In the mystical mountains of Sierra del Tepozteco outside of Mexico City, an alternative community was created by a traveling artistic group  -- and it is one that is still thriving after 35 years. Learning from the nearby indigenous communities, they have created a sustainable community that they believe can be a model for the rest of the world. CCTV's Martin Markovits reports.

Tonya Ocher never thought she and her friends from a nomadic traveling artistic group would grow old together. But in 1982, the group decided to stay and create an alternative community. 35 years later, the ecovillage of Huehuecoyotl remains a model in sustainable living.

Tonya grows 30 percent of the food she eats from a recyclable water system she learned from the local native population. With the threat of climate change, she hopes her community can serve as an example for the rest of the world.

"It's no secret that the next 20 years are going to be very difficult for many people and many people are turning to sustainability, as an alternative to the usual model of building systems of political barriers, borders and trying to find systems that will be sustainable for the next generation," said Tonya Ocher, co-founder, Huehuecoyotl.

Currently, there are nearly 50 people from different nations that live in this rural community.

"Over the years, this ecovillage has developed into a place for people from all walks of life to meditate and seek a natural refuge from the giant metropolis of Mexico City that is just a one-hour car ride away," said Martin Markovits, Huehuecoyotl, Mexico.

Community families live in houses built from local materials and most of the electricity comes from solar panels.

Resident Veronica Sacta believes the community has thrived because they practice a lifestyle based on the arts, no hierarchical leadership and a healthy balance between humans and nature.  

" We want be part of nature but not dominate it. So when you change this vision from using nature to becoming part of it? It changes everything," said Veronica Sacta, resident, Huehuecoyotl.

The community works with other towns and also in Mexico City where in 2010 they sponsored a project to teach sustainable ways to live in poor communities.

But as climate change become more of a threat to the planet, the residents of of Huehuecoyotl believe their way of life could be one of the solutions to this grave problem.