Affordable Natural Building in Cairo

As an engineering student in Cairo, Radwa Rostom realized that she wanted to improve the quality of life for the local residents, many of whom live in poverty. She trained with environmental engineering companies, seeking to acquire the technical skills to make her dreams a reality. She would later work for an environmental consultancy firm, … Read more

Maine Family Lives Without Cars, Electricity and Money

On the table in front of them is the lunch they’ve prepared, which includes chili made from road-kill deer, an egg-and-goat-cheese frittata from the goats and chickens in their yard, beets they received in a trade with their Amish neighbors, and some greens they stored through the winter in a root cellar made out of … Read more

Cob Bench at Colorado State University

Students at Colorado State University-Pueblo have found a natural and stylish way to keep cool. Under the tutelage of Maya Avina, a CSU-Pueblo art professor, they have constructed a cob bench. “It was a group of seven students – all women – and myself,” Avina said.“It’s a growing trend to use natural materials for building … Read more

Thoughts about Sustainability

In 2006 I was invited to lecture at the King’s University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was a very memorable experience, lasting a couple of weeks. I just came across the following essay that I wrote at that time reflecting some of my observations sparked by that trip. I have been in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia … Read more