EarthMother
Speed of commitment:
Slow: Open to a situation where trust can build over time, Fast: Open to a situation that takes everyone being all-in from the start (with contracts & clarity)
IC types I would live in or am forming:
Van life co-travelers, Housing or shelter for a vulnerable group, Ecovillage or urban agrihood, Small farm or ranch, Retreat or event hosting as community, Artist collective & live work space, Life partner with community values, Multi-family shared house
Food production:
Working toward producing all or nearly all of our own food
IC seeker or founder/resident:
IC founder: I am seeking members to join a core group in founding a new IC. We already have a clear vision and established norms.
Residential proximity:
Separate units (separate apartments but some shared common areas with shared resources), Shared land (separate houses possibly with some shared buildings), Neighborhood mutual aid project or "cooperative housing cluster" (shared resources, houses aren't adjacent)
Ownership types:
Rent-to-own with shared housing or shared land, Co-operative (collectively owned separate houses or apartments), Joint land purchase to subdivide, hold shares, or hold "tenancy in common", Shared project but not shared housing
Reasons for shared housing:
Ecological sustainability to reduce carbon footprint, Lower cost of living, Sharing resources (spaces, equipment, tools, vehicles, gardens), Sharing meals and chores, Helping each other with childcare, Having social interaction while limiting the amount of influence or interaction with society, Friendship and sharing activities
Décor of shared areas:
Decisions based on practical utility and durability, A consistent aesthetic theme is important
Clutter level of shared living areas or work space:
Tidy in shared spaces, with a designated place for things
Cleanliness level (germs & crumbs):
All food counters & tables wiped down after each use, All food counters & tables wiped down daily to not attract pests, Disinfectants must be ecologically safe products (chemical sensitivity), Disinfecting is not important
Yard or landscaping:
Mowed, trimmed, manicured outdoor space, Tidy and clutter-free outdoors with storage out of sight, Covered space for storage, Space for kids and/or dogs to run, Gardens and edible landscaping, Xeriscape
Neighborhood or scenery:
Clean well maintained urban or suburban surroundings are a priority worth paying extra for, Not applicable
Current city/town and state/province:
Victoria BC
Nation(s) of current residence:
Canada
Preferred regions of North America:
Canada
Population density:
Small town, Rural, Remote
Regions of world:
North America
Ideal location(s):
Vancouver Island in British Columbia
Duration of your current location:
Would relocate if group decides to try another location together, Want to eventually commit to a permanent location if it goes well
Relocation capacity:
Ready to move from my general area now or in the near future, Ready to move from my current residence now or in the near future
Resource sharing:
Car share, Garden (share work and produce), Farm or food forest (share work and produce), Joint business (share work and profits), Emergency preparedness efforts
My socioeconomic status:
Substantial assets and higher income
Leisure and lifestyle:
Current work or personal demands leave little time for leisure
Practical skills:
Cooking for groups, Childcare, Cleaning, Gardening, Permaculture, Carpentry & repair, Farm animal care, Grant-writing, Group facilitation, Organizing & labeling
Experience or schooling:
Food handling certification trainer, Humanitarian work, Ecological science, Medicine - western, Biological sciences, Nutrition, Horticulture or permaculture, Architecture, Natural building, Carpentry & construction, Waterworks, plumbing, sanitation, Event planning & management, Psychology, Sociology, Certification for teaching children, Experience teaching adults, Animal training or care, Outdoor survival skills, Travel, Musical performance, Theater, Visual art, Marketing, Group therapy or processing, Sociocracy or holocracy, Mediation or dispute resolution, Short term rentals and hospitality, Long term rentals and maintenance
Years lived in an IC:
Lived with roommate(s) or housemate(s), Lived with sibling(s) or other non-parent relatives, Over 20 years in IC
Experience in community:
Lived in intentional community most of my life. Lived intentional farming community
Professional certifications or degrees:
MA counsellor MA somatic therapy MA ecology certificates in permaculture and much experience in a variety of occupation and community events.
Generation:
Younger boomer
Generations intended in IC:
Millennial (born 1981 – 1996)
Alcohol:
Should not be allowed on the premises
Tobacco smoking:
Should not be allowed on the premises, Should be allowed in designated indoor areas
Cannabis:
Should not be allowed on the premises, even if its legal in our location, Should be regulated by group decision only if it becomes problematic
Psychedelics:
Should not be allowed on the premises
Illegal recreational drugs:
Should not be allowed on the premises, Should not be policed by the community, as long as no minors are involved and no community rules are violated
Overnight guests:
Should be permitted in limited circumstances as decided by the governance process, Should be allowed in designated guest areas, Should be subject to group decision only if it becomes problematic
Daytime visitor access:
Should require that community is informed of planned visits, Should be discussed and limited by the IC agreements
Nudity:
Should be limited to private rooms or private residences (as is the norm outside the IC)
Required disclosures:
On sex offender registry
Religious or spiritual practice-based IC:
No mandate of strict adherence to shared religious beliefs and practices
My religious beliefs or practices:
Spiritual but not religious, Christian (universalist), Christian (fundamentalist), Buddhist, Pagan
Ecological preservation ethics:
Local food commitment for low carbon footprint, Eating vegan, vegetarian, or certified humane meat, Use of alternative power such as solar or wind, Commitment to reduce, re-use, recycle, Gray water recycling where permitted, Composting toilet
Belief-related practices:
Respectfully spiritual relationship to all human and all other than human including all nature spirits and beings
Size of community:
21 to 50, 51 to 150
Sense of togetherness:
An IC should have regular opportunities to encourage all to share their feelings, An IC should have regular mandated “group work” to resolve conflicts as they arise, An IC should foster close interpersonal relationships
My gender + number:
Female
Genders welcome in IC:
Female
My current couple situation:
I'm single or divorced
Couple situations welcome in IC:
Not applicable
My sexual orientation:
Monogamous
Sexual orientations welcome in IC:
Heterosexual (straight), Cisgender (gender normative), Monogamous
Sex & intimacy norms in IC:
Primarily left to the individual to determine, with the understanding that personal choices can impact community culture
Physical affection:
I am a big hugger; I’m affectionate even with people I don't know well, I enjoy hugs and lean toward the easily affectionate side, It depends
My availability for physical intimacy:
Want to take it really slow to be sure a commitment can last
Children in IC:
Children are welcome but not a necessity (not a dealbreaker issue)
Other people’s children:
I want to be in a setting in which all feel a responsibility for well-being of children in the community, I am open to sharing child-care responsibilities such as carpooling or swapping child-care
Behavior correction:
Parents shouldn't have to micro-manage their children for the benefit of adults around them
Dogs:
Outdoor dog(s) okay, Indoor dog(s) not okay
Cats:
Indoor cat(s) okay, Outdoor cat(s) okay
Other creatures:
Dog and cat awareness around farm animals and wildlife
Special food needs:
Strongly prefer home-processed foods, Strongly prefer raw foods, Strongly prefer a high quality of food preparation
Plant-based or not:
Primarily vegan, Primarily vegetarian, Fish okay, Cage-free eggs okay, Certified-humane meat okay
Organic:
Commitment to all organic, Commitment to local-grown as much as possible, Commitment to non-GMO
Shared meals:
Prefer shared meals daily, Prefer shared meals weekly or monthly, Shared meals should be optional, Shared meals are necessary community glue
Medical risk bubbles:
I can commit to taking extra precautions for others in a high-risk category
Pandemic norms:
Sanitize hands frequently in the IC, Sanitize hands frequently in public, Unvaccinated, Masks only when in public and mandated, Keep good health practices for good immune function, Whatever results from group decision-making process
Health conditions:
N/A
Noise level:
A quiet serene living space should be the norm, One quiet space should be reserved for those who need to focus on work, One space should be available for those who like to have videos or games on frequently, Different noise tolerance can be managed by having designated times for noise and quiet
Sleep:
I’m an early riser, I keep an early bedtime
Comfort & convenience:
I enjoy a rugged life and hard physical work, I can participate in a rugged life and hard physical work, I can participate with others who do not tolerate rugged life or extreme temperatures
Tech savvy:
I’m in need of help for troubleshooting or figuring out new tech
Wifi:
I need to be consistently connected to wifi during work hours, I can work without consistent internet connection, I'm concerned about the effects of constant wifi exposure
Off-grid:
Is the plan, Is a workable option, Is workable part time
Leisure time:
Music, art, crafts, hand work, outdoor activities, farming, celebrations, initiations, wholesome activities
Films, books, music, podcasts, shows:
Music, art, crafts, hand work, outdoor activities, farming, celebrations, initiations, wholesome activities
Culture influencers:
Cultural activities, folk art and music
Civic, political, or activist groups or movements:
Ecological Activist