# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Are Values, Morals & Ethics? - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Values are things that people consider important, morals refer to standards for behavior, and ethics are moral principles. Learn more by reviewing…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
From the bold and vibrant to the sublime and desolate, here are 100 of the most beautiful landscapes on planet Earth.(In no particular order. Photography referenced at the bottom.) Also see the 50 Greatest Festivals in the World and the 100 Most Amazing, Unique, & Beautiful Hotels in the World.

If you like it, pin it!

1. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

The worlds largest salt flat, it creates a mirror effect after the rain.

2. Angkor wat, Cambodia

Beautiful ancient temple ruins.

3. Cinque Terre, Rio Maggiore, Italy

The 5 Lands of colored homes perched on a cliff by the sea.

4. Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Natural thermal hot springs.

5. Maldives

This archipelago is the ultimate tropical island paradise.

6. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Home of the famous Old Faithful Geyser.

7. Glass Beach, California, USA

A beach buried in colorful sea glass.

8. Pamukkule, Turkey

Hot springs spilling over rock terraces. A UNESCO world heritage site.

9. Big Island, Hawaii, USA

Where lava meets ocean.

10. St. Lucia

Luxurious tropical island in the Caribbean.

11. Santorini, Greece

Iconic blue and white buildings on a cliff by the sea.

12. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

The gorgeous former castle of the king.

13. Marble Caves, Chile

Caves of marble reflect the blue water.

14. Chittorgarh Fort, India

The largest fort in India looks like a city lost in time.

15. Giethoorn, Holland

Cozy homes in this town are only accessible by waterways.

16. Crystal Cave, Iceland

Majestic ice caves, dangerous in summer but beautiful in winter.

17. Aogashima Volcano, Japan

A small village living in a volcanic island.

18. Longji Rice Terrace, China

Stunningly beautiful terraced rice fields. It is one of my favorite landscapes, and I couldnt pick just one picture.

19. Amazon Rainforest, Brazil & South America

The amazing rainforest and Amazon River span several countries in South America.

20. Venice, Italy

The city of colorful winding corridors and canals, and good food.

21. Petra, Jordan

An enormous ancient temple carved into the cliffs of Jordan.

22. Machu Picchu, Peru

The city of the Incas, high amongst the clouds.

23. Tuscany, Italy

The land of richly colored rolling hills and old luxury.

24. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico, USA

An enormous cave system and national park.

25. Shirakawa-go Village, Japan

Cozy homes with thatched roofs, like something straight from an old video game.

26. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Beautiful in themselves, with an amazing assortment of unique wildlife.

27. Himalayas, Nepal

Home of snow-capped mountains, colorful prayer flags, and Mt. Everest.

28. Bali

It was so hard to pick one photo to represent this unique paradise. From the rice terraces to the luxury hotels, everything is beautiful.

29. Serengeti, Tanzania, Africa

A perfect place to adventure among the iconic trees and wild animals.

30. Sahara Desert, Africa

The unforgiving sea of sand.

31. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The city of the future, with some of the most amazing architecture in the world.

32. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Beautiful limestone formations jetting out of the green water. A UNESCO world heritage site.

33. Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand

Strange spherical boulders line the shore.

34. The Great Wall of China, China

It cannot actually be seen from space. Except with a telescope. But then lots of things can be.

35. Antarctica

Harsh but beautiful sea of ice.

36. Lake Retba, Senegal

An extremely salty lake turned pink by algea.

37. Morocco, Africa

An exotic world of its own, from the colorful marketplaces to the luxurious hotels, everything in this place is different and unique from everything else. Morocco is another of my top picks and deserves an entire post of 100 pictures of its own.

38. The Fjords of Norway

The things of fairytales.

39. Socotra, Republic of Yemen

Strange, other worldly landscapes.

40. Alaska, USA

Snow capped mountains in winter and greenery in summer.

41. Victoria, Australia

Limestone stacks of the 12 Apostles, on the sea.

42. Fingals Cave, Scotland

Unusual basalt columns formed by lava flow.

43. Giants Causeway, Ireland

Also formed by lava flows, a UNESCO world heritage site.

44. Lake Tahoe, California & Nevada, USA

An enormous lake surrounded by evergreens and relaxing scenery.

45. Cappadocia, Turkey

Hundreds of underground buildings and fairy chimneys make this land unique.

46. Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

In Grand Canyon National Park is this majestic waterfall.

47. Glow worm cave, New Zealand

The walls glitter with glow worms in the dark, like a night sky. Ive wanted to go here ever since the Rocket Power movie came out.

48. The Australian Outback

A vast wilderness with unique animals.

49. Tikal, Guatemala

An ancient Mayan city, mysterious and waiting to be explored.

50. Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA

A gorgeous and beautifully colored canyon.

51. Reed Flut Cave, China

A vibrant natural limestone cave.

52. Verdon Gorge, France

Limestone canyon with turquoise waters.

53. Bagan (or Pagan), Myanmar

The mystical Thousand Pagodas Plain.

54. Napa Valley, California

Wine and dine amongst the rolling vinyards.

55. Zion National Park, Utah, USA

A colorful canyon cut by the river.

56. Swiss Alps, Switzerland

The epic and majestic mountain range.

57. Lake Bled, Slovenia

Back to the world of fairytales.

58. Whitehaven Beach, Australia

Cream-colored swirls of sand and surf.

59. Luxor, Egypt

The great Karnak Temple.

60. Meteora, Greece

The famous monastery perched high on the rocks.

61. Bioluminescent Bay, Puerto Rico

Bacteria in the water glow when agitated.

62. Giant Crystal Cave, Mexico

Some of the largest crystals in the world.

63. Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland

A peaceful waterscape.

64. Beachy Head, England

White cliffs and a little candy striped lighthouse.

65. Rotorua, New Zealand

Brightly colored hot springs.

66. Lencois Sand Dunes, Brazil

Sometimes flooding creates blue pools of water among the dunes.

67. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The iconic statue overlooking the city.

68. Spotted Lake, Canada

When the water starts to evaporate it forms colorful circles.

69. Iceland

A vast winter and a perfect place to watch the aurora.

70. Hushe Valley, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan

Laila Peak creates one of the most stunning mountainscapes on Earth.

71. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA

The awesome colorful cliffs on every Americans list.

72. Inga Falls, Congo River, Africa

Unique waterfalls and lush greenery on the congo river.

73. Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Green waters and ribbons of waterfalls in dense vegetation.

74. Torres del Paine, Chile

Strange cliffs and a magical setting. I had two favorite pictures.

75. Binalong Bay, Bay of Fires, Tasmania

Brightly colored rocks contrast the cool water.

76. Danxia Landforms, China

Hike over vibrantly colored rock formations.

77. Death Valley, California, USA

A vast, dry, cracked, and desolate wilderness.

78. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

A colorful array of underwater wildlife.

79. Blue Grotto Cave, Capri, Italy

Sunlight reflects off the water and shines blue on the walls.

80. Huanglong, China

Terraced limestones basin pools make up this UNESCO world heritage site.

81. Positano, Almalfi Coast, Italy

Storybook town on a cliff by the sea.

82. Dead Sea, Israel & Jordan

High salt content keeps you from sinking in the beautiful waters.

83. Maui, Hawaii

A lush tropical paradise.

84. Sanibel Island, Florida

Thousands of exotic shells line the beach.

85. Nootka Island, Vancouver Island, Canada

One of Canadas many natural wonders.

86. Fiji, Republic of Fiji

Tropical island paradise.

87. Kyoto, Japan

Richly detailed oriental beauty.

88. Brittany, France

An old celtic region with natural and man made beauty.

89. Everglades National Park, Florida

Where the gators are.

90. Lapland, Finland

A magical winterscape.

91. Flaming Crater, Derweze, Turkmenistan

The Door to Hell, set alight in 1971 and still burning today.

92. Cano Crystales (Crystal River or the River of Five Colors), Colombia

Different colors of algae give this river its vibrant hues.

93. Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Bright water, green pines, and snow-capped mountains.

94. Seychelles

The archipelago island country.

95. Multnomah, Oregon, USA

Peaceful waterfall surrounded by greenery.

96. Madagascar

Fat ol baobab trees.

97. Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Tropical beaches and perfect water.

98. Lake Baikal, Russia

Mostly because I felt bad that Russia didnt make the list. But it is also pretty.

99. Rocky Mountains, Canada

Alien lake of frozen bubbles.

100. Norway

A sweeping generalization, but the entire country is beautiful.
What else deserves to be on the list???
Want to learn to travel for free?

