Why does this matter to me?
Posted on October 24, 2016 by3 Comments
Anyone with idealistic tendencies loves the idea that a crisis is an opportunity. I certainly qualify. But as a California boy who’s spent most of his adult life in Virginia, I’ve been infected with that East Coast, get-er-done pragmatism. So while I absolutely believe the FIC is presented with a tremendous opportunity right now, the… Read More
The Case for Mass Civil Disruption and Resistance: The story of how 15 intentional communities and experiments came together to form a national coalition to defend life, come hell or high water
Posted on October 21, 2016 by1 Comment
Activists and communitarians gather to ask: “How do we respond to our current global crisis?”
How Seed Saver Networks Are Protecting The Planet’s Biodiversity
Posted on October 20, 2016 byAs more farmers and gardeners take an interest in permaculture, seed savers’ networks are becoming a vital way to preserve heirloom varieties and protect our planet’s biodiversity. Although not as visible as the farmers’ markets that line our neighborhood sidewalks on Sundays, they’re an integral part of the farm-to-table movement. Seed savers and seed libraries… Read More
The Boat-to-Fork Movement Promotes Local and Sustainable Seafood
Posted on October 17, 2016 byMany of us are familiar with the farm-to-table movement: we might shop at our neighborhood farmers market, or even subscribe to a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) model as a way to support local farms. But what about other products, like seafood? Can we find ways to eat fish locally and sustainably? A network called Local Catch… Read More
Crisis = Opportunity: Taking it to the next level
Posted on October 15, 2016 byPeople keep asking me, what’s your vision for the FIC? It’s a fair question to the new Executive Director of an almost-30 year old organization. I want to help intentional communities find their place in the world. I believe intentional communities have learned important lessons that need to be shared in collective resource sharing, cooperative… Read More
How These Communal Residences Help Artists Thrive
Posted on October 13, 2016 bySome intentional communities focus on organic gardening and permaculture. Others are all about activism and social change. Some exist primarily for the art. That’s the intention behind the Los Angeles Brewery, which, despite its name, doesn’t actually brew any beer. The Brewery describes itself as “one of the oldest and largest artist colonies in the world.” Founded… Read More
Grassroots Activism Starts at Home
Posted on October 11, 2016 byAt the RareBirds Housing Co-operative, community life and outside activism deepen and strengthen each other.
This Peer-to-Peer Credit Exchange Could Be Great For Intentional Communities
Posted on October 10, 2016 byFor a while, peer-to-peer lending platforms were going to be the next big thing. Instead of borrowing from big banks, we could borrow from each other, on platforms like Lending Club and Prosper. But pretty soon big banks starting getting involved, and the loans weren’t really so “peer-to-peer” after all. Investors started using them as a way… Read More
These Tools Can Help Your Community Make Better Decisions
Posted on October 6, 2016 by1 Comment
One of the biggest hurdles an intentional community can face is figuring out how to make decisions. There are dozens of decision-making strategies to choose from, from consensus to sociocracy. But in today’s busy world, simply gathering around the table together as a community can be a challenge. At my community, meeting attendance takes a dive during the… Read More
Shared Earth Connects Gardeners With Unused Land In Their Neighborhood
Posted on October 3, 2016 byFor years, projects like Fallen Fruit and the Urban Farm Collective have been making it easier for people to access the excess produce and gardening space in their neighborhoods. A new project called Shared Earth brings the concept to a wider market, using the latest peer-to-peer technology to connect gardeners with unused lawns and gardens… Read More
Not the Last of the Mohicans: Honoring Our Native Predecessors on the Land
Posted on September 30, 2016 by1 Comment
How can we do right by the native peoples whose ancestral homelands now host our intentional communities?
A New Site Called Simbi Lets You Barter Your Skills, Lessons, and More
Posted on September 29, 2016 byA lot has been written about how the “sharing economy” isn’t really about “sharing” – many of the companies that use the term are more about renting, buying and selling, or even just working. A new site called Simbi wants to change that, offering a platform where users can exchange services for Simbi credits (short… Read More
A New Game Called “Rise Up” Explores Cooperative Social Movements
Posted on September 26, 2016 byThe Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA) is launching a Kickstarter for a new board game on September 27th. Called “Rise Up: The Game of People and Power,” the game is a great way to spend time with friends, while exploring social movements and learning to cooperate to achieve shared objectives. According to TESA, “The game weaves… Read More
This Women-Only Village In Kenya Is Challenging Traditional Gender Roles
Posted on September 22, 2016 byFor over 20 years, a small community in Kenya has been embarking on a rare experiment: a community without men, where women are the homeowners and breadwinners. Around 50 women and 200 children live in Umoja, a small village several hundred miles north of Nairobi, in the dry grasslands of the Samburu region. According to… Read More
Coming of Age in Service Community
Posted on September 21, 2016 by1 Comment
Growing up in a community with a strong commitment to changing the world can be both enlivening and challenging.
