ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book suggests that the research findings demonstrate the multiple ways environmentalism is expressed through the consumption of green commodities and through the creation of a new form of themed community that attempts to emulate the ideal of living in harmony with nature and with others. The study of EcoVillage at Ithaca reveals a tension between creating a model of living that is good for the environment and using an economic framework that has been instrumental in creating social and ecological problems. Many residents in EVI do not consider themselves environmentalists. They moved to the community because they were frustrated with what they saw as the continuously unsustainable development of farmland and open space into single-family detached homes. EVI situates environmental solutions within capitalism, by consuming open land, building new homes in nature, and consuming green commodities.
