The Rhizome Collective is a non-profit organization based out of a former brownfield on the East Side of Austin, Texas. They are a consensus-run organization.
They are working to build the world they want to live in. They believe we can create self sufficient, ecologically sustainable cities. In their worldview, the dominant values of competition, greed and exploitation have been replaced with cooperation, autonomy and egalitarianism.
Their Rhizosphere operated out of a warehouse in East Austin from 2000-2009. The Rhizosphere focused on the design and display of functioning ecological tools and technologies. The goal is to create environmentally sustainable systems that provide for people’s basic needs: food, water, waste management, energy, and shelter. By having these systems on display, the hope is to educate and inspire others to continue the work of building sustainable infrastructures.
Their design criteria include: affordability, simplicity, space efficiency, beauty, and the utilization of recycled and low energy materials. Special attention is given to forming a closed loop system, where the yields of one system provide for the needs of another. The systems of the Rhizosphere are based on the design principles of permaculture.
They have encouraged the development of systems which are decentralized and locally based, that empower individuals, villages and communities with greater self-reliance. When our needs are met in a small, intensively cultivated space, we reduce the impact we have on the environment at large.
While their designs are focused on urban environments, skills can easily be adapted to rural spaces.
Some of their tools include:
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Microlivestock
- Aquaculture
- Composting Toilets
This video gives a great overview of the work of the Rhizome Collective.
In 2008, Scott Kellogg a Stacy Pettigrew co-founders of the Rhizome Collective, published Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A do-it-Ourselves Guide. The book provides city dwellers with step-by-step instructions for producing food, collecting water, managing waste, reclaiming land, and generating energy.
