Pure Possibility! Asheville NC- "The Happiest City in the USA"
Most of us are inspired by ideas, empowered by knowledge, and moved to change by greater understanding. As Barbara Kingsolver the best-selling author of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle wrote: " What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers nor the destroyed."
Living in Asheville, NC meanspure possibility.... And that goes for everything in your "universe of discourse" whether it be a healthy-built home, the land around your home, your neighbors, friends and family-and most especially you. Here's our list...
The Eco-Stewards' List of Pure Possibility
1.Healthy, durable, sustainable, energy efficient homes- in other words, well designed and built homes - seriously underway here in the Asheville real estate market. . Here's a link to information from the Asheville Board of REALTORS® about theGREEN REAL ESTATE MARKET in the Greater Asheville area.
4. Mountin' Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center Mountin' Hopes is always on our list. The center provides children and adults with special needs the opportunity both to ride and to care for horses. The relationship that can develop between the person and horse encourages wellness.
5. Land-of-Sky Regional Council may be of interest to eco-friendly people relocating to the Asheville area. Not only does it seek to enhance social, economic, cultural and ecological conditions in the Greater Asheville, N.C. area, but it works to promote well-being of the Region, healthy folks and healthy ecosystems.
6. The North Carolina Division of Water Quality. Speaking of healthy ecosystems, here is a link to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This will take you to information about the agency responsible for statewide regulatory programs in groundwater and surface water protection.
7. The Clean AIR Community Trust. We are members of this organization. This is a community-based program that has great activities, events and educational opportunities. Over the years we have found that it has inspired many people to make wise choices that lead to air quality improvement.
8. North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources . On the state level, you may be interested in the Division of AIR Quality(DAQ) works with the state's citizens to protect and improve outdoor, or ambient, air quality in North Carolina for the health and benefit of all.
9. Discover Your Ecological Address . One quick way to evaluate your own impact on the environment will be found when you visit this link. You know what street you live on and what town you live in, but here you can find our your ecological address. Possibly this can tell you much about your place in the world.
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
I'm excited about the idea of a closely-knit gathering ofenergy-efficient,green-built homes, especially if they are affordable and on a small footprint! I am attracted to the notion of rounding up 10-or-so homes on a small-ish enough parcel of land so that people who live there naturally gravitate to contributing their ideas, talents, and leadership skills in a neighborly way. But that's me, and when it comes to added value for my clients, I'm not objective.
What I want to know is what YOU think. Is it important to you to engage the community in which you live? You may find the benefits of neighborly collaboration - sharing in community projects such as community gardens... attractive. If so, let me know because I happily will clue you in to what is happening in Asheville... and will put you in touch with other real estate expertsall across the USA who can be of service to you in finding affordable green housing. But, wait a minute...first....
Tell me, how would you define that as "cluster housing"? Does it look the the graphic below? (the graphic shows an artist's rendering of Asheville's Villages at Crest Mountain.)
Look it up at Wikipedia and you will find it described as "...the grouping of residential properties on a development site in order to use the extra land as open space, recreation or agriculture... increasingly becoming popular in subdivision development for its low impact and sustainability appeal.... [and] other advantages, including more green/public space, closer community, and an optimal storm water management." Could this be the remedy for balancing conservation and development objectives, and offering an opportunity for developers and conservationists to meet in the middle, creating more livable communities in the process?
PLEASE DO STAY TUNED as I look for the answer in a number of such enterprises in this series.
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
The Bridges OF Madison County is the much-celebrated work of Robert James Waller ( made into a 1995 film of the same name ) directed by Clint Eastwood. and starring Eastwood and Meryl Streep. I so enjoyed that book... and the movie.The Bridges IN Madison County, are closer to home. Just twenty minutes from our cabin, these spans are singularly monumental -and they are real...and sometimes challenging...
The Bridges IN Madison Countyare About Transitions
But,for those who seek sanctuary, for those who seek enough space in which to complete the mission, though the waters be turbulent, there is a caring community -one that lives on from generation to generation- and, they say, all the way to Heaven.
The Bridges IN Madison Countyalso are About Passages
The essence of a life, lived fully. Life is about winding roads that climb along mountainsides where streams call out, " Stop and picnic!" ...and mighty rivers that test the bridge that connects one side to the other. Life is like an array of bridges-small, almost fragile, and hand-built footbridges, and the sturdy, stalwart ones for those who dare....
The Bridges IN Madison Countyalso are About Crossing Over
Bridges are metaphors for the chances we take to understand our small part in the continuity of life. In Madison County, where streams and pastures and coves abound, you may every day come face to face with the Knowing that in life, on so many levels, we must cross from one place to another-heart, mind, and spirit -move onward to what lies beyond....no matter how high or how wide or how challenging the "crossing " may be....
