EcoVillages, Sustainable Cities & Community-Based Energy Development

(C-BED)

www.americangreencareers.com

Training the American Workforce for a Green Future

What is an Eco-Village?Definition by Robert Gilman, co-author of Eco-

Villages and Sustainable Communities in 1991• “Human-Scale• Full-Featured Settlement• In which human activities are harmlessly

integrated into the natural world• In a way that is supportive of healthy human

development, and• Can be successfully continued into the indefinite

future”2

EcoVillage Wikipedia Definition

• Ecovillages are intentional communities • Goal of social, economical and ecological sustainability• Some aim for a population of 50-150 individuals• Shared ecological, social-economic and cultural-spiritual

values• Alternative to centralized electrical, water, and sewage

systems• Solution to the breakdown of traditional forms of

community• Small-scale communities with minimal ecological impact

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Global EcoVillage Network (GEN)

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• Ecotowns, such as Auroville in South India• Rural ecovillages, such as Gaia Asociación in Argentina and

Huehuecoyotl, in Mexico• Permaculture sites, including Crystal Waters, Australia and

Barus, Brazil• Urban rejuvenation projects, such as Los Angeles EcoVillage

and Christiania in Copenhagen• Educational centers, such as Findhorn Foundation in Scotland,

and the Ecovillage Training Center in Tennessee• 56+ Michigan communities are listed in GEN list of Michigan

intentional communities• http://gen.ecovillage.org

Ecovillages, Jonathon Dawson

www.chelseagreen.com

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Hutterites (Cultural-Spiritual)• German Anabaptist sect related to Mennonites & Amish,

migrated to US in 1870 from Russia.• Sleep separately but work and eat communally, holding “all

things in common,” emulating the early Christian Church.• Initial three communities have multiplied to 2,000

“Colonies” throughout the Americas.• When a Hutterite Colony grows to 150 members, it splits in

two, budding-off a daughter Colony.• Described in Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point, to

illustrate the human mind’s ability to manage a maximum of 150 personal relationships.

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• (Cultural-Spiritual) • Stephen Gaskin founded “The Farm” in 1970, a famous

hippie intentional community in Summertown, TN.• Gaskin was a Green Party presidential primary candidate in

2000. • At its peak, The Farm reached 1,400 members, but has

settled down to 175 permanent residents.• The Farm has an Ecovillage Training Center, and hosts

programs on organic gardening, permaculture, strawbale construction, and sustainable technologies.

• www.thefarmcommunity.com

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The Los Angeles Urban Eco-Village (Social-Economic)

• Los Angeles Eco-Village was founded in 1993• Intentional Community (LAEV-IC)• Located in the LA “Koreatown” neighborhood • Cooperative Resources & Services Project (CRSP)

with its Institute for Urban Ecovillages is an education, training and resource center for small urban ecological cooperative communities

• www.laecovillage.org

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Manitou Arbor Ecovillage (Cultural-Spiritual)

• Kalamazoo group developing a model sustainable residential community.

• “Desire, through sustainable design approaches, to form a supportive and diverse human community that seeks to model a way of living in greater harmony with each other and the natural world.”

• www.manitouarbor.org

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Worker Cooperatives• USA 100 M people members of 47,000 Co-ops• 1 B co-op members in 100 countries• Cleveland Evergreen Co-ops• Train & Employ locals as worker/owners– Ohio Cooperative Solar– Green City Growers Cooperative– Evergreen Cooperative Laundry

• www.community-wealth.org

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Sustainability, Triple Bottom Line• Social issues (People)– Education, crime, equity, community building,

spirituality, environmental justice • Environmental concerns (Planet)– Protecting human health, healthy ecosystems,

reducing pollution; providing green spaces• Economic issues (Profit)– Good jobs, stable businesses, appropriate

technology, strong economy long term

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How Do We Create Sustainable Cities?

• Local Food/reduce “Field to Fork” distance• Renewable energy sources• Counter "heat island effect“/Green roofs• Zero-emission transport/Improved public transport and an

increase in pedestrianization• Zero-energy building• Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS)/Water

conservation• Energy conservation systems/devices

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National Sustainable Cities

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• New York– www.cunysustainablecities.org

• Pittsburgh Sustainability Office– www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/mayor/html/sustainability.html

• San Francisco– www.sustainable-city.org

• Seattle– www.seattle.gov/environment

Michigan Sustainable Cities• Ann Arbor Energy Office – www.a2gov.org/government/publicservices/systems_

planning/energy/Pages/AboutTheEnergyOffice.aspx

– UM, http://css.snre.umich.edu/ • Grand Rapids Office of Energy and Sustainability– www.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?page_id=10522

• Detroit/ SE MI Regional Energy Office– www.michigansuburbsalliance.org/regional_cooperation/energy_office/

• Flint Energy Council – www.cityofflint.com/mayor/MayorStaff.html

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Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED)• Minnesota has legislation promoting C-BED• “C-BED is an organization of farmers and

landowners, mainstreet businesses and bankers, wind developers and component fabricators, educators, RE advocates, and other members of local communities, www.c-bed.org

• Optimize local economic development• GAO study found that local ownership of wind

systems generates an average of 2.3 times more jobs and 3.1 times more local dollar impact compared to "out of area" interests”

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Energy Self-Reliant States

• A new study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reinforces the findings of a 2009 report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR)

• ILSR report, Energy Self-Reliant States• All 50 states could generate at least 25 percent of

their electricity needs from in-state renewable energy while 31 could generate over 100 percent.

