Michigan Ecovillage MULTIGENERATIONAL SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY Michigan Ecovillage An

Michigan Ecovillage MULTI-GENERATIONAL SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

Michigan Ecovillage “An ecovillage is a testament to the power of intentional creation with others. The emphasis on sustainability, holistic wellbeing, and community are focus areas that modern societies sorely lack. If anything can set an example or inspiration for a more beautiful world, ecovillages can. ” Sebastian Betzer

What is an ecovillage? What is an ecovillage to you?

Ecovillage Definition Human-scale 150 population Small enough, that each person is known by every other resident Full-featured settlement In which human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world In a way that is supportive of healthy human development, and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future

Maynard Kaufman’s Ecovillage https: //www. flickr. com/photos/pjchmiel/sets/72157607390153658/

Michigan Ecovillage 501 c 3 Michigan Ecovillage 501 c 3, a multi-generational mutual benefit intentional community; a network of housing, consumer, producer and worker cooperatives. Who we are: Directors: Sebastian Betzer, Kristen Salminen, Jon Pickell, Gaylyn Kaufman, Karl Kaufman 75 Meet. Up members 1, 000 Facebook members 140 Mail. Chimp subscribers

“Why I Want MI Ecovillage” “A sustainable community-- an ecovillage-- has been my dream for many years now. When I think of my future, I see a place where I live in harmony with a greater community of people as well as with my environment. I see a place where I can raise my children amongst generations of people who are sensitive to their emotions and evolving sense of selves. I see a beautiful community of people who support each other physically, emotionally and spiritually. The current culture of dissociation is no longer serving humanity and I look forward to a new movement which revisits our tribal way of life while weaving it in with the modern world. ” “I am hard-wired to help others, and there is no project which lights me up with as many possibilities as this ecovillage. ”

Cultural Elements To Create Connective Field ~ Community Glue Designing for connection, peacemaking, cultivating trust. We facilitate connection at all levels including collaboration Friendship, caring, mutual support, trust, heart to heart communication, diversity, solutions to embrace conflict resolution and maturity growth Group celebrations ~ Social opportunities Honoring different phases of life

Village Building/ Healthy Design Process Courses in facilitation, peacemaking, deep nature connection, conflict resolution, co-creation, mentoring, modeling attributes of connection, creating quantum fields, grief tending, conscious dying, etc. We value people, contribution, gifts discovered and developed, ways to give your gifts, culture regeneration, sustainability, organics, creating the more beautiful world we know is possible

Four Legs of Michigan Ecovillage: Caregiving Wellness services/organic food production Education/apprenticeship programs Employment/employee-owned worker co -ops

Caregiving Train underemployed members as Home Health Aides to provide caregiving services to Ecovillage members and wider community Develop senior housing for ecovillage members

Wellness Services/Organic Food Production Provide alternative health and wellness services to Ecovillage members and surrounding community Use specialized organic food therapies for healing Produce, process and sell organic meals to Ecovillage members and surrounding community Organic coffee shop and cafeteria

Education/Apprenticeship Programs Seminars, lifestyle workshops Nature programs for youth and adults US DOL Registered Apprenticeship training for Ecovillage members and surrounding community

Employment/Employee-Owned Worker Cooperatives Working with Center for Community- Based Enterprise www. C 2 BE. org on a Home Health Aide worker co-op Exploring construction, education, agriculture worker co-ops

Hertha Ecovillage https: //ecovillage. org/project/herth a-levefaellesskab/

Cooperative and Community Living Arrangements at Hertha: Denmark

What makes Hertha an Outstanding Ecovillage in regard to Co-op/ Community Living Arrangements? They reverse integrated “normal” people into a development planned for people with different mental abilities Everyone in their village is there because they believe that it is mutually beneficial for people of varying abilities to live in the same community together and share life and culture Their project was also capitalized in part by the buy-in of the “normals”

