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To build an ecovillage: or similar sustainable economic self sufficient community.
John Dahlen; 1 September 2011 skywell@juno.com 251-452-4270 Mobile Alabama
Devonshire Ecovillage Network of Mobile Bay Alabama
Ecovillage Development Network, Gulf Coast Alabama
I would like to live in a community that is in harmony with the environment. I would like to build my house myself and maybe have my neighbors help me build my house too and then Ill help build their homes so we can keep the investment costs as low as possible. I would like the energy costs to be as low as possible and even sell extra energy I may make from solar or wind energy to the power company if I or my neighbors don’t need the extra power. I would like a means to pay off my house within 5 to 10 years or less and yet still have it worth a great deal for economic security. For example build a nice house for $60,000 but it appraise for $360,000. That would be nice.
These home designs need to be built out of disaster resistant materials and reinforced in such a way that they should last 500 years or so. That would be reinforced concrete panels, block, brick that will resist high winds of hurricanes, severe storms and tornados. A living roof would be desirable and would insulate and keep the roof cool in summer.
We should have a renewable energy farm that uses solar collectors for heating air and water and PV; perhaps concentrated solar power. Also wind energy and geothermal earth connections (the earth in Mobile Alabama stays at 70F year around).
We should have our own community center, small town business center with general stores, what ever a small town needs. We need on site school, medical center, and financial center.
Now, an Ecovillage is a great idea but how do we fund such a wonderful concept? We have to come up with a great means of positive cash flow. One of the best means in America has traditionally been to make or manufacture things and products. One of the most valuable things we can make or produce that can’t be made in China is a home or real estate. To make this work we need to keep the up front costs as low as possible. This means finding land in a good place not too far from town (where ½ of our village residents will probably work). We can build 32 nice homes on a plot of land 500x500 and reserve an equal amount for food production by intensive farming in fruits and vegetables in community gardens and CSA’s. We can put 100 homes on 20 acres but 100 acres or 80 acres support is desirable. So the land should cost about $5000 an acre of less if possible.
We need an Ecovillage building team with key skilled workers/ builders of maybe 10 to 20 people. We have to keep our wages low to make this work up front. Later when money is more readily available we can get better money for our up front work. We want a series of ecovillages networked together with decentralized manufacturing making green technology solar collectors and building materials for the homes we build.