Welcome to our Belize Eco Village Bulletin 6 update for our master-planned community based on permaculture, regeneration, renewable and sustainable principles. We are always eager to hear your ideas and questions regarding our planning, planting, and progress posted on the first Thursday of each month. Previous posts have shared the values, virtues, and vision we hold for our eco-community. As we attract more people eager to design, build, learn and live a healthy lifestyle in Belize we are happy to share our information and insights regarding new opportunities and outcomes. A special thanks to Ismael Contreras and Shaun Diaz for help planting 130 new coconut trees.
Progress with the Belize Eco Village house construction.
There are many good reasons to take a closer look at beautiful Belize for a tropical paradise as a reboot, retreat and retirement haven. With some basic education and information, you will be able to make more informed decisions regarding a healthy investment and lifestyle opportunity. If long-term happiness, health and well being are high priorities than our ecovillage may be a great choice for you. The goal of each Bulletin is to educate and inform readers about the benefits of Belize and our eco-community.
Belize Home #1 & #2
Our Stabilized Compressed Earth Block Home #1 and #2 construction crew is making nice progress. After starting foundation #1 during the May trip and #2 in June the August trip revealed the crew completed the Stabilized Compressed Earth Block walls on both houses. and concrete lintels over the doors and windows. The form boards are being installed for the bond beams that support the roof and soon concrete will be poured. They also started laying the 4-inch cement block for the bathroom walls.
Progress on the Belize Eco Village house construction.
Rainy season in still hindering our planning, planting, and progress. The plan for the August 2018 trip was working with the contractor and suppliers to keep things moving along but the rains continue to cause delays. We are currently taking bids on the caretaker house and will then have to file with the Central Building Authority for permission and permits. With the caretaker house, two homes plus a newly delivered sea container we will have a solid base of operations for our future plans.
The drainage ditches dug in March help keep excess rain runoff from washing out our roads during the rainy season and provides the dirt berms for planting. The culverts we really need installed are still pending due to rain and runoff. We are still waiting for it to dry enough for a bulldozer to contour additional land on the property and clear more access lanes and the surveyed boundary lines. The raised berms provided ideal areas for planting 130 more coconut trees. Two trips to Spanish Lookout helped finalize the design for the roof and support system.
Better Homes with Stabilized Compressed Earth Blocks
The Stabilized Compressed Earth Block (SCEB) has proven to be great for home construction with the exception of a few challenges we discovered and modified for future homes. We are pleased with the Royale International Ltd products and support. The block allows us to build a cool and cost-efficient eco-friendly home that is fireproof, mold proof, storm proof, and termite proof. Each home will have rain gutters and cisterns to catch and store the abundant rainfall during the rainy season.
Planting progress at the Belize Eco Village.
CSEB homes have a lower carbon and water footprint long term. We chose them after looking at many options because they are easy to maintain and extremely energy efficient. We are still analyzing the construction costs and feel our early pioneers will be able to live in our eco-community with a lot and small SCEB home (excluding Stamp Tax and General Sales Tax – GST) for just under $99 K. After this investment is made a couple can live comfortably on a small retirement or Social Security benefit of about a $1000 per month.
We are still waiting for the drilling contractor to drill a water well as an additional source of water.
Remember… typing Belize Eco Village into our blog search box will locate numerous posts outlining the values, vision, and visualization for our happy and healthy lifestyle community.
Healthy Habits & Habitats
In 2018 Morningstar NEWS will focus 50% on Healthy Habits and 50% on Healthy Habitats. Researching and role modeling proven principles for a transition town drives us to share words with wisdom. Our vision is attracting a wide variety of eco-friendly people to help design, build and live in a more healthy and sustainable way. We invite ideas, insights, and inspiration to help us focus our planning and progress. Sharing solutions, strategies, suggestions, and systems will help us all design and develop better eco-communities.
Where is Your Gap?
What actions, behaviors, beliefs, and decisions regarding your habits and habitats are influencing your happiness and health? What is your motivation for making better choices to avoid health hazards and adopt healthy habits? Investing in our long-term health helps protect our long-term wealth. When we are happy, healthy and holistic we naturally shift to a more sustainable ecological, economic and environmentally friendly lifestyle.
Mastery Action Plan (MAP)
Our daily habits and habitats directly impact our happiness and health. There are many reasons to consider our Belize Eco Village for a healthy future. What are you willing to do differently starting today to embrace better permaculture and sustainable choices in 2018? Creating a healthy habits code of conduct and mastery action plan will enhance our quality of life. Our happiness and health benefit from healthy challenges, changes, and choices.
Call to Action
What comments, commitments or concerns come to mind regarding healthy habits and habitats?
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