CRISIS AND COMMUNITY

The world is changing before our very eyes! The pandemic is sweeping the globe and wreaking havoc on our health, our health care systems, and the economy. No need to repeat the obvious here. You know what’s going on and how much of a crisis we’re in!

The response to crises is multifaceted. Personal, regional, or global, a crisis is a crisis and the response to it takes many forms. Of course this is very generic language, but it leads us into a look at the role that community plays in response to crises.

The Role of Community

Communities come in many forms, from well-established neighborhood to, condominiums, villages, churches, Brooklyn housing cooperatives, co-housing and ecovillages. In times of crisis people naturally look to each other for support and help, and to offer support and help. “Mutual aid” is a common response to crises and there are multiple examples around the globe of the simple act of people working together and helping each other. Whatever community you’re in, working together increases. In many cases, people love the sense of connection they have when collaborating with others, and when the crisis ends the connection often fades.

The small town of Laytonville functions much more closely as a community when crises strike, and it’s comforting to see how many people care about the crisis and want to work with each other to get through hard times.

Intentional Communities

What about intentional communities? The basic premise of an intentional community is that you are living in a setting with people who share your values and who want a cooperative relationship with their neighbors. This often amounts to a friendly neighborhood setting, and in others one with covenants, income sharing, shared businesses ventures, etc.

In times of crises an intentional community can offer a high level of cooperation as cooperation is already a function of the community; everyone is on board to help, everyone knows each other, and collaboration has already happened. As such, the benefits of intentional community are too many to list, but a few examples of how they manifest in our current pandemic crisis are noted.

The benefits of living in community really boil down to two basic things: sharing and caring.  In permaculture ethics it is described as care for the earth, care for people, and sharing the surplus.

Care For The Sick and Elderly

If someone is sick and needs to be quarantined, neighbors living a 2-5 minute walk away can deliver food and medicine as opposed to a friend driving across town. The same goes for the elderly who are particularly challenged right now due to their age and decreased mobility. Numerous systems that are both safe and efficient can be put in place to care for people and a community setting is a perfect place for them.

Sharing Resources

Sharing resources such as food and medical supplies (and, yes—toilet paper!) means less worry, less fear, and the comfort of knowing that your neighbors are there for you and you are there for them.

When someone living in an intentional community goes shopping, instead of doing a small shopping for themselves they can do a large shopping for several people. This saves time, money (for gas and when food can be bought more cheaply in bulk), and reduces carbon emissions and drivers on the road.

Food Security

Before crisis strikes, a community can create shared food systems that create food security. Gardening, canning, fermentation, purchasing bulk supplies in advance of shortages can all add to a good basic supply of foods available when supplies run dry in the stores. Both collective and private foods can be mixed to provide a system of food security.

Taking Care of Children

School closures means kids are at home. Small community homeschooling groups that are set up observing social distancing and safe practices can be implemented. Community members can share the responsibilities of being the teacher or monitor, and with online classrooms now available to just about all age groups and classes a healthy and safe class environment can be created. And if you live in the country there is always the opportunity for outdoor education, gardening and walks. (Just don’t let them play together on a jungle gym!)

Baby sitting is one of the oldest sharing economies there is, and it’s easy when you live in community.

Money and Finances

With so many layoffs and people out of work, money is tight and the economy is taking a nosedive. Intentional communities can set up cooperative currencies and barter so that many goods and services can be exchanged without the need for cash or credit. People can exchange a wide range of skills and services: baby sitting, landscaping and gardening, haircuts, shopping, meal preparation. If you’re sick and have to stay inside, imagine having a home cooked meal delivered to your door!

If a community is owned by a cooperative, LLC, or land trust, then seeking mortgage payment relief can be facilitated by one or two people to handle the paperwork and document submittals as opposed to every household having to individually apply for the same benefits. This saves a tremendous amount of time and with multiple parties housed under one legal entity there is more financial leverage as opposed to one home owner, now unemployed and with marginal savings, to secure a mortgage payment reduction.

