For over 50 years, Douglas Stevenson has been on the cutting edge of alternative lifestyle and technology.
Although his work has taken him around the world, home base is a log cabin out in the woods, surrounded by nature.
Douglas atop a volcano in Bali Indonesia.
Douglas is the media interface and principal spokesperson for The Farm, once the world’s largest hippie commune, now the most famous intentional community in the world, a living example and model for a sustainable lifestyle.
His interviews have appeared in countless newspaper and magazine articles, documentaries and TV news programs such as CNN’s Making It In America, American Journey, and United Shades of America.
Douglas Stevenson became a member of The Farm Community in 1973, arriving with his high school sweetheart Deborah Flowers when they were both 19.
Douglas first served with Plenty International, The Farm Community’s relief and development nonprofit, as an ambulance driver and radio communications technician in support of 4000 Native Americans on a cross-country march to Washington DC in 1978 known as The Longest Walk.
Douglas, Deborah and their children spent 2 years in Guatemala (’78-’80), again with Plenty International, doing relief work after a devastating earthquake.
Douglas served as a radio technician for the group of volunteers, providing the daily communications link back to The Farm in Tennessee and to family across the U.S.
In 1981 he started Village Media, a small business that provides video, web and other communications services for companies and nonprofits throughout the U.S.
In the early 80’s the company specialized in tower installations and satellite systems. Douglas helped to educate others in the new consumer and commercial satellite technology as a monthly contributing writer for Satellite Retailer Magazine. The company’s work encompassed private cable systems and video communications networks for Motorola in Chicago and state-wide installations for Bell South in Tennessee, and Sprint in Florida.
In 1990 he spent three months in Nigeria installing a 60 foot satellite systems for a television station and a 30 foot system for a hotel.
Next Village Media moved into video production. The company produced hundreds of TV commercials and its Discover Nashville channel appeared in motel rooms all across Nashville and the surrounding area. Video work sent Douglas to former Soviet Republic of Belarus, down to New Orleans after Katrina and to New Zealand to video a $10 million dollar wedding.
Douglas was the first westerner to video inside the “clean-room” of an electronics manufacturing facility in Belarus that made components for Russian spy satellites.
Douglas is also a published author with three books, and over 1000 articles that have appeared in a variety of national and international newsstand magazines.
Ready for a change, in 2000 Douglas and Deborah became active again in the nonprofit sector, once more serving as volunteers for Plenty International, this time in Belize.
Deborah taught midwifery to Mayan women from 10 villages scattered throughout the mountainous region.
Douglas provided marketing and promotional assistance to a Mayan village Eco-tourism association.
In 2002 Douglas became a founding member of PeaceRoots Alliance, lending his expertise in communications to develop a national billboard campaign.
In 2004 Douglas became the president of the board for Swan Conservation Trust, a nonprofit land trust, signing the note that established the 1400 acre Big Swan Headwaters Preserve.
He turned his marketing skills turned to fundraising, managing a capital campaign that has raised over a million dollars for the purchase of the land.
Since 2001 Douglas has been the host of Green Life Retreats, with educational workshops, conferences, small festivals and other events promoting a Green Lifestyle, combining technology and respect for nature, sustainability and community.
Douglas is also a singer/songwriter, performing professionally for over 45 years in many different genres, including folk, country, bluegrass and rock.
He uses music to spread a message of hope and celebration.
