Ecovillages Explained

Road warriors who venture out into countries where ecotourism is a hot buzzword often end up spending some time in an ecovillage. An ecovillage in sometimes called a sustainable community or green community. These areas are ones devoted to protecting and nurturing their local environment through classes, seminars, recycling and sustainable practices.

Sustainable practices are ones that allow resources to be reused, or used in a more constructive fashion. This includes eco-friendly designs, dependence on local subsistence, alternative energy and community education.

If you stay in an ecovillage, expect to pitch in with chores and practices that help further the values of the community. Although you’d do your own dishes at backpackers hostels in Sydney, you might do the whole village’s in a remote area of Costa Rica.

The designs of your lodging might be very different too. Hostels in Seattle might never think of conserving rainwater but a building in Germany may discover they can take rainwater and use it as an energy source.

Because these energy processes are not always perfected and generally a little rustic, most ecovillages are not five-star resorts. However, there are eco-friendly areas that cater to all budgets. They also vary wildly in size. Some may house no more than half a dozen people while others may boast a community in the thousands. If you are considering a long-term stay with a community, contact some in advance to determine if one is especially in need of your skill set or experience that you can provide.