No Lava Rock/Scoria Available in Alaska

From Angela, a reader in Alaska: “I just wanted to add some updated info. I have been searching high and low for scoria. Alaska doesn’t have readily available sources. I have contacted a long list of people and while we can find the volcanoes and a scoria pit even, there’s no way to get it to the general public. Which really frustrates me because I’m been hot on the trail for a long time trying to build an earthbag home for us. If anybody gets any bit of updated info, please share.”

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Reader Questions: How to Build in Walsenburg, Colorado

Hello. I’m looking to build a house in Walsenburg Colorado (6,171 ft. elevation). There are several natural/alternative techniques that I am considering:(straw bale. earth bag. sip’s. ICF. aac.) I am wondering which one of these would get the highest overall score

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First Code Approved Scoria Bag Pole House

Code approved scoria bag pole house in New Zealand
Code approved scoria bag pole house in New Zealand

“About two years ago, my family purchased 11 acres in the north of New Zealand with the hopes of creating a family farm out of the empty paddocks. With a good pioneering spirit, we moved onto the land and lived in camper trailers for the first winter. It quickly became clear that we needed some better shelter, so we decided to build a cottage.

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Yogi Farm Roundhouses

“We are a tribal, egalitarian community focused on living in harmony with the Earth, practicing yoga and meditation, sharing a raw vegan lifestyle, and creating a permaculture farm with lush and abundant food forests in a warm tropical environment. We are in the process of acquiring a piece of land in the Puna District of … Read more

Earthbag Scoria Casita

Here’s another great project. This small domicile demonstrates how scoria homes are faster and easier to build than bags filled with soil, and more insulating. This doesn’t mean standard soil-filled earthbags are obsolete. There are pros and cons to each system, however, I strongly encourage using scoria bags (or pumice or other suitable lightweight fill … Read more