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The overall objective of the REDUCTIONS* project is to identify the potential for absolute resource and energy use reduction in production-consumption systems at all levels and to explore ways to realise this potential. The project has the ambition to generate knowledge-for-action and aims to propose science-based policies and strategies with a high potential to achieve substantial reductions.
Intentional Communities are perceived as a valid possibility to dematerialise individual lifestyles. As part of voluntary simplicity, Intentional Communities are built on the free choice (rather than economic necessity) to limit expenditures on consumer goods and services. Instead they aim to cultivate non-materialistic sources of satisfaction and meaning. Simplifying, self-provisioning and slowing down production as well as consumption processes are common characteristics of Intentional Communities. This fact sheet provides evidence about how far such communities contribute to absolute reductions of CO2 emissions.
Remarks:
This fact sheet is based on:
Simon, K.-H.; Mativelle, A., Fuhr, D. et al. (2004). Ecological relevance of Intentional Communities (Gemeinschaftliche Lebens-und Wirtschaftsweisen und ihre Umweltrelevanz). University of Kassel.
Simon, K.-H. and H. Herring (2003). Intentional Communities and Environmental Sustainability. In: Christensen, K. and D. Levinson (eds) Encyclopedia of Community – From the Village to the Virtual World. Sage Publications. (Vol 2, p. 690-693).
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