This document discusses integral sustainability and ecovillages. It defines an ecovillage as an intentional community that integrates ecology, economy, social systems and culture through participatory processes. It discusses the threats to life from issues like climate change, resource depletion and overconsumption. It also outlines the dimensions of integral sustainability - social, ecological, economic and cultural - and provides examples of existing ecovillages and the work of organizations like GEN and transition towns.

1. Integral Sustainability
Merging Wisdom from Permaculture,
Ecovillages & Transition Towns.
Julia Ramos_julia@laagroteca.com
Global Ecovillage Network Ambassador
Coach & Consultant in Integral Sustainability.

2. LIFE IS UNDER THREAT
 Peak Oil & Peak Resources
 Climate Change
 Economic contraction & Growing
Inequality
 Soil depletion & Water access
 Massive consumption
 Growing population.
 Biodiversity Loss.

3. 4 Dimensions: Integral Sustainability
Economy
Integral
Ecology Cultural
Sustainability
Social

4. What is an ECOVILLAGE?

5. What is an ECOVILLAGE?
An intentional or traditional
community that is consciously
designed through locally owned,
participatory processes to
regenerate social and natural
environments.

6. What is an ECOVILLAGE?
The 4 dimensions of sustainability
(ecology, economy, the social and
the cultural) are all integrated into a
holistic approach.

7. 4 O
F
D S
I U
S
M T
E A
N I
N
S A
I B
O I
L
N I
S T
Y

8. Intentional Communities
Traditional Sustainable Urban
Villages Neighbourhoods
Living and Learning Transition Town
Centres Projects
Permaculture Projects

9. Global Ecovillage Network
GEN
GEN was set up in 1995 to empower the
experimental creation and preservation of
human settlements that regenerate our social
and natural environments.
GEN has consultative status with the UN -
ECOSOC

10. Guidelines for ‘ecovillage’
recognition
Growing from our shared vision and values, we - the people –
choose to:
•Design our own villages and our own lifestyles in community.
•Live in harmony with nature.
•Become guardians of the nature around us once again
•Celebrate our cultural identity and diversity .
•Uphold human rights for all.
•Support oneness and solidarity, while helping each individual to
find his or her unique way of serving the whole.

11. Findhorn, Scotland

12. Sieben Linden, Germany

13. Huehuecoyotl, Mexico

14. Auroville, India

15. Sekem, Egypt

16. Kosha Joubert (koshajoubert@gen-europe.org)

17. Kosha Joubert (koshajoubert@gen-europe.org)

19. Kosha Joubert (koshajoubert@gen-europe.org)

23. Kosha Joubert (koshajoubert@gen-europe.org)

25. Kosha Joubert (koshajoubert@gen-europe.org)

27. Kosha Joubert (koshajoubert@gen-europe.org)

28. Kosha Joubert (koshajoubert@gen-europe.org)

29. Ecovillages Project – Baltic Sea
Overall objective :
• Create a toolkit for initiators and developers
of ecovillages
• Develop an effective model for planning and
implementation of ecovillages
Jan 2011 to Dec 2013 - EUR: 1.467.330,00

30. The EU Strategy for the Danube Region
14 countries: Germany
(Baden-Württemberg
and Bavaria), Austria,
Hungary, the Czech
Republic, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Bulgaria,
Romania, Croatia, Serbia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Montenegro,
Moldova, and Ukraine

31. The EU Strategy for the Danube Region

32. The EU Strategy for the Danube Region
Priority 6: To preserve biodiversity, landscapes and the
quality of air and soils
• Sub-priority 6.4 for Education of people on the value of
natural assets, ecosystems and the services they provide
• Action 6.4.1 - “To raise awareness of the general
public, by acknowledging and promoting the potentials
of natural assets as drivers of sustainable regional
development”.

33. What is Permaculture?
 Its origins on natural farming By M.
Fukuoka and developed by B.
Mollison & D. Holmgreen.
 Method for designing sustainable
human settlements in social,
ecological and economical terms.
 The word “Permaculture” comes
from Permanent + Culture. A
philosophy of working with, rather
than against nature.

34. What is Permaculture?
Based on the observation of
traditional natural systems .
It consists of universal ethics
and design principles.
A grass roots and
international movement of
practitioners, designers and
organisations.
An empowering response to
environmental & social crisis.

