I did a research paper a while back on renewable energy and self sustaining villages/communities and stumbled upon Gaviotas. This is an eco-village of some 200 people in Columbia that has taken a wasteland and transformed it into back into sustainable environment.
Some info:
http://www.friendsofgaviotas.org/
Gaviotas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some info:
http://www.friendsofgaviotas.org/
Gaviotas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia