The stress of modern day living in crowded cities has driven millions to vast suburbs with limited escape from big-city problems. For those who desire a more peaceful environment, we provide, within our Favorite Links area, all the resources necessary to achieve a more natural back-to-the-land lifestyle. This chapter lists everything necessary for rural self-sufficient living, from purchasing land to workshops on self-reliance. We even list the top books and educational videos helpful for starting such projects.

The cost of living has skyrocketed, stranding individuals and families with higher bills. As a response to this problem and the desire to live close to nature, hundreds of alternative communities have flourished, providing stable platforms for multi-family cooperation.

The benefits include spending more time outdoors in nature, exploring the pride of self-sufficiency, living in hand-crafted homes, growing and preparing your own organic gardens (see our links for great resources) and orchards, and experiencing the joys of close-knit community relationships.

Our experience shows that those communities that are most successful have provided separate homes for each individual, couple or family. We provide ways to get in touch with successful alternative communities which promote or are supportive of a vegetarian diet & lifestyle, such as The Farm, East Wind (FEC member), and Twin Oaks. A complete list of communities can be found on the Intentional Communities website. For vegans & vegetarians, check out www.ic.org/vegan/

Many of the products listed in this chapter are adaptable to suburbs or city living, such as alternative power systems (solar, wind, hydro --- see articles below). Zoning laws often permit the building of alternative structures such as geodesic domes and pyramids within city boundaries.