My ecoVillage model

Hello one and all,
I've been meaning to write this post for the past few months now. No excuses, but so much seems to be happening lately, at such a pace, that it was easy for me to allow eco-alex to fill you in, while I sit back and read with enjoyment. (certainly the sweeter end of the deal).
But I feel it is time now, due to recent events, and the ones to come, to share my vision for the ecoVillage and what it can be.

As some of you may know, a while ago eco-alex wrote a post about his vision of the ecoVillage. If you haven't read it already, head on over first, as a lot of our ideas overlap and so as not to repeat ourselves, I will only mention the points on which we differ, or more often, when I wish to elaborate.
I would like to make it clear. It was only when we realized how much we share the same vision, that we all decided to collaborate on this. Nevertheless, Every person has their own imagination, and reality will always be different from any of them. As we further develop and build the ecoVillage, theoretically and physically, the path forward will make itself clear, and all our initial fantasies will adjust in the face of reality.

So without further adieu, I present my idea.

I refer to the legal entity which represents the ecoVillage as 'the company'. Since this will be a legally recognized institute, through which we can pay our fees to the government. (Not ideal in any way shape or form, but I see no way around it for now.)
Here goes.

The Company's Responsibilities.

The company will be responsible for construction, maintenance and oversight of all community, and therefore public projects and infrastructure.
Every private property will handle its own; water, electricity, waste-management and food production. The goal being, to have a decentralized system, where each unit is self-sustaining. That way, if there is a problem anywhere, there are multiple other independent systems in place to help.
Large scale community projects offer limitless possibilities, but these should be a second priority, after each individual is cared for in the community, or is in the process towards self -sustainability (hereby: autonomy).
With regard to large scale community projects, (oil press, textile production, large scale water systems etc.) the community will work together as a whole towards their execution.
However, a crucial issue for me, is that no person shall be forced to work. There is no minimal working hours for members, even on community projects. Any person who wants to bring about a project, must take charge of it, and input the energy necessary to make it a reality. For example, people are sitting around the table, and one person has an idea. She tells two other people, who agree that it is worth perusing, and join her in her efforts. For the initial planning phase, the three are enough. The planning goal being to better understand exactly what the project needs, with a strong emphasis on lower cost in return for more work (more on that later). Once the project is outlined, if further assistance or funds are needed from the community, these can be processed on a case by case basis (I agree with a lot of the online model Alex suggested, more on that later). In most cases, especially with the decentralized, smaller scale projects suited to the ecoVillage, there will be no need to further recruit others, or take from community earnings. The emphasis must always be, to lower the cost as much as possible.
This will lead to organic projects taking on a life of their own, with minimal to no 'red-tape', and projects that cannot 'survive', will be eliminated through natural selection. (Provided, no individual or minority are gaining power to impact a larger influence in the decision making process.)

Regarding the communal kitchen, I think it is a crucial element. I love the idea of having a chef, or some high quality cooking, as this always helps.
However, having compulsory meals in my mind, is not the way to go. If people, systematically, do not want to join the meals, there must be a better way than marking attendance.
As a person who is less interested than most, let’s say, in eating and food related ceremonies, I am less inclined than the next to judge just how often a person can benefit from a communal meal. Meals must always be a joyous celebration, and most people like to join in. Most of the time..
Once again, (this is a recurring theme, bio-mimicary) this will encourage an organic state of attending the events one wants, and never feeling any pressure to partake in activities one doesn't enjoy. People not showing up for dinner is a symptom, not a disease. The reason, and solution, of why people don't feel it is worth their time to join a meal (not feeling included, not looking for company, not enjoying the food or cooking) will be beneficial to the ecoVillage as a whole, as is always the case when treating the diseases as opposed to system.

Founding costs / Who will pay?
The initial cost of founding (building permits, building materials, cost of living, legal advice etc.) will come out of people’s private money, based on each person’s capability. As members join, each will want to invest what they can in their new home. As this will be done voluntarily, there will be no record of how much money each person invested. In the (very unlikely) event that the initial investment money has not covered the costs of initial founding, There will be a special emphasis placed on fundraising, ie, festival, workshops, public and private investors etc..
This is a last resort.
Until such a time, the highest emphasis (ie. most of our energy and resources) must be placed on readying the land for production.
As the land begins to produce, (the second highest priority after building legal housing on the land) the money will be put to sustain the ecoVillage's first inhabitants until the land can provide 100% of the needs, ie. Selling produce, renting, festivals, etc..

