Intentional Vegan Community forming in Berkeley CA
02 Apr 2011 Comments Off
Update July 18, 2011
We have met 3 times and are getting to know each other. there are several possibilities for house sharing in the future
At the moment we are planning on buying food in bulk as a possibility.
There are surprisingly few vegan people in Berkeley who are interested in a community or they have not found this group yet.
The contact point is at
http://veganintentionalcommunity.ning.com/
Hello future friends and housemates:
You can have the home you have always wanted!You can have a group of like minded people with a garden
a supportive, warm community and beautiful clean common areas.
What and Where:
Urban vegan/high raw permaculture community forming in Berkeley CA.
Affordable rental of house or loft structure, converted commercial space, warehouse etc for
5 to 20 vegans of all ages, single, couples, kids. Artists and those involved with creativity are especially welcome.
Ideal space will have garden space in the yard and/or on the roof if suitable for reinforceing and landlord open to putting in a
grey-water system and off grid energy, recycling and composting.
Time line:
We will begin by meeting and talking about what we want and start looking
for compatable people and compatable space.
It has to be right so it will take as long as it takes and it may be several small communities that intermingle within the east bay area.
Goals and values
A comfortable place to live with like minded individuals with a balance of seperate and communal space.
Could include sharing of bulk foods and some meals, shared chores, weekly short, positive house meetings.
Compassion, happiness, beauty, spirituality, personal growth, living intentionally.
Could include collaboration, compassionate education and promotion of veganism and sustainability.
Looking for people who want to make joy and happiness a number one priority for themselves no matter how
your life has been up to this point.
Emphasis is on sustainability, in how to connect with nature and the true self here and now.
The details of daily living
Seeking those who would like to be drug and 411 and stimulant free as much as possible and save wine for special occasions
People who believe in sacred space and would like a sunny cheerful clean home with common areas that are beautiful and simple
and open and uncluttered for doing yoga, reading relaxing or entertaining friends.
Consensus process, non violent communication ideas could be applied.
Believing this is possible
You truly can have the home you want.
I know this is doable and realistic in Berkeley and other parts of the bay area, very affordably believe it or not.
I work an average of 20 hours a week teaching pilates and I live in a big brown shingle house with room for 7,
though only 5 live here, in an affluent area for only $700 a month rent including internet and utilities, with garden, and deck.
We are close to Bart so I have no need of a car. 2 similar houses right next door are full of college students.
Imagine finding three such houses all in a row and filling them with vegan permaculture intentional community people!
This would indeed be an affordable urban eco-village without having to buy land first.
About me:
Artist, turned web designer, animator, I volunteer with permaculture activities and garden work parties,
write a permacutlure blog and a creativity blog, teaching pilates in SF and work on a web store for TreeHouse Green Gifts in Berkeley.
Interests and values: making happiness a priority and spreading this value,
compassion, ethical veganism, permacutlure sustainability, personal growth.
I am pretty mellow and quiet, yoga, meditation, hiking and writing.
I am moving in the next year or two because although I have a nice house and garden in a gorgeous area with
my mates are not interested in community or consensus, intentional community or sustainabilty
or personal growth or happiness as a number one value and they like to cook meat.
I have decided to believe I can have it all. So I put this out there for you to find.
Things I think value and am working to support and spread
World Peace Diet by Will Tuttle
Continuum Concept by Jean Leadloff
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Sharing Solution legalities of sharing cars, houses etc
Berkeley Ecology Center
Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina
You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
Happiness is a Choice by Barry Neil Kaufman