Eco-villages Prove to be Sustainable
Peta Evans, Epoch Times
Australians produce over 560 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually - that is equivalent to putting 127 million cars on the road.

In an eco-village, however, life is all about ecological balance and sustainability.

"The whole community is solar powered, there's no one connected to the grid, so there's no one using fossil fuels for their energy consumption," said Chelsea McNab, a community resident from the Moora Moora Co-operative Community, located just 90 minutes from Melbourne.

Although many may not be quite ready for mud-brick houses or compost toilets, Moora Moora shows just how environmental sustainability can be done.

Established in 1974, the Moora Moora village is situated on Mount Toolebewong, Victoria. Comprising six eco-village clusters and a community centre, the 600-acre property is shared by around 50 adults and 15 children.

Living at Moora Moora is devoid of technological advances. Houses are made out of straw-bale, mud-brick and poured earth, there are compost toilets, wind and solar power, a private spring and an organic veggie garden that feeds the whole community. To save energy, most homes incorporated thermal mass in their design.
(12 February 2008)