Earth and Sun Earthbag Workshop, Taos, NM

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“A co-creative community building a sustainable earthbag home: MAY 30 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 TAOS, NEW MEXICO This workshop: we envision a diverse collective of people, women and men, young and old, experienced and inexperienced in building skills, joining together to build a sustainable and affordable home on the high desert of northern New Mexico. … Read more

Plants & rugged materials turn Alpine garage into dream shed

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“When architects Gianmatteo Romegialli and Erika Gaggia saw their friend Carlo “Dino” Marchetti’s garage with the gorgeous views of the Italian Alps, “almost as a joke” they suggested converting it into something “fun”. Given Dino’s passion for gardening, they decided to let nature in on the renovation. By creating just a steel frame around the building, they enabled local plants and vines to wrap the home in a second skin of vegetation.

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Zoning Destroys Neighborhood Business

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US zoning regulations typically prohibit businesses like these in residential areas
US zoning regulations typically prohibit businesses like these in residential areas

Travel the world and you’ll see vibrant, beautiful, old world neighborhoods where small local businesses are integrated with residential homes. I call these ‘mixed use areas’. This is typically the way towns were set up for many years. In the US and some other western countries you see a stark separation between residential and business areas. This is because zoning regulations usually prohibit mom and pop businesses or any businesses at all in residential areas.

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Areas With Few or No Codes: Ozark Plateau

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Ozark Plateau has abundant forests, rivers, lakes and streams
Ozark Plateau has abundant forests, rivers, lakes and streams

We’ve had a lively discussion for years here on our Natural Building Blog about the best places to live with few or no building codes that make it easy to build a home out of low cost natural materials and create a homestead. In my opinion the Ozarks is a top choice for natural building and homesteading in the US due to many factors.

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