How To Become The Jack Of All Travelis your gateway into the world of free travel, seasonal travel jobs, work-exchanges, and volunteerism at home and abroad, perfect for those seeking to live their own real-life adventures like Elizabeth Gilbert in?? Eat, Pray, Love.

An excellent starting point for adventurers-to-be, this book gives you the inspiration, resources, and knowledge you need to travel long term for free to teach English in Thailand, volunteer in Hawaii, work as a ski instructor in the Rocky Mountains, help maintain a national park, intern in Europe, harvest fruit in Australia, and explore the world.

How To Become The Jack Of All Travel will provide the information you need to achieve your travel goals, beginning by defining the skill sets that will be most useful on your travel and culminating in a grand round-up of the places you'll have the most success when searching for free and paid travel experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 100 Most Beautiful Places in the World in Pictures - EscapeNormal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From the bold and vibrant to the sublime and desolate, here are 100 of the most beautiful landscapes on planet Earth.(In no particular order. Photography referenced at the bottom.) Also see the 50 Greatest Festivals in the World and the 100 Most Amazing, Unique, & Beautiful Hotels in the World.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
These exhibits explore the ancestor/descendant relationships which connect all organisms, past and present.

The importance of biomes cannot be overestimated. Biomes have changed and moved many times during the history of life on Earth. More recently, human activities have drastically altered these communities. Thus, conservation and preservation of biomes should be a major concern to all.

Hopefully, this page will increase your general knowledge of biomes. For further information, please consult the references page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These exhibits explore the ancestor/descendant relationships which connect all organisms, past and present. The importance of biomes cannot be overestimated. Biomes have changed and moved many times during the history of life on Earth. More recently, human activities have drastically altered these communities. Thus, conservation and preservation of biomes should be a major concern to all.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is money? By definition, it's something of value. But over the last 10,000 years, the material form that money has taken has changed considerably-from cattle and cowrie shells to today's electronic currency. Here, get an overview of the history of money.

Editor's Note: The dates below mark the approximate start of use.

In the Beginning: Barter

Barter is the exchange of resources or services for mutual advantage, and the practice likely dates back tens of thousands of years, perhaps even to the dawn of modern humans. Some would even argue that it's not purely a human activity; plants and animals have been bartering-in symbiotic relationships-for millions of years. In any case, barter among humans certainly pre-dates the use of money. Today individuals, organizations, and governments still use, and often prefer, barter as a form of exchange of goods and services.

9000 - 6000 B.C.: Cattle

Cattle, which throughout history and across the globe have included not only cows but also sheep, camels, and other livestock, are the first and oldest form of money. With the advent of agriculture also came the use of grain and other vegetable or plant products as a standard form of barter in many cultures.

1200 B.C.: Cowrie Shells

The first use of cowries, the shells of a mollusc that was widely available in the shallow waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, was in China. Historically, many societies have used cowries as money, and even as recently as the middle of this century, cowries have been used in some parts of Africa. The cowrie is the most widely and longest used currency in history.

1000 B.C.: First Metal Money and Coins

Bronze and Copper cowrie imitations were manufactured by China at the end of the Stone Age and could be considered some of the earliest forms of metal coins. Metal tool money, such as knife and spade monies, was also first used in China. These early metal monies developed into primitive versions of round coins. Chinese coins were made out of base metals, often containing holes so they could be put together like a chain.

500 B.C.: Modern Coinage

Outside of China, the first coins developed out of lumps of silver. They soon took the familar round form of today, and were stamped with various gods and emperors to mark their authenticity. These early coins first appeared in Lydia, which is part of present-day Turkey, but the techniques were quickly copied and further refined by the Greek, Persian, Macedonian, and later the Roman empires. Unlike Chinese coins which depended on base metals, these new coins were made from precious metals such as silver, bronze, and gold, which had more inherent value.

118 B.C.: Leather Money

Leather money was used in China in the form of one-foot-square pieces of white deerskin with colorful borders. This could be considered the first documented type of banknote.

A.D. 800 - 900: The Nose

The phrase "To pay through the nose" comes from Danes in Ireland, who slit the noses of those who were remiss in paying the Danish poll tax.

806: Paper Currency

The first known paper banknotes appeared in China. In all, China experienced over 500 years of early paper money, spanning from the ninth through the fifteenth century. Over this period, paper notes grew in production to the point that their value rapidly depreciated and inflation soared. Then beginning in 1455, the use of paper money in China disappeared for several hundred years. This was still many years before paper currency would reappear in Europe, and three centuries before it was considered common.

1500: Potlach

"Potlach" comes from a Chinook Indian custom that existed in many North American Indian cultures. It is a ceremony where not only were gifts exchanged, but dances, feasts, and other public rituals were performed. In some instances potlach was a form of initiation into secret tribal societies. Because the exchange of gifts was so important in establishing a leader's social rank, potlach often spiralled out of control as the gifts became progressively more lavish and tribes put on larger and grander feasts and celebrations in an attempt to out-do each other.

1535: Wampum

The earliest known use of wampum, which are strings of beads made from clam shells, was by North American Indians in 1535. Most likely, this monetary medium existed well before this date. The Indian word "wampum" means white, which was the color of the beads.

1816: The Gold Standard

Gold was officially made the standard of value in England in 1816. At this time, guidelines were made to allow for a non-inflationary production of standard banknotes which represented a certain amount of gold. Banknotes had been used in England and Europe for several hundred years before this time, but their worth had never been tied directly to gold. In the United States, the Gold Standard Act was officialy enacted in 1900, which helped lead to the establishment of a central bank.

1930: End of the Gold Standard

The massive Depression of the 1930s, felt worldwide, marked the beginning of the end of the gold standard. In the United States, the gold standard was revised and the price of gold was devalued. This was the first step in ending the relationship altogether. The British and international gold standards soon ended as well, and the complexities of international monetary regulation began.

The Present:

Today, currency continues to change and develop, as evidenced by the new $100 U.S. Ben Franklin bill.

The Future: Electronic Money

In our digital age, economic transactions regularly take place electronically, without the exchange of any physical currency. Digital cash in the form of bits and bytes will most likely continue to be the currency of the future.

This feature originally appeared on the site for the NOVA program Secrets of Making Money.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is money? By definition, it's something of value. But over the last 10,000 years, the material form that money has taken has changed considerably-from cattle and cowrie shells to today's electronic currency. Here, get an overview of the history of money. Editor's Note: The dates below mark the approximate start of use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A new " Elderly Rights Law" passed in China wags a finger at adult children, warning them to "never neglect or snub elderly people" and mandating that they visit their elderly parents often, regardless of how far away they live. The law includes enforcement mechanisms, too: Offspring who fail to make such trips to mom and dad face potential punishment ranging from fines to jail time.

If the Elderly Rights Law is any indication, Chinese parent-child relationships have become a bit complicated lately. Eastern cultures like China's adhere to the Confucian tradition of "filial piety," which prioritizes the family unit and values elders with the utmost respect. But China's rapid industrialization has forced people to flock to urban areas for work, causing many adult children to move farther away from their parents, who often remain in rural areas and are unfit to pick up and move.

How cultures view and treat their elderly is closely linked to their most prized values and traits. Here, a sampling of the experience of aging in different cultures around the world:

Korea: Celebrating old age
Not only do Koreans respect the elderly, but they also celebrate them. For Koreans, the 60th and 70th birthdays are prominent life events, which are commemorated with large-scale family parties and feasts. As in Chinese culture, the universal expectation in Korea is that roles reverse once parents age, and that it is an adult child's duty - and an honorable one at that - to care for his or her parents.

Japan: An elderly predicament
Like the Chinese and the Koreans, the Japanese prize filial piety and expect children to dutifully tend to their parents. But Japan also faces the unique problem of tending to an increasingly elderly population. According to Social Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Perspective, 7.2 percent of the Japanese population will be 80 or older in 2020 (compared to 4.1 percent in the U.S.), which will likely lead to a host of new problems for the country. Adult diapers are already outselling baby diapers, and the pension system is on course to dry up.

The U.S. and U.K.: Protestantism at play
Western cultures tend to be youth-centric, emphasizing attributes like individualism and independence. This relates back to the Protestant work ethic, which ties an individual's value to his or her ability to work - something that diminishes in old age. Anthropologist Jared Diamond, who has studied the treatment of the elderly across cultures, has said the geriatric in countries like the U.K. and U.S. live "lonely lives separated from their children and lifelong friends." As their health deteriorates, the elderly in these cultures often move to retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.

