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Sustainability Overview

The key areas in terms of sustainability that have been identified and will be expanded upon are so far directed in the following areas:

Permaculture

Property (Acquisition and Management), Community Structural Planning, Gardening, Horticulture, Aquaculture
Our current initial goals are to acquire a large, semi-rural/rural property, with fertile land, good rainfall and running water (somewhere on the Mid-North Coast, see Community page for more info.), and with a small team begin establishing the necessary resources to sustain larger amounts of people. When this has been achieved, light/mobile accomodation will be arranged for volunteers/WWOOFer's/etc, who will help to prepare the site for a permaculture food forest to be established. Once this crucial underpinning is at least thoroughly in the making, we will begin to weave a detailed structural plan for the center of our community throughout the permaculture forest. During this time we will also document our processes and educate others in sustainable practices. We will strive to learn from the failures and successes of other communities and the experts at the forefront of their respective fields. We are openly willing to work with other groups striving to achieve similar goals in sustainability. This is not a competition. Collaboration is key.

Biotechnology

Biomimicry, Architecture, Hydroponics, Carbon Negative Structures, Sustainable Energy Sources (Hydro/Wind/Solar/etc), Biodigesters and Biofuels
We will strive to utilise the most cutting edge sustainable technologies and practices. By analysing the terrain and geographical features of potential sites, we can determine early how to best utilise the natural forces of the area (hydro in areas with fast running water; wind in plateus such as Dorrigo Mountain --> these are highly efficient in the right places, as are some forms of solar), and by utilising innovative building strategies we will be able to recycle water, retain heat, collect energy and ultimately have the potential to sell unused electricity back to the grid.

By creating seed banks and collecting strong, reproductive, food bearing strains, we can ensure ourselves of a strong crop that we can begin sowing the moment we step onto our land. We can already begin raising saplings that in a few years will be strong enough to stand in a rapidly developing food forest, and this will greatly speed up the process to come.

With the right combinations of aquaculture and simple hydroponics, we can generate huge amounts of extremely high quality food quite rapidly, and in small areas, leaving more space for open development, and by utilising 'closed-circuit systems' we can reduce our wastage in general, by having the capacity to turn waste into another part of production in some way. Even human waste can be utilised for natural gases and fertilisers!

We will work on all fronts to create a sustainable, intentional eco-village, free of chemicals and full of food. From there, we will build a whole new educational paradigm and healthy, creative, thriving community center for all to enjoy.

Natural Principles

Natural Law, Common Law, Interpersonal Law

These principles are to be respected and integrated into both the site and the community throughout the entire development of the project. Fully understanding each of these principles is also an intended outcome of the project as a whole.

Sustainability Articles

Sustainability Videos

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Wellbeing Overview

The key areas in terms of wellbeing that have been identified and will be expanded upon are so far directed in the following areas:

Physical Health

Nutrition, Cooking, Exercise, Vitality
Daily fitness will be part of community routine, and this will carry over into healthy cooking practices, organic food production (free of chemicals, thanks to innovative permaculture practices), and general awareness of health issues through education. From early stages we hope to run martial arts and yoga courses, as well as physical training, rehabilitation, and various forms of physiotherapy and massage.

Psychological Health

Psychology, Relationships, Healing
Practical psychology, including areas such as social psychology, positive psychology, transpersonal psychology, and developmental psychology (to be brief), will be incorporated into creating a more holistic understanding of human nature, human relationships, the mind, and consciousness.

We hope to take the current methodological approaches to Psychology and elements of life-coaching, and meld these with other modalities of healing that focus on spiritual and emotional well being, including Art-Therapy, Acupuncture, Acu-Energetics, Reiki, Chinese Massage, Herbal Therapies, and a vast array of other healing modalities in order to tailor treatment to different cases. This is particularly important in cases of psychological health, where Psychologists and the medical community are often too willing to treat any case of spiritual or emotional crises as a Psychological disease. The tendency is to treat symptoms with heavy medications with varied side-effects. Note that this technique tends to treat only the symptoms, and often not the cause (note also that we do not mean to undermine the potential importance of the use of mental-health medications, rather we comment on the increasing tendency to medicate where it may not be necessary, especially in children/teenagers).

We hope to add a more diverse and holistic approach to health in general, and our primary aim is to make people aware that they have the capacity to heal themselves.

