natural building

Lime Stabilized Adobe Bricks

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Stabilized adobe bricks (CEBs) curing in the shade
Stabilized adobe bricks (CEBs) curing in the shade

“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.

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Buy Local

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Farmer’s markets and roadside food stands are on the increase for good reasons.
Farmer’s markets and roadside food stands are on the increase for good reasons.

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.

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Emergency Earthbag Shelter Now Under Construction

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Emergency earthbag (sand bag) shelters are extremely low cost, safe, durable, require few tools and can be constructed by recipients with minimal training.
Emergency earthbag (sand bag) shelters are extremely low cost, safe, durable, require few tools and can be constructed by recipients with minimal training.

The earthbag emergency shelter Patti Stouter and I published in our UN Emergency Shelter Proposal is now under construction. This is something I’ve wanted to do for years. Drawings, articles and blog posts are all great, but there’s nothing like first-hand experience to work out the kinks and get detailed documentation. A European journal plans to publish this shelter design next month along with Kelly Hart’s Riceland Dome. The journal article will likely bring much more international attention to earthbag building, and this lit a fire under me to build an actual prototype.

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$229,000 FEMA Trailers

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Your tax dollars hard at work. Agency spent more on trailers than it would have cost to buy new houses.
Your tax dollars hard at work. Agency spent more on trailers than it would have cost to buy new houses.

Comments from yesterday’s blog post prompted me to look up the cost of FEMA trailers for Hurricane Katrina victims. We all know the government buys $600 toilet seats, but this report about FEMA trailers really shocked and disgusted me.

“A new report by government watchdogs obtained by NBC News estimates expenses for each FEMA trailer at the Port Bienville site could reach a staggering $229,000.

“I could have bought a brand-new trailer! Or a house even!” Guidroz says.

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Earthbag Workshop in Victoria, Australia

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Earthbag Workshop in Victoria, Australia in September 2013
Earthbag Workshop in Victoria, Australia in September 2013

“This is Nic and Minna from Permastructure again. Hope you guys are well at EarthbagBuilding.com, We’re happy to announce our next intensive workshop here in Australia, Victoria in September 21st to 28th.

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