[GSBN] winning the hearts and minds

[Derek Roff]

I frequently wonder if journalism is getting worse, or if I used to just have better sources within the field.  Certainly, there are horrendous stories of press misconduct and inaccuracy from a hundred years ago, and longer.  I heard recently on the radio that people who follow some news sources are more likely to be misinformed on some significant recent events than those who say they avoid the news altogether.  Reading the inaccuracies in every article where I know the subject well, makes me very nervous when I find myself accepting information on subjects that I don't know much about.  

The few times that I have been interviewed on sustainable building, I've asked the reporter to let me see the article before it is printed, to make sure the facts are right.  I point out that in that regard, we have the same goals.  The reporters have agreed, and have actually done it.  Probably, I was lucky.  To the extent that we can create our own news outlets, focusing on the more accurate and consistent blogs, we may reach a receptive few hearts and minds.  

Meanwhile, I've got a bunch of bricks of old tofu.  Darrel, can you tell me how I can build a house with them?  

Derelict

On Nov 29, 2011, at 1:05 AM, Darrel DeBoer wrote:

> http://www.latimes.com/la-fg-colombia-bamboo-20111129,0,5294333.story?track=latiphoneapp
> 
> I spoke with a reporter from the LA Times a few days ago who had never heard of strawbale construction, so of course he had to change it to "hay" bales in the article that's mostly about bamboo... but it does bring up the question of how we ever break into the mainstream.   This subject was so new that when I sent him descriptions of materials we used in a traveling exhibit a decade ago, he was so grateful that I got credit for designing buildings made out of soybeans!
> 
> Are we all living in an alternate universe?  Just me?
> -- 
> Darrel DeBoer
> 854 Allview Ave
> El Sobrante, CA 94803 USA
> 510-290-3669
> www.BambooBuildingEssentials.com
> www.DeBoerArchitects.com


Derek Roff
derek at unm.edu




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