“Mike Oehler lived for over 30 years in an underground home that he built for $50 (and expanded for $500) on his land in Northern Idaho near the Canadian border. Now in his seventies his arthritis keeps him from hiking up to his home, but he continues to “write and proselytize”
natural building
Watershed Materials Develops Clay Masonry Twice as Strong as Concrete
California-based startup Watershed Materials, with support from the National Science Foundation, has spent the last four years researching and developing a concrete alternative. Currently, their studies have produced a masonry created with natural, mineral based geopolymers, that has incredible strength and very low-carbon footprint.
Mud Ball – How I Dug Myself Out of the Daily Grind: Atulya K Bingham
6 weeks, $6,000 and plenty of dirt
“I couldn’t teach another lesson. Nor could I tolerate another day with a boss, a punch card, and the indigestion I suffered from bolting my muesli. This was why I’d spent the past five months camping in a remote Turkish field. Then the first winter storm crashed through the valley, turning my tent into a canvas pole dancer. It dawned on me I might need a house. There were only two problems: I had just $6000 left in my account, and 6 weeks before winter.”
OHOME Passive Solar Studies
“A visual description of passive solar design of the OHOME. Sun penetrates during the heating season, but is rejected during the cooling season, optimizing passive solar heating and cooling.
Can I Build a 30’ Diameter Earthbag Roundhouse for $2,000?
Question from one of our readers: Can I build a 30’ diameter earthbag roundhouse for $2,000 in a remote area of Colorado or New Mexico?
Low Cost Saw Dust Insulation
Guest post from Bob Cromer, one of our readers.