eco
green living
munity which means that in all aspects of its design and development, we have sought to engender a spirit of conviviality and neighborliness.” Houses are closely spaced around four separate courtyards with a community garden loaded with fruit trees and well-established vegetable plants. Longtime resident, Sunara Rathbun and her partner, Alec Walling, say living in a place where their children can play outside and where there is typically another parent or neighbor around is a great feeling. “The community is very family-friendly,” they add. Like most intentional communities, the Commons has by-laws. Each household must donate eight hours monthly to working on behalf of the community, or six hours if they rent. There is a homeowner’s board where residents Susan Pratt, an eight-year resident of Tres Placitas co-housing community, picks cosmos from the shared garden. are appointed to committees such as child care, executive, the city limits. About 30 percent of the grounds, and conflict resolution. There original residents still reside there, and is even a “vibes watcher” to make if you ask them what they like about sure everyone is okay after heated topthe Commons, they’ll go on and on in ics arise. According to Ken Hughes, the very best of ways. Simply put, the who has lived there since its inception, neighbors don’t always see eye to residents at the Commons are happy. The mission statement on their eye. But at the recent annual commuwebsite says it well: “The Commons nity feast, Hughes said, “The gratitude on the Alameda is a cohousing com- around the table was palpable. People 72 ecotrendsource.com
forgive and move on. “ In terms of environmental friendliness, the Commons was developed before many sustainable building practices were popular. Many residents have added solar panels and other energysaving features. Yet, when watching a group of children playing next to an overgrown butterfly bush, one can’t help but sense the Commons is more about extended family and community and less about making sure everything is perfectly green. Where the Commons could be the poster child for human sustainability, another intentional community just down the street, Tres Placitas del Rio, could do the same for agricultural sustainability. Tres Placitas is a development with 11 homes, and has many similarities to the Commons; it’s just as
RESOURCES The Fellowship for Intentional Community ic.org The Commons on the Alameda santafecohousing.org Tres Placitas del Rio tresplacitas.blogspot.com Rainbow Vision Santa Fe rainbowvisionsantafe.com
family-friendly, sits next to the Santa Fe River, and gives you a faraway feel while still being part of the city. And their community garden is worthy of an award. With vegetables, fruits, herbs, and even goats and chickens, the garden provides enough milk, eggs, and produce for each household which belongs to those respective coops, reducing dependence on grocers and transportation. Built by former residents Moria and Steve Peters, the garden has taken on a life of its own. When the Peterses left, the goat co-op continued. Some residents continue to tend to the chickens and the garden; however, not everybody is capable or has the time to help out. This is not an uncommon predicament in today’s intentional communities, according to Moria: “People are working harder and harder just to make ends meet and are tired at the end of the day, making it difficult to collaborate on projects.” Which brings up the issue of what happens in an intentional community when people can’t or won’t do their share of work, either due to fatigue, illness, or age? According to Tres Placitas’ homeowner association president, Chris Jonas, “in theory any intentional community should be capable of providing support to all of its residents, young, old, healthy, or sick. But,” he adds, “while Tres Placitas is perfect for raising families, the next step after they grow up and leave remains to be seen.”
With an aging population on the rise, questions like Where do we go from here? are on many empty-nesters’ minds. There has been an increase in intentional communities geared to the 50-and-above crowd, while a decade ago, studies showed that most people over 40 preferred to age in their existing enviMarcia Meckler, a newer Tres Placitas resident, feeds leftovers and scraps of ronment. But many food to some of the Sable Saanen goats. people who desire companionship have begun to rethink It’s a very social atmosphere. There this, often often after the loss of a loved is a maturity that focuses not on age, one. Add an uncertain economy and loss but on life and activity.” With Town of transportation and the choice becomes Hall-style meetings, people can address issues and find out ways to get involved clearer. An adult community on the outskirts with the community. Adds Crauss, of town, Rainbow Vision Santa Fe, “Even those in assisted living feel a part offers independent, transitional, and of the rest. Socialization is encouraged assisted living for purchase or for rent. on all levels.” While no intentional community is Recently reorganized and under new management, Rainbow Vision Santa perfect, it’s nice to have friends next Fe, originally established as an LGBT door. Time will tell what these will community, has now opened its doors offer us after the kids are grown, but to all people 50 or older, regardless of as with anything in life, both residents and communities are learning sexual orientation. Internal operations/events director to adapt. As Jonas says, “Intentional Linda Crauss considers it a social- communities can provide beautiful and ly sustainable community. She says, excruciating opportunities to live. And “Owners and tenants continue to be while intimacy is no utopia, the world incredibly supportive of one another. would be empty without intimacy.” ecotrendsource.com 73