Ecovillages as a Solution to Global Challenges
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Bluesmith, Krista
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Bluesmith, Krista. 2023. Ecovillages as a Solution to Global Challenges. Master's thesis, Harvard University Division of Continuing Education.Abstract
Ecovillages are sustainability focused cooperative communities that strive toprovide social and economic support to residents whilst utilizing regenerative design to
minimize the environmental impact of settlements. Ideal elements of ecovillages include
community-scale renewable energy systems, ecological design, organic farming, holistic
health and nutrition, collective decision making, shared social support, and to varying
extents, economic support. They are normally created with individuals of shared
philosophy, often Earth based spirituality. As of 2021, at least 10,000 registered
ecovillages exist worldwide with an estimated population of over 500,000 people,
according to the Global Ecovillage Network. This research argues that the rise in
ecovillages is a responsive solution to globally pervasive ecological, social, and financial
risks and challenges.
This historic research outlines the history and development of the ecovillage
movement and examines best practices for ecovillages from existing literature, case
studies, and the author’s experience. It shows why given the history of the movement,
ecovillages may be best utilized most specifically by segments of the population that are
housing or socially insecure, such as: youth, impoverished persons, elderly persons,
housing insecure individuals, and political or climate refugees. This research concludes
that despite the high failure rate of ecovillages, ecovillage development and scholarship
has increased due to the movement’s innovative and make sense solutions for pressing
global challenges such as poverty reduction, the need for social cohesion, climate change
mitigation, refugee housing, poverty reduction, housing for the homeless, and increased
quality of life. Furthermore, the low-carbon, low-cost and relatively high quality of life
reported by ecovillage residents and supporting statistics reinforces the theory that
ecovillages can provide material and social security to humans in a variety of valuable
ways in an increasingly unstable world.
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