Much More Than a Hippie's Paradise!

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday September 05, 2002 12:02 by Kerry Larkin ke_4 at hotmail dot com

Ecotopia 2002 - County Clare, Ireland

Ecotopia was an attempt to practise as one preaches - to live in a way that is true to principles of egalitarianism and sustainability. Socially and environmentally, it was a model for a more progressive society.

It had some of the trimmings, all right – circles of white folks intent on their African drumming, people loyal to the uniform of dreadlocks doused with patchouli – but Ecotopia 2002 was far more than just another crusties’ camp. It was substantial, and Ireland was lucky to get to play host to the roving yearly event.

Ecotopia is run by European Youth for Action (EYFA), a Europe-wide network of young people and youth organisations. It’s been held every year for the last thirteen years, in European countries as diverse as Bulgaria, Finland, France, the Czech Republic, and Holland; the Ukraine is next year’s destination. This year in Ireland, it was Gluaiseacht, the Irish umbrella group of environmental and social justice organisations, that did the organising on the ground, which was surely no small task. The objective was a two-week gathering that would see its members living in a sustainable way for two weeks, with a focus on workshops and learning; as far as this hippie could tell, that goal was well met.

Fair play to the hard workers in Gluaiseacht: while the responsibility for the camp belonged equally to everyone in it once Ecotopia got under way, it was clear that before, and probably after, all the fun, the organisers and their friends put in a tremendous amount of work and expertise to make it happen. A clear and informative guidebooklet greeted newcomers, and wooden and fabric structures in which to sleep, cook, play, read, and meet were scattered about the camp, newly constructed and purpose-built.

The site was Bealkelly Woods, on the shores of Lough Derg in East Clare. Local farmer Dell Harding and his horses, dogs and chickens graciously shared this lovely piece of wooded land with the 1,500 or so people who descended on it over the two weeks. The woods and the lake (available for canoeing and swimming) combined to create beautiful surroundings. For natural campers, the amenities were second to none. Add a makeshift, fully functional sweatlodge to the mix, and the sensual pleasures of Ecotopia were enough that it’s a wonder that any cerebral work got done at all.

PRACTISING WHAT WE PREACH

Ecotopia was an attempt to practise as one preaches - to live in a way that is true to principles of egalitarianism and sustainability. Socially and environmentally, it was a model for a more progressive society.

The camp was leaderless, non-hierarchical and run democratically; decisions affecting all in the camp were made by consensus at the morning meeting, although these consensus meetings fell into the usual trap of inadequate facilitation skills and the resulting overshot time limits and frustration. All were equal before the Ecotopian law; “women and men, kids and adults, local people and those from other countries all have the same privileges and responsibilities…women can dig holes and men can take care of children”, the guidebook asserts, encapsulating a positive and liberating attitude held by most there. The tasks for each day (food preparation, firewood collection, childcare, toilet maintenance, etc.) were divvied up at the meeting. One’s monetary contribution was determined via an Ecorate system – ie, someone from an Eastern European country would pay less than someone from a wealthier Western European one. (Irish people paid €5 for three meals a day.)

The camp’s impact on the land was carefully considered and minimised. Sustainable modes of transport to get there were encouraged; some participants arrived via bike, one group coming together in a planned bike tour from England. On site, composting toilets were built and happily used; once the holes were full, the structures were dismantled and the holes filled in, and their contents left to decompose, no water or chemicals having been needed. Firewood was collected from dead, downed trees only. Food was vegan; several recycling stations were set up and maintained; very little litter was visible around the place. There seemed to be only one (normal) generator in the camp, used for the VCR and a few power tools. A more ecological and fascinating set-up had volunteers pedaling a bike to generate electricity for a sound system. Another bike was perched in a tree beside a walkway; passersby at night could pull a cord attached to its pedals, which turned the wheel and generated electricity for a torch to momentarily light up the walkway: grassroots sustainable energy…

INFORMATION AND INNOVATION

Workshops were the focus of the educational element of Ecotopia. Anyone could offer one, and the expertise, skills, and information available through the workshops were both diverse and of high calibre, reflecting the commitment and involvement of the activists at Ecotopia. During my five days there, I attended workshops on trade, conflict management, an Irish ecovillage, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Indymedia, herbal remedies, the Nice treaty, the Brehon laws, and incineration. I ran one on worm composting, and skipped loads more, too many to name.

And then the learning kept coming, outside of workshops. Members of Indymedia Ireland and Undercurrents (a UK-based “alternative news” grassroots video collective) showed their engaging and inspiring videos at night. Even talking informally with people led inevitably to networking and the exchange of ideas and information. People were from different places, had different strengths and skills, and used different means and methods, but were mostly working to achieve the same aims, and were mostly passionate about and committed to “the cause.”

NOT UTOPIA BUT ECOTOPIA

Ecotopia was not perfect. But it was an attempt, and a very solid one, at creating a conscious community and an environment where education could take place, in a variety of ways. The atmosphere was positive and good-natured; it was a pleasure to see kids running around naked and muddy, delighted with themselves, and there was music, and creativity engendered by freedom. At night, bike-energy and candles lit our way. One was both calmed and stimulated by just being there.

After only five days of this, it was disconcerting to return to the concrete and hustle of Galway. I felt the severe disconnection from the planet that is inherent in this society’s lifestyle, for those few hours or day before readjustment took place. But even after the consciousness of that reality faded, I retained the reinvigoration that Ecotopia had given me.