Rebecca Westbrook Toker

Host

Why Isn't Great Granddad's Green Tech Good Enough?

Aug 24, 2013·1,470 visitors

Seth Westbrook Toker

Cohost

Stage· 329 messages

Aug 24, 2013

Cobb Building Proponent and Green Tech Geek Seth Toker wants to Tawk to YOU about what real sustainable housing might look like in the (very near) future. He makes a convincing case for why letting the earth work for you is the smartest way to go.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

Hello and welcome!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

hi!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

Audience members, you can log comments, ask questions and chat amongst yourselves. Be sure to click on the “Who’s Here?” button and click to listen to the other audience members so you can see their comments.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

★ Spotlighted from Blake Ian

“Lets Tawk GREEN!”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

yea, do that

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:01 AM

Comments can be “upvoted” by clicking the thumbs-up sign in the bottom right corner. This will change the comment to “Overheard” status, as signified by the blue OH symbol in the upper left-hand corner.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:01 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“Hello friends.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:01 AM

The hosts can see your comments only after they’ve been “Overheard.” We’ll try to spotlight these comments to answer your questions and include as many comments as possible. Glad you’re here!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:01 AM

And now, ladies and gentlemen, i'll introduce my husband, the esteemed Seth Toker, Esq.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:02 AM

Sir Sedrith to some.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:02 AM

So, how should we start?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:02 AM

Well, we have a lot of ground to cover, so let's just dive right into the premise, which is:

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:02 AM

The way we build nowadays is dumb.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

It's inefficient and silly.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

Tell us why.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

Cause it is.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

there, go home

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

J/K

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

so.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“Just remember the words, Seth: Yes, my love.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“problem solved lol”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

our model of building houses it based on a model developed in the 1800s

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:04 AM

to put up structures fast and have them blow down afterwords

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:04 AM

noone was worried about how long they would last cause they were by deffinition and style, disposable

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:05 AM

when you wanted a permanent structure you didnt do a "balloon structure", you did a stone or post and beam

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:05 AM

(i can explain those if you like)

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:05 AM

So, balloon structure is which?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:06 AM

so anyway, long story short, we developed this method to build fast where there wasnt materials or mills or talented people to build these things, they used slightly less skilled labor and threw them together.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:06 AM

isulation and nicer roofs etc are just bandaids on this concept.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:07 AM

so, from the beginning, your house is designed to fail.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:07 AM

Sorry.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:07 AM

This was industrial-era building, right? Useful for establishing a city quickly, and not such a big deal to leave behind (see: ghost town).

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:07 AM

so, balloon is type we have, 2x4s, drywall etc, it resembles a balloon in lightness and fragility.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:08 AM

Sounds sturdy and worth $250,000 +.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:08 AM

right, it was industrial style building. and we ran with it cause of centeralization of resources like boards, gypsum for drywall etc.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:08 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“I always wanted to build a house like inside a giant hill.. hobbit-esque how cool would that be?”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:08 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“Reminds me of the auto and computer industries -"built to break."”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:09 AM

right rachel, that is one of the greatest ways to build a permanent structure

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:09 AM

Yes, Jordan - that is exactly what he's saying. Everyone's house is a labor-intensive piece of crap.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:09 AM

Jordan, they dont want it to, but it is the result.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:09 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“Built-in obsolescence equals profit down the road.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:10 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“And I'll blow and I'll blow and I'll blow your house down.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:10 AM

well, in this case no, noone wants to design a crap house, but its intrenched

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:10 AM

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:10 AM

So, we're entrenched in 150-year-old building styles. What now?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:11 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“and we spend our lives in debt trying to pay for these pieces of crap”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:11 AM

so here are some points i think are important to keep in mind when deciding what we will build in the future

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:11 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“But don't worry - we have granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:11 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“Sorry, Rachel - for a second I thought you were tawking about college...”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:11 AM

guiding principles if you will

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:12 AM

#1 structures should not be DISPOSABLE

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:12 AM

they should be RECYCLEABLE

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:12 AM

#2 Should not be weather resistant,

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:12 AM

but WATER PROOF

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

#3 ( more philosophically) they should not be REPETITIOUS

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

but EGRONOMIC

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

so, guestions

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

★ Spotlighted from Lucy Dyer

“can you have a house that,well,literally decomposes into the ground? is that possible?”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“what are the best recyclable materials to use?”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“I saw a lovely house in New Mexico framed with old tires.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:14 AM

Yes you can!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:14 AM

and the BEST materials...

