What is Ecovillage ?

Ecovillages are built on an understanding that aims to combine the social environment with a simple life style based on solidarity. In this regard, to create an ecovillage; Many methods are used such as permaculture, ecological architecture, green production, alternative energy and community building practices.

However, ecovillages consist of people of urban or rural communities who are completely self-sufficient, living in harmony with the earth and all living things, and are basically built on three elements:

• Ecology,

• Culture and spirituality,

• Social community is the main element of ecovillages.

Today, there are many ecovillages with different structures. Each of these ecovillages reach their own level of development and display the inspiration and creativity of their pioneers. While sustainable life is experienced very well in some ecovillages, which have existed for nearly twenty years, it also brings many new developments with it. Many ecovillages in the past were viewed as idealistic and marginal settlements. Nowadays, with an eco-village school where eco-village principles are adapted, shaped according to the flow of expectations and lifestyles, where people of different backgrounds and occupational groups live together, shared or privately owned, rented or for sale houses or private gardens. we are face to face. These ecovillages; They reflect on the course of the concept of ecovillage, allowing innovations in people’s personal focus and degree of community participation in social composition.

Ecological Dimension of Ecovillages

The ecological dimension of ecovillages mainly focuses on the connections with the world in which people live, such as soil, water, wind, animals and plants. In other words, it expresses a vision that starts with waste recycling and energy conservation, and extends to a commitment to an environmentally sensitive life, to the restoration of the world, to the integration of village-based energy systems, sustainable agriculture, water conditioning plants and ecological buildings. We can list the ecological aspects of ecovillages and their duties as follows:

• Growing organic foods,

• Creating living spaces where local architectural traditions are maintained,

• To apply local green business principles,

• Using renewable energy systems,

• To protect and promote biological diversity and protect rural areas,

• Maintaining the clean air, soil and water by applying waste and energy management are the main tasks of the ecological dimension.

Cultural and Spiritual Dimension of Ecovillages

When spiritual and cultural principles come together, many ecovillages can be seen to revive traditional cultures around the world in their daily life. Thanks to our world and all the formations on it, our return to the lifestyle we lived in harmony echoes. In this respect, ecovillages instill a sense of unity with the natural world. That is, it makes us remember that we are a part of human life and the infinite universe. Some ecovillages prefer a clearly articulated spiritual approach, while others do not. Ecovillages that adopt a spiritual approach; they can create brand new cultural expressions that show respect for ways of life around the world, understand natural cycles, and thus express humanity’s commitment to the universe and nature. We can also convey the functions of the cultural and spiritual dimension of ecovillages as follows:

• It allows us to integrate and enjoy these natural cycles through celebrations and ceremonies.

• Emphasizes creativity and art.

• It allows different cultures to be expressed.

• It helps to keep individual development and spiritual practices together.

Social Dimension of Ecovillages

Social dimension of ecovillages; It refers to the creation of a space that supports people’s desire to spend time together. Ecovillages are a small environment in which each individual can feel empowered. People can participate in all decisions that affect their own lives and the society they can monitor transparently. In the Western world, the voice of the individual is generally inaudible in the deafening noises of political plans and industrial issues. However, in ecovillages, this sound is quite strong and clear. In addition, ecovillages provide an extremely loving life for children, where they can participate in daily activities such as gardening and construction style. Thus, children learn experiences that give them different abilities. Act as a responsible member of society makes them aware of their position in the whole. In general, ecovillages encourage people to balance their freedom and responsibility towards others. In other words, it enables people to learn how to create free and purposeful formations and meet the needs of the society they live in. We can talk about the definitions that express the meaning of society in ecovillages as follows:

• Being aware of other people and establishing a good relationship with them,

• To help mutually by sharing common resources,

• To give necessary importance to preventive and mental health practices,

• Making the right decisions and resolving conflicts,

• Providing meaningful work to all members of the community,

• Helping the development of a lifelong education,

• Allowing children, adult people and marginalized groups to provide a highly integrated lifestyle.

• Contributing to the expression of cultures,

• To implement the green economy,

• Encouraging integrity by respecting differences are definitions that express the meaning of society in ecovillages.