[GSBN] The EU wants 5% strawbuildings by 2020 says the Economist..
carolatkn at aol.com
carolatkn at aol.com
Sat Dec 21 01:01:35 UTC 2013
Sorry John, but straw is ABSOLUTELY NOT a waste product - its greatest value is as a soil improver - I can't stress how important that is - even if many "modern" farmers don't seem to agree these days. Farm soils have lost so much organic matter over the last 50 years that it is very a scary situation indeed. Of course, locking up carbon in a super insulated straw wall is the second best thing - and it would be sustainable to use straw for this wonderful purpose every third year or so - in an ideal world!
best wishes
Carol Atkinson
www.strawcottage.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: John Swearingen <jswearingen at skillful-means.com>
To: Global Straw Building Network <GSBN at sustainablesources.com>
Sent: Fri, 20 Dec 2013 19:50
Subject: Re: [GSBN] The EU wants 5% strawbuildings by 2020 says the Economist..
Jacob's points about supporting local and sustainable business are well taken, but these are choices that we can make, with our pocketbooks, in order to bring about better communities.
That said, I think the bottom line is that straw is a waste product. Unlike wood, it's not grown for construction, and it has limited use--for erosion control (composting) or to spread over muddy paddocks for livestock. Extra straw, and there is a lot, would likely be burned.
Following the very sound sustainability principle of "highest and best use", any use of bales for construction involves taking garbage and putting it to good use and that's worthy of support. When you consider that bales sequester carbon, that's an extra benefit.
John (Trash Talk) Swearingen
On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 6:37 PM, Jacob Deva Racusin <buildnatural at googlemail.com> wrote:
Valentina,
I appreciate your perspective. This is a conversation that has come up a number of times in our courses and conversations with our colleagues - namely, the roll of agribusiness in providing feedstock for our construction. I think 'greenwashing' may be a bit strong, when I compare to the claims of the concrete and foam industries as being 'green'. That said, the impacts must be considered, and the benefits of using straw in regards to deep ecological and social impact should not be overstated if the source of straw is not being considered. We have access to straw that is grown from medium- and small-scale farms, which come closer to the higher potential of working with this material. It is very analogous to working with wood -the same framing member can come from a local sawyer practicing sustainable silviculture, or from a genetically-engineered clear-cut plantation pine shipped across the world.
From data I've seen, even industrial straw is a fraction of the embodied carbon of other common forms of insulation, so context is relevant when evaluating materials for deep impact. You make an especially good point about the danger of introducing this material to industrial scale, and losing more of the benefits/exacerbating the liabilities in favor of snapping the technology into the mold of industrial housing/building development. We would do well as a community not to lose sight of the importance of scale, and as you mention the relevance of the social benefits of working with straw. At the same time, access to a much larger market and making the technology available to many more people is an arguable net gain, even if there is a sacrifice for environmental and social impact in production - again, compared to the alternatives. I think there is room for both, and as long as we continue to engage in the debate, I have confidence that we'll continue to move the ball further down the field.
Cheers,
Jacob
--
Jacob Deva Racusin
Co-Owner
New Frameworks Natural Design/Build
Author, The Natural Building Companion
Chelsea Green Press, 2012
(802) 782-7783
jacob at newframeworks.com
http://www.newframeworks.com
On 12/18/13, 12:43 PM, valentina maini wrote:
Martin, John, Caroline, and all
as Herbert Gruber recently suggested on Leonardo group, this article maybe very well connected with the EU funded ( eco-innovation) investigation on @Modcell ....based in the UK and with BathUniversity support
I personally got in touch with the founder of this panels in 2011 and met with professionals here in spain that are collaborating in this EU funded program of analysis and implementation of this "patent" strawbale panels....i've seen fantastic software and marketing tools they were presenting at Eco event in London 2011
>From my point of view and with very recent experiences on professional development of strawbale in Spain i think and see this article as a call for action to present the real value of strawbale and strawbale network..that goes, in my view, very much beyond the "simple" energy efficiency issue...
and i very important reminder for all that straw is not at all a really safe for the environment product...since is a byproduct of one of the most contaminated human "fabric"...as industrial agriculture ...as very well reminds Luc Foissac in is great book on strawbale...
from my point of view...The very big risk/reality at the moment is that straw is used very much as a "simple" greenwash.....
and even if i really celebrate the greenwash for what it means in terms of getting rid of toxic materials...i think and personally value much more the social innovation related to strawbale... the ability of people and networks to create opportunity and solutions....
what is happening is just "business as usual" with a more eco-material... what the strawbale network gave me me is much much more than simple "strawbale tech"... i learned.... thank to you all.... the value and the tools to innovate and collaborate and manage uncertainty.... and adapt and always look for the best solution for people, planet...and even profit...
and personally i'm really convinced that the risk for environment and quality (equality) in our society is so big....., that is not enough anymore to "change" material... and hope that the strawbale network (that i value for itself) can make a huge step and show the world that strawbalers are bringing much more to community and economy that a "simple" prefab panel for passive house... a huge step to defend as the real value the mission and vision of all the pioneers in strawbale .... at least this is how i see you all ...
hope my english is good enough...and...my mind is getting clear on this issue just in this lasts months... so hope this comments are of some interest for you ;-)
best regards to you all, valentina
Valentina Maini
italy-spain
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John Swearingen
Skillful Means Design & Construction
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