Commons in Intentional Communities - 2013: Difference between revisions

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In a Nutshell

Side-Event to the „Economics of the Commons Conference – From Seed Form to Core Paradigm” (ECC), for further information on ECC see: Overview of the Economics of the Commons Conference

Berlin, 21 May – Time: 13:30 - 18:00
International Roundtable of 18 persons (max). Two speakers, discussion.
Participation only after registration and communication with the organizers

There is a gap between ecological commons activists and digital commons activists - concerning age, habitat, world view, life style, communication style, and so on. Not seldom the former feel obliged to rural life styles, the latter are not seldom orientated towards urban life styles. Using the example of the holistic approach of ecovillages, the roundtable will examine opportunities for mutual learning, exchange of practices and mainstreaming of the achievements of both camps.

Concept

The movements for protecting ecological commons (such as protection of biodiversity or climate) and the movements for cultural commons (such as open source software or free access to knowledge or music) share both a deeper understanding of sustainability. A coalition will increase presumably the viability and impact of both camps. But the alliance between them is neither broad nor deep nor strong – if it exists at all. Not seldom the former feel obliged to rural life styles (and emphasize corresponding ideals), the latter are not seldom orientated to urban life styles. Sometimes activities of the other side are belittled as irrelevant, sometimes there are seen as a step backwards. How to interlink and integrate them? How could they benefit from each other?

The Roundtable will examine this challenge bv contrasting socalled 'ecovillages' with the modern digital commons scene. They represents different generations and different lifestyles, but share the same understanding of a good life and well-being. The commons economies created in both milieus reflect this lifestyles and life ideals.

Due to their size and the quantity of residents, ecovillages are the best known examples of intentionally created communities for an ecological and social sustainable way of life (Intentional Sustainable Communities = ISCs). Based on a holistic approach, ecovillages are important laboratories for commons-sensitive lifestyles and a new kind of economy. Ecovillages have developed intelligent structures for dealing with scarce economic resources. Even if their members have often only low monetary income, ecovillages secure nevertheless wealth and prosperity for them. This can be seen for example in living comfort, provision of household appliances, services for child-care and care of the elderly, forms of accommodation adjusted on individual needs, low prices for high quality food, for healing services and for mobility. Ecovillages offer suitable conditions for the family formation and family stability. Their communal life provide as well experiential and experimental spaces.

The milieu of digital commons activists creates new technological instruments which are able to overcome obstacles (e.g. geographical distances) for maintaining social contacts as well as barriers for enjoying and making cultural products such as music, film, poetry and fiction. They offer knowledge resource like Wikipedia or Open Source Ecology. They provide know-how and experience in the effective coordination of political, social and economic activities through the Internet, which have significant impact in the physical world (e.g. Crowdsourcing, Pirate Party, Wikipedia or Blogosphere). Tending to be younger than the people from ecovillages and deeply rooted in urban milieus, the Digitals have access and connects with the modern cultural sector, observe and participate in new cultural and artistic trends. But similar to the ecovillagers they are deeply convinced of participation, inclusion and grass root activities. And their solutions lives from sharing and giving and seeks often to transcended the monetary-based market economy.

The roundtable wants to focus on the possibilities to implement social and technical innovations of ecovillages into urban contexts (such as new types of housing and living) and consider the value and usefulness of urban commons activities for a rural sustainable development and the economic cycle of ecovillages.

The event seeks an understanding and exchange of experience between

commons activists dealing with digital and knowledge based commons and people living in intentional communities
commons activists representing urban and metropolitan milieus (such as digital and knowledge based commons) and commons activists representing rural milieus

The roundtable is planned to be a part of a series of workshops and conferences in 2013 under the title: "Sustainable lifestyles through commons economy”, organised by the European Business Council for Sustainable Energy (e5) and the Global Ecovillage Network of Europe (GEN Europe). All of them will be held in Germany and in German language. This series will explore the commons economy in ecovillages (and other intentional communities) and their technological, social or economic innovations. Which of them could be mainstreamed in the established economy? Activists from ecovillages, the urban commons movement and sustainable business as well as representatives form science and politics will come together to work on the question how impulses from ecovillages can support the transition of society. The findings of these meetings will be involved in a concluding study on the economic potentials of the commons economy in ecovillages. The general project will be funded by the “Umweltbundesamt”, the central German environmental protection agency.

Organizer

Responsible for content and design of this roundtable is Julio Lambing

The European Business Council for Sustainable Energy (e5) was founded 1996 in Germany in order to promote the potential of sustainable energy use and the implementation of modern, climate-friendly technologies in the European Union (EU) and at the early international climate negotiations. Now, the future viability of European business depends on whether we terminate the global overexploitation of our ecological resources and whether we can foster and advance the human web of life based on ecological, social, cultural and technological commons. e5 meets this challenge by posing four questions: How can business contribute to the advancement of sustainable lifestyles? How can eco-innovation be accelerated? How can business assist in the endeavours of poor societies for resources-efficient economic development? How can business advance the commons sensitivity of the modern economy?

