[GSBN] First Congressional Briefing on Straw Bale

[Derek Roff]

Congratulations, Laura.

derelict

Derek Roff
Language Learning Center
Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
Internet: derek at unm.edu


--On Wednesday, May 28, 2008 5:45 PM -0600 Laura Bartels 
<laura at greenweaverinc.com> wrote:

> 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



Derek Roff
Language Learning Center
Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
Internet: derek at unm.edu