In this workshop, attendees will learn about the Earth Café dialogue method before participating in a brief demonstration of the techniques. The example dialogue will focus on the question, "How can we create more sustainable cohousing?" Earth Café offers an intentional and comfortable space for meaningful dialogue. Through a series of small conversations, each participant is given an equal voice, thus making cross-pollination inevitable. By the end of this workshop, participants will have the skills to organize an Earth Café dialogue in their community.

Intergenerational family and community relationships and mentoring have become almost extinct, yet we have a broad understanding of the effect in our communities and the world for this lack. One of the great challenges in healing this process is the lack of effective process to support these relationships in our all-too-fast-paced lifestyles. All too often our efforts result in frustration, and we do not succeed in our hopes. Yet the challenge of dealing with an uncertain future for our children depends on them doing their best in relationships with each other and with the whole of the Biosphere. Healing the mentoring process – that is our work.

This panel will address a full spectrum of philosophies behind sustainable communities and sustainable urbanism. Panelists will: provide an overview of the topic of sustainable urbanism; explain the localism movement, the density and smart growth movements, and the metrics of LEED-ND; and address how urban neighborhoods can connect people personally with nature and resources.

We’ve been spoiled in the first decades of cohousing development with communities selling out with relatively little effort. As we’ve built more communities and as we’ve faced the downturn in housing markets, we’ve had to get a lot more sophisticated on how to communicate the true value of cohousing and how it compares to other available housing options. Come to this session to find out what is working for new cohousing groups and how values of resales are holding over time. Of particular interest is appraiser Lee Bartholemew’s recent survey of resales in northern California cohousing communities and how they have held during this very difficult housing market. This session will look at the most successful marketing approaches for both intergenerational and senior cohousing communities. Annie Russell and Georgette Vigil will share their experiences in sales and marketing.