Intentional Communities and Environmental Sustainability

Sustainability is a prominent concept today in political and ecological debate. Although as a concept it dates back more than 300 years, it is only in the last three decades of the twentieth century that it has become a widely known concept. Its defining premise is that humanity should limit use of natural resources to a level that allows both the current generation and future generations equitable access to resources and environmental space. This is in contrast to the current practice, in which industrialized (“over-developed”) countries use the lion's share of resources, while developing countries (“low-developed” or “least-developed”) use a relatively small portion. Some calculations show that industrialized countries' resource use exceeds sustainability limits by three to five times. Sustainability also has economic and social implications, but these have been little explored or developed.

When considering what concrete steps are needed to make sustainability a reality, Joseph Huber, a German political philosopher, outlined three strategies. First, an efficiency strategy can be realized, whereby energy and material demands are reduced, materials are recycled, and dangerous pollutants are minimized. Second, a sufficiency strategy is possible. A major objective would be the setting of new social goals, such as relying to a high degree on seasonal goods, and the reduction of consumer demands in general. This would lead to a much simpler way of life. Third, a consistency strategy might be successful, whereby human activities are organized such that they are in harmony with nature. The use of appropriate technology (for example, shallow rather than deep plowing in certain regions of Africa) is an example of a human activity in harmony with nature.

But what is the contribution of intentional communities to sustainability? For several decades, writers such as Barry Commoner, Murray Bookchin, and Ted Trainer have claimed that Western society must change dramatically in order to guarantee our future survival. Their suggestions are often labeled utopian and unrealistic. Ted Trainer's response is to refer to the many intentional communities currently in existence, some of which have lasted several decades, all over the world in different economic and cultural settings.