by Ashleigh Sanchez
Daily Lobo
An international project to teach communities to become environmentally friendly is coming to UNM.
"It's about community and sustainability," said Siobhan Asgharzadeh, co-director of Continuing Education. "It's about creating a space where there is a group consciousness working toward a more sustainable world."
The project, Ecovillage Design Education, is a sustainability training course making its first appearance in the U.S. through Continuing Education,
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Asgharzadeh said.
"It's been in many different countries," she said. "It's amazing what Cuba is doing as far as urban
implementation."
The program offers four courses. Each course consists of nine-day sessions.
The first course runs from Sept. 8 to Sept. 16 and focuses on the worldview aspect of the ecovillage model, Asgharzadeh said.
The following courses are in November, February and May.
It costs $550 per class or $2,000 for all four courses.
The courses examine a different dimension of sustainability,
she said.
The worldview class teaches holistic practices, how to listen and connect with nature, and how to bring spirituality and creativity into a social community setting, she said.
The courses also include social, economic and ecological aspects, she said.
After completing the courses, students are certified by the United Nations to teach ecovillage design.
An ecovillage is in harmony with nature, not competing with it, Asgharzadeh said.
"When a field is filled with nothing but tomatoes, that kills the land," she said. "Ecovillages generally use native plants for food."
She said common practices in an ecovillage include using gray water for crops, reusing resources and increasing social involvement.
"Ecovillages often have communal meals together and come together often as a community,"
she said.
There is an ecovillage in Santa Fe County, Pi§on Ecovillage.
Asgharzadeh said bringing the project to an urban area presents a challenge and an opportunity to reach a large audience.
Albuquerque desperately needs a change, she said.
"We are hoping to make Albuquerque into many ecovillages and live in a more sustainable way,"
she said.
Asgharzadeh said the program might become a permanent part of Continuing Education's
curriculum.
"(These courses) are something we are hoping to continue year after year," Asgharzadeh said. "We're working on a five-week class next year where you would actually go live in an ecovillage."
For those unable to take the Continuing Education course, Ecovillage Design Southwest is offering a free overview of the ecovillage model at UNM Conference Center on Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
