| Do you want to live in community in a small ecological home and share many facilities to lessen your impact on the planet? Are you willing to help in a group effort to measure and reduce our ecological footprint? Do you want to walk, bike or bus to beaches, a food co-op, and the heart of a cultural and historic small town?
Port Townsend EcoVillage is a community of people dedicated to living in harmony with each other and with the earth. When fully developed, community will have some 44 adults and many children on seven acres, sharing a sanctuary, common house, bathhouse, shop/art center, office and cottage industry spaces, playground, greenhouses, tools, cars and more. All land and buildings will be in joint ownership as a Limited Liability Company (LLC), enhancing the flexibility to meet our needs, today and in the future.
We are committed to consensus, NonViolent Communication (NVC), social justice, and living more simply on the earth. We actively seek and embrace diversity in all its forms. We revere nature and celebrate the seasons and life events together. We integrate people and the land using permaculture principles to enhance the natural fertility of the earth, raise animals, and grow some of our own organic food in our abundant gardens.
We encourage green cottage industries on site. We have six beehives and a new honey business, and have had three successful seasons of a community supported agriculture program (CSA). We plan to set up a nonprofit educational foundation and already host a variety of educational opportunities, including natural building workshops and permaculture design certification courses. We wish to model ways to live more sustainably and welcome innovative ideas as we continue to evolve.
We currently have nine adults and two children living on site. Our first NEW residence was completed in October 2008, along with infrastructure and a large shop/art center space we will finish in 2009. We are actively seeking new members to join us now in our vision. | |
Population Adult Members: 9 (A dozen active Advisory Group Members.) Child Members: 2 (Ages 5 and 7.) Open to new adults: Yes (Currently recruiting.) Open to new children: Yes (Special interest in more children.) Gender Balance: 50% M 50% F Open to which gender(s): All genders welcome Ethnic Diversity: 10% identify as 'non-white' Age Focus: No Focus (Especially seeking young families with children.) Age Restrictions: No (We attempt to keep a healthy mix of age groups.) | Government Decision Making: By consensus (Formal Consensus by C. T. Butler.) Leadership Core Group: No | Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances (Some assessments adjusted according to need.) Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes Labor Contribution: Expected (Minimum 10 hrs/month in 2008-9, but most do more. Flexibility for families.) Join Fee: Yes (Full membership buy-in around $57,000 per adult in 2009 ($20K of which available on contract), plus cost of equity in a small dwelling. Cost will increase over time. Internal loan fund may help finance some buy-in and construction costs, based on economic need.) Regular Fees: Yes (To cover taxes, maintenance, insurance, utilities, etc.) | Land and Buildings Small Town (Historic seaport, pop. 8,500, many artistic events.) Area: 7 acres (2.8 hectares) (Mostly open fields, some forest.) Land Owned By: The community (The Limited Liability Company will purchase land and current buildings from the Founding Members and will own all structures on site.) Number of Residences: 4 (7 dwelling units now, with 25 or so total planned.) | Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 6-20% Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Diet is up to each individual Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (Community-wide meals are mostly vegetarian and organic.) Alcohol Use: Used occasionally Tobacco Use: Prohibited (Prohibited in buildings, allowed outdoors only in designated sites.) | Social Factors Open to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender members: Yes Restrictions on Romantic Relationships (between consenting adults): No Shared Spiritual Path: Yes (No specific shared path, although members embrace many spiritual traditions and share some spirituality) Which Spiritual Path(s): Eclectic (integrates pieces from many religions) (Eclectic and Deep Ecology) Educational Style(s): (No plans as of 2009.) | |