Energy Security

Most intentional communities are committed to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and a low carbon footprint. When the power goes out, having shared energy resources means it’s easier and more affordable to keep the lights on, refrigerate food, and heat homes. Imagine a community house with a large community kitchen with walk in refrigerators that can keep perishables from rotting. A large back-up generator that supplies energy for the kitchen is more efficient than every home having back-up generators or expensive battery-based systems. If a home has lights, a wood burning stove, and a small but efficient portable power supply then much of the energy needed for refrigeration, laundry, bathing, well pumps, etc., can all be housed in a community building. All it takes is a willingness to share!

Fire!

Hotter temperatures. Dryer conditions. Fire. Power outages. And record cold temperatures. Is this really the “new normal” for California? Climate change is producing extreme fires, both in size and catastrophic damage, and California has once again experienced another disastrous fire season.

In addition to the fires and evacuations, equally dramatic this season was the number of utility power outages or “Public Safety Power Shutoffs.” In theory, when hot, dry windy conditions exist the power shut-offs would reduce the chances of failing electrical transmission lines sparking new fires. This strategy means that everyone in a high fire area has to endure repeated power outages, and this year millions of people suffered through multiple days of having no power.

The rains have finally come to Northern California, but we are already experiencing drought conditions. As of this writing we are 89% below the average rainfall for the rainy season that begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The rains have brought welcome relief, but the bigger rainfall picture is grim, with little indication that things are getting better.

Getting Through It

Laytonville was lucky this year and did not experience fires and evacuations, but there was a threat of fire for weeks that created a high level of stress throughout the community. We experienced power outages and warnings of more outages that never materialized. Gas stations closed, food went bad in grocery stores and in refrigerators, and many services were simply not available.

Fortunately the Laytonville Ecovillage has resources for when the grid goes down—off-grid solar, a generator, and propane. While the ultimate goal is to achieve net zero energy, utilizing 100% renewables, we’re not there yet. Although we have four solar systems, our off-grid photovoltaic system is small and has limited capacity. But it does get year-round use and is very handy when the grid goes down.

The use of generators and propane is a trade-off. Ideally, we would benefit from a large solar backup for when the grid goes down, but such systems are expensive. Using fossil fuels to provide our own power means we are contributing to global warming at the same time that we struggle with the effects of global warming!

Although we are currently phasing out propane, it was nice to be able to boil water and cook during the outages. We use these resources sparingly, but appreciate having them as a backup. Green neighborhoods, ecovillages, and co-housing communities offer a deep look into low-carbon lifestyles and demonstrate resilience in the face of natural disasters. Every step we take in a sustainable direction is good, and we have many more steps to take.

The Future

Anything we do to lower our carbon footprint is progress, and the working objective here is progress, not perfection.

There are many environment-related projects that ecovillages and sustainable communities work on, but one of the biggest is developing a new relationship to fire. Rather than shunning and avoiding fire we welcome the role it plays in the forest ecosystem to help reduce the chance of catastrophic fires.

Beyond achieving “defensible space” (in theory, 100 feet of non-combustible matter set back from structures), we are practicing sustainable forestry management on ten acres of historically neglected land. And sustainable forestry management means giving the forests an opportunity to burn in a sensible way.

Forests love to burn—and ideally they would burn in small, controlled ways similar to the controlled management strategies of indigenous peoples who understood the value of fire. Sustainable fire management allows for small, manageable burns that land stewards can practice.

Climate Change

Battling climate change is a huge, multifaceted issue that everyone can participate in. The scope of what needs to be done is epic, and, after this year’s fire season, more people and agencies are waking up to the fact that climate change is real and that we all must do our part. California’s forests are finally beginning to get proper management, and an increasing number of property owners are doing their part to make their homes fire safe.

Hopefully the rains will not cause amnesia to set in regarding the recent threat of fires and the urgent issue of climate change. For us, the rains mean we can work the woods safely and sustainably.

Summer Fruit Tree Pruning

Our next workshop, to be held on Saturday, August 17, 10am–2:30pm at the Laytonville Ecovillage, is coming up soon!

Seasoned fruit tree expert Richard Jeske will be teaching a one-day class on how to prune fruit trees in the summer. Many fruit trees are overgrown due to lack of maintenance. Instead of pruning in the winter to invigorate trees, summertime pruning de-invigorates fruit trees to make them more manageable and to have richer quality fruit. The Laytonville Ecovillage has several older overgrown fruit trees and summer pruning has allowed them to produce abundant fruit and also has made the trees easier to maintain.

