What does Earth Community Look Like?

There is a locally rooted, self-organizing, compact communities that bring work, shopping, and recreation nearer to our residences – thus saving energy and communing time, reducing CO2 emissions and dependence on oil, and freeing time for family and community activities. Life is less dependent on cars, and the needs of automobiles no longer dominate the landscape. All land devoted to roads and parking is converted to bike lanes, trails, and parks. Governance processes are radically democratic.

Food is grown on local family farms without toxic chemicals, process it nearby, compost organic wastes, and recycle them back into the soil, thus better securing our food supply and improving human environmental health. Environmentally efficient buildings are designed for their specific microenvironments and construct them of local materials to reduce the energy costs of transport. Much of our energy is locally produced from wind and solar sources. Locally generated wastes are recycled locally to provide materials and energy inputs for local use.

Family life, work life, and community of is more geographically proximate and people in more regular and natural contact, our lives would be less fragmented and more coherent, the bonds of community denser, stranger, and more trusting. Children and youth would be naturally engaged in community life, thus acquiring the experience, mentors, and role models they need to prepare for the responsibilities of adulthood. Our youth are provided with courses in developmental psychology, responsible citizenship, and the skills of parenting as part of the school curriculum and encourage them to practice the application of these skills through community service and the care and mentoring of younger children.

Elders are a resource as caretakers, educators, mentors, and wise advisers to those still negotiating the pathway to a mature consciousness, thus restoring respect and meaning to the elder years. The elder who remains engaged in the responsibilities of community life is unlikely to suffer the either a longer for or a fear of death. They keep alive the flame of the spirit of what can be and serve by their very presence in the fullness of their maturity, as collective guides to the future. p. 295

Indicators of Successful Earth Community

• A vibrant community life grounded in mutual trust, shared values, and a sense of connection. Risks of physical harm perpetrated by humans against humans through war, terrorism, crime, sexual abuse, and random violence are minimal. Civil liberties are secure even for the most vulnerable.

• All people have a meaningful and dignified vocation that contributes to the well-being of the larger community and fulfills their own basic needs for healthful food, clean water, clothing, shelter, transport, education, entertainment, and health care. Paid employment allows amole time for family, friends, participation in community and political life, healthful physical activity, learning, and spiritual growth.

• Intellectual life and scientif inquiry are vibrant, open, and dedicated to the development and sharing of knowledge and life-serving technologies that address society’s priority needs.

• Families are strong and stable. Children are well nourished, receive a quality education, and live in secure and loving homes. Rates of suicide, divorce, abortion, and teenage pregnancy are low.

• Political participation and civic engagement are high, and people feel their political and civic participation makes a positive difference. Persons in formal leadership positions are respected for their wisdom, integrity, and commitment to he public good.

• Forests, fisheries, waterways, the land, and the air are clean, healthy, and vibrant with the diversity of life. Mother’s milk is wholesome and toxin free, and endangered species propulsions are in recovery.

• Physical infrastructure – including public transit, road, bridge, rail, water and sewerage systems, and electric power generation and transmission facilities – is well maintained, accessible to all, and adequate to demand.

Every adult has achieved at least a Socialized Consciousness and most adults have achieved a Cultural Consciousness by early middle age and a Spiritual Consciousness by late middle age