"...the earth belongs to each... generation during its course, fully and in its own right, no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence." Thomas Jefferson, September 6, 1789
by Bob Bolles
hey arrived in three vans, driving up the dusty
road through the town of El Valle de las Palmas, to the site that would
be their home for the next week. This group of high school students came
to Baja California all the way from Anchorage, Alaska, to build straw bale
houses. This was the second time for some of them, who had been to Baja
two years earlier to build the Straw Bale Community Building in Rosarito
Beach.
This was the first youth group this year to
participate in the Sustainable Community Demonstration Project in El Valle
de las Palmas, Mexico. The Project is intended to extend over a five-year
period, ending in 2002, with the goal of expanding the knowledge and understanding
of the advantages of building with sustainable materials.
They arrived in time for lunch, and after setting
up their tents, they were ready to go to work. They began by laying out
three 14' X 10' connected dormitory buildings. They stacked the straw, using
whole bales and partial bales that they modified to fit into each layer.
With a little carpentry, they built the door and window frames, and roof
rafters.
The dormitory project provided the opportunity
to use several "new" materials and techniques, including "Carezo"
and "cob," that we learned about during a recent visit with Bill
and Athena Steen, co-authors of the Straw Bale House book (with David
Bainbridge and David Eisenberg).
Carezo is a type of bamboo that is prevalent
in Baja and many southern states. The carezo was placed vertically and fastened
on opposite sides of the straw bales, tied together with a loop from side
to side. Bundles of carezo were also used to make the roof surface.
Cob is a mixture of clay and long-stemmed straw.
Cob has been used for hundreds of years as a building material in Europe.
On this project, the cob was made on-site from a rather low-grade clay and
sand, mixed in an old bathtub. It was used as a surfacing plaster on both
the wall surfaces and the roof covering. (A variety of waterproofing materials
will be used for final coatings.)
In 3 1/2 days, this group of young people build
three buildings, one of which they completely plastered - roof and all.
When they left, they had made many new Mexican friends, and had gained the
firsthand knowledge of how to build in a way they had never thought possible.
They were also empowered by a new understanding of themselves that they
had never before experienced. This is what this project is all about.
Our mission for the Sustainable Community Demonstration
Project is: to learn and teach: education about sustainable living. Our
function and purpose:
The Project focus is to demonstrate the use
of sustainable materials and associated construction methods by holding
workshops and hands on building projects, with an emphasis on research and
testing. Our purpose is to educate participants from all over the world
about how to build sustainably with environmentally friendly materials,
such as straw bales, clay and other appropriate technologies. We are developing
alternative building systems that are designed to reduce the consumption
of slowly renewable or nonrenewable resources.
Weekend and week-long work projects are held
throughout most of the year. Workshops are available to individuals and
groups, and provide an educational period as well as actual hands-on building
projects. Participants receive workbooks that describe the materials and
techniques of constructing various types of buildings. Multicultural activities
allow participants to better understand the Mexican culture. Interested
individuals who are unable to attend workshops may still participate in
volunteer activities.
Our workshops include the following topics:
straw-bale, cob, light clay, thatch, waddle and daub construction; cob ovens
and masonry stoves; roofs and living roofs; sustainable design and building;
solar energy; plasters and finishes; sacred space; bamboo construction;
rammed earth building; fund-raising and grants; organic farming; constructed
wetlands; foundations; permaculture; baubiologue; waste treatment systems;
site planning; earth sculpture; underground buildings; natural insulation;
health care alternatives and as many others in which there is interest.
The facilities consist of a large camping area,
workshop-built dormitories, cooking and eating facilities, restrooms and
solar-heated showers. Meals served provide the option of Mexican or American
style food, and the eating area overlooks a small lake. Evenings are spent
around the campfire.
We have gotten feedback from builders, designers
and architects who are very interested and excited by the idea of this gathering.
Please pass this information along to your friends and colleagues. Thank
you in advance for your suggestions and comments. We looking forward to
meeting you at the Project.
The Project is open to all persons interested in designing, building and living sustainably. For information about Sustainability International and the Sustainable Community Demonstration Project in El Valle de las Palmas, contact Judy Brown (619) 464-0477, PO Box 1374, Spring Valley, CA 91979. E-mail sustainability
juno.com. Look for them at EarthFair '97 in Balboa Park on April 20.
Bob Bolles is the Director of Sustainability International, 13454 Poway Rd. #236, Poway, CA 92064. Phone (619) 486-6949, Fax (619) 748-4680, email Sustainablejuno.com
