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LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA -- Every other Friday night the entire town gathers together for a pot luck. It's the type of thing that might have been common in 1950's sitcoms, but like drive-ins and sock hops has gone the way of history.

But in a small community called EcoVillage, neighbors still do those type of things. Many of the residents of the somewhat isolated village are Washington, D.C. transplants who grew tired of city living. The small town vibe emanates through the air, but quaintness isn't the only thing that makes this place unique.

The homes are all constructed with an eye toward sustainability. An abundance of windows capture the maximum amount of natural light, and geothermal heating systems are common in most basements. It's environmentalism as practicality.

"Were living the way people used to 100 years ago," said resident Tom Regan.

The green living starts with green construction. A straw bale house is currently being built in the village by Randy Williams and Bob Hanson who own a sustainable construction company called Green Bees.

"If we can find ways to start building with natural products like straw or hay, then we can find ways to keep doing this in a sustainable way," Hanson said.

Sustainability is not the only unique feature of the village. Residents govern by consensus and stress the social as much as the sustainable.

"It's the ecology that binds us together," Hanson said. "But, it is the people that make it great."