Steve James is serious about the environment. He built his own home near Dumfries, Scotland out of natural and recycled materials for a total cost of about £4,000.
The walls are made of straw bales, and the roof is turf with flowers growing on it. It has a rainwater collection system, a composting toilet, and a woodburning stove. With the help of friends, he built it in about ten months. Now he’s helping other people learn about alternative building methods. Link to story. Link to James’ website. -via Metafilter
"Actually, you could make it for less than that," James says. "I'd cut the wood myself next time instead of going to the sawmill. That would knock off a thousand." He finds the whole concept of mortgages quite amusing.
The walls are made of straw bales, and the roof is turf with flowers growing on it. It has a rainwater collection system, a composting toilet, and a woodburning stove. With the help of friends, he built it in about ten months. Now he’s helping other people learn about alternative building methods. Link to story. Link to James’ website. -via Metafilter
http://www.permaculture-magazine.co.uk/articles/articles_53.html
the wood I burn is all already felled and left to rot by the forestry. plenty of it.
check out the hovel
http://www.envisioneer.net/newpics.htm#
It is only one way. Don't diss mine. Build your own!
Steve James
peace and love to all.
There's nothing inherently "wrong" with cutting down trees, just as there's nothing "wrong" with harvesting other crops. It just has to be done as part of a proper, sustainable management program.
"eco-friendly"
chaymation's right, but particulates in wood smoke do contribute to poor air quality. Wood stoves have gotten much better in the past twenty years. In particular, stoves equipped with catalytic converters release very "clean" smoke: the smoke itself burns, releasing even more heat in the process.