[GSBN] The EU wants 5% strawbuildings by 2020 says the Economist..
Jacob Deva Racusin
buildnatural at googlemail.com
Sat Dec 21 03:37:56 UTC 2013
I think that Carol makes a crucial point - straw is actually getting
more difficult to find here, and there are a lot of competing industries
both within ag and in landscaping. Heck, there's a pretty big farm west
of us that grows a straw crop specifically for horse stables (big horse
racing country over there) - it's the primary crop. Straw may be a
secondary crop, but it is definitely not a waste product - and if we are
considering the goal that folks in this thread have stated of
dramatically increasing straw construction by adoption into the
mainstream by prefab applications and other means, then we are talking
about a future in which there is a lot more straw being grown for
buildings (primary or secondary crop).
By removing all that carbon from the soil and not tilling in to restore
soil nutrients and tilth, we are having a net-negative impact on soil
health and ecology - inherently unsustainable. If we till back in
and/or cover crop, we reduce net yield, requiring more farmland or
production somehow. There is already a growing concern in this part of
the world about the competition for farmland between food and energy
production (i.e. corn-based ethanol); if we add a surge in straw
construction to that, coupled with reduction in yields due to
diminishing soil productivity, and throw in some climate change-induced
natural disasters...whoa, ok, not trying to get too down here, I
honestly don't think that straw is in scarcity danger right now - far
from it. But I do believe that source is an issue we should be taking
very seriously, if we are planning for the long haul - around here, the
sources of our straw are not stable for the long term (I'm not even sure
how much longer I can get long straws, with all the farms switching over
to chop-straw combines), and there is certainly none of it going to
waste. If we truly want to scale up in production, we need to be able
to ensure availability of our raw materials, and I don't feel too secure
in that right now. Of course, this involves major paradigm shift in
industrial agriculture production...good thing we're all such a bunch of
fired-up change-makers. Maybe we'll be using the PAKSBAB-style bale
press and go back to gathering field grasses, old-school Nebraska-style,
after the revolution...
So, are farms in CA/out west still burning straw? I thought that was
banned years ago...is there really such a glut of straw out there that
it's still considered waste? Regionalism is fascinating...
Cheers,
Jacob
On 12/20/13, 8:01 PM, carolatkn at aol.com wrote:
> 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 <http://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 <mailto: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 <mailto: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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>>
>
>
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> --
> John Swearingen
> Skillful Means Design & Construction
> 2550 9th Street Suite 209A
> Berkeley, CA 94710
> 510.849.1800 phone
> 510.849.1900 fax
>
> Web Site: http://www.skillful-means.com
> Blog: https://skillfulmeansdesign.wordpress.com
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--
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
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