Maharishi School is an active participant in the Fairfield Go-Green Sustainability Commission that began developing a community-wide plan to incorporate sustainable practices throughout the city in 2009. This plan impacts areas of energy, transportation, infrastructure, agriculture, and municipal services.
Fairfield is the fifth largest market for organic food in America and is home to dozens of organic farms, ranging from market gardens to 100-acre farms.
The surrounding county has more acreage devoted to sustainable organic agriculture than any other county in Iowa. Fairfield also has an organic dairy farm and one of the Midwest’s few permaculture sites.
Fairfield has one of America’s largest concentrations of solar homes, including many in Maharishi Vedic City, two miles north of Fairfield. Abundance EcoVillage — a community north of campus — integrates the best in permaculture and modern environmental design. EcoVillage is completely solar and wind-powered and has homes using only 1/3 to 1/4 the energy of conventional homes.
Maharishi University of Management was the first U.S. university to offer a Sustainable Living degree. They have also built a Sustainable Living classroom building that uses a combination of wind, solar, and geothermal energy. The Schwartz-Guich Sustainable Living Center goes beyond net zero and actually creates more energy than it uses. That’s part of the reason why it was called “the ultimate green building” by the Associated Press.
Fairfield and MUM co-host the annual EcoFair, featuring the nation’s leading experts in ecological design, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and related areas.
The largest natural food store in southeast Iowa — Everybody’s Whole Foods — is located a few blocks from the MUM campus.
Fairfield also hosts the popular weekly Farmers Market during May through October. Vendors offer locally grown produce, as well as baked goods and a large selection of handmade arts and crafts.
Ed Malloy, Fairfield’s mayor, has been named one of the 15 Greenest Mayors in the country.
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