Eco-communities are emerging as viable residential alternatives to traditional living, as announced by Thomas Neece, Director of Building and Development Services for real estate projects designed to serve eco- village purposes. Neece’s company, Green Key Real Estate, is beginning an educational campaign online and off-line to bring awareness to many of the most advanced examples of eco living, and further interest the population buying into such exotic locales as Osa Mountain and Serenity Gardens Eco Villages in Costa Rica. Plans are in place for Neece to exhibit and provide a presentation about the concepts of eco living on March 29 and 30th.

An eco community, as Neece explains the concept has developed in recent years, is an urban or rural residential situation where a small number of participants make efforts to be properly self-sufficient and capable of meeting other living requirements and amenities of a regular community. The village is built as an environmentally conscious entity that conducts fair trade with each other in a manner that does not squander, ruin or monopolize natural resources. Properties such as that of Osa Mountain Village and similar communities grow 80% or more of their own produce, and may use a variety of alternative energy sources (solar, Hydro or other) to meet their electrical needs.

According to his online profile, Neece “brings positive momentum and a commitment to follow-through, to every Real Estate project in which he is involved. Thomas was a development leader for the first all “Solar” subdivision in Northern California and is an active proponent for a permanent Green change in the Real Estate and Development industry.” His leadership in representing and managing the Costa Rica eco communities is a natural consequence of a commitment to the ecological goals of green advocates. The citing of the properties on the island is also intended to provide an exotic enough setting to further motivate participants to safely pursue the community goal of self-maintenance and sufficiency.

Osa Mountain Resort in particular strives for 100% “food security” or complete self-sufficiency of the community in creating and sustaining itself through produce grown on the property. This is also the maximum goal of Serenity Gardens and similar eco villages, although the actual food targets may be modified depending on the agreements reached by the participants, and needs of the community based on its total population at a given time. Excess produce may be sold at a fair price to outside parties desiring a natural and green friendly source of food.

There are many possible obstacles to sustained eco communities, such as keeping all parties financially and attitudinally invested, maintaining obligations, and other issues. Neece reports he will be outlining the benefits and challenges of eco-community living at the upcoming San Diego travel and adventure show on March 29 and 30th. In addition to real estate presentations, the event also features seminars on vacation and adventure opportunities around the country and the world, as well as on-site recreational activities and performances.