I am excited to be reading the new book by Chris Martenson and Adam Taggart! The basic premise is that big changes are coming, and it is wise to be prepared. The authors explains that things simply cannot continue as they are now because of the 3 Es:

• ENERGY: There is a limited amount of oil left in the ground, and it is becoming more expensive to extract. We do not have an alternate energy source that is developed and ready on a massive scale to replace our dependence on oil.
• ECONOMY: Our money, banking and financial systems depend on GROWTH. The world economy is now propped up by $200 trillion of debt, and the debt is still growing. This cannot go on forever.
• ENVIRONMENT: The Earth has limited natural resources. Currently we are taking too much from the natural world, and putting too much waste back into it. Several species of life on earth are going extinct each day, fertile soils are being degraded, and the oceans are acidifying. This misuse of our world will lead to serious consequences in the near future.

The authors point out that before we can take action to prepare for the hard times ahead, we must change our inner beliefs about the future. Most people are unaware of the difficulties ahead, or choose not to believe it for many reasons:

• Humans are clever. Someone will invent a solution in time.
• Too much faith in authority. “They will never let that happen.”
• Non belief. I have not heard it on the nightly news or Oprah, so it must not be true.

The authors advocate that people develop “Resilience.” In order to survive difficulty we need multiple ways of meeting our basic needs, have buffers and stored resources, and the ability to switch between different solutions. For example, having several methods of heating and cooling your home makes you more resilient because you can switch energy fuel types if one becomes scarce or too expensive. Having a store of emergency food and first aid supplies is a good start on being resilient.

In addition to resources, the authors explain that building up your knowledge and skills are also forms of resilience. These skills can be bartered with other people who have different skills.

This book review will be continued in my next blog post. 🙂

 

 

 

It is a happy time of year as we decorate our Tiny House for Christmas!

I have hired a special “green” architect to design a straw bale home with  a basement, to go in the big hole in the ground that was already excavated for a basement by the previous owner. Here is a photo of the basement area dug out (open on one end).

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am studying straw bale home construction, and I like it! The homes are very beautiful, and are truly “green.” Vast quantities of wheat, rice, oats, barley, etc., are grown each year. The stalks of these grains are considered to be waste, and are used as animal bedding or they are burned which pollutes the air. This agricultural waste can be used to build straw bale homes. A wooden post and beam structure, or a steel framework, can be used to support the building, and the walls are filled in with bales of straw. The are covered with welded wire mesh and coated with several coats of lime or earthen plaster. The resulting 18 inch thick walls are super insulated which saves energy costs. After the “skin” of plaster is applied, these homes are extremely sturdy and resistant to fire, wind, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes.

Because the wooden support structure looks more like traditional construction, in many places people are able to get building permits for these sustainable homes.

Large or small, straw bale homes are beautiful and economical to build.