Free Republic

SEATTLE - In this day and age where people rarely know their next door neighbor, a movement is afoot to create consciously connected communities of people who actually want to be involved in the lives of their neighbors. It’s called cohousing – and it’s already here in Western Washington. According to the Web site www.cohousing.org, the concept originated in Denmark, and was promoted in the United States by architects Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett in the early 1980s. The Danish concept of “living community” has spread quickly. Worldwide, there are now hundreds of cohousing communities, expanding from Denmark into the...

Global Warming is a subject of great concern, and many people are looking for ways to reduce their “environmental footprint.” There is much discussion about switching to compact fluorescent bulbs and hybrid automobiles. These changes will help, but they are only part of the picture. There is very little discussion of the enormous impact made by architecture and urban planning. Tim Frank, a senior policy advisor to the Sierra Club on livable communities, will talk about “Cohousing and Global Warming” on Monday, June 25. The free presentation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Fair Oaks Community Library,...

You've unpacked the boxes, set up the television and even enjoyed your first warm meal in your new home. After a day or two you're outside raking leaves when a maroon minivan pulls up in the driveway a few feet away from yours. You wave to your new neighbor and perhaps enjoy a friendly but superficial chat. But before long you both retire into your respective abodes. Ah, suburban living.Beatrix Hoffman, 40, of Naperville has seen this ritual play out in her neighborhood. But she has always wanted more since her family moved to the suburbs. "I was surprised at...