France: Parents also protected by law
It's difficult to imagine such an Elderly Rights Law being a legislative priority in many Western cultures. France did, however, pass a similar decree in 2004 (Article 207 of the Civil Code) requiring its citizens to keep in touch with their geriatric parents. It was only enacted following two disturbing events, though: One was the publication of statistics revealing France had the highest rate of pensioner suicides in Europe, and the other was the aftermath of a heat wave that killed 15,000 people - most of them elderly, and many of whom had been dead for weeks before they were found.

The Mediterranean and Latin culture: One big, happy family
Mediterranean and Latin cultures place similar priority on the family. In both cultures, it's commonplace for multiple generations to live under one roof, (à la My Big Fat Greek Wedding) sharing a home and all the duties that come with maintaining one. In the contemporary iteration of this living arrangement, the oldest generation often is relied on to assist with caring for the youngest, while the breadwinners labor outside the home. As such, the aged remain thoroughly integrated well into their last days.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How the elderly are treated around the world

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new " Elderly Rights Law" passed in China wags a finger at adult children, warning them to "never neglect or snub elderly people" and mandating that they visit their elderly parents often, regardless of how far away they live.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Power Defined

Sociology is the study of human social behavior, human development, organizations, and institutions. In order to better understand those institutions and how humans are organized, it is important to understand how societies are governed.

This lesson will discuss and differentiate between the five main forms of power, or government, utilized in past and present societies: monarchy, democracy, oligarchy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism.

Boy: Whoa, what's going on in that country?

Girl: It looks like they aren't happy with their government.

Boy: Why wouldn't they be happy? Can't they elect their leaders and play a role in their government?

Girl: No! There are many forms of government in which people have no say in any matters, private or public. All societies are established under some form of power or government. The well-known sociologist Max Weber defined power as the ability to achieve goals even if some people in the society hold differing opinions and goals. Power takes on different forms in different societies. Let me tell you about the five basic forms of government.

Monarchy

Let's begin with monarchy. Monarchy was the most common form of government until the 19th century. Monarchy is a form of government in which a single family rules from generation to generation. The power, or sovereignty, is personified in a single individual.

There are two main types of monarchy that differ based on the level of power held by the individual or family currently in power. Absolute monarchy exists when the monarch has no or few legal limitations in political matters. Constitutional monarchies, which are more common, exist when the monarch retains a distinctive legal and ceremonial role but exercises limited or no political power.

The most familiar example of a monarchy is the constitutional monarchy that exists in the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of the U.K. as well as monarch of fifteen other independent countries. She and the royal family have ceremonial roles but do not make up the laws that govern the people.

Democracy

Another form of government is a democracy. Democracy is defined as a form of government in which power belongs to the people. There are two forms of democracy. One is direct democracy, in which all eligible citizens have direct participation in the decision making of the government. The second and more common form of democracy is representative democracy, in which citizens exercise their power through elected representatives. The elected representatives propose, develop, and create laws for the citizens to abide by.

The most familiar example of democracy is the representative democracy that exists in the United States of America. Americans elect a president and representatives of Congress.

Oligarchy

The next form of government is oligarchy. Oligarchy is a form of government in which all power resides with a few people or in a dominant class or group within the society. These groups of people may be distinguished by royalty, wealth, education, or military control. Sometimes oligarchy governments are controlled by a few families who pass their power from one generation to the next.

Unlike monarchs, however, oligarchs do not have to be connected by bloodlines in order to inherit power. For example, one family may have power for several years, and then the power may be shifted to another group of people or another family based on their military ties or wealth. These decisions are not influenced by the people. They are influenced solely within the small group of people with whom the power is held.

The most well-known example is the former Soviet Union. Other examples of oligarchy governments are found in the countries of China, North Korea, and Venezuela.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
oligarchy & more - video & lesson transcript | study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Forms of Government: Monarchy, Democracy, Oligarchy & More - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sociology is the study of human social behavior, human development, organizations, and institutions. In order to better understand those institutions and how humans are organized, it is important to understand how societies are governed. This lesson will discuss and differentiate between the five main forms of power, or government, utilized in past and present societies: monarchy, democracy, oligarchy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn more about America’s energy sources: fossil, nuclear, renewables and electricity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These challenges are international in scope and are priorities for the Central Intelligence Agency. If you have information about these or other national security challenges, please provide it through our secure online form. The information you provide will be protected and confidential. The CIA is particularly interested in information about imminent or planned terrorist attacks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Featured Teaching Kits

Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets for teaching about the United States Constitution in your classroom, courtesy of Junior Scholastic, the middle school Social Studies classroom magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Constitution | Free Middle School Teaching Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Featured Teaching Kits Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets for teaching about the United States Constitution in your classroom, courtesy of Junior Scholastic, the middle school Social Studies classroom magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This can happen after a civil war in a country, when a government has been destroyed and rival groups are fighting to take its place.

Anarchists are people who believe that government is a bad thing. They say it stops people organising their own lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CBBC Newsround | TYPES OF GOVERNMENT | Anarchy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Acorn Community Farm is an anarchist, egalitarian community in central Virginia founded in 1993. We are committed to non-coercive, non-hierarchical, voluntary associations both within our community as well as within the larger community in which we find ourselves. We are also committed to income-sharing, sustainable living, and creating a vibrant, eclectic culture.

We are members of the Federation of Egalitarian Communities, which means that we hold in common our land, labor, resources, and income, and that we use this for the good of our community as a whole and our members as individuals. While all members must be enthusiastic about a culture of radical sharing and working with one another, we do not share religious, political, or philosophical beliefs. We use consensus decision-marking in our weekly meetings in order to make decisions about use of collective money, land, and resources.

Acorn is non-hierarchical. There are no bosses, owners, investors, managers or supervisors. Although structured in areas such as membership, we intentionally keep policies to a minimum (we have a policy of very little policy) preferring a calm anarchy to prevail. Of the few policies that are in place, our culture encourages personal responsibility rather than supervision, as well as taking issues on a case-by-case basis keeping in mind that needs of individuals vary.

Our community strives to create a stimulating social, political, feminist and intellectual environment. Acorn strongly desires to support developing egalitarian and like-minded communities through participation in the Federation of Egalitarian Communities, but also through individual actions such as donating capital to Sapling Community and supporting the Baltimore Free Farm. Our collectively owned business has been active in protesting GMO seed contamination by Monsanto. We desire to support queer and alternative lifestyles and gender expression.

Our thriving seed business - Southern Exposure Seed Exchange - is part of an exciting movement and growing network of farmers, gardeners and seed savers dedicated to organic, heritage agriculture and independence from the processed, genetically modified, corporately delivered "food" paradigm.

If you are interested in visiting us, interning in our seed business and garden or in other areas of our farm-based livelihood, check out our page on How to Visit Acorn Community Farm.

We are looking for folks to live and grow with us. Folks who share our vision of a vibrant, non-coercive, supportive, environmentally appropriate, self-sufficient community and have skills that are helpful in getting us to where we want to get to. Skills such as: vehicle & farm implement maintenance, repair & construction of our infrastructure, farming, livestock care, business management, customer service, healthy cooking, seed saving, organic gardening. Or if you lack specific skills but just like to work hard, get things done, and are willing to learn and take on responsibility, we would like to talk to you, so call us and schedule a visit.

Remember, this stuff is hard! Living and working together, trying to have fun while at the same time running a business, making decisions together and sharing income, are all challenging every day. These challenges give us many opportunities for personal growth. So in addition to the above mentioned skills, we are interested in meeting people experienced in community-building, communication and facilitation, who interested in building a healthy, dynamic, supportive social culture.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Acorn Community Farm is an anarchist, egalitarian community in central Virginia founded in 1993. We are committed to non-coercive, non-hierarchical, voluntary associations both within our community as well as within the larger community in which we find ourselves. We are also committed to income-sharing, sustainable living, and creating a vibrant, eclectic culture.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
America and the Utopian Dream | Utopian Communities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dancing Rabbit is an ecovillage, sustainability demonstration project, and robust and growing intentional community in rural northeast Missouri.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Listings - Fellowship for Intentional Community

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
From tree house villages in Costa Rica to yoga communes in Hawaii, these 10 intentional communities are havens of peace, creativity and sustainability.
Imagine waking up to the sound of bells from a temple to share in a morning yoga ritual overlooking the mountains of Peru, or the glittering Pacific Ocean in Hawaii. Picking fresh vegetables from your neighborhood garden to cook in a community-wide meal in a spacious, shared kitchen. Building your own non-toxic, mortgage-free cob house in a low-impact neighborhood of like-minded nature lovers. Stepping out of your very own treehouse to gaze at a network of aerial walkways that look like something out of a sci-fi movie. These 10 intentional communities, from utopian eco-villages to cute historic houses in urban Los Angeles, bring people together with common goals of harmonic living, artistic exploration and sustainability.