*Western North Carolina (often abbreviated as WNC) is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains, Although only a short drive from the Cultural Creative's favorite, Asheville, NC, Madison County feels a world away. There simply may be no place like Madison County, North Carolina. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, ______________________________________________________________________________________________
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
Asheville, North Carolina, Eco Community Review- Summer. 2010
Levels of attraction, commitment, and motivation when it comes to sustainable innovation are as unique as each of us is. Poll homebuyers and investors and you are sure to find certain green attributes have more appeal than others. There are about as many shades of green in eco-friendly design, development and building as you see in the early light on an Appalachian mountainside.
For example in the area of green-built homes, indoor air quality (IAQ) may be one person's primary focus, while whole house ventilation or NO-VOC paint may be another's concern. And many people looking to leave a land legacy will devote their attention to eco-savvy development that takes into account site planning, solar orientation and energy use.
And those seeking innovative solutions to energy and cost savings seem to have in common the notion that their grandkids deserve to live in a healthy, non-toxic environment. .
5 Favored Eco-Friendly Urban* and Mountain Communities in the Asheville Area
•· I have written quite a bit about each of these communities, as you may see by the links for detailed information above. I am defining "urban" as within a 5 minute drive of downtown Asheville
__~o -\_<, (*)/'(*) .......... Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
It's Asheville Style! And you can find it in sustainable innovation in the eco villages and developments in the Asheville area.
WHEN you visit the numerous Asheville area eco-friendly developments, you will discover some are urban and some are rural. You may be attracted to miles and miles of hiking trails that adjoin the National Forest. You may be attracted to the community amenities. But, whether you find your Asheville dream in a rural or an urban area, you can be certain that an eco-friendly development and/or an ecovillage is not defined by its location.How then do you recognize an authentic eco village?
Eco-villages are defined by concept.
For me, this is about sustainable innovation-- a "green plan" that encourages both social contact and individual space coupled with the understanding that, as a member of the community, you are entrusted with a shared sense of caring for all who live here. And, how do you know when you have found the "real thing" and can therefore move forward with a buying decision? Just take this handy list along with you.
7 Ways to Recognize and Appreciate an Authentic Eco Village - Asheville Style
1.Preferably, all the homes are Healthy Built® or LEEDTM certified homes and, at the very least are energy efficient
2. The development/community is grounded in respect for nature and natural surroundings: Wildlife conservation and restoring habitat diversity, rainwater harvesting, edible landscape design, and there is abundant common green space.
3. The developers have indicated a commitment to meet the needs of the present without impacting the ability of future generations to meet their needs, too.
4. Whole-systems design that seeks balance among social, economic and environmental imperatives
5. Neighborliness is supported. You will find common structures, community gardens, and opportunities to get together to enjoy the land and each other.
6. You will also find a multigenerational & family-friendly environment
7. An obvious dedication and enthusiasm for quality of life and lifestyle !
If you would like a list of Asheville area eco villages, email me or call ASAP
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
Here in Asheville NC people have come to expect leading edge innovation in sustainable development.
In the post below, CLINT LASHER who is himself involved in raising green awareness as the Project Manager at The Villages at Crest Mountain, talks about making dreams of an affordable "Green' home come true (see 12 second video, below) --The Dream:A LEED for NeighborhoodTMregistered project at The Villages at Crest Mountain, Asheville, NC.
What excatly is a A LEED for NeighborhoodTM registered project ? When you visit him at the Villages (just 5 minutes from downtown Asheville) as I did recently, he will be happy to explain...
-- A neighborhood that complies with the Nation's first rating system for Green Neighborhoods. In partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) has created a powerful environmental strategy: sustainability at the scale of neighborhoods and communities.
Ask Clint Lasher, Project Manager at the Villages at Crest Mountain in Asheville, NC about making dreams of an affordable “Green’ home come true if you want to smile. (see 12 second video, below)
The Dream: A LEED for Neighborhood™ registered project where you will find affordable homes. Location: The Villages at Crest Mountain,Asheville, NC
The Definition of A Dream: A LEED for Neighborhood™ registered project -- A neighborhood that complies with the Nation's first rating system for Green Neighborhoods. In partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) has created a powerful environmental strategy: sustainability at the scale of neighborhoods and communities. The joint venture, known as LEED for Neighborhood Development (or LEED-ND), is “ a system for rating and certifying green neighborhoods.
LEED-ND builds on USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) systems, the world's best-known third-party verification that a development meets high standards for environmental responsibility. LEED-ND integrates the principles of new urbanism, green building, and smart growth into the first national standard for neighborhood design, expanding LEED's scope beyond individual buildings to a more holistic concern about the context of those buildings.”
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
For any of you who did not get to visit the 2010 Southeast Energy Expo here in Asheville , and are disappointed not to have had a first-hand look at all the newest and most creative and inventive outpourings in the area of alternative energy...
you are in luck because JERRI McCOMBS has created a post with great pictures and narrative. THANKS JERRI!
