Program Overview
The RD&D Program will Promote and Develop Specific Appropriate Technologies and Permaculture Practices by:
- Identifying Sustainability Enabling Technologies and Practices
- Identify Partnerships between Universities, Research Sites, Ecovillages, Funders and Businesses
- Field Demonstrate the Technologies and Practices in Ecovillages and to the Public
The RD&D Program will assist Colleges and Universities in:
- Identifying and Providing On-going Research Projects that match their curriculum
- Providing Continuity, Monitoring and Evaluation of Research Activities
- Developing On-going Relationships with Research Sites
The RD&D Program will assist Students:
- By Offering Premier Traveling and Placed-based Experiential Education Programs in Ecovillages Around the World.
- By Offering Pathways for Credit for Individual Research Projects in Appropriate Technology and Permaculture.
- By Providing Premier Real-world Training in Crucial Skills in Sustainable Living and in the Sustainability Fields.
The RD&D Program will assist Ecovillages in:
- Identifying Best Pathways Toward Sustainability (Ecological Assessment, Technology and Practices Selection)
- Develop Relationships with Researchers at Local Colleges and Universities and Research Centers
- Obtaining Resources and Funding for Projects
The program will initially focus on linking ecovillages with existing education programs in appropriate technology and permaculture design with universities with a strong sustainability curriculum. On-going research projects in ecovillages around the world in areas such as renewable energy applications or organic food production practices will become an integral part of Living Routes' traveling and place-based programs in sustainable living. Living Routes will provide careful coordination between faculty, students, ecovillage educators and researchers in the design, implementation and monitoring of the research projects.
The social context within which each technology and practice is used will also be examined. Research will be conducted to determine how varying social contexts affect the use of the technology or practice and how the technology or practice affects the social fabric in which it is used. With this effort, students and faculty will work to humanize the scientific method to include social impacts and influences thus providing a rich forum for social as well as scientific inquiry.
A strong academic focus will provide a solid foundation for the hands-on R&D projects and ecovillage infrastructure development. Initially the research projects will work on establishing quantitative and qualitative sustainability standards and baseline data on ecovillage resources and impacts. We will use and further develop the concept of ecological footprinting as presented by Wackernagel and Rees in Our Ecological Footprint. We will add to this a systematic look at the field of ecological auditing including carbon indexing and study the effects of global warming and other indicators of sustainability.
We will also work closely with the Global
Ecovillage Network and it's associated regional networks to further
develop and refine their Community
Assessment Tool. This survey helps ecovillages assess their level
of sustainability and establish baseline data and goals for their strategy
toward achieving sustainability. Combining the wisdom and knowledge of
the
ecological footprinting method and other sustainability indicators
with that of the Community Assessment Tool, ecovillages and students will
be able to significantly contribute to the field of sustainability standards,
track their own progress toward a sustainable way of life, and educate
others on what it means to be sustainable.
As this baseline data of resources and impacts is established, the Ecovillage Research, Development and Demonstration Program will engage in research on specific technology solutions and practices that the participant ecovillages have identified as crucial to their pursuit of sustainability. As the projects progress and technologies are employed, the program will look for opportunities to demonstrate sustainable technologies and practices to the general public. We will seek to establish ecovillages as local demonstration sites for their local communities with an emphasis on demonstrating methods that are transferable to their locale.
If you are interested please contact Living Routes.
Together we can ensure a sustainable future!
