Re: [GBlist] Milk Paint

[Hyland Fisher <hylandf@gv.net>]

>But I am still unsure what it is that you would have me consider.  Every
>material negatively affects other inhabitants of this planet.  I
>considered the milking of a cow a fairly benign act for the acquisition
>of a material.

I suppose my "issue" is that of the environmental movement there seem to be
two factions that bother me.  Those that focus almost solely on the plight
of non-human animals, and those that consider what is best for the survival
of humans but do not worry too much about animals unless it effects the food
supply.  The farmer sitting on a stool in Sweden milking old Bessie to make
paint is a wonderful idea.  The mulititue of cows hooked up to machines,
pumped full of antibiotics and fed ground up pieced of their
bretheren...until they no longer produce milk and are sent to the slaugher
house...That is not what I consider benign.  That i'm sure is not the
majority of "acquisition of matierial," but it is a fact...So I merely
suggest we consider the full impact of where our products come from.

> Ok.  What is it about strawbale appeals to you?  The straw is part of
> our limited supply of organic material, the dirt was home to myriad
> creatures.

Rice straw is abundantly grown near here.  Lotsa straw left over.  Local
material, waste material.  That fits into my idea of a green material, and
probably most other too.  It takes more labor to build w/ straw and cobb
that other materials...puts people to work, untrained people.  Feeds their
families, etc.  The thing about cobb that appeals to me is that you are
basically borrowing it.  You build.  You move out, leave it and after time
you are left with a dirt mound.  Seems pretty low embodied
energy...simple...not too much technological investment...

I understand that cobb and straw only work for a few people and only for
residential projects.  So, very little of the build environment could be
cobb or straw.  When it comes to commercial, industrial...the only thing I
can think of is to design and build them to last and adapt for decades,
centuries if possible.  I also think, maybe self-righteously, but it is our
job to talk to and educate our friends/clients about the ramifications of
their actions.  We have to give them options and support and not preach to
just the choir.


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