With Benjamin von Mendelssohn, Activist and Community Pioneer

Intentional community projects such as Arcosanti in Arizona, Auroville in Southern India and Damanhur in Northern Italy have all contributed to the sustainability equation, which is as much about personal psychology, lifestyle choices and social dynamics as it is about well designed infrastructures and renewable resources. Tamera was founded two decades ago in Portugal as a “peace research center and healing biotope.” The experimental community combines innovations in social systems that support inner and outer peace, with an applied holistic relationship with their local ecology. This 45 minute exchange with Benjamin von Mendelssohn, a next generation leader in the community, goes into detail about the project‘s history and current activities. One of the most significant initiatives was the renewal of their 400 acre property through ingenious water retention techniques. Current projects include a high tech solar village integrating a comprehensive combination of solar technologies, environmentally sound energy storage and food production, intelligent greenhouses, and other innovations.

We also discuss the community’s many educational and service outreach programs. Their informative website is in English, German and Portuguese www.tamera.org.