Alter Nativa

The roots of our association within its informal activities reach back to years 1997-99. In 2002 the formal association Alter Nativa has been found, which was dealing mostly with environmental projects as well as establishment of local community while introducing alternative economics concern into the life of our members and later of those interested in the ideas of community reestablishment and shared assistance.
Alongside the traditional projects such as waste minimisation, increasing of waste management awareness and running of alternative non-profit library, aroused to us pleasant activities such as: Shared assistance“ (LETS) (Local economic trade system) and Foodstuff union. More details about these activities can be found on our web page.

It’s hard to describe our aims in few words; probably the most accurate words will be togetherness, companionship, solidarity, trust…

In May 2004 several activists of our association decided to put into practice of daily life the ideas of companionship, trust and harmony and set up a community of people sharing the same ethic attitude. Therefore they established a community, where they share common space and work together on meaningful projects. The community is located in southeast Slovakia in a village named „Brdárka“.

We know that we are not alone who think that small, more or less self-sufficient communities with shared ethic and respect to each other and to natural resources are much closer to sustainability than today’s urban communities and megalomaniac projects. We know very well that not everyone has the capability to change his lifestyle from one day to another. Most people have the chance to support the efforts of groups like ours whether morally, by advice, or materially. If you decide to support our group, more suggestions can be found here.

We are aiming to address the positive change in today’s life-values of people towards resurrection of respect for Nature and all life, turning from consumption and overproduction to reasonable modesty, from aggression to tolerance, from competitiveness to co-operation, from obsession by material welfare to development of spiritual values and restoration of community in its true sense towards sustainability and ethic. We are supporting ideas of decentralisation and democracy, bringing decision making closer to community, to local level, and fulfilling human needs first of all from local resources.