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Water
"Water is a huge issue in Los Angeles," notes Arkin. "We need to close
the loop on water. We did have a resident who did this. He had developed
a small biological living machine in his bathtub with small plants,
animals, and a 20-gallon closed loop shower with filter and pump. The
same 20 gallons would recirculate all day long so the water from his
morning shower would be clean by the time he returned home in the
evening. He also had a composting toilet that used no water, and was
completely off the grid with solar for all of his electrical appliances.
He was passionate about demonstrating how any resource use in a middle
income home could be done in a smaller space without significant oil
dependency."
Energy Conservation
A major form of energy conservation is through the use of small
appliances, including 20-inch stoves. About half of the units have small
hotel-size refrigerators of 1–5 cubic feet, as opposed to apartment-size
ones, which are 9–11 cubic feet. This saves on energy and money but also
on space, which is at a premium in a 400-square-foot unit.
The small size of the units also contributes to lower
space-conditioning costs, as does the mild climate. No members of the
intentional community have air conditioning. About half the residents avoid
use of their gas space heaters in the winter, choosing instead to just
layer their clothing.
 Garden
The building at 117 Bimini is U-shaped; originally it had an open
courtyard planted with grass and bushes. These were removed and a garden
put in. "The garden has gone through many evolutions," Arkin mused.
"People have studied and practiced permaculture, organic, and intensive
gardening. We hosted the master gardener program several years ago.
Currently the garden is divided into plots and those who have interest
can grow what they want."
"We have had animals on and off. Recently our chickens were killed;
we aren’t sure what happened." Now cats sleep and wander around the
garden. In a fenced-off area one finds Cece, a lop-eared rabbit who
earns his keep producing rabbit manure. "There are different
philosophies about the animals," Arkin muses, "some people think the
animals should be caged and others think the vegetables should be
caged."
The garden also has a commercially produced solar oven. There are
also several looms made from neighborhood green waste exhibiting
weavings made from plastic bags and green wastes.
Compost
Along the north side of the property is an array of different types of
composters: barrels, boxes, and piles. Nearby is a chipper/shredder. One
resident has been experimenting with pit composting. "He is working
along a section of the fence," explains Arkin. "He digs a hole, puts the
green waste down, covers it, decorates it, and then moves down the line.
When the material has composted, it can be dug up and used in the
garden."
Making the Community Work
LAEV has several operational committees that address the needs of the
building, garden, potential building acquisition, finances, and the
tours. A community meeting is held every two weeks to address
neighborhood issues such as events, conflict issues with neighbors, and
street design. Whoever attends the meeting participates in the decision
making. Rehab needs are reviewed and addressed by the building
committee. It is currently working on standards to develop more
uniformity in how individual units are rehabbed, to insure that all
residents are treated equitably.
Neighborhood
"We are fortunate at LAEV to be situated in a neighborhood with a number
of great resources," notes Arkin. "In this two-block area, we have an
elementary school at one end and a community center and park at the
other."
The multiservice community center, operated by the
Bresee Foundation has a
computer room that is open to the public for a $5/year charge. The
foundation operates programs for young people and a community health
clinic.
 Funded with private, local, and state money, Bimini Slough Ecology
Park was formed by closing off a section of Second Street, at the
southern end of Bimini. The nearly half-acre park is named for the
seasonal wetland that used to wend its way through the neighborhood
before the Silverlake reservoir was constructed in the early 1900s.
Along with a play structure and benches, the park includes a
500-foot-long streambed. At the inflow end there is a catch basin to
stop trash. The water then goes into a bioswale created by a open
lattice of cement bricks and plantings of indigenous plants. The design
allow water to soak into the ground and the plants act as a natural
filtration system before the water flows back into the storm drain
system at the east end of the swale.
"Another neighborhood asset is the Mary Lynn Foundation alcohol and
drug recovery home," says Arkin. "This place really helps make the
neighborhood safe, because they are around all the time. The residents
do service as part of the program. One of the things they do is help
keep the streets clean. Neighborhoods should be happy to have these
kinds of programs, not oppose them."
Vision
When Arkin looks at LAEV and the neighborhood, she sees lots of
potential for a more fully developed ecological future. "Some day I
would like to see this become a pedestrian neighborhood with no car
traffic. I’d like to see the garages and parking area of our second
building converted to state-of-the-art ecological live/work spaces and
garden. In the street, an auto land could be converted to an orchard
with beautiful street furniture between the tress. The street and
sidewalks could be converted to create more gardening space, public
meeting space, kiosks where local people could have small businesses.
There could be a little stage, a promenade, and maybe a fountain with
gray water."
"At one end of the street is the back of a chain grocery store with
several dumpsters. I’d like to see that converted to a recycling center.
I’d like to see the roof of the grocery store used for an organic farm
employing local gardeners."
"Up the hill south of us is an upscale 600-unit apartment complex
which has tennis courts and two swimming pools. I’d like to see those
facilities made available to the rest of the neighborhood for some
reasonable facilities fee."
"And of course I’d like to see all the people who live here be part
of the ecovillage with the land held in a trust so that it will be
affordable to this and generations to come. We would all be helping to
create a sustainable life for ourselves. That means people would get
their basic needs met but not be compelled to accumulate more stuff."
"We are also looking to create more ecovillages and sustainable
cooperatives. At some point in the not-so-distant future, our choices
will be increasingly limited by the accelerating degradation of our life
support systems—air, soil, water. Our work in LAEV is about
demonstrating that it is possible to make lifestyle choices that
actually increases the quality of life while significantly reducing our
environmental impacts. Our challenge is to demonstrate that this can be
done in a way that is highly aesthetic and fun so that it can appeal to
as wide and diverse a population as the mainstream actually is. We
think that people will be drawn to ecovillage-type living because it is
ecological, high quality, and grounded in authentic democracy."
Tours
LAEV conducts regular public tours most Saturdays from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Registration is required. Special tours may also be arranged. Contact LAEV for more details and to register.
Contact information:
Lois Arkin
Los Angeles Eco-Village
117 Bimini Place
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(213) 738-1254
crsp@igc.org
www.ic.org/laev
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