35. The 3 ETHICS of Permaculture

36. 12 Principles

38. Permaculture: An Overview Earth
Care
People Care
Site PK Fair Share
Water Ethics
Social Earth Energy
Landscape
Legal Aid Technologies Mollison's
Climate
People Structures
Plants Principles
Culture Sources
Trade/Finance Connections Principles
Holmgren's
Abstract Design Principles
Timing Elements
Data
Knowledge Design Sector
Strategies/ Analysis
Methods
Input-
Design Output
Processes Land- Analysis
SADIM(ET)
PAS(T)E Scape
Zoning
Reading
OBREDIMET
SWOC CEAP Base Data-
Map Overlay

39. ● Plants
Design Processes
●Animals
●Structures
● Survey
●(Tools)
●Analyse/Assess
●Events PAS(T)E- Design
●Design
Processes SADIM(ET) ●Implement
Sheet
●Maintain/Manage
●Evaluate
●Tweak
SWOC-
Analysis OBREDIMET
CEAP
Observe
●
Strengths
● ●Boundaries
●Weaknesses ● Collect site information ●Resources
●Opportunities ●Evaluate the information ●Evaluate/Examine
●Constraints/Challenges ●Apply permaculture ●Design
●Principles = Design ●Implement
●Plan a schedule of ●Maintain/Manage
implementation, maintenance, ●Evaluate
evaluation and tweaking ●Tweak

40. Site &
House
planning

41. What are Transition Towns?
It was founded by Rob Hopkins at the city of Totnes, U.K. in
2005.
It is based on Hollmgreen´s Permaculture Principles.
A transition town initiative starts with a group of people that
have joined together to work for building resilience towards:
Oil dependency.
Climate change and nature destruction.
Economic instability.

42. What are Transition Towns?
These groups of people organize depending on the particular
needs of the community and provide solutions accordingly.
Some activities or projects developed:
Local food production: CSA & organic markets.
Alternative currencies (time banks, money)
Energy & housing cooperatives.
Car sharing.
Community building & group dynamics.
Local business (health, teching, shopping…)

43. The 7 Principles of Transition.
1. Positive Visioning
5. Build Resilience.
2. Help People Access Good
Information and Trust Them to
Make Good Decisions 6. Inner and Outer
Transition.
3. Inclusion and Openness
7. Subsidiarity: self-organisation
4. Enable Sharing and and decision making at the
Networking. appropriate level

45. We are a Social Enterprise that develops and promotes
Integral Sustainability, through coaching and consulting projects.
We do it by applying permaculture´s principles, the 4
dimensions of sustainability: social, economical, ecological and
cultural and the practical examples from transition town´s
initiatives.
We work for the improvement of the traditional business
management model to create the new :
Integral Sustainability Business Model.

46. Applying Integral Sustainability to Business:
Social Dimension
Shared Vision, Trust & Organization.
Health and well-being. Personal Growth. Emotional support.
Lifelong learning. Coaching.
Dragon Dreaming & Sociocracy.
Strengthening community and embracing diversity.
Participatory decision making processes.
Conflict facilitation and peace-building skills.
Open communication and respect.
Positive & empowering leadership.
Frequent social events & Community belonging.

47. Applying Integral Sustainability to Business:
Economic Dimension
Helping local economies and business.
Triple Bottom Line accounting.
Common Welfare Economy.
Co-operation, Networking and sharing.
Distribution of resources and wealth.
Reduction of consumerism & Degrowth.
Participate in organised trading and exchange (local currency,
time banks, alternative currencies, bartering, microcredits…)
Significant collective ownership of land, water and resources.
Engage in ethical and transparent fair trade.

48. Applying Integral Sustainability to Business:
Ecological Dimension
From global to local perspective.
Helping local community.
Honouring traditions that are good for the people.
Social justice and gender equality.
Celebrating life: dance, music, art.
Support socially excluded people.
Embrace diversity.
Develop a worldview vison to ensure future´s
generations wellbeing.

49. Applying Integral Sustainability to Business:
Cultural/Worldview Dimension
Conservation of Biodiversity & Restoration of Ecosystems.
Ecological and traditional building methods.
Organic agriculture and permaculture.
Sustainable water management and clean energy.
Ecological and traditional building methods.
Recycling and pollution reduction.
 Reconnecting with Nature: Deep ecology.

50. CONTACT DETAILS
Julia Ramos. Coach & Consultant in Integral Sustainability.
Email: julia@laagroteca.com
Tel: +34 629 306 670
LinkedIn: juliaramospuente
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