by Mollie McGee It’s a growing world we live in. Houses are bigger, cars are bigger--there’s this misconception that bigger means better. I’m here to tell you this is simply not the case. When we live in houses that are bigger than what we need, we end up creating massive waste. When we drive seven-seater … Continue reading Eco-Friendly Tiny House Styles
Who builds the houses? Gender in eco-communities
Most houses in eco-communities are built by men. This article explores why this matters and some ways that women have started to reclaim the task of building their own homes. Gender is just one form of difference between us; we also differentiate ourselves by race, class, sexuality, size, and many other markers. But when it … Continue reading Who builds the houses? Gender in eco-communities
Learning from eco-villages
Rhubarb-chopping at Findhorn ecovillage All too often eco-villages are romanticised and celebrated, rather than analysed and critiqued. Their limitations, failings and contradictions are well known to their members, but even academics like Karen Litfin [1] present a rosy picture of alternative harmony. It was refreshing, then, to read Leslie Barson’s experiences at Sieben Linden (PN2576–2577) … Continue reading Learning from eco-villages
Affordable rural eco-homes
There is currently a great deal of policy and academic focus on housing. Yet this is mainly with respect to urban housing issues, with far less concern for problems affecting rural areas, such as fewer resource infrastructures resulting in a reliance on expensive and environmentally damaging oil-fired heating systems. Despite this lack of attention, some … Continue reading Affordable rural eco-homes
Building Collectively Is Greener, Easier, and Cheaper
Building a house is hard work. A decade ago my mum and I built an eco-house together. We loved it – the freedom of designing what spaces we wanted, the excitement of choosing only materials we wanted to use, and most of all the pure joy of moving in to the finished house. I have … Continue reading Building Collectively Is Greener, Easier, and Cheaper
ECO-HOMES + COMMUNITIES 