For more information about this workshop, go to: laytonvilleecovillage.com/workshops

Walking in Wonder

On July 13, the Laytonville Ecovillage hosted a nature walk with naturalist and author Kate Marianchild. Author of Secrets of the Oak Woodlands, Kate’s work opens our eyes to the abundance of nature that coexists within and around oak woodlands. Rather than focusing on oak trees themselves, Kate weaves a rich tapestry of detail about the ecology of oak woodlands. Birds, fungi, mice, mistletoe, newts, manzanita, wood rats, and dozens of other species play a reciprocal role—both supporting and benefitting from oak trees.

Pictured below, Kate is reading from her book about poison oak. While many people don’t like poison oak and shudder at the mere sight of it, it actually plays a critical role in oak woodland ecology. Rats, mice, bear, coyotes, and over sixty types of birds eat poison oak berries!

You can learn about Kate’s work here: www.katemarianchild.com

Salt Point Seaweed

Tessa, Avery and Catherine of Salt Point Seaweed practice sustainable seaweed harvesting on the Mendocino coast and dry their seaweed at the Laytonville Ecovillage. They returned this year for another season, bringing a troop of friends to help, and they installed a greenhouse to help the drying process. Salt Point Seaweed is growing and their products are wonderful!

For information about Salt Point Seaweed, go to: www.saltpointseaweed.com

Green New Deal

“There is talk everywhere of a ‘Green New Deal.’ But what this looks like and how we get there needs to be hammered out.” —Geoff Lawton

Excerpt from the new documentary “Green is the New Silver (Lining): Crisis, Hope, and Permaculture.” See full documentary here.

Last fall, on November 13th, dozens of activists with the Sunrise Movement stormed Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco office demanding support for the Green New Deal (GND). Joining them in this now famous action was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been a leader in the promotion of a GND. They demanded action—now—and they rejected the all-too-common political refrain, “We’ll look into it.”

Look into it? What is there to look into when we understand the problems and know what the solutions are? The time for action is now! And that’s where all of us working for a sustainable and socially just future come in. Everyone can play a role and do their part. For those of us in the sustainability movement the GND will be wind in our sails and offer a mainstream reference for much of the work we’re doing.

Hardly a day goes by now without the GND being in the news. Although it is gaining momentum on many fronts there is also strong resistance to it, and for good reason: the GND is a social and ecological revolution that the status quo fears. What would happen to the oil and gas industry if their profits went down? The politicians that the oil and gas lobbyists have supported know that their political careers will be in jeopardy if they don’t reject the GND; hence the vitriolic and condescending rhetoric coming from Republicans and Democrats alike.

But due to the GND’s popularity, some Republicans have decided to at least pay favorable lip service to it.

“The sort of Green New Deal the resolution describes poses an existential threat to entrenched, deep-pocketed industries that donate to Democrats. Building a constituency powerful enough to challenge fossil fuel producers, automakers and utilities requires support from the labor movement.” —Huffington Post, February 7, 2019

Unlike the original New Deal, the GND has a strong anti-racist, social justice component to ensure that it’s a movement for everyone.

The lack of political support for the GND does not mean it’s going away. Those of us working for a socially just and sustainable future will continue to do the work we’re doing, but with the larger political debate finally getting some important memes into the mainstream that we can reference.

As the GND goes mainstream undoubtedly there will be greenwashing. It’s up to us to ensure that a sustainable future is possible and that good ideas like the GND don’t get put on the back burner while politicians “look into” the proposals.

The Sunrise Movement is at the forefront of political action supporting the GND. This month they are launching a two-month “Road to a Green New Deal” tour and will be hosting dozens of events nationwide. If you’re interested you may be able to host a tour event.

The Green New Deal is a good deal.

Carry on!

A New Social Enterprise at the Laytonville Ecovillage

Hi! We’re Salt Point Seaweed—three friends who formed a business harvesting and selling culinary seaweed from the Northern California coast.