P.S. Golfers!! Check out the super-classy golf cart!!!!!!!!
This years South East Energy Expo started off great. I was excited to hear that the WNC Agricultural Center had a brand new building and that this years Expo would be there. It is a huge building and there were plenty of displays to fill it, as well as another building.
I love going on Friday of the three days. It is slower, and being the person I am (LOL) I like to see what is there and ask a lot of questions. So yesterday was perfect. I got to talk to a lot of people about their products, and learned a lot.
It seems like every year, products are upgraded and better, with a lot more features. This year really showcased that fact. Panels are more productive, water collection systems are better and there were a lot of new and innovative ideas floating around. It was fun to see and that is what I look forward to every year.
This year there were a lot more products being featured and a lot more booths. I got to ride in an LSV (Low Speed Vehicle) being sold by Dave Walker, of the Golf Cart Center in Flat Rock. These are really amazing vehicles. They can only be driven on roads with 35 MPH limits, but so many streets where I live in Hendersonville and Flat Rock fit that requirement. It road smoothly, and quietly. In fact, Dave mentioned the need to be extra careful around pedestrians because they are so quiet. I really want to get one of these. With most of my driving being done within 5 miles of my home, I would be able to use this 95% of the time. Wouldn't you like to look at properties in a cute car like this? No gas and all electric, it goes 40 miles on a charge, so is meant for very local traffic.
I found booths with books full of How To topics, smaller things like organic clothing and bumper stickers, and even a booth of artwork made from recycled 'finds' that were gorgeous. Electric vehicles were found, along with solar panels, wind generators, water pre-heating systems, and more.
I got a really nice, small flashlight that is brighter than I imagined, and charges with its own tiny built in solar panel. How cool is that? It charges with minimal light and is a nice small size. This is a product by Solar LED Innovations. See what else they have. I wanted to buy them out! They have so many great items.
I especially like the permaculture display. Being an avid gardener I was excited to see all of the plants that are indigenous to our area. Xeroscaping is a big deal. If you plant only those plants that are indigenous to the area you live in you will have much better luck with them, and you will rarely have to water.
I enjoyed several classes during the afternoon. The SEE Expo always has great classes going all day, in four classrooms at a time, with varying topics. You can learn a lot in one day. I listened to one on How A House Works, and then later one on Rain Catchment Systems. Both were very informative and given by individuals who really knew their stuff.
I had a great time at the SEE 2010 Expo and I hope that if you have time you will stop by as well. There are still two full days left this weekend and you can learn more about it from yesterdays blog entry.
Jerri McCombs, Broker, ePro, GRI, Keller Williams Mountain Partners
Your Hendersonville NC Neighborhood Expert
828/553-5190 or info@JerriMcCombs.com
Join Me in Living the Good Life in Hendersonville NC Voted one of the Top 100 Best Communities
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
If you ever wondered how to define today's intentional community, here the VILLAGES AT CREST MOUNTAINset out a vision that is worth a second and third review! I have visited "Asheville's Landmark Intentional Community, and am excited about what is happening there...and how this project can be a model for future sustainable development projects.
I was asked not long ago how the Villages at Crest Mountain-- Asheville NC's answer to the demand for eco-friendly and close-in properties, defined our Vision. Here is the answer- we are all about
- Promoting energy efficiency, conservation & generation
- Encouraging passive & active solar
- Planning abundant common green space
Creating an intentional community:
- Developing shared values & vision
- Creating responsible self-governance
- Building healthy sustainable relationships
- Growing a socially vibrant community
- Promoting cooperation
- Encouraging resource sharing
- Supporting lifelong learning
Living sustainably:
- Meeting the needs of the present without impacting the ability of future generations
- to meet their own needs
- Employing whole-systems design that seeks balance among social, economic and environmental imperatives
- Creating a social governance polices
- based on “best practices”
- Utilizing social and physical permaculture principles
- Providing for onsite year-round food production
Supporting interdependence:
- Positioning houses and common structures to optimize positive social interactions
- Creating community gardens, orchards & vineyards where residents can work together cooperatively
- Encouraging the sharing of tools and resources
- Training residents in community-based decision-making
- Providing training in sustainable, interdependent relationship skills
- Creating educational programs where residents can learn together
- Offering fun social events that bring residents together
Promoting diversity:
- Adopting a pod concept for clustering h
omes (Phase I & II)
- Encouraging a multigenerational & family-friendly environment
- Promoting inclusivity (non-discrimination
by age, gender, race or sexual orientation)
- Providing handicap access to common areas
- Supporting cultural diversity
- Creating a culture of celebration
Balancing community & individual self-reliance:
- Rotating community leadership roles
- Teaching leadership skills
- Honoring autonomy
- Valuing self-determination
- Striving for personal best
- Respecting self-leadership
Offering affordability :
- Establishing sales prices that are within the budget range of prospective residents
- Offering developer financing for lots
- Saving money on food, energy &
transportation costs
- Offering lowest municipal taxes in
Asheville ( BuncombeCounty) North Carolina!
