All Blog Posts
The Placemaking Movement is Turning Cities into Communities
Posted on July 8, 2016 byOver 15 years ago, a group of natural builders organized the first Village Building Convergence in Portland, OR. It’s partly the reason why the city is now dotted with colorful intersections, cob benches, and unconventional living spaces. According to the organizers, “We recognized that modern life and the structure of our cities often don’t create… Read More
Community As Sanctuary: How These Retreats Offer Refuge in Rural Places
Posted on July 7, 2016 bySome communities, like the Tonic Housing project in the U.K., were founded as a way to provide cohousing to LGBT elders in rapidly gentrifying cities. Others offer a refuge away from the city, a place where like-minded people can gather for retreats and other seasonal festivities. For decades, the Radical Faerie movement has been creating… Read More
Going Biking This Summer? Try Out This Network For A Shower and A Place to Stay
Posted on July 4, 2016 bySince 1993, the Warm Showers network has been connecting touring bicyclists with hosts willing to offer them a couch, shower, camping space, or other form of hospitality. Originally started as a listserv, it was developed into a full website in 2005, and currently has 86,000 active members and 36,000 active hosts around the world. The… Read More
The Bridge to a Greener World
Posted on July 1, 2016 byThis Australian community’s bridge is a lot more than just a bridge.
Power Shift Hosts 4 Regional Events for Young Climate Activists
Posted on June 30, 2016 byThe Energy Action Coalition, the “Hub of the Youth Climate Movement,” has hosted four Power Shift convergences for young climate activists since 2007. This year, the event is expanding into four regional convergences taking place in Philadelphia, Detroit, Orlando, and the West Coast: “Power Shift brings young climate leaders together as a movement—building the organizing… Read More
NuMundo Hosts Southeast Bioregional Convergence in Asheville, July 9-10
Posted on June 27, 2016 byNuMundo wants to make it easier for travelers to connect with ecovillages and intentional communities around the world. Their site has dozens of listings in the U.S., Europe, South America, and more, many of which offer permaculture classes, natural building courses, and other hands-on, land-based experiences. NuMundo calls these locations “impact centers“: “An impact center… Read More
One of These 7 Finalists Will Be the First “Smart City” in the U.S.
Posted on June 23, 2016 byLast year, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced its “Smart City Challenge,” a contest that will award one mid-sized city with $50 million in funding to improve its transportation networks. The USDOT hopes the selected city will become a role model for implementing safer, more energy-efficient technology. Out of 78 entries, the USDOT has narrowed… Read More
Want an Ecovillage? Stay Put!
Posted on June 21, 2016 byHow can we care for a place if we’re not there, day after day, year after year, paying attention?
Challenges and Lessons of Community
Posted on June 20, 2016 byCommunity Bookstore Feature Best of Communities ― The Cream of Our Crop Challenges and Lessons of Community by Kim Kanney, Community Bookstore Manager Best of Communities Volume XIV Challenges and Lessons of Community A special selection of articles from Communities: Life in Cooperative Culture $10 Digital, $15 Print The Foundation for Intentional Community is pleased to… Read More
Try One of These Unique Alternatives to Airbnb
Posted on June 20, 2016 by3 Comments
Airbnb and other “sharing economy” sites have been getting some bad press lately, with many cities arguing that the platforms are driving up rent, contributing to housing scarcity, and turning residential neighborhoods into tourist districts. Some cities, like Berlin, have begun to regulate room- and home-sharing, while San Francisco and New York are struggling to… Read More
The FIC loves events!
Posted on June 17, 2016 by2 Comments
The FIC Loves Events by Kim Kanney It’s always a pleasure to network and share experiences with people both within the communities movement, and at events of related movements. In 2016 we will have a presence on both coasts and many places in between. Explore the list below to see where we will be near you!… Read More
The Ephermisle Festival Imagines What A Floating City Might Look Like
Posted on June 16, 2016 bySince 2009, a small collection of sailboats, houseboats, rafts, and other watercraft have gathered each summer to create a floating city in California’s Sacramento River Delta. Called Ephemerisle, the week-long event was originally created by the Seasteading Institute as way to demonstrate how ocean-based communities might function. Now, it serves as a kind of Burning-Man-at-sea,… Read More
Communities Movement Across The Continent
Posted on June 14, 2016 byCommunities Movement Across The Continent FIC News Highlights Are you feeling the Summer buzz yet? We are! Here are highlights from some of our recent adventures. Old Friends Lost Valley Education Center, outside of Eugene OR, hosted the FIC’s biennial Organizational Meetings in May. The FIC and Lost Valley go back to the early ’90s. The… Read More
This Biologist Wants To Set Aside Half of The Earth To Protect Biodiversity
Posted on June 13, 2016 byEdward O. Wilson’s new book, Half-Earth, offers a timely proposal for the conservation movement: dedicate half of the planet’s surface to nature, and we’ll be able to hold off the worst losses of biodiversity. If half or more wild spaces can be protected from destruction, “more than 80 percent of the species would be stabilized”… Read More
Ecovillages Worldwide—Local Solutions for Global Problems
Posted on June 11, 2016 byA wide array of ecovillages throughout the Global North and South address our shared challenges.
Do You Know Your Watershed?