Community Wellbeing

Group Relations, Peace and Cultural Studies
With all aspects of Health, Education, and Creativity synchronising within a community centre, we hope to achieve a sense of community wellbeing that demonstrates the effectiveness of bringing together all these elements of human development, and directing them towards a single intentional eco-village that will be a home for all who help make it a reality (Students/Volunteers/Administrators/etc).

Wellbeing Articles

Wellbeing Videos

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Education Overview

Areas of study to be expanded upon in the coming curriculum. (Note that extra hours will have to be included in an average school day to accomodate all areas of study and still achieve state requirements in all state-compulsory fields of study).

Essential Education

- Self Awareness
- Global Studies
- Ethics and Values
- Creative Expression
- Academia (Math, Science, English, etc.)
- Environmental Awareness
- Personal Development and Well-Being
- Life Skills (cooking, nutrition, etc)

Elective Education

- Sustainable Practices (building, horticulture, permaculture etc)
- The Arts (drama, music, art, digital media etc)
- Trade Skills (plumbing, electricity, carpentry etc)
- Animal and Wildlife Care (biology, animal care and rescue, etc)
- Design and Technology (computer skills, design communications etc)

Research and Development

Documentation, Research, Experimentation, Exploration
It is our ultimate goal to take Elemental Education into Tertiary Education and beyond. Eventually we hope to have fully fledged research facilities in a number of fields including health, science, ecology and sociology. We are always on the look-out for future researchers. Anyone with an interest in innovative education or intentional eco-community development is more than welcome to contact us to discuss their ideas or simply to make their discoveries or ideas available within our resource database. All academic contributions (correctly cited, and otherwise un-plagiarised) are extremely welcome! Particularly if they coincide with any of the many veins of thought and research already embedded within this project.

Education Articles

• Educational Techniques

Education Videos

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Creativity Overview

One of our most fundamental organisational perogitives is encouraging creativity in all avenues of education (and life in general). The key areas in terms of creativity that have been identified and will be expanded upon are so far directed in the following areas:

Creative Skillshare

Workshops, Playshops, Creative Learning
Our diverse network of performers and artists have the capacity to teach a vast array of skills and crafts (music, acrobatics, firetwirling, drama, painting, and everything in between). These skills are shared amidst the community, open to anyone who is willing to learn. However, private or group courses in specific areas will also be available at for a small weekly fee.

Creative Expression

Artistic, Musical, Dance, Performance, Design
This area of the project will emerge as fundraising events, organised and maintained by members of the project. These will be art and lifestyle oriented small-scale festival events that will hopefully help generate both interest and funding for the project as a whole. (More info soon!)

Conscious CoCreation

Group Planning, Vision, Decision Making
This area of development will relate to the overall construction and continued maintainence of the physical site and community structure (geographically and socially) and will be an ongoing, overarching goal; that is - 'To Consciously Co-Create' - which is to become actively part of human evolution, through collaboration and cooperation.

For this purpose we hope to dedicate a whole area of our site to art and performance, and allow this space to grow as a constant, living, thriving installation space, on which events can be held and artistic skills shared amongst an eagre, creatively drive community of all ages.

Creativity Articles

Creativity Videos

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Community Aims

The aim of the project is to combine of these principles (those outlined in the elemental structure - Sustainability, Well-being, Creativity, and Education) in the planning and building of an ecovillage style sustainable community, with the intention to provide practical education and training in these and many other areas.

The Place

In terms of land this community requires a property no less than 100 acres in size, and preferably located in the fertile mid-north coast of Australia, between the hinterlands of Byron Bay and Mullumbimby, and as far south as Taree. The site will have to fit the particular needs and desires of the members of the project, which is why this area of the East coast of Australia is particularly perfect.

The People

In terms of human resources, our community is comprised of roughly 25 core members, many of us recently graduated or soon-to-be graduate university-students. The age group and cultural background of our internal (administrative) group is extremely varied, as are our skillsets and experience. Our extended network is large (200+ people aware of our causes and able to contribute in some way) and we are very willing to collaborate with other groups doing similar things all over the world. We span internationally, with our membership base growing and founded on very simple principes of human understanding and ecological awareness (see Member Guidelines). We operate purely on donation from our members and from the public, and so it is only our devotion to the cause and its ideals that keeps this project alive.

Community Articles

• How to Make Good Decisions

• Collaboration
• Member Guidelines And Ethics
• Model Vision

Community Videos

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