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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.
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