Imagine…

The wooden plaque at the community gate reads:

Inside this gate, the Resilient Communities Project is innovating and demonstrating the transformative power of a truly convivial, equitable, and sustainable way of life.

"Secret garden gate open" by ARendle is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Sandy and his wife Zoe landed at Commonwealth (a fictional Resilient Community) last month and are adjusting to a new life at the sustainable village. Friends, like shared tasks, are coming along. Reflective practices such as meditation, prayer, journaling, or therapy are just getting started. Some of the essential roles are paid jobs and some are necessary aspects of cooperating in community.

Tech meets the permie! The community's wired library is Zone Zero.

"What's for dinner, Babe?" Sandy doesn't know that he is cooking! The shared kitchen on site is especially good for meeting fellow residents.

"What did we just buy in Portland?" she asks.

"I'll check in at the garden," says Sandy.

After dinner, the pair attend a Maker Workshop about quilting blankets. They have the hot tub reserved from 10pm - 11pm.

"Hot tub by a lake" by Andrei! is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

The idea of a shared commons permeates life at Commonwealth, both legally and in everyday living. The Land Trust drives the governance at the evolving site. The site is held in common. Equity shares replace the mortgage. This is often a difficult shift for the new residents. Some form cooperative enterprises together. The daily activities and way of life of the community not only greatly reduce or eliminate harmful impacts on the local and planetary environment, but also actively heal and regenerate the land and natural world. This is no small feat and requires serious study and ongoing experimentation.

Community sustainability can be a mixture of one or more of the following disciplines that can guide land-based decision making:

Permaculture (Nature-based community planning)

The New Mythology (Community in the Hero's Journey)

Transition Town (Localization)

Regenerative Agriculture (Conservation and rehabilitation-centered)

The Circular Economy (Re-Use, Recycle...)

"PERMACULTURE FOR THE PEOPLE 2010" by planet a. is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Zoe is the family recycler. With a religious zeal, she sorts and transports the family waste to the village recycling center.

The family home is made of cob, which is an earthen material that keeps costs down and beauty up.

"Nice salad, Sandy," coos Zoe. "We are blessed to be Commonwealthers," Sandy says.

"Kale and Pomegranate Salad" by simpleprovisions is licensed under CC BY 2.0.