Findhorn Ecovillage

Findhorn Ecovillage is an experimental architectural community project based at The Park, in Moray, Scotland, near the village of Findhorn.[1] The project's main aim is to demonstrate a sustainable development in environmental, social, and economic terms. Work began in the early 1980s under the auspices of the Findhorn Foundation but now includes a wide diversity of organisations and activities.[2][3] Numerous different ecological techniques are in use, and the project has won a variety of awards, including the UN-Habitat Best Practice Designation in 1998.[4]

A Barrel House—the first new dwelling to be created at Findhorn Ecovillage
Moray's location in Scotland

An independent study[5] concludes that the residents have the lowest ecological footprint of any community measured so far in the industrialised world and is also half of the UK average.[6] Although the project has attracted some controversy, the growing profile of environmental issues such as climate change has led to a degree of mainstream acceptance of its ecological ethos.[7][8][9]

  1. ^ Local relations between the Findhorn Foundation and the village of Findhorn have occasionally foundered over inconsiderate use of the word 'Findhorn' to mean either the former or the Ecovillage. See for example Walker (1994), Talk:Findhorn Foundation and also Findhorn (disambiguation).
  2. ^ Lovie, R. et al. (2005) Moray Sustainability Handbook. Keith. REAP.
  3. ^ "Findhorn Foundation". EcoVillage.org. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  4. ^ Burns, B. et al. (2006) CIFAL Findhorn. Findhorn Foundation.
  5. ^ Tinsley, S. and George, H. (2006) Ecological Footprint of the Findhorn Foundation and Community. Moray. Sustainable Development Research Centre, UHI Millennium Institute.
  6. ^ Edwards, Rob (4 August 2007). "Findhorn eco-footprint is 'world's smallest'". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 30 December 2012. A new expert study says the multinational community's ecological footprint is half the UK average. This means Findhorn uses 50% fewer resources and creates 50% less waste than normal.
  7. ^ Stern, Sir Nicholas. (2006) The Economics of Climate Change. London. HM Treasury. ISBN 0-521-70080-9
  8. ^ An Inconvenient Truth (2006) Directed by Davis Guggenheim and starring Al Gore. Paramount Classics.
  9. ^ Cavendish, C. (31 October 2006) The only debate left on carbon emissions is political. London. The Times newspaper.