The Damanhurians consider the planet a living being to be respected and protected. This principle translates into great attention to the environmental impact when developing all the settlements of the Federation.
Damanhur has always invested many resources in the acquisition and rehabilitation of woodland areas, previously exploited only for fire-wood, where the under-wood had been destroyed, forcing the animals out, to find a new habitat. In order to return the woods to their original state of health, the citizens of the Federation, in collaboration with experts from the University of Turin, started, years ago, an important program of tree surgery and tidying up.
The achievement of self-sufficiency in energy is one of the most important objectives for Damanhur.
Today, the Federation is self-sufficient in 70% of water supplies for bathrooms, thanks to solar panel installations; 35% of electricity supplies from photo-voltaic installations and small hydro-electric turbines; 90% of supplies for heating with wood, obtained from looking after the woods. In addition, 35% of Damanhurians use bio-diesel cars (there is a supply pump on the territory of the Federation) and 40% have cars that run on methane or liquid gas.
The new settlements of the Federation are growing with careful planning for the environmental and energy aspects:
for example, the so-named ‘Buche’ project, i.e. the extension of the Temples of Humankind, foresees an installation of top of it of 4,000 square metres of photo-voltaic panels, equal to a production of 500 kW.
The Village Council of Vidracco, supported by the Damanhurian administration of ‘Con te, per il Paese’, is looking into the rehabilitation of an abandoned cave, to transform it into a photo-voltaic energy centre.
‘Aval’ and ‘Fattoria’, two Damanhurian nucleos have been given the ‘Green Home’ award by FEE Italy. FEE is an international foundation, with its base in Denmark that gives awards to constructions where the quality of life is based upon low environmental impact and attention to consumption; it is the same organisation that has recognised the activities of the Damanhur Education Association as an Eco-School.
Organic farming and self-sufficiency in food is a priority objective for Damanhur: presently, around 50% of food needs are covered. The Federation has pigs and cattle and fish farms; it produces vegetables, fruit, milk, cheese, oil, cereals and bakery products, wine and honey. In 1998, it opened ‘Tentaty’ in Valchiusella, the first co-operative to distribute organic products. All the food on sale is checked by the analysis laboratory in Damanhur, so as to be sure that it does not contain GMOs.