Watch Community Bookstore Videos on Any Screen!
Posted on September 20, 2016 byCommunity Bookstore Featured Watch Community Bookstore Videos on Any Screen by Kim Kanney, Community Bookstore Manager Watch Your Favorite Community Stories Anywhere You Like on Any Device! All of our documentary films are now available through Vimeo, a fast and easy way to download films from your PC, tablet, or mobile phone, wherever and whenever! Visit us… Read More
Are Worms and Crickets the Future of Sustainable Eating?
Posted on September 19, 2016 byCultures around the world have been including insects as part of their diets for millennia. But in the U.S. – where raising livestock accounts for a staggering percentage of greenhouse gas emissions – eating insects as a source of protein has been slow to catch on. Could that finally be changing? Cricket Flour Several companies… Read More
How A Mystical Novel Spurred the Ecovillage Movement in Russia
Posted on September 15, 2016 byOver the years, many intentional communities have drawn on works of fiction for inspiration. They can serve as cultural touchstones, helping connect the communities in a particular region with a shared philosophy or way of life. Here in the Pacific Northwest, books like Ecotopia and The Fifth Sacred Thing sit on many communal bookshelves. The… Read More
This Eco-Community in Peru is Known for Its Cone-Shaped Structures
Posted on September 12, 2016 byJust over an hour north of Lima, Peru, a circle of cone-shaped buildings rises beside a sandy beach. These structures are called “trulys,” and they’re part of a spiritual eco-village built by Hare Krishnas on the Peruvian coast. The village is a popular stopping place for travelers looking for a peaceful, meditative retreat in rural… Read More
What are you doing this Fall? Find us at these events!
Posted on September 12, 2016 byWhat are you doing this Fall? Find us at these events! Fall Events by Sky Blue, FIC Exec. Directory Summer’s over, but Fall’s just beginning, and the movement for cooperation, sustainability, and justice charges on! We’ll be representing at several more great events this year. Come hang out with us and help change the… Read More
Activism and Service at Black Bulga Community: Inspiring, Nurturing, Challenging, and Not All Hard Work
Posted on September 11, 2016 byAt Black Bulga, the experience of community provides vital support for members to be effective change agents in the wider world.
A Free Documentary Series Shows You How To Live In A Tiny House Legally
Posted on September 8, 2016 byFor many tiny house enthusiasts, building the house itself isn’t the hard part. There are lots of resources out there for designing and constructing a tiny house, as well as companies that will build the whole thing for you. More and more people are coming to see tiny homes as a viable living option. These… Read More
“Ecotopia” Art Installation Brings Visions of Permaculture to the London Design Festival
Posted on September 1, 2016 byFrom Sept. 17-25, 2016, the London Design Festival will feature an art installation inspired by Ernest Callenbach’s 1975 book Ecotopia. In the book, a journalist visits a newly-formed country in the Pacific Northwest that’s built on sustainable permaculture principles. The installation will explore ways that “Utopian thinking” can help us find solutions to our modern-day… Read More
The Gesundheit! Institute: A 45 Year-Old Communal Hospital Experiment
Posted on September 1, 2016 byIn a decades-long project with worldwide reach, medicine, humor, and community become vehicles for social change.
At This Hawaiian Eco-Community, You Can Stay In A Bamboo Hut In A Volcanic Crater
Posted on August 29, 2016 byA few weeks ago – as the prospect of spending another winter here in rainy Portland began to dawn on me – I started looking into some travel opportunities in warmer climates. One of my goals as a blogger is to get to visit some of the intentional communities that I write about – and… Read More
How can we bring more life to meetings?
Posted on August 26, 2016 byCommunity Bookstore Featured Group Works card deck by Kim Kanney, Community Bookstore Manager Group Works card deck A Pattern Language for Bringing Life to Meetings and Other Gatherings created by the Group Pattern Language Project NEW! $35 Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the organizing, role-setting, and facilitation of a meeting? Perhaps you want… Read More
A Planned City In Australia Will Feature Tesla-Powered Homes
Posted on August 25, 2016 by1 Comment
Planned communities have had a long and somewhat mixed history. From the Familistere in Guise, France, designed to house factory workers, to the Disney-fied Main Street of Celebration, Florida, they differ from cohousing projects and intentional communities in a major way: they’re generally created from the top-down, by developers and business owners, rather than by… Read More
Innisfree Village: Lifesharing in a Service Community
Posted on August 24, 2016 byAdults with disabilities and residential caregiver volunteers share the challenges and joys of community life at Innisfree.
KCET Visits the LA Eco-Village for A Look At Sustainable Urban Living
Posted on August 22, 2016 byWhen you hear about life in Los Angeles, you probably think about traffic, smog, and sprawling suburbs. But LA has a thriving network of intentional communities, many of which exist just under the radar of activity in neighborhoods like Silverlake, Mar Vista, and Koreatown. I spent several years living in the city and got to… Read More
