Cohousing-L Mailing List: Reaction to Adawehi webinar

[jsiegelhill (jsiegelhill]

I attended the zoom webinar on Friday to learn about the ecovillage. I have
visited a number of cohousing communities but have only researched the
ecovillage communities. I became more interested in learning about them
when I saw the email announcing the tour of several ecovillages in NC next
fall. When I tuned in yesterday, the founder told us that the cutoff age is
60. I didn't even realize there was a cutoff age. The funny thing is that I
saw several attendees who were obviously seniors and had an interest in
learning more.

I'm finally realizing what seniors mean when they say society expects us to
fade out and that once we start graying, we are expected to become
invisible. We no longer have anything to contribute. I'm in my late 60s and
running my own business, which I started at age 62. I feel more fit and
active than many younger people I see. What seems really unethical to me is
that this organization will gladly take a hefty fee for the tour, but they
won't tell you upfront that you're not eligible to live in one. Why is
that, do you think? Do you think that's unethical? Can you imagine being on
the tour and then applying, only to be told you're not welcome there?

On another note, I always thought that the residents of an ecovillage had a
duty to be stewards of the land. When I inquired whether the meals were
vegan, I was told they could probably accommodate me. How can you be an
environmentalist and run an ecovillage whose residents consume animal milk?
So you're only half an environmentalist? How do you explain that to the
public when they come to visit you? I think it's unethical and it's phony.
All the yoga teachings and new age gibberish don't make up for it.

June Siegel-Hill