Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Coho & Makin' Dough --> Sustainability?

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

SO mike you said:

>Assumption:  Most folks interested in cohousing care about the environment
>and want their lifestyle to be as sustainable as possible.

My question would be, is this a valid assumption?  I wouldn't say that 
the latter  phrase is true of my own group. The " want their lifestyle 
to be a sustainable as possible" part is suspect.  I would say maybe,  
"want a slightly more sustainable lifestyle" might be closer to the 
reality of my group.  If you want a lifestyle to be as sustainable as 
possible you do not create new housing developments, you retrofit existing.

 I have experienced that living cooperatively enables carpooling pretty 
easily.  It also enables joint trips to the library, store, theater, 
etc.  So I would guess a net reduction in use of gasoline and cars 
overall, compared to non-cooperative living in the same place.  Of 
course having community dinner saves energy, and sharing of tools and 
resources reduces consumption.  We have one lawn mower at Sharingwood 
for 12 houses rather than 12 lawn mowers etc.  (although actually only 
4 houses have any "lawn" to speak of.)

Joint economic ventures are an interesting ideal but which seems to be 
lacking. Perhaps the high level of mortgages in most cohousing 
communities prohibits this. My neighbors who have mortgages carry 
payments in excess of $1,000 a month.   At Sharingwood one member is 
hired by several houses to do household maintenance chores, another is 
routinely contracted for carpentry and cabinetry work.   Another 
neighbor has started his own company making dental crowns.  All of 
these are personal businesses however.

Many intentional communities run community businesses, but they typical 
have a much lower debt burden than cohousing does and can afford to 
make much less return on a business.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood