 | DrumBeat: January 18, 2009 | The Oil Drum | Do you agree that President Obama should significantly raise US gasoline taxes during his term in office? |  |
127 comments on A Trip to Todd's
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
| Show without comments | PDF version
127 comments on A Trip to Todd's
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
| Show without comments | PDF version
User login
Contact
- campfire at theoildrum dot com
Personnel
Archives
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
The Oil Drum: Local archives
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
The Oil Drum: New York City archives
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
GAIA Host Collective
Hi Nick,
I only sent Nate the four pics (and he only wanted 2-3 so I felt I was overdoing it already). Tell you what, perhaps you could email me detzel at mcn dot org what you're interested in. Be forewarned that it'll all go to my wife's computer, I don't know how to send pics, and she will be at a seminar all next week so it could be a while before you actually get anything.
On the other hand, if Nate says he'll post more, I'll run out tomorrow and have my wife send them to him.
Todd
Edit "Hick" to Nick. Oh, gee whiz. Sorry if you saw it.
Hi Todd,
Graeat article. I know that the TOD staff or Nate might disagree but this is exactly the type of submissions that Campfire really needs.
There is one big problem though and its shared by the current series on Passive Solar building.
No one has the time to do all this. To do the 'buildout' you would have to do would take lots of funds and enormous investment in time. So IMO and I think yours , most/many don't stand a chance because its far too late. The solar would be a show stopper for me. I can put up a small panel and run my ham rig or my laptop but getting sized up as you are...well I have to go around that. Lucky I have accessible water and enough woodlands. But I would real fast go into stock and chickens..hogs for sure. I haven't as yet but getting close to it.
If they were rich and could hire a lot done and find those with skillsets to construct and build what you have then perhaps but again
those skillsets are missing in many areas today.
For instance no one here in 1990 was able to build a loghouse from scratch. I couldn't even get someone to do the roof for it was 12 pitch. Laying logs? Forget it. Putting in 3 inches of pink foam on top of one layer of sheathing then another layer of sheating on top of the foam,,etc....no one.
Unless they started some time ago? It won't happen...but what can happen is a lot more scaled down sustainable method.
For housing? A house built into the ground. We call them dirt houses here and they are common. You just build and pour a basement and live in it. Easy to heat,easy to build. Then you start gardening. You go from there and just use wood for everything. No electricity. No Gas.
Pioneer style that would be.
Doable by many who have the strength, land and the desire. Yet there is much they would have to learn. Such as getting up wood, right types,water..etc.
Did I miss something on the pictures? I see none.
Airdale
Airdale,
Re. pictures - I friend called up to discuss what I wrote and he didn't see the pictures either. I don't know why. FWIW, they were of the PV racks, inverters, solar water collectors and wood cook stove.
Todd
They are now there.Just looked.
Airdale-looks like good engineering
I completely agree, airdale.
Absolutely. Few (us included) could even get out of the house they're in now to start anew somewhere. So we're stuck where we're at - and I think what would be most helpful is thinking through how to make the best of the current situation. For example, our house is oriented all wrong for passive solar and is one of those raised ranches (of which there are zillions in the Midwest) that are poorly designed for any other type of heating - like masonry stoves, for example.
We got quotes for solar electric last year, but what we mainly learned is that our money is best spent elsewhere - like more insulation and toward a couple of woodstoves. It did make me realize how little electricity we really "need" - absolute bare minimum - enough to power the freezer (loaded with locally raised beef, turkey and veggies from our own garden) and the blower for the furnace.
We do live on a bus line and could, if we had to, ride our bikes to just about anywhere we really need to go. And we live in a great neighborhood, where we and some others are helping each other improve the productivity of our gardens and learn to raise chickens. (Luckily our city allows that in backyards.)
Todd's example is interesting and instructive, but not very practical for the vast majority of us at this stage of the game...
lilith
There are reasons why I preach natural building, natural farming and community-based midro-energy programs. To parapharse, not many folks are an island.
Come together.
We can work it out.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.
It takes a village to raise a child.
United we stand, divided we fall.
Neighbor, have you got a T-square?
If I had a hammer.
Kumbaya.
Cheers