Ecovillages: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities [Paperback]

Jan Martin Bang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2005

The ecovillages movement is a worldwide network of communities whose goal is to integrate with the natural environment as much as possible. Examples include kibbutz, Camphill communities, and others guided by ideas such as permaculture and working with the land as a creative alternative to the wasteful exploitation of mainstream society.

The author explores the background and history of the ecovillages movement, providing a comprehensive manual for planning, establishing, and maintaining a sustainable community. Topics include leadership and conflict management; house design; building techniques; farming and food production; water and sewage; and energy sources and alternative economics. In the final chapter, the author brings it all together with a step-by-step guide to creating sustainable community.

Ecovillages is packed with handy tips, useful insights, and sage advice. Theory is brought to life in a series of striking "living example" case studies from around the world, including Sunrise Farm, Australia; Woodcrest Bruderhof, New York; Camphill Solborg, Norway; Kibbutz Lotan; Findhorn, Scotland; Kimberton Hills Camphill, Pennsylvania; ZEGG Germany; Wilhelmina, Holland; Earthaven Ecovillage, North Carolina; Twin Oaks Community, Virginia; Anghieri, Italy; Kibbutz Ketura; Terre d’Enaille Belgium; Kibbutz Samar; Lebensgarten, Germany; New Bassiasa, Egypt; and Paix Dieux, Belgium.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jan Martin Bang has spent a lifetime working in alternative communities, ranging frm the kibbutz in Israel to his present home in the Solborg Camphill community in Norway. He leads training and development for new ecovillage projects around the world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Floris Books (May 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0863154808
• ISBN-13: 978-0863154805
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,308,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Packed with practical applications; not just theory, January 2, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ecovillages: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities (Paperback)

There's long been a movement towards living in community with others as an alternative to the nuclear family model, but in modern times 'ecovillages' have emerged around the world, adding attention to sustainability and social interactions to the model. Ecovillages explores these developments, opening with a history of the movement and progressing to include a practical manual for planning and maintaining a sustainable community using permaculture as a foundation. From house design and building options to farming and handling sewage and energy sources, Ecovillages is packed with practical applications; not just theory.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not practical at all, June 15, 2008

By 

José Ignacio Castro "kamazeuci" (Pucón, Chile) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ecovillages: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities (Paperback)

Although this is a very interesting book that cointains info that may be very valuable for some people, it is not what it promises to be. It says "A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities", but, as the author explains in the foreword, the initial idea for the book changed on the way while he was writing it.

If you are somebody who whats to build an Ecovillage, who wants practical advice about others experience, get Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities instead.

If you just want a nice magazine-style book for a tour visiting many of the more succesfull ecovillage experiences in the world, this is a great book.

I just give 2 stars because the subtitle "practical guide" is misleading. If it not were for it, I would give it 3 and a half.

9 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not at all what I thought it would be....oh well., March 20, 2006

By 

El Jefe (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ecovillages: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities (Paperback)

This book offered nothing new or enlightening about sustainable living. However, if you are looking for a book on hippie communes (i.e. communal living), than this is the book for you. That about covers it.