Admitting new members
The ecoVillage is a place of healing, therefore it must be open to sick people. People will hear about the ecoVillage and come to visit and experience. After an initial period of 1-4 weeks, the person may request to join the ecoVillage. As there is no initial cost, there is less commitment, and therefore, less risk and problem of leaving the ecoVillage for any reason. The idea behind this approach is to protect against misjudgement and assumptions. There has never been a community able to perfectly predict which member will be a positive addition, and which could become negative. It is because of this that the emphasis shall be put on conflict resolution, not initial screening and profiling.
A person who wishes to join the ecoVillage, after agreeing to the basic principles of living harmoniously with nature and our environment (the basic principle of the ecoVillage and therefore a requirement), shall be allowed to do so even against members judgment.
This means that members may voice their concerns to the applicant, and explain why they feel that the applicant, or the community, won’t benefit from their joining, but ultimately if the applicant insists, they should be given at least a chance. A trial period to join and see what happens.
I myself would probably never have been admitted into the ecoVillage at one time in my life. People change.

I would like to say one thing in regard to the recent events. I was considering writing a separate post devoted just to my perspective of the matters, but I think a small mention here will clearly convey my feelings and actions thereof.
A short recap, we initially were in the process of planning and moving forward with 7(ish) members. After a recent outburst, and the last of three, it was decided and agreed upon that the situation could not be resolved and therefore, it would be most beneficial to all involved to go our separate ways.
I would like to add that I did not have to ask anyone to leave. The situation itself made it clear to all involved, that a true desire for reconciliation is lacking.
Naturally, I am going over my thoughts and actions, trying to see how I could have done things better. How I can improve for next time. And honestly, I feel I handled it as well as I could. Obviously the biggest reason is, I wasn't part of the dispute. It was between two other members, and therefore I had a much easier time not getting involved emotionally.
But there is another question to be asked. I brought this person on board. Invited him to join, and to be honest, I could have found a reason, even see this happening, before any of it transpired.
But I invited him nonetheless. And even after the initial disagreement, I still wanted to carry on.
Did I make a mistake? Could all of this have been avoided, if I had just gone with my gut instinct, that if someone is too different, they are not right for this project?
Maybe, but I don't think that is what's important.
This was an easy case. What I assumed, turned out to be true, and so why not assume next time? Well, that's exactly what I am talking about in the previous paragraph. What if the next time my assumption is incorrect, and I miss out on a huge addition, simply because I am traumatized becuase of what happened last time? I have seen this happen too often before, over correcting to a fault.
I don't think I made a mistake. I think the principle here worked beautifully. Someone got a chance, and very quickly it became apparent that this is not the place for them. And they left. So the system works! ;)
Also, just a side note. This person, along with Alex and anyone else who is joining, are still in a trial period. We are very eager to get moving, but I insist on making it abundantly clear to everyone, that the ecovillage holds no obligations to anyone yet. No contracts have been signed, no money exchanged hands, and so when someone wants to leave, they are not a member, and they are not really leaving the ecoVillage, since this is the beginning of the process, and there really isn't anything to leave yet...

Ok, that's what I have to say about that. If you have any questions please leave a comment in the bottom and I will do my best to answer hastily.

Getting back on topic, besides all this, the ecoVillage will have a limit decided by the size and land’s capabilities of sustaining the inhabitants comfortably. My rough estimation is around 50 families, being an average of 4 people per family, this means 200 people. (This is not to say only families are allowed, just as a general guideline for measurements.) This means the land shall have to expand from the 7 acres/2.8 Ha we have now, but this expasion will be done slowly and organically, as the village grows with more members.

Conflict resolution.