Hertha Start-up Study group-early 1990’s in the town of Aarhus established shared vision of community After 3 years of study: established Village Foundation & Hertha Shared Housing and Workshops, two separate nonprofits conducted a capital campaign leveraged their capital acquired the land from the city of Aarhus Planned and built the development Sold 2/3 houses to “normals” at market rate

Hertha Operating Yearly operating budget of 2. 53 Million Euros ($3. 1 M). Employ 41 people 26 residents live and work in the Shared Housing and Workshops. Resident workers are employed in the workshops at dairy farming, vegetable farming, cafeteria catering, laundry and weaving. They cook lunch for a local kindergarten and also make cheese from the milk they produce.

Cooperative and Community Living Arrangements at Hertha: Denmark Hertha Basics Galten Denmark 137 people total Reverse integrated 26 of them differently abled Other residents are “normal” 21 years operating Rulolph Steiner inspired 1/3 of buildings Hertha Shared Housing & Workshops 2/3 of buildings are privately owned homes 24 hectares, farming 21. 5 (59/53 acres) Built on only 7% of their land, Hertha farms the rest

Michigan Ecovillage

Michigan Ecovillage What We Are Doing: Completed mission/vision/values/story (hand-out) Outreach to find our people Partnering with Center for Community Based Enterprise to obtain grant funding for a Home Health Aide Worker Co-op Partnering with Apprenticeship Institute 501 c 3 to deliver vocational education programs.

What Michigan Ecovillage wants to do short term Consulting with a Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) Ecovillage Developer from Findhorn Ecovillage Need volunteers for Outreach Events Forming an Elder’s Circle Designing and implementing a culture of peacemaking, connection and mentoring

What Michigan Ecovillage wants to do long term: Purchase or acquire a long-term lease land for an intentional community serving 150 -300 people. Or, partner with a land-holding organization, to host delivery of needed services. We don’t exactly know, yet. ; -)

Question 1 What are the benefits to being in an intentional community?

Question 2 What do you think are the challenges?

Question 3 How do you see this being created?

Evolving Model This model continues to evolve We are identifying founders, partners, residents and participants We need apprentices looking for career pathways Imagine yourself participating, how might you fit? What is your purpose? Where is your expertise? What will you contribute?

Michigan Ecovillage, 501 c 3 www. miecovillage. org www. meetup. com/michiganecovillage www. facebook. com/michiganecovillage www. crowdrise. com/michiganecovillage https: //smile. amazon. com/michiganecovillage gaylyn@miecovillage. org

Michigan Ecovillage is a nonprofit organization in Southeastern Michigan. We are currently planning an intergenerational, live-work community dedicated to living in harmony with each other and our ecosystem. We are striving to maintain sustainability in all aspects of life: Our food production practices and living spaces will be integrative and regenerative in nature. Our community environment will provide mutual support and understanding of each other's unique personalities, life situations and contributions--all while living, learning and teaching a holistic, nature-based yet modern way of life. Our efforts always take into consideration the health and well-being of the physical, emotional and spiritual dynamics of the individual, the community, the ecosystem and the world at large--a truly holistic way of life. Our core efforts include: -Sustainable food production (including organic agriculture and permaculture practices) -Sustainable energy -Net-zero housing -Holistic healing center -Emotional support and community relationship building -Elderly care and living -Compassionate child care -Community education network for sustainable practices -Apprenticeship programs and training in various trades -Worker and producer co-ops We are currently in the process of fundraising, finding a permanent physical location, planning infrastructure and growing the interhuman connections necessary for a solid foundation for Michigan Ecovillage. For those who are seeking a supportive, restorative community to thrive in--whether to live in, visit and/or contribute to--we are also seeking you. Join us for our monthly community meetings for more information on our Ecovillage as well as other topics relating to sustainable and healthy living. We look forward to meeting new friends to help us to continue to co-create this beautiful community, which will hopefully serve as a template for future generations who will inherit this Earth.