A story about finding hope and discovering the ecovillage movement in the times of climate anxiety by Dijana Čataković, 29 yr, Idrija, Slovenia
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Dijana is a junior expert in nature conservation at CIPRA Slovenija.
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I grew up in a small town surrounded by forests, where I felt deeply connected to nature from a young age. In my youth, when balancing school and sport obligations was challenging, the woods became my sanctuary. A place to calm my mind, and escape the pressure of daily life. I soon realised that nature plays a vital role in healing and soothing our nervous systems.
In high school, learning about climate change and its impact on communities, I became interested in climate justice, and, as I discovered the role that regulations play in protecting the environment, I decided to study law. My commitment to environmental protection grew stronger after travelling and witnessing the effects of climate change in faraway countries. Heatwaves, sea-level rise and floods became common in many places.
In response, I decided to reduce my impact by changing my habits. This meant avoiding flying, using public transport, becoming vegan, cutting down on unnecessary purchases and choosing a career that wouldn’t harm the environment. Despiteall this, I still felt hopeless, anxious. And I was not alone. Many of my friends shared similar feelings. Some even wondered if bringing a new life into a dying planet could be considered selfish.
Then, I discovered the ecovillage movement. A movement of individuals who choose to live in intentional communities following natural rhythms and social sustainability principles. Ecovillages strive to have the least possible impact on the environment by making intentional design and behavioural choices. In these communities, often organised in cooperatives, people grow organic food while regenerating the land, and houses are made from long-lasting natural materials. Discovering that such realities exist around the world filled me with relief and hope for us and future generations, motivating me to create similar communities in Slovenia and live in one myself.