Posted on June 10, 2016 byLast month, I took part in Oregon State University’s online permaculture class, taught by Andrew Millison. While permaculture design certificates can cost upwards of $750, this class was free, open to the public, and available to access from anywhere. It was pretty inspiring to see people from all over the world engaging in the discussions – some of… Read More
The “Moved to Act” Climate Leadership Intensive Comes to Dancing Rabbit
Posted on June 7, 2016 byThis August, the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Rutledge, MO, will host “Moved to Act,” a climate leadership intensive offered by Aaron Murphy and other instructors. The event takes place from August 12-18, 2016, and is open to a limited number of participants. According to the organizers, “Moved to Act is an immersive training for supporting… Read More
Switzerland to Vote on Basic Income Referendum June 5
Posted on June 2, 2016 by2 Comments
This Sunday, June 5, Switzerland will be the first country to vote on whether or not its citizens should receive a universal basic income (UBI) of $2,600 per month. The proposal would guarantee a payment to every citizen (and $650 per child), without any pre-conditions or work requirements. Liberal advocates argue that a UBI will… Read More
Overcoming Apartheid—the Global Ecovillage Network
Posted on June 1, 2016 byCommunities worldwide are exploring how to heal our separation from each other and the natural world.
How These Co-op Bars Are Reinventing the Idea of a “Public House”
Posted on May 30, 2016 by“Have a pint – change the world,” is the motto of the Oregon Public House, a co-operatively owned, non-profit bar in Portland, OR. According to co-founder Ryan Saari, the city has no shortage of non-profit charities, but these organizations expend a large part of their energy on fundraising. The Oregon Public House was created as… Read More
A Career in Creating Sustainable Communities
Posted on May 27, 2016 byJump-start Your Career Contributing to a More Sustainable Future! By Jenny Godwin, CoHousing Solutions Collaborative communities across the country need project managers and marketing assistance to help them realize their dreams. CoHousing Solutions’ 500 Communities Program is halfway through its first year training. This Program is intended for passionate entrepreneurs ready to devote themselves to… Read More
Here’s How You Can Participate in Global Sharing Week June 5-11
Posted on May 26, 2016 byShareable.net and The People Who Share are collaborating on this year’s Global Sharing Week, which will take place from June 5-11, 2016. Originally launched as Global Sharing Day, the event has grown to the point where over 100 activities take place each year. This year’s listings include dozens of potlucks, neighborhood festivals, and other gatherings,… Read More
Ecovillages and the FIC
Posted on May 24, 2016 by1 Comment
The Fellowship for Intentional Community and the Global Ecovillage Network partner in support of empowered citizens and communities designing for a sustainable future.
Moving Through Times of Transition
Posted on May 23, 2016 byWhat is it that keeps a community’s identity consistent over time? Is it the people? The place? The culture? Here at Foster Village in Portland, OR, we’ve had around a 50% turnover rate over the past year. Some long-term residents have moved on to live in rural communities. Some recent arrivals decided that the level… Read More
SimpleREV Brings Minimalism and Intentional Living to the Twin Cities
Posted on May 19, 2016 byIn October 2014, I attended the first annual SimpleREV conference in Minneapolis, MN. For two days, around 50 or so attendees shared stories about downsizing, living life with less “stuff,” building tiny houses, and more. For some, it was the first time they’d been around other people pursuing a less consumer-driven lifestyle, and the experience… Read More
Ecovillages around the World, #171 Contents
Posted on May 18, 2016 byIn our Summer issue, the Global Ecovillage Network, Gaia Trust, and the FIC partner to offer stories of pioneering efforts worldwide by communities working to incorporate the four dimensions of sustainability: social, ecological, economic, and worldview. We explore local solutions to global problems, creating carbon-negative communities, restoring our relationships to one another and the land, learning from indigenous groups, ecovillage strategies in areas of crisis, and more.
How These Collaborative Networks Foster Inter-Community Connection
Posted on May 16, 2016 byAs interest in community living grows, it’s important that we make it easy and accessible for people to get involved with their local co-ops and coliving spaces. For many people, community dinners, art and music nights, and overnight stays are the ideal way to explore whether coliving is right for them. Sometimes, it can be… Read More
Midwest Sustainable Communities Conference July 2-4 at Dancing Rabbit
Posted on May 12, 2016 by2 Comments
UPDATE from the organizers: “This year’s conference has unfortunately been cancelled. We are postponing until 2017 to have more prep time and invite even more speakers and guests. Stay tuned!” **** Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage has announced the dates and workshop lineup for the Midwest Sustainable Communities Conference, which will take place in Rutledge, MO, from July… Read More
Can Platform Cooperatives Empower Everyday Workers?
Posted on May 9, 2016 byLast week, I wrote about OuiShare, a European organization that’s spearheading the push for a more equitable sharing economy. One of the concepts on the agenda at this year’s OuiShare Fest is “platform cooperativism” — the idea that worker-owned cooperatives could replace corporate-owned networks and apps. Last November, Trebor Scholz and Nathan Schneider hosted the… Read More
OuiShare Pushes for A Fairer Sharing Economy
Posted on May 5, 2016 byFor years, OuiShare has been one of the leading voices on the sharing economy in Europe, and has helped put the concept of collaborative consumption and peer-to-peer economies on the map. This year, it’s hosting a series of events, including the annual OuiShare Fest in Paris, and additional gatherings in Lille, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro,… Read More
