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Liz Walker

Eco Village at Ithaca / Pioneering a Sustainable Culture

Liz Walker is author of the highly acclaimed and widely recognized Eco Village at Ithaca / Pioneering a Sustainable Culture and Executive Director of this groundbreaking and visionary project.

Eco Village at Ithaca (121 Rachel Carson Way!) is an intentional community in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.  It began conceptually in the early 90s, attracted a core group of organizers and future residents, proceeded to incorporate as a 501(c)(3) and purchased a 175 acre tract of land.  

EVI, as they refer to it for short, is based on a cohousing model in which open / green / common space will comprise 90% of the site and eventually provide over 100 homes in distinct clusters or neighborhoods.  Two such neighborhoods of thirty homes each are fully constructed and occupied and a third is in progress.  

The character of EVI is defined not just by the physical amenties but also the shared values and experiences of the residents.  A spacious common hall is the gathering place for common dinners with teams of chefs and cleanup crews rotating duties.  All residents contribute 2-3 hours per week on various tasks such as outdoor maintenance, finances, governance and plannning for future projects.  A close knit relationship among the residents also provides support for families in need, celebrations to mark the seasons, and a lively social intercourse and home grown entertainments.  The value of these relationships adds to the quality of life they share.

EVI is designed with sustainability, efficiency, and environmental health as primary concerns along with development of a vibrant community, local businesses, organic farms, preservation and enhancement of wildlife habitat and a related educational component that is recognized by the United Nations Decade for Education on Sustainable Development and has become a model for and partner with similarly inspired sustainability projects around the world.  GAIA Education - home of GEESE, Global Ecovillage Educators for a Sustainable Earth - is a distinct but related entity that promotes sustainable development worldwide.

Eco Village at Ithaca is more than the physical location.  It is a living laboratory for sustainable community.  They partner with local government, housing agencies, financial institutions, green builders, Ithaca College, Cornell University and other academic institutions, and a growing number of nonprofits, environmental activists, and others nation wide and around the world that are addressing the looming and related crises of climate change, habitat destruction, peak oil, other resource depletions and the erosion of values in our societies that result in unjust and destructive circumstances for people in all walks of life.

This event took place at The Silco Theater, Silver City, NM on 17 October 2007.  Radio Free Silver! and the community thank the event sponsors - 

GRIP / Gila Resources Information Project & Esperanza Hills Project.

Click here to watch or here to listen to Part 1 of the program.
Click here to watch or here to listen to Part 2 of the program.