Nov 24, 2012

Ecovillage plans in motion at Oklahoma State

...Led by Page and project director Jane Talkington, OSU is progressing toward the creation of an ecovillage on the northwest side of campus.
“If you are talking about sustainability, and you are comfortable, then you are not talking about sustainability,” said Talkington. “It should make you very uncomfortable because it leads to deeper questions. It makes you question everything that you are, how you live, how you eat, how you drive. It should be very uncomfortable.”
Page said the ecovillage would be multigenerational and not just for single students. Depending on what direction the project would go, the ecovillage could be a place for alumni, faculty, staff and community members.
“This generation of students wants to move away from gimme, gimme, gimme,” said Page. “But they don’t have a role model or a space to do that. ... The technology is easy. We have the technology. We can invent the technology. We have brilliant minds here. It’s the will to do it. It’s the will to make a difference. The will to live differently.”
There are approximately 2,000 functioning ecovillages located around the world, Talkington said. An ecovillage at OSU would be one of only a few located at universities in the United States.
Eight acres at McElroy and Walnut will be used by students as a test ground for the ecovillage. It is located behind the home of OSU President Burns Hargis.
“This is an intentional community,” said Brandon Burlingame, a senior landscape architecture student who is actively involved in the project.
Talkington said the ecovillage could be up and running within two years, much sooner if the commitment to proceed is forthcoming.
“This isn’t for everybody,” Page said. “But I think we have a significant amount of students who would want to, and an even bigger number who would benefit.”

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