I agree with everything eco-alex said in his answers. On this subject, eco-alex is starting an online non-violent communication course this week. Here's a post with all the details. If you know about it, I dont need to convince you. And if you haven't heard about it, or dont know what NVC is, then you simply must check it out now!

As for my take, I would like to add that openness and honesty must run through the ecoVillage’s veins, from top to bottom and back up. The whole idea is based on honesty, which can only be accomplished through complete transparency. The company, the ecoVillage, and the organization, must all be open source, both metaphorically when applicable, and practically when appropriate.
A big part of this starts with sharing the process right from the start (now) on steemit. eco-alex and I both strongly agree that this is crucial for the success, and honest implementation of these massive ideas.

Members leaving.

Asking people to leave is done as a last resort. However, since there is an ‘open door’ policy, obviously this leads to more individuals who may not be benefited by, or benefiting, the ecoVillage. The exact reasons for expelling an individual are probably more varied than I should cover here. I think it better to think about the ‘red lines’, general principles, based on our philosophy, that when one crosses them, they can no longer be a part of the ecoVillage.

My personal guidelines are:
I. Living in harmony with nature.

This includes being respectful to all organisms, even, and especially when we consume them. To continually check our behavior, and expand our knowledge, through experimentation and trial and error, to best help nature flourish.

II. Living in harmony with each other.

All conflict must be diffused into a benefit, a chance to grow as individuals and as a community.

III. Helping others as best we can.

Beginning with our immediate surrounding, the community and our fellow ecoVillages.
Next our closest geographical surroundings. The local people who can benefit from our help. Whether through the dissemination of knowledge, providing a workplace, and general donations or support that we can offer.
After that, the country in general, collaborating with the local municipalities, helping as we can, to shape the current paradigm regarding subjects we can assist with, ie. Agriculture, fireproofing, water management, energy consumption, conservation and production, etc…
last, through modern technology, we are able to assist globally, free of charge, to the largest number of people ever possible in history. To ignore this, would be ignorant.

IV. Providing the stability, and sustainability of the ecoVillage and the project at large.

The entire project depends on the success of the ecoVillage in a large number of areas. If a large enough portion of the project is mismanaged, financially, socially, agriculturally, etc, then the entire ecoVillage, and the potential and momentum we have, could be lost. Therefore, any idea, project, or individual which puts the project at risk, must be openly and honestly discussed.

Voluntary leaving.

In the event of voluntary leaving of the ecoVillage, there should be no problem. As everyone is free to join, so everyone is free to leave. This again emphasizes the fact that the fewer financial ties made between the village as a governing body, and the individual, the lower the risk is, and the easier any kind of misunderstandings can be handled.
To give a real example. The way neighbors treat each other in modern society. There is no contract between neighbors, if one wants to leave, or move in next door, or invest their money in whatever, one has every right to do so.
Because of this, people are forced to get a long (though sometimes of course there are problems) a lot more, than if they had a choice of who would be their neighbour. This is the model we must replicate in the ecoVillage. Not choosing the perfect candidates and members, but having the flexibility, humility, and courage, to get along, and cooperate with all of mother earths creations (and yes, this does include all human beings..)

It must first be stated, that the community can only thrive and flourish, with a diverse range of ‘inhabitants’. As with animals, some will be domestic, living on the land, others will be wild, but live around the area and visit often, others will only visit once and move on. So it should be with people. Some (myself included) will be permanent residents. Living most of their time on the land. Others will be long term residents. People who may stay for a year, or two, but still intend on moving on after. Then short term residents, Up to a year. Next volunteers, these could fit into any time frame, from days to years depending on the program. And lastly, guests. People who come for a few days, or weeks.
The importance of this diversity, is to safeguard against any stagnation. A very common problem is to be stuck in a bubble, and not be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. These memes (in the Dawkins terminology) travel best through far reaching, short term travelers. These are people who travel and see many different ways of living and doing things in a short amount of time. (if you've read 'the tipping point', these are the "connectors").
All the range to permanent residents, each has a vital role to play in bringing homeostasis to a community.

As these different groups of people come, they will have different needs and priorities. As long as the ecoVillage can accommodate the wide spectrum* of needs and priorites, it will be a much more robust and stable system, and any faults or failures, will be able to be handled much more quickly and efficiently.

