Chapter 5 :: Getting Along: Sustaining Community

      The positive social climate expounded by these two residents is further verified by survey results. Ninety percent of residents have said contact with their neighbors was better, or much better, than in “regular housing.” When asked how long residents intended to continue living in their ecovillage, 20 of 115 people (17 percent) answered with comments such as: “forever,” “until I die,” “for the rest of my life.” Only six percent expected to move in the next two years.

      The social climate of the ecovillage communities is an integral part of their success. This chapter delves into who the residents are, their feelings about their experience, and how they interact with each other and the environment. It includes residents’ concerns for their children, the social dynamics of shared maintenance, and recommendations improving the social climate. Drawing on extensive research, the discussion on environmental behavior goes beyond the scope of the ecovillage by including an assessment of how residents and others perceive the image and role of ecovillages within the larger society.

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