Our Philosophy
The Milkweed Mercantile, a for-profit business, and Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (a non-profit Land Trust where the business is located) are committed to demonstrating ecological sustainability.
Members of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage agree to live by six ecological principles. These are:
- Renewable energy – All power used at Dancing Rabbit is from renewable and/or sustainable sources
- No personal ownership of cars – 36 adults share a Jetta, a Ford truck and a tractor in vehicle co-op
- No petroleum – We run the vehicles on biodiesel, and have done so since 1999, long before it was trendy
- All building materials are renewable and/or sustainable
- All gardening and agriculture is organic
- Composting – Waste disposal systems reclaim organic and recyclable materials
As members of Dancing Rabbit, Alline, Kurt and the staff are building the Milkweed Mercantile with the same priorities.
The Mission and Goals of the Milkweed Mercantile
The mission of the Mercantile is to provide meaningful work for a life that is sustainable in all ways.
Our goals are to create jobs; provide a market for items made, grown and created by Dancing Rabbit members; provide a comfortable place for visitors and potential new members to stay while visiting, demonstrate the viability and aesthetic beauty of natural and alternative building, and teach others about living a more sustainable life through on-site seminars, public events and our website. We will do this in the "greenest" way possible, in the same manner that we live our lives.
The Mercantile will be run cooperatively. All coop members will be paid the same hourly wage, plus a share of the profits. We are also establishing a Mercantile Artisan’s Coop, which will provide materials and assistance in crafting items for sale.
The items sold in our stores (both online & strawbale here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage) are sourced from a number of sustainable and ethical vendors. We prioritize items that are local, organic, Fair Trade, recycled, will last a long time and can be passed along, are manufactured by companies doing great things, or in some way enable us to live more sustainably. Our site carries no advertising - we want you to be able to trust that we aren't promoting something simply because we're getting kickbacks. And we understand that one cannot simply buy a simpler life - our goal is not to get you to spend money, but to help you make thoughtful, well-informed decisions. Additionally, we feature a wide selection of DIY options and numerous trustworthy resources.
We intend the Mercantile be a place, both real and online, where people can go to regroup and remember what is in their hearts. Having both substance and style, we hope to be a force for good, a clear voice amongst the clamor, and an oasis in a desert of green washing and hype.