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Other States C-BED Activities• Minnesota has robust legislation, with over 600 MW of wind

power from C-BED tariffs• Nebraska also has a C-BED law.• Oregon Public Utility Commission is looking at expanding

distributed power generation• Illinois has a C-BED Wind Loan Fund• Iowa introduced C-BED legislation• Massachusetts Community Wind Collaborative • Washington introduced legislation; cooperative wind energy

producer model• Wisconsin Department of Commerce C-BED program

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Mission StatementCommunity Wind“Windustry® promotes progressive renewable energy

solutions and empowers communities to develop and own wind energy as an environmentally sustainable asset. Through member supported outreach, education and advocacy we work to remove the barriers to broad community ownership of wind energy.”

Windustry is a Minnesota nonprofit.www.windustry.org

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Public Policy Tools that Support C-BED

• NPV (Net Present Value) and Front-Loading• Advanced Renewable Tariffs/Feed-In Tariff;

Ontario• Tax Incentives• Net Metering Laws• Grants• Renewable Portfolio Standards

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Crossing The Energy Divide, Robert Ayres

"The Girders of the Energy-Transition Bridge:1. Recycling Waste-Energy Streams2. Utilizing Combined Heat and Power (CHP)3. Increasing Energy Efficiency (EE) in Industrial Processes and Buildings4. Increasing EE in Consumer End Uses5. Kick-starting the Micropower or “Rooftop” Revolution6. Substituting Energy Services for Products7. Redesigning Buildings and Cities for Climate Change8. Reforming Fresh Water Management Strategies"

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Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)

• Municipal Energy Financing• Berkeley, California, put into place the pilot

program. • Twenty states now allow cities and counties to

finance energy efficiency retrofits and on-site renewable energy generation

• Local community issues bonds to raise capital• Repay the loan with a property tax assessment• Michigan House just passed a PACE bill

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Michigan Wind C-BED

• “In terms of wind (all utility scale) the following efforts would be examples:Joint City of South Haven & Albermarle ProjectLenawee County, Great Lakes Wind, LLCGratiot County, Beebe Wind, LLCVillage of Millington

• Getting C-Bed projects going in Michigan has been a slow process for several reasons (not favorable state policies, capital constraints, marginal wind, economies of scale, etc.) ” Steve Harsh, PhD; Prof. MSU

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Tuscola Co., MI Community Wind• 100-megawatt project, comprising about 65 large

wind turbines.• 15,000 acres of land in Tuscola and Bay counties• Three farmers founded the coalition, the final group

was 70 farmers.• “First collective bargaining agreement

for wind energy development east of the Mississippi ever attempted,” said John Kreucher, attorney on the deal.

• 18 developers saw term sheet, eight interested, two considered for vote.

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3 Men Build Largest Solar Array In MI

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• Sam & Connor Field and Richard Schmitt • Kalamazoo Solar, in Charleston Township• 150 kW solar energy farm on 1.5 acres• Built 126 racks, and mounted 756 solar panels• Connected to Consumers’ grid in February 2010, 12-year contract • Seven hours of power daily, 800 -1,000 kilowatt hours, powers

20-25 local homes• October 2008 Michigan law mandates 10 % of all energy

production by companies like DTE and Consumers Energy from renewable sources

• Annual property tax assessment $27,000, more than the value of the electricity, they are seeking a tax abatement

Michigan C-BED Activities

• Flint's "Swedish Biogas" plant– www.swedishbiogas.eu/1/1.0.1.0/31/2/?item=art

_art-s1/18&group=art_art_grp-s1/1

• Wyandotte Municipal Utility (Melanie McCoy)• www.wyan.org/electric.htm

• Northport Energy Action Task Force– http://northportenergyactiontaskforce.blogspot.c

om/2009/03/home-energy-audit.html

• East Jordan 25

Model Rural EcoVillage• Organic Gardening / Farming • Premium Organic Meats, Processing & Products/Cow, Goat Dairy

Products• Value-added Food Processing Plant/Distribution Co-op• EcoVillage and Cooperative Development• Wind “Farm”/Solar Power Plant• Premium Organic Seed and Plant Nursery• 4-Season Greenhouses• Permaculture/Forestry• Bio-Char Production• Biofuels Production• Group Home/ Foster Care Homes

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Model Urban EcoVillage• Green Institute Training & Certification• Credit Union/Local Currency/ www.mitimebanks.org• Community Business /Microenterprises /Cooperatives• Green Housing Co-ops/Apartment Complexes• Solar PV Power Plant Development Co-op• Energy Efficient Building Retrofit Co-op• Biodiesel Processing & Distribution• Geothermal Heat Pump/District Heating• 4-Season Greenhouses/Urban Agriculture• Restaurants/Food Co-ops/Grocery Stores• Health & Healing /Group Homes/Childcare• Waste Management /Recycling

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How can you get involved in Michigan EcoVillages?

• Join our Michigan EcoVillage Group– kkaufman@americangreencareers.com

• Join Fellowship for Intentional Community– www.communities.ic.org

• Start an Intentional Community– The Cohousing Handbook, Chris Scotthanson

• Start a Cooperative– National Cooperative Business Assoc. www.ncba.coop – Mid America Cooperative Council, www.macc.coop

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For further information:Karl Kaufman

Michigan EcoVillage GroupSustainable Flint

American Green Institute, NonprofitAmerican Green Careers

kkaufman@americangreencareers.com

810-241-524029

Training the American Workforce for a Green Future