All Blog Posts
Cooperation and Competition in the Ecovillage
Posted on June 21, 2014 byEarning a living based on responsible competition involves both sharing what we have and asking for what we deserve.
Dancing Rabbit’s Exchange Local Money System: The Promise of Local Currencies and Interest-Free Financing
Posted on June 14, 2014 by4 Comments
Place-specific currencies can provide critical financing to the small businesses that keep local communities connected and thriving.
Business. Busy-ness. Coincidence?
Posted on June 5, 2014 byImproving our relationships to work, money, and entrepreneurship can dramatically enhance our sense of community and quality of life.
Digging into Community: A reflection from Tamarack’s 1000 Conversations Initiative
Posted on June 2, 2014 byTamarack Institute’s Conversations campaign reveals shifting expectations of community among youth and seniors, varying perspectives on group identity and boundaries, and diverse attitudes toward technology.
Business Ventures, #163 Contents
Posted on May 31, 2014 byIssue #163 explores the fertile ground where cooperation and commerce intersect. How can we earn a living while still upholding our values? How can we bring cooperative principles to business activities? How can we nurture our communities, neighborhoods, and towns by creating sustainable livelihoods that serve the greater good? What obstacles do we encounter, and how do we overcome them?
Opportunity Village Eugene: Pioneering New Solutions for the (Formerly) Homeless
Posted on May 15, 2014 by1 Comment
An innovative self-governing village lifts spirits while modeling new ways to address homelessness.
Margaret and Me: The Iron Lady Becomes an Unexpected Ally
Posted on May 11, 2014 byA squatters’ housing cooperative activist describes how Margaret Thatcher broke with her image to support an early “occupy” movement.
Healing Gender Issues through Community
Posted on May 5, 2014 byLong-dormant childhood gender issues resurface in an intimate relationship in community—and this time avoidance and escape aren’t options.
Feminist Spirituality and Gender: Lessons from Beyond Women-Only Space
Posted on April 27, 2014 byDoes the culture of women-only space still serve a worthwhile purpose, or does it perpetuate division? A long-time leader of women’s circles advocates inclusivity.
Feminism vs. Spaghetti Pits
Posted on April 23, 2014 byTrichomycosis axillaris can be the pits, causing even die-hard feminists to shave.
Sexism at Dancing Rabbit
Posted on April 17, 2014 byAt a community founded in feminism, a member suggests that strategies like corrective discrimination, single-gender gatherings, and prioritizing “gender balance” may themselves be sexist.
Gender-Bending on the Commune
Posted on March 28, 2014 byWhen a Twin Oaks member leads a tour, “co” must “address the dress” (when appropriate) and wear a shirt, whether or not participating in the collective menstrual calendar.
Who Builds the Houses?: Gender in Eco-Communities
Posted on March 17, 2014 by1 Comment
A researcher finds that men still dominate building in eco-communities, and offers strategies to empower women.
Gender: Is There a “There” There?
Posted on March 4, 2014 byThe intensity of community living can bring issues of gender, sexual identity, and gender relationships to the fore as nothing else does.
Gender Issues, #162 Contents
Posted on March 4, 2014 byCommunities #162 looks at gender, sexual identity, gender relationships, and much more.
Energy Efficiency in Cohousing
Posted on January 14, 2014 by1 Comment
Sustainability is embedded in community—even without a minus-$88-per-year electric bill.
Going For the Grid
Posted on January 14, 2014 byAfter three decades off-grid in Washington state, Walker Creek members decide on-grid living is more sustainable.
Community Makes Renewable Energy Work
Posted on January 14, 2014 byLiving Energy Farm embodies the promise of renewable energy used cooperatively.
Putting Our Lives on the Line
Posted on January 14, 2014 byJubilee Partners’ clothesline does more than dry clothes with solar power; it helps build community.
Climate Changes
Posted on January 14, 2014 byIntentional communities are in a unique position to respond to climate change.
Sustainability Is a Life Style Not a Solar Panel
Posted on January 14, 2014 byA 13-year-old indigenous environmental activist asks us to walk lightly and respect the Earth.
Burlington Cohousing’s Excellent Solar Adventures
Posted on January 14, 2014 byWhen community members want to place “private” panels on “public” roofs, don’t expect clear sailing.
Confessions of a Fallen Eco-Warrior
Posted on January 14, 2014 byA communitarian stops counting nanowatts, and starts counting blessings.
Strangely Warmed
Posted on January 14, 2014 byHome-scale geothermal in appropriate conditions promotes both community and energy savings.
Parenting in a Community of Friends
Posted on September 14, 2013 byLiving in an extended community family brings joy, challenge, and new worlds of possibility.
The Peace Bridge
Posted on September 14, 2013 byTamarack Institute and FIC invite all of us to share our conversations about community.
Community, Public School, and Culture Clash
Posted on September 14, 2013 byThe “public vs. home” debate brings lessons of moral relativism, humility, and tolerance for differing tastes.
Fair Play
Posted on September 14, 2013 bySpontaneous sharing and even-handedness erupt in Lost Valley’s young “tribe.”
Down at the Pond
Posted on September 14, 2013 byA child learns that it’s fine to be comfortable in her skin.
Wilderness Journeys Meet Cooperative Culture
Posted on September 14, 2013 byGroup-building activities and conflict management strategies help teen expeditions thrive.
