy Planet The identification of 100 showcase ecovillages around the … Read more
GEN History The History of the Global Ecovillage Network: 1991-2015
Ross and Hildur Jackson from Denmark were the driving forces in creating the GEN network twenty years ago. For the first time they share the full story from their perspective. All there experience and information is a great gift especially to the young people who now take over the responsibility for the network. The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) has now existed for 20 years and Gaia Education, which began as a GEN project, is celebrating its 10th year in teaching the principles of living … Read more
Empowering Communities and Building
Communities in the delta area of Bangladesh are in grave danger of salt water inundation from huge tidal rivers that are increasingly breaking their banks. This can devastate villages, damage the simple houses and leave the locals struggling to grow crops in salinated soil. The Bangladesh Association of Sustainable Development (BASD), Gaia Education and CIFAL Scotland have responded to this dire situation with a 3-year consortium project. The project aims to improve sustainable food security and … Read more
Hot Oil in Italy Food Sovereignty in Damanhur
Only 20 months have passed since the "Federation of Damanhur" in Northern Italy started the latest pioneering self-sufficiency project of its community. They have called it “olio caldo 4“ (Hot Oil), and aim to achieve food sovereignty for the community within one year. Within the community of Damanhur, with its 600 members and 25 ‘nucleo’ families, the project was entrusted to the nucleo Prima Stalla. Capra Carruba reports. As we speak of food sovereignty, this venture encompasses much more … Read more
Legislation for Regional Abundance Tamera Applies for Land Use Change
The region Alentejo, Portugal, is in an economical and ecological crisis. Alternatives are needed to create a way for people to return to the countryside, heal the landscape and create abundance in cooperation with nature. However, the legislation does not support alternatives - yet. In close cooperation with its county municipality, Tamera has started the official process for a land use change. It could be a pioneer process for many other ecological initiatives - in particular for growing … Read more
Ecovillage Zoning in North America Three North American Ecovillages Innovate “Ecovillage Zoning”
Many ecovillages overstep regulations with the hope of not being caught out. However, when ecovillages obtain official permission for ecological innovations, similar projects in their areas will benefit, for they create precedents in their countries for other ecovillages to apply to local authorities for permission. Diana Leafe Christian visited three ecovillage projects in North America in which ecovillage founders worked closely with local authorities in the site-planning process and requests … Read more
