Sustainability in Practice: A Comparative Case Study Analysis of the EcoVillage at Ithaca, Earthaven, and Sirius

Research conducted on the three ecovillages included in this study (EcoVillage at Ithaca, Earthaven, and Sirius) found an average reduction in environmental impact of 66 percent, when comparing the ecovillage residents to the average US resident, across a variety of measures of environmental impact. 7 Given their success in reducing environmental impacts and their focus on the integration of nature into their communities, ecovillages provide a rich source for the investigation into the support of sustainable living.Each ecovillage develops its own web of thought and activity in the form of its culture and practices.These communities work to enhance and reduce their negative impacts on their local ecosystems.Our research question was: What are the sustainability practices in these three communities?We used criteria adapted from previous work by Hu and Wang, focusing on 8 1. environmental protection and resource use; 2. planning and development; and 3. social institutions and culture.This factor includes membership practices, decision making, ownership and resource sharing, and village commerce.