Earth Harmony Habitat shared Values, Visions, Goals, Aspirations and Covenants

The following is a draft of the Values, Visions, Goals, Aspirations and Covenant that are shared among members of Earth Harmony Habitats.  It is a start, not necessarily complete.  Additions are welcome and discussed and agreed to by unit owners.



Vision

• We see a future where humans flourish within Earth’s Carrying Capacity.

Purpose (Mission)

• To create a micro-community of affordable homes that are aesthetically pleasing, affordable, and uses only the electricity, water and vegetables than can be harvested from the land.

Values

• We value the idea of flourishing within earth’s carrying capacity.   We express this value through the framework of The Natural Step’s Principles.
• We believe that all humans should prosper on earth while insuring that annually society:
• Extracts no more inert resources (oil, gas, minerals etc) from the earth than it can provide,
• Harvest no more living resources (grains, animals, fish) than the earth can grow,
• Disposes no more wastes (air, water, soil pollution) than earth can absorb,
• Shares these inert and living resources and wastes equitably.
• We hold the values of sustainability, fairness, kindness, generosity, service, accessibility, and thrift.
• We are conscious of the interdependent web of life and our dependence on it to sustain all of life
• Whether in times of peace or conflict, we meet each other face to face, with openness and caring.  We are each individually committed to reaching through our hurts and fears to find and share our highest intentions.
• Economic sustainability is maintained by keeping home prices affordable for the masses through perpetuity.

Goals and Aspirations:

Land

• Land is owned by land trust in order to keep the units affordable for future generations.
• Financial independence is built through individual home ownership.
• Concept is exportable to other neighborhoods and owners, thus dimensions of land is a standard city plot of 50x100 ft.

Energy

• The units are to be net zero in energy measured on an annual basis.
• Embodied energy and water of the housing materials will be paid back with the system within 20 years.

Food and nutrient cycles

• Purchases of produce is recorded with discussions on ways to grow and preserve land crops that would provide for all.
• Each home has a built in root cellar adequate to store sufficient crops.
• Edible gardens are planted on all vertical garden walls and ground sufficient to keep all households with vegetables annually.

Water

• The units are to be net zero in water measured on an annual basis
• Grey water is captured for use watering garden areas
• Yellow water is captured for nutrient value and dispersed within 72 hours in garden soil
• Black water toilets compost human wastes to proper temperatures and is distributed in gardens in due course

Design

• For aesthetic reasons, houses are round or octagonal and minimize construction waste
• Homes meet designed to Passiv Haus criteria
• Homes are designed to meet or exceed Living Building Challenge 2.0 criteria
• Interior is designed and built with multiuse functionality in mind in order to utilize efficiency of the small space

Location

• To maximize food production, units must be located with the length perpendicular to south and front facing west.
• Because transportation accounts for a large component of our environmental impact, location of this complex is within 3 miles of the center of Portland or along a major light rail line.

Operating Covenants

• Households contribute 4 hours per week average to the community
• Meals are shared together once per month, during which the monthly meeting is held
• Community expenses are decided upon in consensus and shared between households equitably.
• Each household is responsible for attaining net zero operation in energy and water.  Water and electricity “shares” can be bought and sold between neighbors.  Each pod of 4 units however, agrees to be net zero on an annual basis, measured on a calendar year.
• New purchasers of units must be approved by all community members via consensus process.
• Although we value the expansion of Earth Harmony Habitats, we do so through maintaining the communication allowed with micro-size neighbors of 4 units.  These are called pods and are small enough for al the members to sit in a room together and make a decisions.  Decisions regarding such important matters as membership, children, housing, economic cooperation and decided at the pod level.