Community

The Canelo Project

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This weekend I had a chance to attend a presentation entitled “Conversations in Clay” by Bill and Athena Steen of the Canelo Project. This happened in Silver City, New Mexico, and was part of a larger Clay Arts Festival.

I have followed the work of the Steens for nearly two decades, as they have promoted natural, sustainable building practices in many ways. The Canelo Project is a non-profit organization that they founded in 1989 with the theme of “connecting people, culture and nature.” The focal point of their work is handcrafting simple, small-scale and comfortable shelter that is built primarily with local and natural materials. They have evolved a unique straw bale and clay wall system that is finished with beautiful clay and lime plasters, sculptural wall carvings, earthen floors and clay ovens.

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Middle Wood: Living in an Eco-Community

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“In this video I take you to a place where I used to live. Its name is Middle Wood; located East of Lancaster, near the small village of Wray. From the car park we walk to the communal area and then down the long path towards the river. During this time I’ll talk about my days of living there and what I faced.”

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Seeking the Good Life in America, Part 1

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“Like many of us, Joy is not content with the high consumption modern lifestyle we live in the United States. So she journeys to three different intentional communities – places where people have chosen to share land and resources in all kinds of creative ways – and documents her experiences. The result is a fun and engaging crash course in sustainable living, thinking outside of the box, and finding positive solutions in an increasingly challenging world.”

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Pegasus Domes Withstand Nepal Earthquake

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CalEarth, the Superadobe folks who helped build the earthbag domes that comprise the Pegasus Children’s Project near Kathmandu, Nepal have sent out this press release:

Superadobe/Earthbag Orphanage Withstands Nepal Earthquake
Cal-Earth Low-cost Sustainable Earthen Housing Solutions Proved Effective and Safe in Earthquakes

After the 7.6 magnitude earthquake in the Kathmandu valley in Nepal, Cal-Earth Institute stunned by how their patented Superadobe/Earthbag technology fared in contrast to the neighboring homes. The 90 children and caretakers at Pegasus Children's Project Orphanage are safely sheltered by these domes, made of just sandbags and barbed wire.
After the 7.6 magnitude earthquake in the Kathmandu valley in Nepal, Cal-Earth Institute stunned by how their Superadobe/Earthbag technology fared in contrast to the neighboring homes. The 90 children and caretakers at Pegasus Children’s Project Orphanage are safely sheltered by these domes, made of just sandbags and barbed wire.

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Information on Wikimedia

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I discovered an interesting website, www.wikimedia.org that posts lots of fun images and information on a multitude of topics and makes it available for use for free. I did a search there on various natural building techniques and the one on cob building netted the image shown below.

Pine Ridge Community Garden Fundraiser

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“Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is a food desert, where many tribal members still do not have access to fresh produce and a nutritious diet. The Federal Commodity Foods Program serves food high in fat, sugar, and preservatives, causing Oglala Lakota people to suffer from epidemic levels of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Average life expectancy … Read more