What are sustainable communities and how can you be part of one?

Sustainable communities are designed to achieve a balance between economic and social growth while considering the limits of natural resources. The main idea is to reduce the impact on the environment while also guaranteeing a good quality of life for its residents.

The concept may seem a little complicated at first, but in this article I will explain what sustainable communities are and how they work. You will also find out about a cheap, immersive way to learn all about them. 

What are sustainable communities?

A sustainable community is made up of a group of people who come together to live a lifestyle that meets their basic needs without compromising the local and global ecosystems.

These communities come in various forms; There is no specific rule for how they should be. They can be farms, permaculture centers or ecovillages, for instance.

As the name suggests, these communities value sustainability, through the preservation of natural resources. Along with this, they seek social and collective awareness, favoring the well-being of the population that lives there. They think not only about current generations, but also about future ones.

This means they aim to meet current needs while maintaining a long-term vision. People who choose to live in ecovillages and other similar spaces understand that our survival depends on a healthy ecosystem.

You might also like these articles:

• How to help the environment: 10 simple yet effective ways
• Sustainable projects: examples and how to collaborate
• How to support environmental projects around the world

Main characteristics of sustainable communities

To build a sustainable community you need good planning, empathy, a sense of collectiveness, organization, and knowledge of techniques necessary for the survival of an ecosystem.

Considering that a sustainable society is one that can meet its production, consumption, and growth needs without compromising the development of future generations, they have some characteristics in common.

Examples of practices adopted in sustainable communities:

• Reducing the consumption of material goods, practicing conscious consumption
• Reduction in the amount of waste produced
• Minimum waste of resources
• Rational use of water and electricity
• Rainwater collection and use
• Preservation of the environment and work to raise community awareness on the topic
• Development of waste recycling and solid materials reuse systems
• Prioritizing the use of public transport, bicycles, and other less polluting vehicles
• Rational and controlled use of natural and mineral resources
• Decrease in the use of fossil fuels (gasoline and diesel)
• Use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar
• Implementation of environmental education systems in schools
• Encouragement and increase in agricultural areas dedicated to the production of organic fruits, vegetables and cereals

How to volunteer in sustainable communities

Volunteer work is a great opportunity to see up close what sustainable communities are and how they work beyond theory. It’s a win-win situation: you collaborate with the community for a few hours a week and, in exchange for your help, you receive accommodation and other perks such as meals and permaculture classes.

On the Worldpackers platform, created to bridge the gap between hosts looking for help and those interested in volunteering near home or abroad, you can find hundreds of vacancies in sustainable communities and other eco projects around the world.

Did that spike your interest? Take a look at the links below and keep reading this article to learn more about some of the coolest opportunities available at the platform. You can also search through all the positions in sustainable communities or browse through over 2.000 eco programs on Worldpackers.

For more information on this type of volunteer work, read out step-by-step guide on how Worldpackers works. 

Volunteering in sustainable communities around the world

Help with farm work and solar technology - Louisa, USA

Do you like the idea of living off-grid and helping create an affordable model of globally sustainable living? Join this sustainable community in their work towards growing most of their own organic food and using, developing, and sharing solar and biotechnology.

Farm work might include planting, harvesting, seed and food processing. Technology work might include using, researching, and developing solar cookers and biogas.

Volunteers become a part of their community. They cook, clean, and share meals together. Learning happens organically as you learn day to day how to use their off-grid systems and participate in whatever seasonal farming activities that are needed. Volunteers should come with love of the outdoors, being with people, simple living, and doing their part to contribute to the work of the community.

In exchange for your help, you will get 3 days off per week, a bed in a private or shared room, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and use of their laundry room, bikes, equipped kitchen and much more.

“Right from the first day on the team of the hacienda welcomed me into the family and encouraged me to get to know everybody. Over the whole period of my two-week stay, I felt very welcomed, be it by the owners or by the staff working at the hacienda. It is a calm and rather remote place so there is not a lot of night life going on. But it's the ideal place to get to know the local rural culture. Plus, bonus points for a lot of cats and dogs on the Ranch”, said the volunteer Nimgir, from Russia.

Check out the host's profile on Worldpackers for more information.

Communal living and organic farming – Hawaii

You can also enjoy life in beautiful Hawaii while contributing to a sustainable community. There is a volunteer position at an intentional community of passionate people, living and working together to take care of the land and share their way of life with guests from around the world.

In this project, volunteers spend about half of their time farming, taking care of the land and community spaces, and the other half housekeeping and working on construction projects.

“The project is the most amazing experience in Hawai'i! You learn so much about Hawaiian culture, giving back to the land and growing with the volunteers around you as people. It's such an amazing collaborative experience that has brought friends for life and sustainable life lessons. 100% recommend this place to everyone!”, said Anna, a volunteer from Ireland.

