​Integral Sustainability Education
The place: ChaChjaevka Ecovillage
"We created our settlement as an open and free ecovillage from any dogmas and doctrines. We look for to live in peace with each other, with the natural environment and the community around. We explore alternative energy, green building, natural farming and permaculture. One of the directions of our research - the construction of geodesic domes. We now have seven domes of different purposes. We dream that our settlement will grow, it will always be home to more families and we will be able to grow enough food to support ourselves and share surpluses. We believe that sooner or later will be able to accumulate enough experience on the creation and development of ecological communities in the harsh climate in which it would be possible to share with everyone".
Sasha Ivanov, dweller of the Chachzaevka Ecovillage
General Information:
Size of the community: about 15 families.
Type of settlement: traditional.
The size of the territory: about 100 hectares.
Geographical location: Siberia, the Altai hills, altitude 600-700 m.
The settlement is located between 4 small villages, each with up to 2.5 km in a straight line.
The nearest big village - 22 km. Shop and post-office- 7 km.
No electricity, GSM.
Energy: solar panels (if it is needed a lot of energy, it is used also a gasoline generator).
Soil - black earth.
Climate - continental. In winter, temperatures can be -40 ° C. Summer can be +35 ° C. Snow season can be about 6 months (from November to April).
Water supply - the main source - a small river that flows almost the entire territory of the settlement. There are also have a lot of springs.
Mountainous terrain, flat area is quite difficult to find.
About Altay:
Altay is a complex system of the highest ridges in Siberia, divided by deep valleys of the rivers. It has extensive intramountain and intermountain hollows. There are lots of myths and legends around these surprising places. One very interesting myth is that the legendary Shambhala, a place where the greatest wise men and some teachers of mankind live, is in this valley.
Probably that might be the reason why a numerous hunters from all over the world went and still go here, looking for wisdom and some true doctrine. Some people come here simply for the pleasure of the most amazing and still pure nature - today this becomes more and more valuable and rare.
Altay is not a simple region - climate is severe. Though there are real oasises, where people manage to grow up various southern plants, vegetables and fruits.
The ChaChjaevka Ecovillage:
In the settlement there is a community area with: a common house, common summer dome - space for events and summer kitchen. There is also a herbal-manufacture house with a Russian stove were the community produce herbals with very high quality. There are several private summer houses and private houses for living. Pictures above:
Common summer dome
Herbal-manufacture/Russian stove for drying herbs
Russian sauna (Banya)