Mention MURPHY and do Let me know what you think...Call or email me for a personal tour of Asheville's Landmark Intentional Community.
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
I am excited to learn about Asheville's newest Green Community. I can tell by the photo below, that it must be something very special....as CLINT LASHER, the Project Manager says,
"“I first became intrigued with the idea of sustainable development when I was working in the National Park System in Montana and Alaska, " Clint said. "We knew from the beginning that creating a development like the Villages at Crest Mountain was, at its core, about people,” Clint said. “ Our team members have been integral in the extraordinary rise of the green building movement here locally.
The Villages at Crest Mountain is a thoughtful and sophisticated intentional community created by a team of experienced professionals, builders and advisers— some of the most knowledgeable experts in the areas of sustainable development and green building in Asheville, Western North Carolina and nationwide...."
ASHEVILLE NC —The latest residents-to-be at the Villages at Crest Mountain are looking forward to locally grown and harvested food just an amble from their door.
It was early morning Saturday, when we sat down with Clint Lasher and his pal Murphy at the Eco Villages at Crest Mountain where tours of the property soon would be picking up speed for the day.
“We are excited about the activity this summer, " Clint told me. " People choosing this intentional community are attracted to the underlying Permaculture design here at the Villages.”
Clint is the Project Manager at one of Asheville's most remarkable intentional communities, the Villages at Crest Mountain. This is a Lasher Family contribution to the community where the family has been creating opportunities for many years.
“I first became intrigued with the idea of sustainable development when I was working in the National Park System in Montana and Alaska, " Clint said. "We knew from the beginning that creating a development like the Villages at Crest Mountain was, at its core, about people,” Clint said. “ Our team members have been integral in the extraordinary rise of the green building movement here locally.
The Villages at Crest Mountain is a thoughtful and sophisticated intentional community created by a team of experienced professionals, builders and advisers— some of the most knowledgeable experts in the areas of sustainable development and green building in Asheville, Western North Carolina and nationwide. .
“Asheville building is undergoing a renaissance and it is based on the fundamental community ideals of balance and responsibility. We believe that social and ecological diversity and that built environments not only make sense, but can be healthy, productive and stylish.”
Asheville’s Villages at Crest Mountain, which is just five (5) minutes from downtown Asheville and situated within 165 acres, is once of the faces of that ideal that includes: residents enjoying a comprehensive edible landscape, common gardens, a greenhouse, orchards, vineyards and berry patches, along with ornamental plantings.
" We are a U.S. Green Building Council LEED ® for Neighborhood Development™ registered-project," Clint concluded with a smileas he headed out the door to show a young couple where they could choose to live- and have so many benefits.
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
What is the best mountain view land in Western North Carolina? I can't tell you the number of times we have been asked that question. It is not easy to answer because, here in Asheville NC, the response must take into account a number of amazing Asheville area eco developments.
Environmentally-friendly, these sustainable developments have grown up around your demand for nature and energy-wise home places. They are urban sanctuaries and/or a retreat-like settings. Many are graced with abundant water sources, waterfalls, meadows, hiking trails and gathering spots for picnics beneath grandmother trees. If you are looking for time and space to connect with those you love, consider this: you have the wonderful possibility of living in an eco-friendly home--of building within hearing distance of a musical creek, beside a meadow, in the forest, or on south-facing slope where you and your family can watch your tomatoes grow.
Many of Asheville's eco-sensitive communities have dedicated land to be protected permanently. Many people come to the mountains with the intention off being involved in land conservation -- protecting the mountains, the biodiversity, the waters, forests and the extreme beauty of Western North Carolina forever.
Below you will find a list of special places where people can choose to live among caring neighbors, sharing their inspiration and enthusiasm .Here is a sustainable community that could power the homes by unleashing the renewable energy inherent in the land, the water, the wind and the sun, and a thoughtfully-planned neighborhood. Here you can envision green-built homes designed with natural, non-toxic materials to be safe, healthy, and energy efficient and a concept of development that rests on maintaining a healthy, diverse ecosystem. Here you really can come Home.
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT There's a Rainbow of Pure Possibility in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies in Asheville, North Carolina.
This professional REALTOR® has an eye for extraordinary value in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, green-living communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
" What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers, nor the destroyed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver
Asheville NC Real Estate: "HOMES ON THE GREENSIDE"-Mountain Homes and Land Legacies. A journal about Enduring Excellence and Quality of Property and LIFE, with YOU in mind.
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Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
ily-and most especially you. Here's our list...
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