• Short term projects - day builds, small earthworks, workshops,
  Long term projects - Housing, large earthworks, in depth courses,
  Community starter kits - For those living in the ecoVillage, and planning on starting their own ecovillage one day.
  etc..

After a member leaves

A member who has not paid for their house, will have no problem leaving. My personal belief is that people will bring what they have with them (be it money, skills, knowledge, etc) and wish to invest them in their surroundings. When volunteers come, they invest time, and often money or at least energy and skill, into a project which is not their own. This is the feeling we need to foster in the village. When people invest in the village, it isnt in expectation of returns, profit, or rewards, but purely for doing the deed itself. If one does not do something whole-heartedly, it is not worth doing. When people join the village, whether short or long term, they need to feel they want to help build this project, not for personal gain, but for the greater good. The benefits they reap from that outlook (personal growth, learning, practicing and improving skills, bonding with other people etc,) will be immediate, and much more long lasting the something as ethereal as money.
When a person wishes to leave, for whatever reason, they may do so, without their time spent in the village, being considered a mistake.

System of governance
Our system of governance will be biomimetic. The principles upon which the land is designed, are not used solely for ecological projects. This means the company cannot be simply run top to bottom, but closer to a mycelial network. Each individual part of the mycelium is “expendable” meaning, no one part has more power or control than the other, i.e. decentralized. The model however is not merely an organizational one, but truly emulating natures success in working harmoniously with various elements.
Having said that, the company will be legal, and as such must comply with all the rules and regulations outlined in the official channels. Auditing, finance, ‘management’, all these must comply with the law. However, the impact, and the integration of these branches must be done in a decentralized manner. Information flow is crucial to this point. There must be a large emphasis on the perspective from the people ‘on the ground’, those who aren’t in ‘management’.
This will be most easily done, by giving the company as little power and decision making as possible. The majority of both decisions, and project management and execution, will be done by individuals, joining together (unofficially) as friends to do something together (much like we’re doing). The more of an emphasis is placed on the individual, unofficial and small scale decisions and management, the less problems will arise within the company.
Same goes for education. It is my personal wish, to some day have an educational institute in the village, but this must not be a curriculum decided by neither the Portuguese government, nor a unanimous decision by all members. As is always the case, there can, and should, be multiple educational options available, for all different children and their needs. No monoculture.
I do not believe in forcing anyone who doesn’t want to, to; vote, attend assembly or work. No one likes being told what to do, and the more freedom people feel, the more people will vote, attend assemblies, and work in what they choose. As for the decision making process, again this must be kept to a minimum. Nothing impedes progress like bureaucracy. Basic elections can be done if necessary, but I believe natural gravitation of people to what they are good at, or what interests them, will insure a more organic system being established. As long as no position holds power over others, there will be no craving of a position not suitable to one's abilities and interests. With the village, pretty much running as is, in much the same way an ant colony runs, then as need arises for certain positions being filled, the appropriate people will find their way there. (to reiterate, as long as no power can be gained from a position. This is crucial.)

Initial expenses
There is an urgency in creating revenue from the land as quickly as possible. This is the first step of establishment. Once the initial costs are kept to a minimum (local resources and labor, small scale design etc) all investments made to help establish, must be seen as expenses.

Raising capital (ugh...)
There are many and varied avenues to raise funds. Be it people working to save up, individual or group investments, passive income, education, festivals, etc. The proper projects and avenues must coincide with the people who want them and are willing to undertake them. Those who have money when they join the village, can invest it in various projects that will return a revenue. Those members who have less, will not be required to pay with money. Those who have more means than most, I would hope would want to help even more (as has been the case so far..).

Ok, so there you have it.. This of course is in no way comprehensive, as I still have a lot I want to tell you about, and of course this is all very superficial. The actual implementation in the project will require experimentation, trial and error, and a whole lot o' patience....

I hope you enjoyed reading, if you have any comments or questions, I would be overjoyed to hear all about them.
Thank you all and good night.

p.s.( I wrote this last night, but only posted this morning..