Here you will find more information about e5 and e5's commons strategy:
http://wp.e5.org/projects/commons-sensitive-economy/

The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) was set up in 1995 to support the experimental creation and preservation of human settlements that not only sustain, but regenerate their social and natural environments. The Global Ecovillage Network of Europe (GEN Europe) is the European ecovillage association promoting social resilience, environmental protection and restoration of nature through the concept of ecovillages as models for sustainable human settlements. GEN europe actively supports the development of ecovillages and networks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

More information about GEN and the general project:
http://gen-europe.org/activities/news/news-detail/artikel/models-for-sustainable-living-new-gen-project-started/index.htm

Date and Venue

Date: 21/05
Time 13:30 - 18:00
Venue: Berlin, Germany
- location not yet confirmed

Schedule

Commons in Intentional Communities (CIC)

<tab class=wikitable sep=comma head=top> Time,Agenda,Speaker, 13:30, Welcome, , 14:00, Introduction
Ecological versus Digital Commons, Julio Lambing (e5), 14:30, Introduction of Participants, , 15:00, Ecovillages as a Holistic Way of a Commons Economy
Afterwards Discussion, xx, 16:00, Coffee Break, , 16:20, New Developments in the Open Source Movement and Economy
Afterwards Discussion, xx, 17:20, Personal Conclusions and Recommendations, all participants, 18:00, End, ,

</tab>

Contact

Project Manager
Ms. Katalin Kuse
Katalin.Kuse@e5.org
Tel: +49 (0) 178 6935137

Methodology

Working Language: Probably English

Participants: ca. 18

Design: 2 presentations, expert discussion

Possible Participants (to be invited)

Participation is only possible only after registration and communication with the organizers.
Participants of the CIC roundtable may be part of the ECC, but this is not mandatory.

List of people invited to ECC or only to the Rountable CIC <tab class=wikitable sep=comma head=top> Name,Contact,To ECC?,To CIC?, Other comments test, test, X, X, test </tab>

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 The Roundtable will examine this challenge bv contrasting socalled 'ecovillages' with the modern  digital commons scene. They represents different generations and different lifestyles, but share the same understanding of a good life and well-being. The commons economies created in both milieus  reflect this lifestyles and life ideals.
-Due to their  size and the quantity of residents, ecovillages are the best known examples of intentionally created communities for an ecological and social sustainable way of life (Intentional Sustainable Communities = ISCs). Based on a holistic approach, ecovillages are important laboratories for commons-sensitive lifestyles and a new kind  of economy. Ecovillages have developed intelligent structures for dealing with scarce economic resources. Even if their members have often only low monetary income, ecovillages secure nevertheless wealth and prosperity for them. This can be seen for example in living comfort, provision of household appliances, services for child-care and care of the elderly, forms of accommodation adjusted on individual needs, low prices for high quality food, for healing services and for mobility. Ecovillages offer suitable conditions for the family formation and family stability. Their communal life provide as well experiential  and experimental spaces.
+'''Due to their  size and the quantity of residents, ecovillages are the best known examples of intentionally created communities for an ecological and social sustainable way of life''' (Intentional Sustainable Communities = ISCs). Based on a holistic approach, ecovillages are important laboratories for commons-sensitive lifestyles and a new kind  of economy. '''Ecovillages have developed intelligent structures for dealing with scarce economic resources. Even if their members have often only low monetary income, ecovillages secure nevertheless wealth and prosperity for them.''' This can be seen for example in living comfort, provision of household appliances, services for child-care and care of the elderly, forms of accommodation adjusted on individual needs, low prices for high quality food, for healing services and for mobility. Ecovillages offer suitable conditions for the family formation and family stability. Their communal life provide as well experiential  and experimental spaces.
-The milieu of digital commons activists creates new technological instruments which are able  to overcome obstacles (e.g. geographical distances) for maintaining social contacts as well as barriers for enjoying and making cultural products such as music, film, poetry and fiction. They offer knowledge resource like Wikipedia or Open Source Ecology. They provide know-how and experience in the effective coordination of political, social and economic activities through the Internet, which have significant impact in the physical world (e.g. Crowdsourcing, Pirate Party, Wikipedia or Blogosphere). Tending to be younger than the people from ecovillages and deeply rooted in urban milieus, the Digitals  have access and connects with the modern cultural sector, observe and participate in new cultural and artistic trends. But similar to the ecovillagers they are deeply convinced of participation, inclusion and grass root activities. And their solutions life from sharing and giving and seeks often to transcended the monetary-based market economy.
+'''The milieu of digital commons activists creates new technological instruments which are able  to overcome obstacles (e.g. geographical distances) for maintaining social contacts''' as well as barriers for enjoying and making cultural products such as music, film, poetry and fiction. They offer knowledge resource like Wikipedia or Open Source Ecology. They provide know-how and experience in the effective coordination of political, social and economic activities through the Internet, which have significant impact in the physical world (e.g. Crowdsourcing, Pirate Party, Wikipedia or Blogosphere). '''Tending to be younger than the people from ecovillages and deeply rooted in urban milieus, the Digitals  have access and connects with the modern cultural sector, observe and participate in new cultural and artistic trends.''' But similar to the ecovillagers they are deeply convinced of participation, inclusion and grass root activities. And their solutions lives from sharing and giving and seeks often to transcended the monetary-based market economy.
 The roundtable wants to focus on the possibilities to implement social and technical innovations of ecovillages into urban contexts (such as new types of housing and living) and consider the value and usefulness of urban commons activities for a rural sustainable development and the economic cycle of ecovillages.