Photographic Essay | Sustainable Communities in Focus
Jorge Moreira, a PhD candidate in Sociology and a researcher at the Societies and Environmental Sustainability Research Group of the Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet, Associate Laboratory Terra at the University of Coimbra and its Extension at the Universidade Aberta de Portugal, travelled over 8,000 km across Portugal to document life in 31 intentional sustainable communities. The result? A stunning photographic essay, now featured in the 12th edition of Prisma!
This essay is part of his doctoral research project, developed and funded through a scholarship awarded by the Societies and Environmental Sustainability Research Group of the Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet, under the supervision of Professors Fátima Alves and Paula Castro (CFE) and Professor José Manuel Mendes (FEUC).
The research delves into alternative ways of living, socio-environmental innovation, and ecological regeneration, showcasing practices such as:
- Eco-construction with natural materials
- Renewable energy and biogas for cooking
- Regenerative agriculture and agroforestry
- Alternative education (Waldorf, Montessori, Forest School)
- Art, spirituality, and collective well-being
Beyond the imagery, the essay explores concepts such as post-sustainability and environmental praxiography, challenging conventional understandings of sustainability.
Read more in Prisma12 and explore the full photo essay!