Polestar Yoga Community, Big Island, Hawaii

What could be more relaxing than a yoga community in Hawaii? Polestar offers "an energizing lifestyle of daily yoga and meditation, karmic yoga or service projects, and outdoor adventure opportunities." Though it bills itself as a spiritual community, people of all faiths are welcome at this cooperative living retreat which is home to full-time residents and also open to visitors and apprentices. Awakened each morning by the sound of music from the temple, a shrine dedicated to the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, guests enjoy daily routines involving organic food grown on site, volunteer service, art and lots of community involvement.
Eco Truly Park, Peru
It looks like something out of a fairy tale: adorable little cone-shaped buildings topped with colorfully painted spires, dotting the hillside on the Pacific coast of Peru. This ecological and artistic community, an hour north of Lima, was founded on principles of non-violence, simple living and harmony with nature. Both the architecture and the values of the community are inspired by traditional Indian teachings and lifestyles. Eco Truly Park has a goal of being fully self-sustainable, and currently boasts a large organic garden. Open to volunteers, the community offers workshops in yoga, art and Vedic philosophy.
Synchronicity Artist Commune, Los Angeles, California
Embodying the laid-back lifestyle of sunny Southern California, Synchronicity is a relaxed and welcoming intentional living community in the historic West Adams District of Los Angeles. Though it's small - nowhere near the size of the rest of the communities on this list - Synchronicity is a great example of the thousands of similar shared households around the United States. Synchronicity has eleven residents and focuses mostly on artistic actions and holding monthly artistic salons that are open to the public.
Earthhaven Ecovillage, Asheville, North Carolina
Located in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Earthaven is just one of many similar intentional communities focusing on sustainable living. You'll find virtually every type of natural building here, including earthships, cob houses and rustic cabins, with construction methods that eliminate toxic materials, logged timber and mortgages. Set on 320 lush acres 40 minutes southwest of Asheville, Earthaven frequently holds natural building workshops and welcomes the public to learn about permaculture, organic gardening and other sustainable topics. They offer camping and visitor accommodations as well as live-work arrangements.
Milagro Cohousing, Tucson, Arizona
Twelve minutes from downtown Tucson, Arizona, Milagro is a co-housing community with 28 passive-solar, energy-efficient adobe homes on 43 acres. Set against the Tucson mountains, Milagro is simply a community of people who want to live a green lifestyle, surrounded by like-minded neighbors. Each resident has access to 35 acres of undeveloped open space, as well as the 3,600-square-foot Common House, which has meeting and dining space, a library, a playroom and storage space. Gardens, workshops and a solar-heated swimming pool make it even more enticing.
Finca Bellavista Treehouse Community, Costa Rica
If you've ever watched Star Wars and wished that you could live with the Ewoks in their magical tree house community, take heed: such a thing actually exists. And it's in Costa Rica. Finca Bellavista is a network of rustic, hand-built tree houses in the mountainous South Pacific coastal region of this Central American nation, surrounded by a jungle that is brimming with life. The off-grid, carbon-neutral tree houses are connected by aerial walkways and include a central community center with a dining area, barbecue and lounge. Gardens, ziplines and hiking trails make it even more of a tropical paradise. Prospective community members can design and build their own tree houses. Additionally, some of the tree house owners rent out their homes, and there are visitor accommodations available.
Tamera Peace Research Village, Portugal
Aiming to be a totally self-sufficient community, the Tamera Peace Research Village is in the Alentejo region of southwestern Portugal and is home to 250 coworkers and students who study how humans can live peacefully in sustainable communities, in harmony with nature. It includes a non-profit peace foundation, a "SolarVillage" test site, a permaculture project with an edible landscape, and a sanctuary for horses.
Dancing Rabbit Eco Village, Missouri
Another showcase of the beauty of natural building techniques, the Dancing Rabbit Eco Village is a sustainable community located near Rutledge, Missouri advocating low-impact living and dedication to social change. Everything from members' diets to the way they use water is dictated by a commitment to living lightly on the earth. The village is on 280 acres including six ponds, a small creek and 40 acres of woodland, plus 30 acres where they have planted over 12,000 trees as part of a restoration program.
EcoVillage at Ithaca, New York
What would the ideal sustainable community look like? The EcoVillage at Ithaca is one example that is already thriving in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. It includes three co-housing neighborhoods called Frog, Song and Tree as well as an organic CSA vegetable farm, community gardens and over 100 acres of protected green space. The houses are all energy-efficient and share facilities like a common house, wood shop, metal shop, bike shed, playgrounds and centralized compost bins.
Conceptual Community of Tiny Houses
It's not yet a reality, but tiny house enthusiasts have a dream: idyllic neighborhoods where people who have committed to living in very small spaces can get together and share resources and camaraderie. Tiny house communities are hard to come by because of various city and county ordinances, which favor large houses and conventional utilities. At TinyHouseCommunity.com, people who live in tiny houses - or want to build their own some day - get together to talk about making these villages happen. There are two tiny house communities currently in planning phases, in Washington D.C. and Texas.

Top photo: Dancing Rabbit Eco Village

Tags: artist communes, communes, eco communes, eco villages, intentional communities, sustainable communities, treehouse community, yoga community, yoga retreat

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Utopian Intentional Communities with Distinct Values

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From tree house villages in Costa Rica to yoga communes in Hawaii, these 10 intentional communities are havens of peace, creativity and sustainability. Imagine waking up to the sound of bells from a temple to share in a morning yoga ritual overlooking the mountains of Peru, or the glittering Pacific Ocean in Hawaii.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From sun-bleached sand and soothing surfs to charming walking paths and cool Gulf breezes, we are your gateway to idyllic adventure. At Seaside, an exhilarating day or romantic evening on the beach is just a leisurely stroll away.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Traditional schools "" with their lectures, homework, and report cards "" aren't for everyone. Here are five alternative approaches to education.

1. Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to earn her physician's degree, developed the educational model that bears her name while teaching a class of 50 poor students on the outskirts of Rome in 1907. Dr. Montessori, who previously worked with special needs students, rejected the notion that children were born as "blank slates." Rather, she believed that children were born with absorbent minds and were fully capable of self-directed learning. Montessori developed the framework for a prepared educational environment in which children, empowered with the freedom to choose how they would spend their time in school, would seek out opportunities to learn on their own. Her pioneering work formed the basis for the Montessori classroom, which endures primarily in preschool and elementary school settings today.

Montessori believed that children enjoyed and needed periods of long concentration and that the traditional education model, with its structured lessons and teacher-driven curriculum, inhibited a child's natural development. Montessori students are free to spend large blocks of the day however they choose, while the teacher, or director, observes. Dr. Montessori was a major proponent of tactile learning. Classic materials, such as the Pink Tower, Brown Stairs, and the Alphabet Box "" a set of wooden letters that children are encouraged to hold and feel before learning to write "" remain staples of Montessori classrooms.

Montessori classes typically span three-year age groups.

The lack of grades, tests, and other forms of formal assessment helps ensure that classes remain non-competitive. The first Montessori school in the United States was opened in Tarrytown, New York, in 1911. The New York Times described the school as follows: "Yet this is by no means a school for defective children or tubercular children or children who are anemic. The little pupils in the big sunny classroom at Tarrytown are normal, happy, healthy American children, little sons and daughters of well-to-do suburban residents." Today, the Montessori method is employed in roughly 5,000 schools in the U.S., including several hundred public schools. A 2006 study comparing outcomes of children at a public inner-city Montessori school with children who attended traditional schools provided evidence that Montessori education leads to children with better social and academic skills. Among the many celebrities who can attest to the value of a Montessori education are Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page.

2. Steiner/Waldorf

In addition to creating the field of anthroposophy, which is based on the belief that humans have the inherent wisdom to uncover the mysteries of the spiritual world, Austrian philosopher and scientist Rudolf Steiner developed an educational model that focused on the development of the "whole child" "" body, soul, and spirit. Influenced by the likes of Goethe and Jean Piaget, Steiner believed there were three 7-year periods of child development, and his educational approach reflected what he thought should and should not be taught during each of these stages.

