Over a billion people in the world lack decent housing even though there are dozens of low cost housing methods that could eliminate this problem. Possibilities include building with earthbags, adobe, cob, pallets, bamboo and other locally available materials. These affordable, sustainable housing options are described on our blog in good detail. Additionally, the Internet has thousands of websites, blogs, online journals and forums with even more information about these building methods. There are thousands of low income housing groups working on this cause. And, there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of information on how to build affordable housing, and yet the lack of decent housing persists. So what’s going on? What’s the real problem here?
General
Lime Stabilized Adobe Bricks
“In response to a recent post on the blog, I searched for Earthen Buildings East Africa to look for photographs and came across the following link:
http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1187&context=theses
[large file warning to those with slow Internet connections]
You may judge it worth publishing on your site as it, for a thesis, examines the properties of building bricks made from various materials for low-cost building in Africa but could be used anywhere as demonstrated by tests in central Tanzania with parallel results from California.
Buy Local
This is another short post that will go right to the point – buy local. As obvious as this is, it’s good to be reminded of basic principles/truthisms from time to time. This post was sparked by a recent experience that I wanted to share. There’s a food stand on the highway about 2-3 blocks from us. We go past it every day. I noticed they had some rather unusual looking mangoes for sale, but never stopped for a close look. The other day my girlfriend bought some and said they were really good even though the peels are partially green. (Normally a sign they’re not ripe.) I wasn’t expecting much because they’re not nearly as perfect looking as commercially available mangoes, which are delicious. [I confess to being fooled by appearances.] The mango I tried was about half the size of store-bought. Little did I know I was in for the best mango of my life.
Blueseed Concept Vessels
Part of our blog is devoted to exploring alternative lifestyles (tiny house living, homesteading…) and so I thought some readers might find this seasteading project interesting. No, the ship is not made of bamboo or other natural materials. However, there are numerous interesting features worth contemplating. For one, the ship will be positioned about 12 miles off the coast of San Francisco in international waters. This makes it especially convenient and practical for entrepreneurs from other countries to build businesses near Silicon Valley without requiring US work visas or US permanent residency. And, you can’t put a price tag on working alongside hundreds of extremely talented, cutting edge entrepreneurs. This would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for launching a high tech company.
The Money Pit
Time for some fun.
The Money Pit Trailer – Directed by Richard Benjamin and starring Tom Hanks, Alexander Godunov, Joe Mantegna, Philip Bosco, Josh Mostel. After being evicted from their Manhattan apartment, a couple buy what looks like the home of their dreams – only to find themselves saddled with a bank-account-draining nightmare. Struggling to keep their relationship together as their rambling mansion falls to pieces around them, the two watch in hilarious horror as everything – including the kitchen sink, disappears into the Money Pit.
Build Homes That Last
This blog post is short and to the point. Durability is one of the most important principles of sustainable building. The concept is very simple. Homes consume a lot of materials and take a great deal of time and effort to build, and so it makes sense to choose materials and building methods that last a long time. This goes hand-in-hand with choosing low maintenance materials. Choose carefully or you’ll end up spending an inordinate amount of time and money maintaining your home.