“A Nelson trust’s humble earthbag school has gained international attention after it withstood the devastating Nepal earthquakes. Now, First Step Himalaya wants to use the earthbag technology in its work to rebuild the schools it supports in Nepal.
Earthbag Building
Bionic Soil: Turn Soil to Stone
I saw this on Facebook where someone said stabilizers aren’t necessary. That is usually the case. Compacted subsoil in earthbags covered with plaster is the norm. But there may be situations where stabilizers are beneficial such as in extremely wet areas. There’s even the possibility of making an earthbag stone wall without plaster using this type of construction. There’s also the option of spraying it on walls to create stone PISE. Let us know if you try this out.
Earthbag Building DVD Now Available as High Speed Download
You can still order physical copies of my Earthbag Building DVD from Amazon, but now you can also get the DVD via high speed download direct from the Internet. This is ideal for those in other countries and for people who don’t want to wait ten days or so for a DVD to arrive through the mail. Plus, the cost is only $20 instead of $28. See our sales page for ordering information.
Book About Earthbag Architecture
I am pleased to announce that my most recent book is now available, both in print form and as a Kindle from Amazon.com. Earthbag Architecture: Building Your Dream with Bags is the story of my involvement with earthbags over nearly two decades. I spent much of this winter resurrecting memories of the earthbag projects that I have completed and sorting through a multitude of photographs. Some 240 of these full color images grace the pages of this informative book.
Help the Himalaya Adventure Girls Rebuild Nepal
Earthquakes hit Nepal two months ago already, but the situation is still far from being solved: thousands and thousands of Nepali are still living outside and the monsoon fears all of us as the weather will increase the risks of landslides and spread diseases. So please continue to share and talk about Nepal around you!
Home Style Green Podcast
I recently had a chance to chat with Matthew Cutler-Welsh in New Zealand. He has conducted a podcast called Home Style Green for many years and our conversation is now available to listen to. It lasts about half an hour.