Steiner founded his first Waldorf school (the term Waldorf is now used interchangeably with Steiner to describe schools with curriculums based on Steiner's teachings) in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany, for children of workers at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory. The original curriculum spanned 12 years and aimed to prepare students "for living," with an emphasis on creative expression and social and spiritual values. Within 10 years, Steiner's school in Stuttgart was the largest private school in Germany. When the Nazis closed German schools during World War II, Waldorf teachers fled to other countries, contributing to the methodology's increased post-war popularity.

The curriculum that defines the Waldorf method has remained relatively unchanged in the last 90 years. Steiner believed the first 7 years of a child's life, a period marked by imitative and sensory-based learning, should be devoted to developing a child's noncognitive abilities. To that end, kindergartners in Waldorf schools are encouraged to play and interact with their environment instead of being taught academic content in a traditional setting. Steiner also believed that children should learn to write before they learned to read, and that no child should learn to read before the age of 7. From age 7-14, creativity and imagination are emphasized. During this stage, Waldorf school students may learn foreign languages, as well as eurythmy, an expressive dance developed by Steiner, and other performing arts. By age 14, students are ready for a more structured environment that stresses social responsibility.

Some critics of the Waldorf method argue that it borders on religion. According to the curriculum, students learn about Christian saints in second grade and Old Testament figures in third grade. Despite those concerns and the restricting demands of standardized testing, there are more than 800 schools that employ some variation of Steiner's teaching method throughout the world. Rudolf Steiner College, which was founded in 1974 in Fair Oaks, California, serves as the center for anthroposophical studies and the training ground for future generations of Waldorf teachers.

3. Harkness

The Harkness method isn't based on a specific curriculum or a particular ideology, but rather one important piece of furniture. Developed by oil magnate and philanthropist Edward Harkness, a large, oval table is the centerpiece of any classroom that employs the Harkness method of teaching. Students sit with their classmates and teacher around the table and discuss any and all subjects, from calculus to history, often in great detail. The Harkness method represents a significant departure from the traditional classroom setup of a teacher at a chalkboard lecturing to students seated in rows of desks. Individual opinions are formed, raised, rejected, and revised at the Harkness table, where the teacher's main responsibilities are to ensure that no one student dominates the discussion and to keep the students on point. No conversation is ever the same, which can help teachers avoid the burnout that might result from teaching the same lesson from year to year.

In 1930, Harkness gave a multi-million dollar donation to Phillips Exeter Academy, a private secondary school in New Hampshire, under the condition that the money be used to implement a new educational method that would involve all students in the learning process. Part of Harkness' endowment paid for the hiring of 26 new teachers, which enabled Exeter to shrink its average class size. This was imperative, as the Harkness method is most effective in classes of 15 students or less. "The classes are now small enough so that the shy or slow individual will not be submerged," Exeter principal Dr. Lewis Perry told the New York Times in the early years of the program. "The average boy, similarly, finds his needs cared for. In short, the Harkness plan is best defined as an attitude. It is a new approach to the problem of getting at the individual boy." The method was effective from the start; Exeter reported a decrease in failing grades of 6 percent during the first three years of the Harkness approach.

The intimate setting of the Harkness table forces students to take responsibility for their own learning and encourages them to share their opinions. In addition to learning about topics being discussed, students also learn valuable public speaking skills and to be respectful of their fellow students' ideas. Studies have supported the method's effectiveness in increasing students' retention and recall of material. It takes time to delve into subjects using the Harkness method, which is one reason, in addition to class size limitations, that it hasn't become more popular in public schools.

4. Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia is an educational approach used primarily for teaching children aged 3 to 6. The method is named after the city in northern Italy where teacher Loris Malaguzzi founded a new approach to early childhood education after World War II. Malaguzzi's philosophy was based on the belief that children are competent, curious and confident individuals who can thrive in a self-guided learning environment where mutual respect between teacher and student is paramount. While the first Reggio Emilia preschool opened in 1945, the approach attracted a serious following in the United States in 1991 after Newsweek named the Diana preschool in Reggio Emilia among the best early childhood institutions in the world.

Reggio Emilia schools emphasize the importance of parents taking an active role in their child's early education. Classrooms are designed to look and feel like home and the curriculum is flexible, as there are no set lesson plans. Reggio Emilia stresses growth on the students' terms. Art supplies are an important component of any Reggio Emilia classroom and traditional schools have an atelierista, or art teacher, who works closely with the children on a variety of creative projects. Reggio Emilia teachers often keep extensive documentation of a child's development, including folders of artwork and notes about the stories behind each piece of art.

"It's about exploring the world together and supporting children's thinking rather than just giving them ready-made answers," said Louise Boyd Cadwell, who was an intern at two Reggio Emilia schools in Italy in the early '90s and then wrote a book about the teaching method. "Reggio Emilia is about full-blown human potential and how you support that in both intellectual and creative terms."

5. Sudbury

Sudbury schools take their name from the Sudbury Valley School, which was founded in 1968 in Framingham, Massachusetts. Sudbury schools operate under the basic tenets of individuality and democracy and take both principles to extremes that are unrivaled in the education arena. In Sudbury schools, students have complete control over what and how they learn, as well as how they are evaluated, if at all. At the weekly School Meeting, students vote on everything from school rules and how to spend the budget to whether staff members should be rehired. Every student and staff member has a vote and all votes count equally.

The Sudbury philosophy is that students are capable of assuming a certain level of responsibility and of making sound decisions; in the event that they make poor decisions, learning comes in the form of dealing with the consequences. While many public and private schools are constantly looking for new ways to motivate students to learn, Sudbury schools don't bother. According to the Sudbury approach, students are inherently motivated to learn. One Sudbury educator uses the example of an infant who learns to walk despite the fact that lying in a crib is a viable "" and easier "" alternative as support of this belief.

Sudbury schools, which have some similarities with the "free schools" that gained popularity in the U.S. during the 1970s, do not divide students into different classes by age. Students regularly engage in collaborative learning, with the older students often mentoring the younger students. Annual tuition for the Sudbury Valley School, which welcomes students as young as 4 years old, is $6,450 for the first child in a family to attend the school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Traditional schools "" with their lectures, homework, and report cards "" aren't for everyone. Here are five alternative approaches to education. 1. Montessori Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to earn her physician's degree, developed the educational model that bears her name while teaching a class of 50 poor students on the outskirts of Rome in 1907.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The idea of the "utopian" community has a long, storied history (and a largely unsuccessful one at that), from the fictional island dreamed up by Sir Thomas More to present-day attempts to build the perfect urban ecosystem. And even though the perfect society has eluded us, that hasn't stopped people from trying. Seekers attempting to leave behind the conventions and restrictions of traditional society have created self-sustaining communities ranging from groups of tofu-making hippies in rural Virginia to expatriates living in treehouses in the Costa Rican rainforest (and yes, there is a community called Yogaville).

"The criticism of utopia is that it's impossible to achieve perfection, so why try?" J.C. Hallman, author of "In Utopia," told Salon in 2010. "But the impossibility of perfection does not absolve us from the path of pursuing a more perfect union."

Is it just cities people are trying to escape? Fed up with society as it is? Check out these nine fascinating case studies in alternative modes of living, spanning from the Arizona Desert to the Korean coast.

In 1971, a group of 300 flower children and free-thinkers left San Francisco to blaze a trail out east, settling in rural Tennessee to become the founders of what is now America's oldest hippie commune.

The Farm, located just outside Summertown, Tennessee, is still around to this day, and was the subject of the 2012 documentary "American Commune." Now composed of roughly 200 members, the vegetarian intentional community was founded on -- and still lives by -- their core values of nonviolence and respect for the environment.

Green Bank, West Virginia is a safe haven away from the reach of technology where the "electrosensitive" can come to escape the digital world. The small town is located in a U.S. National Radio Quiet Zone, a 13,000-square-mile area where electromagnetic radiation (yes, that includes WiFi and cell phone signals) is banned so as not to disturb the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. About 150 people have moved to Green Bank and created a community for the precise purpose of escaping radiation, which they believe is harmful to their health.

"Life isn't perfect here. There's no grocery store, no restaurants, no hospital nearby," a resident of the town recently told Slate. "But here, at least, I'm healthy. I can do things. I'm not in bed with a headache all the time."

