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Students visit Abundance Ecovillage On June 22, students from Maharishi University of Enlightenment learnt that green living does not mean primitive living. In fact, by touring Abundance Ecovillage in Fairfield, Iowa, students experienced modern technology at its best. Here modern science works hand in hand with ancient Vedic Science principles to sustain living that is in accord with Nature, not a threat to it. Residents of Abundance Ecovillage explained to the students that using no outside water, sewer, or electric services presents a model for sustainable living in the present and future. Abundance Ecovillage, as described at its website, 'is a place where village design, energy, shelter, water, gardening, farming, waste recycling, and landscaping are done in a way that is in tune with Natural Law'. The website describes how its buildings, energy, farming, and waste recycling 'do not destroy or damage the larger systems of the earth that maintain a hospitable environment for life on our planet. Wherever possible, these services are provided in a way that not only sustains but enhances the ability of the earth to clean our air and water, maintain the balance of gases in the atmosphere, and in general provide a beautiful and safe place to live.' Entering the village, the students immediately noticed solar-panels lining the roofs of buildings, and wind turbine generators whirling in the strong Fairfield wind. These energy sources complement each other, providing solar energy on windless days and wind energy on gray, cloudy days. The energy from both sources is transmitted to the powerhouse, where it is stored in batteries, and sent by underground wires into the homes. For washing and bathing, a 50,000 gallon underground cistern collects rain water run-off from roofs, which has been filtered. Each cistern services the water needs of seven houses. Individual houses add solar panels for hot water. Waste water is treated and purified by a nearby water treatment lagoon. Visiting the first home, built in Abundance Ecovillage in 2002 by Ken Walton, the students were surprised at the cool inside temperature, in spite of outside heat in the high 80's. The source is thick 9-inch walls, giving excellent insulation, and natural air-conditioning, provided by underground earth tubes. Fresh air from outside is drawn into the house through earth tubes—large plastic pipes—buried nine to fifteen feet below the floor. The air is pulled through the tubes by a solar-and wind-powered fan. The surrounding cool earth cools the air in the tubes before it pours out of the house air vents. The impressive result is fresh, cool air, similar to air-conditioned air, only processed silently and costing almost nothing. Stacey Bower, who now lives in the Walton house, explained that the fan that draws in the fresh air has settings for three speeds. In winter, using the slowest speed allows the air to pass slowly by a furnace, which heats the air before it comes through the vents. In winter the air moves more quickly, cooled by the deep underground temperatures. Sandy Rando, another enthusiastic ecovillage home owner explained additional features for heating her home in winter. On the south side of her home there are numerous windows with clear, untinted glass. These windows allow maximum sunshine to enter her home during the winter; yet the architectural design cleverly disallows extra heat in the summer. How? Outside these south windows there is an overhang with vegetation. In summer, when the sun is higher in the sky, the overhang with vines blocks the sun coming into the ecovillage homes. In winter, the angle of the sun is lower so that the warm rays enter the south side of the house, naturally warming it. A trip to the ecovillage garden reveals neat rows of organic vegetables and herbs. Crops are grown without pesticides or genetically-engineered seed. They are harvested ripe and eaten fresh from the vine. This provides high-quality, nourishing food for the inhabitants of Abundance Ecovillage. Another exceptional feature of Abundance Ecovillage is that all the houses face east. This is in accord with the principle from Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, which upholds the importance of orienting one's home for maximum influence of the rising sun. Abundance Ecovillage is unique among all ecovillages in the United States because all its homes are built according to Maharishi Sthapataya Vedic design. This ancient science of building in accord with Natural Law, revived by His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, upholds that the orientation of the building, the placement of rooms in the house, and the placement of water bodies and sloping land around the house, all directly influence one's success, health, and well-being. The Abundance Ecovillage website explains 'Sthapatya Veda prescribes the proper dimension and placement of buildings in relation to the rest of the cosmos, so that the structures, by their dimensions and placement, give a feeling of being "at home in the universe", maximizing the positive influences from the cosmos and minimizing the negative ones.' By incorporating this ancient Vedic principle of building, the ecovillage 'attempts to be in harmony with the more subtle influences on the land'. The website summarizes its vision, 'In short, living in the ecovillage allows an individual to live in an environment that is in harmony with both the more gross aspects of natural law and the more subtle. Living in the ecovillage allows one to gain the blessings of natural law through Sthapatya Veda and to give blessings back to nature through permaculture design.' During their tour of Abundance Ecovillage, students saw the practical reality of sustainable, green living. They experienced how individuals, families, and societies can easily and comfortably live in harmony with the principles of Nature, which maintain life of our planet in a balanced, evolutionary way. Many came away, planning their own future abodes, knowing concretely how homes and cities can now function comfortably in accord with Natural Law. © Copyright 2008 Global Good News®
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