Eco-Park Comes to Santa Fe feat. Alfonz Viszolay by Seth Roffman

It’s an algae oil farm, a dairy farm, vegetable truck farm, a power station, and a classroom!  and it’s coming to Santa Fe! Integrated systems, jobs, and hands-on learning. As we seek security and resiliency in times of impending climate change crises, peak oil production, rising prices, dependency on foreign oil, and long distance supply chains, some innovative individuals think …

Developers and Landowners Should Take a Page From the Past by Estevan Arellano

Balancing the preservation of water rights, development of farm land, sustainable profits from homegrown agricultural operations, and enhancing the regional food “shed” requires wisdom and innovation…  If Río Arriba County can have its agricultural lands and water rights remain intact before any new developments are approved, it will not only help prevent sprawl in rural areas; ultimately, it will positively …

Gussing of the Southwest: Rising to the Challenge and Reaping the Benefits by Brian Skeele

Santa Fe could be the Gussing of the Southwest.  Renewable energy, local jobs, and ecotourism, oh my! Wood gasifing operation. Today there are 27 decentralized power plants within the Güssing county, all powered by sustainable forest management. Gussing Austria has become one of the world’s living examples of a renewable energy community. Here’s how a little agricultural town of 4,000 …

Imagining a Sustainable Urban Village by Stephanie Hiller

Our world is changing radically, yet we struggle to stay the same. We face multiple threats to our continuance: dwindling supplies of oil, gas, and various metals; diminishing access to pure drinking water; strange weather and rising temperatures; spreading pollution and the ever present threat of nuclear war. How can we respond to these overwhelming challenges, and survive? Avoidance will …

Commons Vignettes, or 144 Reasons to Live in Community compiled by Ken Hughes

The Commons on the Alameda is a 28 home clustered, co-housing compound in Santa Fe. With parking on the perimeter,  a delightful pedestrian path connects a series of placitas. (editor note * with more space online, the GFT article 101 Reasons to live in Community has expanded..Enjoy!  28 unit Co-Housing, with shared grounds, laundry, common house The Commons on the …

The Ecology of Community Networking by Richard Lowenberg

Santa Fe collectively pays $100 million per year on aggregated telecommunications services (phone, cable,wireless, satelllite, Internet). Richard Lowenberg points to community economic benefits that would accrue if 1% were re-allocated to community technology services. … The Ecology of Community Networking As a best practice, the way we think about and pursue our network connected lives should be considered, along with all other aspects of community-building, …

Water in a Sustainable Urban Village by Richard Jennings

Sewers are the perennial streams of our civilization in most semi-arid areas. Because water is the critical element, water resiliency will include budgets, reserves, maximum cycling and plans for shared sacrifice or prosperity as the climate delivers…. Water in a Sustainable Urban Village It is great to dream and make plans.  But then what?  To make things happen the plan has to be …

Higher Education Learning Center Launches by Brian Skeele

“The Santa Fe Higher Learning Center will be a boost to our community and our local economy. By increasing access to higher education we improve the quality of our workforce,” said Chris Abeyta, chair of the Learning Center District Board and of SFCC’s Governing Board. Students can earn a four-year degree without leaving Santa Fe, and at a price that …