We’ve been harvesting wild seaweed on the coast of Northern Mendocino County for years, but only this year found Laytonville Ecovillage to use as the home of our drying operation. We wild-harvest California Kombu, California Wakame, and California Nori in the early mornings of summer low tides. We forage by hand and are committed to sustainable and ethical harvesting techniques, making sure to minimize our impact and protect the intertidal ecosystem that we cherish. We sell our seaweed to chefs, food businesses, and directly to consumers through our packaged products.

We dry our seaweed using passive solar dehydration—and Laytonville Ecovillage has been the perfect place for our micro operation. It’s been a blessing being able to take a break from our long workdays by making a snack at the outdoor kitchen or taking a refreshing shower in the outdoor shower. Thanks Laytonville Ecovillage!

Check out our website www.saltpointseaweed.com for more information on the varieties of seaweed we harvest or for recipe ideas!

GREEN HOME FOR SALE

The Laytonville Ecovillage’s house and all of the green infrastructure is up for sale!

We’re looking for eco-friendly folks who would appreciate a truly green renovated home, solar energy, a permaculture landscape, and delicious pizzas from a cob pizza oven, among many other wonderful features. Have you been dreaming of your green and sustainable future in a beautiful forest? This home is ready to go, with forest trails, gardens, and life ready to live!

While a number of people have expressed interest in the undeveloped parcels, upon evaluation they decided that homesteading from the ground up was more than they wished to take on. Developing green property is a large undertaking and can be daunting—even for those with a passion for permaculture and natural building. Many have inquired about the house and whether it would be up for sale in future, so I’ve decided to make the house available for purchase as the next phase in this adventure.

We’ve created a dedicated website with all of the pertinent information, but here is a brief description:

Parcel #1 is two acres and includes the original homestead with the house (built in the late 1940s), grid-tied power, an abundant deep well, and all of the green building, natural building, and permaculture improvements. The house is a two-story, three-bedroom home with redwood siding, two baths, two kitchens, and a large outdoor kitchen as well.

I purchased the land in 2004 with the intention of creating a green neighborhood, or “ecovillage,” so that people could comfortably build affordable green homes in a community setting without fear of getting red-tagged or harassed by the County Building Department.

A total of ten acres has been subdivided into four parcels, each with approved septic system designs that allow you to build up to two single-family homes per parcel. Parcel #1 has an additional approved one-bedroom septic system so one could build a fantastic community house or could partner with someone who would like to split the cost of the parcel and share the existing infrastructure. (Think “Sharing Economy”!)

All the details are on the website so please visit here if you’re interested or want more information.

www.mendocounty-greenneighborhoodhomeforsale-laytonville.com

And please pass this along to anyone looking for a green home in a developing eco-friendly neighborhood setting!

PARCELS FOR SALE!

The Laytonville Ecovillage has parcels for sale! We’re partnering with Green Key Real Estate and Re/Max out of Ukiah to offer affordable parcels in our emerging green neighborhood. Each parcel comes with approved septic system designs, sites designated for well water, clearings for camping and tiny homes, and use of parcel #1 where you’ll have access to clean water, electricity, an outdoor kitchen, solar showers, rocket stove showers, WiFi, rustic picnic tables, cob pizza oven, and a large vegetable garden. We’re selling with the intention of offering the amenities of the first parcel while you develop your eco-homestead. [Read more…]

YOUR TINY HOUSE HERE

Laytonville Ecovillage is an ideal spot for a tiny house! Founder Dan Antonioli gave a well-attended presentation recently on how to create a Tiny House Village. Photo courtesy of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

El Nino rains have brought a burst of growth this year to Northern California and the Laytonville Ecovillage is still lush with greenery, wildflowers, happy trees and plants! But not for long. [Read more…]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

This Winter at the Laytonville Ecovillage I am pausing to reflect on the milestones we reached after completing several big projects. The unattractive “carport/garage” structure shared with the neighbor finally came down, junk piles left behind by tenants have been hauled off the land, tarps that used to function as roofs during the winter are being replaced with new roofs, and trailers are leaving the land. There’s been a lot of cleaning, clearing, and “energy moving” here and it’s about time! [Read more…]