[GSBN] First Congressional Briefing on Straw Bale

[Laura Bartels]

Dear GSBN family and beyond,

I am quite excited to get to share that the first Congressional  
briefing on straw bale building is being organized for June 20th.

We will be addressing the benefits, growth,and future of straw bale  
and other natural materials and related national policy implications  
and potential areas of federal funding. I would strongly encourage any  
of you who would like to offer thoughts on national policy  
recommendations to share them immediately. A briefing summary is being  
prepared right now and we are working to come up with the "ask".

My head is still swimming from the very quick development of this. And  
believe me, I never quite imagined being one to speak to such a crowd.  
But while in DC working just a week ago with Builders Without Borders  
on the Straw Bale Eco House exhibit at the US Botanic Garden (directly  
across from the Capitol), I was introduced by a colleague to the  
executive director of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute  
that is a non-profit policy research institute that regularly sets up  
briefings. She was very impressed with the technology and immediately  
saw the many values. After discussion of possible topic areas and many  
suggestions of panel members, they chose to include myself, David  
Eisenberg to address what else but codes and regulations, Bob Gough of  
the Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, to speak to the use of  
straw bale in tribal communities and the relationships to housing,  
utility costs, green jobs, health, and more, and Sandy Wiggins, the  
immediate past chair of the US Green Building Council who has been  
involved in straw bale projects and can speak to many issues relating  
to the future of natural materials in green building, the business  
case for such, etc.

Also, if there are any photos of US projects that you think would be  
helpful to include as examples, please let me know by email.

I am sure that this wouldn't be happening if this crowd and the whole  
sb community worldwide was not plugging away doing what we are doing  
on the whole and in detail. I am feeling quite a bit of gratitude for  
all that has gone before to get to this point.

Blessings,
Laura

Laura Bartels
GreenWeaver Inc.
P.O. Box 912, Carbondale, CO 81623
Ph 970-379-6779, Fax 970-963-0905
laura at greenweaverinc.com
www.greenweaverinc.com

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