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Uncommon Good Whole Earth Building

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Uncommon Good Greenspace in Claremont, CA - LA County)
Uncommon Good Greenspace in Claremont, CA – LA County)

Architect – Claremont Environmental Design Group (CEDG)
Contractor – Oasis Design and Construction
Earthbag/Vault Builder/Consultant – United Earth Builders (UEB)

“Though Uncommon Good is a human services organization, we realize that helping the poor and saving the planet have become inseparable tasks. For when resources are scarce, or environmental disasters occur, it is the poor who suffer first and worst. Therefore, we want to set an example of caring for the environment and caring for each other in the way that we house and operate our organization.

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Best Places to Live in Rural America

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The cost of building a sustainable home is much higher in urban areas due to the stricter building codes, zoning and other housing regulations. Many readers dream of a simpler, healthier life in rural areas where there are few or no building codes and costs are far lower. But where’s the best place to live? Here are some lists to consider. You could compare the different lists and look for areas that are recommended most often. Everyone has different needs, however, and so you have to work out your priorities. Are you after the lowest cost land? Rural areas with jobs and growth potential? Rural areas with good weather? Minimal pollution? Lakefront land? Outdoor recreation? Good soil for gardening? Lowest taxes? Rural areas with like-minded people? The final choice will likely be based on some balance between these and other factors. Happy hunting.

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The Napoleon Complex Tiny House Village

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Jay Schafer’s new Tiny House Village is on the drawing board
Jay Schafer’s new Tiny House Village is on the drawing board

I tried to describe my dream ecovillage the other day in Tiny House Ecovillage in a Fruit Orchard. That story was just fantasy, of course, but Jay Schafer of Tumbleweed House Company is planning the real deal – a tiny house ecovillage in northern California. Here are a few tidbits from his new website Four Lights Houses.

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Tiny House Ecovillage in a Fruit Orchard

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Imagine being part of an ecovillage, living in a tiny house next to an orchard.
Imagine being part of an ecovillage, living in a tiny house next to an orchard.

Close yours eyes and imagine a dream ecovillage near the base of the mountains where the weather is not too harsh. The sheltered climate and flat river bottom land is ideal for orchards and gardening. A small group of ecology-minded natural builders has cooperatively bought an old family farm with a good sized fruit orchard.

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