The "urban laboratory" that is Arcosanti was first created in the 1970s in the Arizona desert 70 miles north of Phoenix as a social experiment of sorts, and it's still standing to this day. Citizens of Arcosanti collaborate in creating and selling their signature product, ceramic and bronze wind bells, according to The New York Times.

The roughly 50 inhabitants of the community ("arconauts") continue living out founder Paolo Soleri's idea of "arcology" -- architecture fused with ecology.

Finca Bellavista is probably the closest that real life can get to Swiss Family Robinson. The sustainable treehouse community is comprised of more than 25 elevated structures, as well as a base camp community center, located deep in the Costa Rica rainforest more than a mile and a half from the nearest town. Its typical resident is a laid-back, environmentally conscious American expatriate, according to founders Erica and Matt Hogan, who started building Finca in 2006.

"In general, people [who live here] want a simpler lifestyle," Hogan told Business Insider. "They want a life less ordinary. They're usually very green, environmentally-conscious and want to live off the grid."

Founded in 1967, the intentional community of Twin Oaks is one of the most successful of that era. The small commune is situated on 450 acres of land in Louisa, Virginia and is famous for its tofu. Approximately 100 residents live in the community now, which consists of seven group houses along with a gathering area, swimming hole, graveyard, soy production facility, several greenhouses, and more.

"Of the thousands of similar communal experiments forged throughout the '60s and '70s, Twin Oaks is one of only a handful to have survived," Cluster Magazine wrote in a recent profile, "as other utopian experiments collapsed under the pressure of self-sustainability and interpersonal drama."

Whereas most of these communities are a throwback to a simpler time, New Songdo City on the South Korean coast is an ambitious new community project that couldn't be more futuristic-looking. Scheduled for completion in 2015, New Songdon will be located on Incheon Bay, and will include city-wide WiFi integration and will be highly environmentally friendly. The city will be built from scratch, like Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

"They're promising full technological integration," Hallman told Salon. "Lamps and tables and cars and everything will be computerized and on a network. You won't even need a BlackBerry or a laptop."

Virginia's Satchidananda Ashram and the surrounding community is known as Yogaville, a space where people of diverse backgrounds have come together to live the yogic lifestyle. The holistic community was founded by Sri Swami Satchidananda, a spiritual leader who aspired to share his message of peace with like-minded others.

As the community's website describes itself, "We came from various places. We have various tastes, various temperaments, various faces, various beliefs, but we are living here as one family, helping each other."

Created in 1996, Ithaca's Ecovillage is a sustainable intentional community and education center which describes itself as an "alternative model for suburban living which provides a satisfying, healthy, socially rich lifestyle, while minimizing ecological impact." It currently has two 30-home co-housing neighborhoods, named "Frog" and "Song," with plans to build a third (the forthcoming "Tree"), as well as community gardens and organic farms.

A cooperative yoga and meditation community located on Hawaii's Big Island around 30 miles south of the city of Hilo, Polestar was founded on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the best-selling 1946 spiritual manifesto "Autobiography of a Yogi." The community lives by its core value of karma yoga (selfless service) and essential purpose of "deepening the spirit."

Polestar consists of a small core community of permanent residents, but also welcomes guests to visit and stay on its 20 beautiful acres, enjoying the yoga temple, spiritual library, orchards and organic gardens. One guest described it as "a strong environment for spiritual transformation."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Want To Escape The Modern World? 9 'Utopias' That Really Exist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The idea of the "utopian" community has a long, storied history (and a largely unsuccessful one at that), from the fictional island dreamed up by Sir Thomas More to present-day attempts to build the perfect urban ecosystem. And even though the perfect society has eluded us, that hasn't stopped people from trying.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Twin Oaks is an intentional community in rural central Virginia, made up of around 70 adult members and 15 children. Since the community's beginning in 1967, our way of life has reflected our values of cooperation, sharing, egalitarianism, income-sharing, nonviolence, and ecological sustainability.

Twin Oaks Community is located on the traditional territory of the Monacan and Mannahoac peoples (now merged as the Monacan Indian Nation), known to its inhabitants as Amai Amañuhkañ ("The Country of the People of the Land"). Our bylaws call for us to strive to eliminate sexism, racism, ageism, and competitiveness. We believe that this also includes a call to dismantle colonialism and acknowledge our position as settlers on stolen land. You can find out more about current tribal issues and join us in supporting the Monacan Indian Nation.

Addressing racism at Twin Oaks
Last Updated: April 2023

Twin Oaks was founded in 1967 by a group of white people who intended to create an egalitarian non-violent community that sought to address the inequalities of mainstream society. However, when early members neglected to center race in the conversation of power and privilege, the injustices of our broader society against BIPOC individuals were recreated and ingrained into the structures and culture of Twin Oaks. The murder of George Floyd was a moment of reckoning for Twin Oaks and its history of trivializing and dismissing the voices of its BIPOC members. The efforts of our BIPOC members, which had historically been met with resistance and skepticism, finally resulted in community conversation that forced many, though not all, of our white members to grapple with the discrepancies between our stated values and their own racial blindness. The white membership of Twin Oaks, which has consistently constituted about 90% of our population, failed to see how their apathy, prioritization of white comfort and, in some cases, explicit racism, ignored and marginalized the wants and needs of the few BIPOC individuals who have lived in the community. These patterns have directly led to their exodus and discontent with the communities movement. The largely color-blind attempt at equality at Twin Oaks created a culture that is unwelcoming for BIPOC people, a culture which must be dismantled.

You can read more about some of the culture, structure and history of Twin Oaks as it relates to race and racism, as well as our current efforts to untangle ourselves from white supremacy and colonialism in the Racial Justice section under the Culture tab at the top of this page.

We do not have a group religion; our beliefs are diverse. We do not have a central leader; we govern ourselves by a form of democracy with responsibility shared among various managers, planners, and committees. We are self-supporting economically, and partly self-sufficient. We are income-sharing. Each member works 42 hours a week in the community's business and domestic areas. Each member receives housing, food, healthcare, and personal spending money from the community.

Our hammocks and casual furniture business has generated most of our income in the past. Making tofu as of 2011 has become roughly equal in importance to hammocks. Indexing books and now seed growing are also significant sources of income. Still, less than half of our work goes into these income-producing activities; the balance goes into a variety of tasks that benefit our quality of life-including milking cows, gardening, cooking, and childcare. Most people prefer doing a variety of work, rather than the same job day in, day out.

A number of us choose to be politically active in issues of peace, ecology, anti-racism, and feminism. Each summer we host a Women's Gathering, Queer Gathering, and Communities Conference where we welcome both experienced communitarians, and seekers who are new to community living.

We are once again offering Saturday tours, with some covid-cautious requirements. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information or to arrange a tour.

We offer a structured three week visit designed to give the visitor some general education and experience in living at Twin Oaks. Read about the Visitor Program here

Please do not drop in and expect to get a tour or be able to stay overnight. Tours and visits must always be pre-arranged, and to be a guest here, a member must agree to be your host before you arrive.

When communicating with us by email please do not send attachments. Please send only plain text email, not HTML formatted mail. When you write, please tell us how/where you heard about Twin Oaks. If it was through another website, we'd like to know which one, and the URL if possible.
More about Twin Oaks
Bumper Sticker for an Income Sharing Community:
"My other car isn't mine either"
Read about Income Sharing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
intentional community twin oaks louisa virginia commune collective worker-owned

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Twin Oaks Intentional Community - Twin Oaks Intentional Community Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Twin Oaks Intentional Community, in central Virginia, since 1967.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Utopian communities in 19th-century America were considered by many to herald a new age in human civilization. Often led by charismatic leaders with high religious or secular moral ideals, these settlements experimented wildly with different models of government, marriage, labor and wealth. Hundreds of such societies littered the U.S. landscape during the 1800s, most disappearing without a trace. Here are five that made a lasting impression on life in the United States, for better or for worse.

Brook Farm (1841-1846): The Transcendentalist Romance

The philosophical movement known as Transcendentalist was in full swing when Unitarian minister George Ripley founded Brook Farm in the rural Boston suburb of West Roxbury in 1841. The community wasn't particularly unique for its time-after all, more than 80 utopian communities were launched in the 1840s alone-but it was notable as the first purely secular one. Members farmed the land together and held the fruits of their labor in common. The idea was that this would give settlers more time to pursue their own literary and scientific interests, which would then benefit the rest of humankind. Money troubles and internal squabbling eventually eroded the community, which disbanded after only a few years in existence. Founding member Nathaniel Hawthorne ended up having a pretty miserable time there, which he would later document in his fictionalized account of Brook Farm, "Blithedale Romance."

