Eco-villages 🏡

This page showcases volunteering opportunities to immerse yourself in eco-villages globally.

What is an Eco-village?

An Eco-village is an intentional, eco-sustainable community, able to satisfy the needs of its members while improving the prospects for future generations.

General principles of an Eco-village

Ideally, it should be a settlement that is basically self-sufficient from the food point of view. Members should be able to cultivate with the criteria of permaculture and organic farming and possibly raise some animals in the most natural way.

Energy

In an ecovillage you should build with local, natural and non-toxic materials (clay, wood, stones, straw, etc.), safeguarding the environment also through the so-called wild recovery and using integrated and renewable energy systems.

People

The ‘individual-ecology’ should be valued, which is why meditation, relaxation techniques, alternative therapies and different forms of creativity should have “honorary citizenship”.

Social system

The decision-making system is usually “fully democratic”, allowing all members to resolve their conflicts and divide the tasks by establishing together a more or less formalized system of rules.
In this last regard, it is worth mentioning that many communities use the method of consent, reaching a specific decision when, after careful mediation work, it is truly shared by all members.

Economy

Finally, in an ecovillage, one should favour a type of sustainable economy, in which money circulates in the most local environment, avoiding the waste of large retailers.

How to use this page

Ensure the dates of announcements you’re interested in are still current. For direct communication with the community, use the “Contact Details” section and avoid the comment section.