Want to have this experience? Click here to find more information and apply.

Bacalar Holistic Center - Mexico

The Bacalar Holistic Center is a community project that began in 2021 and in the sacred jungle of the ancient Mayan civilization, 20 minutes by car from the 7-color lagoon of Bacalar. This community is part of the transition to a sustainable model, working towards facing the current ecological challenge in Bacalar.

Within a context of unsustainable urban and tourist growth that affects and degrades the ecosystem, it explores local solutions for sustainable social and economic development.

The volunteer position consists in supporting them with the creation of a syntropic agroforestry model by making compost beds with organic food waste and dry toilets, thus creating new soil for the cultivation of medicinal, decorative, and edible plants.

You can also help with bioconstruction and upcycling and the development of holistic therapies, temazcal ceremonies, and massages.

Keep reading about this sustainable community and how you can help it.

Changu Farm House - Nepal

Changu Farm House is located in Nepal, close to the Changu Narayan temple, which is considered a world heritage site by UNESCO. It's an organic farm surrounded by a pine forest. The purpose of the community is to have a self-sustainable life, with the aim of consuming only food from its own cultivation.

The volunteer work at the farm consists of helping with growing and harvesting food and lending a hand with general repairs to the space. They require 25 hours of volunteer work per week with 2 days off.

Check out this opportunity to teach and learn about permaculture in Nepal.

Eco Vida Pacuare - Costa Rica

Eco Vida Pacuare is a community project located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. It is close to the famous Pacuare River, between the river, the sea, and the forest. To get there, you need to pass through one of the largest National Parks in Costa Rica and take a boat for approximately 30 minutes.

The community survives on artisanal fishing and the production of organic fertilizer made from coconut shells. In addition to supporting these activities, volunteers help keep the beach clean.

This sustainable community requires 20 hours per week of volunteer work, with 2 days off. As the place is quite isolated, the host provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner for volunteers, for a small fee.

Do you like the idea of volunteering in Costa Rica? Find out more details here.

Arutam Chakra - Ecuador

The Arutam Chakra community is in the city of Puyo, Ecuador. It is a lush natural space located within the Amazon rainforest. In this community, the goal is to reconnect with nature through rituals on the river and other activities, such as energy channeling, guided meditations, tantra dynamics, forest expeditions and breathing work.

Volunteer work can be done in construction with bamboo and maintenance of the space or in digital marketing, creating content about the community and helping promote it on social media.

They ask for 20 hours of work per week as a contribution, and in return the volunteer gets 2 days off, accommodation in a shared room, free laundry, and free tours. You can also use their bicycles and participate in all the rituals offered by the community.

Check here for more information about this volunteer position in Ecuador.

ComUna Floresta - Brazil

ComUna Floresta is an agroecological community located in Ubatuba, on the coast of São Paulo, Brazil. It is a family space, which values the connection with nature and the people who live there. ComUna is looking for volunteers to live a life based on agroecology, permaculture, and spirituality.

In the community, the volunteer participates in ComUna's weekly programme, which includes group dynamics and sharing experiences. You can also go on trips to the nearby beaches, where kayak and Hawaiian canoe activities are carried out.

The village is less than 3 kilometers from several beaches in Ubatuba and just over 20 kilometers from the city center. It is also located close to the border of the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with easy access to beautiful tourist destinations like Trindade and Paraty.

Check out all the information about the experience in this sustainable community.

EcoVida Pangeia - Brazil

There are plenty of other sustainable communities in Brazil to choose from, since Worldpackers was created by Brazilians and the country has an amazing biodiversity.

Another great choice is EcoVida Pangeia, which is in the rural area of the city of Couto de Magalhães de Minas, in the state of Minas Gerais. It is a small sustainable village located among waterfalls and environmental parks.

The goal of EcoVida Pangeia is to build a harmonious and supportive community which shares healthy practices, respects the environment, promotes well-being in a sustainable way and carries out collaborative activities that value the residents’ skills.

It is an intentional community: a group of people who came together spontaneously and voluntarily with common values and a collective routine dedicated to a greater goal, which is the construction of a philosophical institute of regenerative culture.

Volunteer work in this sustainable community is quite varied. You can help with the land and with the development of the project itself. You can work in the field or on your own computer, creating content to promote the initiative.

Do you like it? Click here and apply for volunteering at this sustainable community.

Want to know more about sustainable communities and how to travel collaboratively while saving a lot of money? Subscribe to the Solo Pack plan at Worldpackers and you will have unlimited access to +120 courses at Worldpackers Academy, the largest school by travelers for travelers.

Be a host: If you share the vision of building a resilient, abundant future and believe in the power of volunteering, your journey starts here. Join Worldpackers for free and be part of our community. Connect with committed volunteers ready to support your project, strengthen local communities, and create a positive, lasting impact on the world.