“I think it’s within our genetics as humans to want to live in close-knit communities or tribes of some kind, so it’s personally fulfilling in that way.” – LEF cofounder Debbie Piesen on collective living
The idea of collective living is a major aspect within intentional communities. The goal of LEF is centered around a community that functions with the help and inclusion of all its members.Within “Utopia Drive”, Reece references the desire people have to work for the bettering of the environment both on an individual level and as a community: “Nothing fires the individual and collective spirit like the possibility of a more welcoming collective future” (340). Each member of LEF shares the common goal of a sustainable way of life, both culturally and environmentally.
Zeigler believes that the best social structure for a sustainable lifestyle exists within ecovillages. This conclusion is mostly a result of the careful balance of various sustainable technologies required for a fossil free existence. For example, the roof-to-floor solar heating mechanism is most efficient when used in a relatively large structure, one that might be unnecessarily big for a single family home.