Fruitlands (1843-1844): The Farm Without Farmers

Fruitlands was founded in Harvard, Massachusetts, as a self-sufficient farming community by Charles Lane and Bronson Alcott, two men with no practical experience in either farming or self-sufficiency. In contrast to the more freewheeling ethos of Brook Farm, Lane advocated a far more rigorous lifestyle. Settlers were forbidden to eat meat, consume stimulants, use any form of animal labor, create artificial light, enjoy hot baths or drink anything but water. Lane's ideas later evolved to include celibacy within marriage, which caused no small amount of friction between him and his most loyal disciple, Bronson Alcott, who had relocated his wife and four daughters to Fruitlands in a characteristic fit of enthusiasm. Bronson's family included a young Louisa May Alcott, future author of "Little Women." Louisa, her sisters and their mother appear to have been saddled with the lion's share of labor at Fruitlands, despite lip service from Lane about the alleged equality of the sexes. When winter set in and life at Fruitlands became increasingly harsh, most of its original members fled for more congenial settings. Louisa later wrote a scathing, barely fictionalized report of life at Fruitlands called "Transcendental Wild Oats." The community lasted less than seven months in total.

New Harmony (1825-1829): The Boatload of Knowledge

The settlement of New Harmony in Indiana was established to allow its members to pursue the study of the sciences and natural philosophy without the encumbrances of modern, capitalist life. Its founder, social reformer Robert Owen, successfully lured away from Philadelphia an entire community of scientists who at the time were considered the brightest and most promising in the nation, including several founding members of the National Academy of Science. Many of these original settlers traveled by boat together to their new home in a journey that was referred to as the "Boatload of Knowledge." The community thrived for four years before collapsing amid internal disputes over money. But it did succeed in establishing a western center of scientific discovery at a time when these activities were largely confined to the northeastern states.

Oneida (1848−1881): The Complex Marriage

The Oneida colonists in upstate New York considered themselves all to be married to each other in a practice they called "complex marriage." Monogamy was thoroughly rejected, and all decisions about childbearing and procreation were handled by committee. Not to say there weren't slip-ups: A number of children were born without the sanction of the community, though they appear to have been provided for just as if they'd been planned in accordance with the rules. Mothers were only given the care of their offspring for the first few years of life, while the community at large assumed responsibility for older children.

The Shakers (1745-): The Simple Life

Technically founded in the 18th century, the Shakers nevertheless enjoyed a heyday in the 19th, spawning numerous settlements across the United States, attracting converts and adopting infants and children who were left in their care. The Shakers are known today mostly for their starkly simple furniture design, the successful manufacture and sale of which was a primary reason for their enduring success. Shakers practiced celibacy and communal ownership of goods, along with a strict separation of the sexes in both work and life. Membership dwindled in the early 20th century, eventually leading to the consolidation of more than a dozen communities into just a few. Most Shaker settlements have now been converted into museums, although one small cluster still persists in their unique way of life in a small community in rural Maine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 19th-Century Utopian Communities in the United States

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Utopian communities in 19th-century America were considered by many to herald a new age in human civilization. Often led by charismatic leaders with high religious or secular moral ideals, these settlements experimented wildly with different models of government, marriage, labor and wealth. Hundreds of such societies littered the U.S.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From Art Deco to Victorian, HGTV.com explains the history and key elements of the 26 most popular home styles.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Planes, trains, and automobiles may have carried us through the 20th century, but these days, they're old news. The transportation of the future will be more along the lines of magnetic levitation, jetpacks, and zip lines that fit in a backpack-and they could be here sooner than you think.

10Hyperloop

Picture this: A brilliant billionaire designs an innovative all-electric car, founds a company to resupply the International Space Station, and invents a super-successful alternative banking system. It may sound like the next summer blockbuster, but it's real life. Elon Musk is the founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and PayPal, and now he's revolutionizing public transport. He recently unveiled his idea for an ultra-fast, city-to-city transport system that could get you from San Francisco to Los Angeles in just 35 minutes. Hyperloop is described as an elevated steel tube containing aluminum capsules that would travel at speeds over 1,200 kilometers per hour (760 mph), ferrying cars as well as people. Oh, and it would all be powered by solar energy.

The major drawback? The price tag. Musk estimates that Hyperloop would cost $70 billion just to get started. The final expenditure could be a mind-boggling $100 billion. But Hyperloop also has its critics. Many complain that the system is too expensive, too impractical, even too slow.

Nevertheless, the plan is rolling ahead. A start-up named Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc. has published a timeline projecting the completion of a Hyperloop prototype in the first quarter of 2015. Only time will tell if this is actually feasible, but who knows? The future could be here sooner than we think.

9Nuclear-Powered Cars

Even though everybody seems to be terrified of nuclear energy these days, it could very well be a huge part of our future. And there's one American company that's powering headlong into the radioactive transportation business. For years, Laser Power Systems (LPS) has been touting the benefits of thorium, a radioactive element that's largely responsible for generating the heat at the center of the Earth.

While nations are busy researching thorium for use in nuclear power plants, LPS has a more direct goal: They plan to build a car engine that's powered by a single, small chunk of the radioactive material. The engine would work by focusing the heat given off by the thorium and using it to turn water into steam, spinning a series of microturbines to generate eletricity. Thorium is incredibly dense, which means it holds a lot of energy-an eight-gram nugget would be able to power a car for over 100 years. In other words, you would never have to shell out another penny for gas. Now that's a future we can all get behind.

8Supercavitation

In the world of nautical engineering, no idea is picking up speed faster than supercavitation. Supercavitation is an effect created when a layer of gas bubbles is formed around an object inside a liquid (imagine the submerged hull of a boat surrounded by bubbles). The gas reduces friction by up to 900 times less than the normal amount, allowing the object to move much more quickly than normal through the water.

It goes without saying that a supercavitating boat would be a tremendous asset to any navy fleet. In addition to its high speeds with relatively low fuel expenditure, its speed and shape would make it difficult for sonar to detect. It could even outrun torpedoes. Juliet Marine Systems, a private company in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is trying to make such a boat. Called the GHOST, it is intended for defense-protecting naval vessels, and fending off pirates who might try to attack commercial ships. It could also be an efficient ferry, particularly when moving troops to enemy shores.

7The Martin Jetpack

One of TIME magazine's Top 50 Inventions for 2010 has been called "the world's first practical jetpack." Yes, that iconic space-age vehicle is no longer just a figment of your average sci-fi writer's imagination. Glenn Martin, a New Zealander with a vision, has been working on his jetpack design for over 30 years, and it's finally nearly ready for commercial sale.

The Martin Jetpack is powered by ducted fans and can fly for up to 30 minutes at a time. It has a maximum speed of just under 74 kilometers per hour (46 mph), and can reach altitudes of 900 meters (3,000 feet). Imagine gliding along nearly a kilometer above the ground, powered by nothing more than the pack on your back. It's a reality that'll come first to firefighters and emergency teams, as the Martin Jetpack is currently being developed for use as a first-responder vehicle. But don't worry: It should be available for personal use by sometime in mid-2014-for those who have a spare $200,000.

It would be nice to bike to work every day, but let's face it-it's a lot of effort. Well, soon it might get a little bit easier. In 2006, Toronto unveiled plans for a "high-speed, all-season, pollution-free, ultra-quiet transit system that makes people healthier." In other words, a bike path on steroids. Designed by Toronto architect Chris Hardwicke, the idea was to build an elevated, three-lane tube for bikes. The tubes would be separated by direction, allowing for air circulation that would create a tailwind. Bikers' efficiency could be improved by as much as 90 percent, and they could reach speeds of 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph). Velo-city, as the project is called, would also be ideal for cold-weather climates, as bikers would be protected from the elements.

Although there was a lot of excitement when the idea was first proposed, velo-city was eventually shelved due to lack of funding. However, although it may be gone for now, it's not forgotten. Perhaps we'll have bicycles whizzing comfortably above our heads in the near future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNWudSOpT5U
We've all heard about Google's self-driving car. But have you heard about Next? Part taxi, part Segway, part origami construction with an emphasis on social interaction, Next has to be seen to be understood. Essentially, designer Tommaso Gecchelin envisions a world in which you use your smartphone to call Next, and a self-driving module comes to pick you up. You slide into the configurable seat, and the doors close. Your module scoots along on four wheels until it meets up with a group of other modules.

