START WHERE YOU ARE: Building Climate Resilience… Through Cooperative Housing and Land Care

Guest post by Doug-Earth

How can we live climate safer and more sustainable lives starting today, right where we are? Many of us are asking and answering that question. Whether you plan to move to a new Climate Safe Village, stay exactly where you are, or are thinking of moving to a new home in a climate safer community, you can start here and now. Improvements to your home and garden, learning new knowledge and skills, and building cooperative networks can help us all lead climate safer and more sustainable lives. We can build now, and adapt or move later.

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH COOPERATIVE HOUSING AND LAND CARE: An example 

Many of us are exploring options for creating community and cooperating to care for land, wildlife and gardens for sustainability and climate resilience. Here is one example, where I live, that may be helpful.

Many intentional communities are challenged to last for a couple decades. The one where I live is 88 years old and thriving!  Our cooperative housing association was formed in 1936 and includes 177 houses and 23 acres of cooperatively owned land. Cul-du-sac streets, adjacent greenspaces, and woodlands offer a vision of community that has been sustained and vibrant over time, increasingly so over the 40+ years I have lived here.

Neighbors own their own houses and lots, and also cooperatively own and care for adjacent greenspaces and woods. We have interest groups that cooperate to do a variety of things. We tend woods and greenspaces increasing biodiversity and reducing wildfire risk. We advocate for healthy environments with local governments and organize for political action. We read books, cycle, garden, share music and other performing arts, and celebrate together. Here’s a sample of neighborhood wide celebrations held each year: cross country ski race; egg hunt; Fourth of July parade with a mobile band and kid’s decorated bike brigade; and a giant fall bonfire gathering.

Less formally we are simply good neighbors. We talk to each as we walk the paths we maintain and stroll or bike the low traffic streets. Many have lived here a long time so friendships run deep, though new neighbors quickly find ways to connect. We help each other, for example with yard and garden work, caring for animals, lending tools, and simply being available when the need arises. We sit together on porches and in living rooms, and hold block parties to keep connected. Some of us meditate together. 

All these elements just described contribute to a strong sense of community. There are dozens of neighbors we each know who would be glad to help. This is extremely valuable to us and leads others of similar mindset to seek to live here if there’s a vacant house. 

This self contained neighborhood exists within a diverse city. Adjacent neighborhoods share the values of community commitment to caring for public greenspaces and being good neighbors. It seems the deep values and connections of the housing cooperative spread out within our broader community.

Many neighbors have improved our small homes with hyper insulation, high efficiency appliances, solar panels and such. We happily talk about this and share ideas and resources with our neighbors.

Many neighbors maintain their own gardens and chicken coops next to their homes and share advice and resources like compost, seeds, plants, and grown food with neighbors. These simple acts build sustainability and climate resilience.

I chose to buy a home, stay and grow deep roots here, in part, for these exact reasons. While the cooperative, greenspaces and sense of community drew me here, I know that it’s only through sustained, intentional efforts to maintain these that our neighborhood will thrive and remain vibrant. 

May we all find or build a sustainable, climate resilient, cooperative community, whether you START WHERE YOU ARE in an existing neighborhood or start afresh to build a new one.

Doug-Earth

Four Lakes Watershed

Great Lakes Basin