Then the magic happens: Your seat stays upright, while around you the module rears up on two wheels to connect to the group. A panel opens, and suddenly you have the impression of sitting on a bus or a train. Modules can split off as easily as they join on. As you approach your destination, your module unhooks itself to drop you off seamlessly.

It's a fantastic idea. Unfortunately, we've got a long way to go before we're ready for Next. In his design plans, Gecchelin outlines the timeline of technologies that have to be developed or improved before Next can feasibly be built. That includes production of cheap nanomaterials, a consumer self-driving car, a high-capacity battery, and high-capacity, cheap solar panels. All in all, Gecchelin figures we won't be ready for Next until at least 2025.

4Kolelinio

Believe it or not, a zip-line commute could soon become reality with Kolelinio, a concept put forth by Martin Angelov at the TEDx conference in Thessaloniki in 2010. Angelov envisions a network of wires crisscrossing the skies, allowing people to zip from place to place. As he points out, we drive vehicles that can weigh 20 times more than our own bodies, and our roads are expensive to build.

His idea would do away with that, as well as contribute to a greener transportation infrastructure. Travelers using Kolelinio would fasten themselves into a battery-powered seat dangling from a taut steel wire and go whizzing along, staying close to the ground in pedestrian zones and rising higher in areas with traffic.

There are a few drawbacks, however. Kolelinio offers no protection against bad weather, it's obviously not ideal for people with a fear of heights, and there are a lot of questions about safety. Nevertheless, it's an innovative idea, and we'll keep crossing our fingers that someone decides to make it real sometime soon.

The Skylon is being touted as the successor of the Concorde, the plane that traveled faster than sound but was retired nearly 10 years ago. In 2013, the United Kingdom announced plans to spend more than $90 million developing the Skylon, a super-fast plane that could travel at five times the speed of sound and break out of the Earth's orbit to travel in outer space. It would be able to take off from any runway in the world, and could bring 300 passengers from London to Sydney in four hours. Or it could be used to drop off a load of up to 15,000 kilograms (33,000 lb) in outer space-at the International Space Station, for example.

Development has only just begun, and there are some formidable obstacles to overcome. John Hansman, the head of MIT's International Center for Air Transportation, says, "It looks great from a science fiction standpoint, but it's really, really tough to do." Additionally, the $90-million figure is just the beginning-final costs could amount to more than a billion dollars.

However, many scientists and science journalists are optimistic about the project. And if everything goes according to plan, a prototype will be ready by 2017, with the real deal following just a couple years later. After that? "Access to space, access to anywhere in the world within four hours is on the cards," says Alan Bond, the founder of Reaction Engines, the company behind the Skylon's propulsion system.

Say hello to the Harley Davidson's time-traveling nephew. This concept vehicle is sleek and streamlined and vaguely motorcycle-shaped, but it's also enclosed, with plenty of room for luggage, and it's powered by either batteries, biofuel, or a fuel cell. You can drive it manually, but it can also navigate itself on certain dedicated pathways. Oh, and it's city-friendly: It drives on four wheels, but tilts up on two for easy parking. On top of all that, it's collapsible.

Designer David Miguel Moreira Goncalves had the urban environment in mind when he drew up his plans. He said in his original report that "the aim of this project was to develop guidelines and a holistic solution for a new system of urban transport, composed of vehicle and infrastructure, in a sustainable way and adaptable to various urban environments." In other words, he noticed that people prefer personal vehicles over public transportation, so he tried to come up with something easy and environmentally friendly that could still be individualized.

No SCARABs have been built yet, but we're hopeful that sometime in the near future we'll be able to hop into one of those babies and go for a hip, eco-friendly spin.

Tel Aviv, Israel is in the heart of the Fertile Crescent, the ancient cradle of civilization. But it's anything but outdated. Tel Aviv is a vibrant, bustling, 24-hour city-with a major traffic problem. That's why they've set themselves the goal of building aerial magnetic public transportation in the near future. They're calling it SkyTran. As with many other futuristic transport ideas, the designers of this one had their sights set on the clouds. SkyTran will run on metal tracks six meters (20 ft) above the ground, although they won't actually be "on" the tracks: The pod-like cars will hang below the tracks, floating along nearly friction-free thanks to maglev (magnetic levitation) technology.

Passengers will be able to use a smartphone app to call a car to the nearest station (picture a staircase going up to a simple platform). Cars can run independently and will take riders as close to their destination as tracks allow. According to SkyTran's CEO, Jerry Sanders, a SkyTran ride will cost a little more than a bus, but less than a comparable distance in a taxi. Additionally, once solar panels are installed, the SkyTran system will be energy neutral.

SkyTran will be capable of speeds of up to 241 kilometers per hour (150 mph), but it will run slower, at least at first, as riders get used to the idea.

It sounds like something out of a 1950s comic book and, to be honest, the aerodynamic car shape looks like it, too. But maybe we'll all take a leaf out of Tel Aviv's book and start zooming around the skies like the Jetsons. The future is now, after all.

Emily Carroll is a traveler, teacher, freelance writer, and knowledge enthusiast currently located in Madrid.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Futuristic Forms Of Transportation We Could See Soon - Listverse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Planes, trains, and automobiles may have carried us through the 20th century, but these days, they're old news. The transportation of the future will be more along the lines of magnetic levitation, jetpacks, and zip lines that fit in a backpack---and they could be here sooner than you think.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are many different types of schools around the country including many different public and private school models. Learn about all of them at Teach.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Noodle breaks down the educational philosophy behind Montessori, Waldorf/Steiner, and Democratic schools.

When trying to decide what type of school is best for your child, it's important to make sure that a school reflects your child's personality and learning needs. Here are the basics you need to know about 3 popular types of alternative schools: Montessori, Waldorf / Steiner, and Democratic schools.

Montessori Schools

Montessori education emphasizes psychological development, independence, and spontaneous activity. Based on the philosophy that individuals develop themselves through interaction with their surrounding environment, the Montessori classroom typically contains students of mixed ages. Students learn through experience and are provided with uninterrupted blocks of time during during which they choose from a variety of different educational activities. In elementary, middle and high school, materials and lessons cover a wide variety of subjects, including work in mathematics, language, history, science and art.

Waldorf / Steiner Schools

Waldorf (also known as Steiner) education is characterized by interdisciplinary learning that emphasizes the role of imagination and creative thinking. Students are encouraged to develop analytic and creative thinking skills in order to become free, morally responsible individuals. In the U.S. there are both public and private Waldorf schools.

The approach is based on the philosopher Rudolf Steiner's theory of educational development. Curriculum is structured around 3 major stages: early childhood (birth through age 7), elementary school years (ages 7-14) and adolescence (ages 14-18).

According to Steiner, early childhood learning is experiential and imitation-based. Students are given ample time for guided free play in a home-like environment and outdoors. Children learn through interaction with simple materials, nature, songs and story-telling. Emphasis is placed on helping children experience daily, monthly and annual rhythms.

Elementary education centers around a multi-disciplinary arts-based curriculum that often involves arts, craft, drama, movement, and music. Students learn 2 foreign languages, with afternoons often devoted to languages arts and mathematics.

High school curriculum focuses more strongly on traditional academic subjects. It is designed to foster a sense of social responsibility and ethical understanding in students. Pupils are encouraged to think independently and creatively.

Democratic Schools

Democratic schools are unique in that students are responsible for their own education. Schools do not have set curriculum or academic grades. During the school day, students are free to choose what they'd like to do and education takes place primarily through free play with students of all age groups. Democratic schools are governed by democracy in which each student and faculty member has one vote and school-wide rules are decided by the majority.

Although the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy was one of the first practitioners of democratic education, the first American democratic school, the Sudbury School, was founded in 1968 and was followed the next year by the Albany Free School.

These are just a few of the options to explore when choosing a school for your child. Learn more about charter, magnet and parochial schools or start a Noodle search to get recommendations for K-12 schools that fit your family's needs and preferences.

Image Sources: Montessori; Waldorf, Sudbury

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Montessori, Sudbury, Waldorf, Steiner: What's the Difference?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Noodle breaks down the educational philosophy behind Montessori, Waldorf/Steiner, and Democratic schools. When trying to decide what type of school is best for your child, it's important to make sure that a school reflects your child's personality and learning needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ZEGG Gemeinschaft mit 100 Erwachsenen und Kindern. Wie können wir ein nachhaltiges & kreatives Leben kreieren, ein waches Bewusstsein fördern in Liebe, Sexualität, Ökologie, Gemeinschaft & Politik.