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:14 AM

yea! tires are interesting but they have some issues i slightly question

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:14 AM

But NOT the way we do things now - because the materials are toxic. They have to be scraped and put into landfill, not just left.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:15 AM

so recycleable

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:15 AM

some of the strongest and MOST common items we have at our disposal is DIRT!!!!!!!!!!!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:16 AM

its great when you mix it properly with clay or sand( which ever you need) and then some strengthening material like fiber or straw is added, like they add fiber for concrete

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:16 AM

this can be used to build walls wholesale or in adobe blocks

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

But is that WATERPROOF?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

another idea is straw bales. they do decompose after a while

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

on the scale of logs of woood

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“is dirt a finite resource?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

yea

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“what if it decomposes while you are still living in it?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

we are totally going to run out of dirt

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

we should worry

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:17 AM

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:18 AM

Jordan not if you build a classy foundation and roof it properly

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:18 AM

it will not leak or "melt"

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:18 AM

the foundation should be some feet off the ground and made of free stacked stone

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:19 AM

then mortered

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:19 AM

(That was sarcasm about the dirt shortage)

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:19 AM

and the walls covered with a layer of plaster and linn seeds

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:20 AM

BTW, that was Sarcasam, whoops.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:20 AM

about the dirt. NOT at all a stupid question!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:20 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“yeah get on a way to privatize dirt Lucy! lol!”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:21 AM

there can be issues with topsoil washing away but properly made, adobe is long lasting

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:21 AM

and! the oldest structure in the US is adobe.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:21 AM

think about that for a second. our nations oldest building is dirt.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:22 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“adobe photoshop?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:22 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“so why did we stop building this way?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:22 AM

LOL jordan

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:22 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“yeah I can create a graphic of dirt in Adobe CS6 lol”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:23 AM

BTW, real quick, I dont type much and spend much time on the internet, so i dont have much of a "writing " vopice, so forgive any gaffs

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:24 AM

so we stopped building this way because... we needed to build fast for a long time. and now we are stuck, much like our industrial food, defence, etc

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:24 AM

we have forgotten the old ways of doing things, because newer was better for generations.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:25 AM

you know how it goes

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:25 AM

And also because we got rid of a lot of the people who built that way.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:25 AM

"dirty" mexicans! light joke...

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:26 AM

So what we're talking about is how to build for modern expectations using older models and techniques, yes?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:26 AM

exactly!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:26 AM

thats what i want

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:26 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“and also would you say that the skills individuals used to have to build their own structures were lost in this "fast growth" of housing? so now we must outsource to people to build for us?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:26 AM

comfort

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:27 AM

and a friendly aesthetic

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:27 AM

and being able to bulldoze it back into the ground when its no longer needed

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:27 AM

rachel- yes

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:27 AM

for the most part they have been lost.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:28 AM

we are studying old drawings and writtings like archeologists!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:28 AM

and old buildings of course

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:29 AM

the thing is, we dont need "fast houses" any more

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:29 AM

they are SOOOO wasteful, i should know i had to fix them constantly

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:29 AM

And there are groups who are working on new models based on harmony with instead of imposition on the surrounding environment.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:29 AM

thats right

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:30 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“I've seen tremendous eco-building in New Mexico.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:30 AM

let me provide some drawings and longer explainations

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:31 AM

sorry computer is slow

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:31 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“So what is your take on the roughly 18 million vacant homes out there do to foreclosures (aside from giving the homeless a place to live) could we merge these two ways of building right now? to get things going in the green direction?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:31 AM

ha ha!!!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:31 AM

rachel- that would be crazy, taking these MCMansions and covering them in 2 feet of earth...

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:32 AM

What would that do?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:32 AM

http://www.richsoil.com/wofati.jsp

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:33 AM

ok, if you check that out, not only is it a cool hobbit house, but many worries about water have been addressed

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:34 AM

ok, rebecca- that was sillyness, but if done properly, it could provide thermal mass, something that collects heat during the day, and releases it back out to the inside of the house through out the night

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:34 AM

And the issue of local sourcing of materials has been addressed.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:34 AM

but, these is insulation in the walls, so, not so great, but funny.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:34 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“lol. so it would be better to get rid of the entire old "bad" structure and rebuild in the green way”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:35 AM

What i want to convey more than anything is that, there is no blueprint

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:35 AM

the answer lies in a change in principles

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:36 AM

The implication is that we can do better - with less - than we're currently using.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:36 AM

in where and how long and why, instead of how quick and how superficially pretty

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:36 AM

What we do now is very resource-intensive.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:36 AM

Tell that thing about the chinese ships...

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:36 AM

^thats right

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

oh, so would you like to know where plywood comes from?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

huge chineese factorys that float in international waters and take our logs and make boards

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

waste water, fuel etc.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“Problem is, it costs money to be different.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:38 AM

actually, the house im showing here, the first itteration of it cost him 50 bucks in 1970ish, so like a few hundred today

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:38 AM

Rick, I'd contend that it takes LESS money to be different (many times) than is does to conform. I had my kid out-of-hospital, and insurance didn't pay, but I could afford it instead of needing insurance to pay, for example.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:38 AM

think about that for a minute

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:38 AM

yea!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:38 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“I'd say that house and eco houses are WAY prettier than the same old development design”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:39 AM

the kid would have been like 20,000 in the hospital,

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:39 AM

it cost us 4k in the birth center!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:39 AM

whooo!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:39 AM

rachel- thats one of my thoughts too.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:40 AM

do a google for COBB HOUSE right now, and just look at those hand sculpted beauties

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:40 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“ply trees?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:40 AM

our trees are harvested and shipped out to sea and then processed where there is "no law" so to speak

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:41 AM

Nothing is free, though, Seth - so this style of building costs what? Time and labor, right?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:41 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“so yeah how easy is it for everyday people to just decide to build a building like this? from what you are saying it isn't that difficult for people to figure it out?”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:41 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“I wouldn't trust a house that I built. I couldn't even make an ashtray in day camp.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:41 AM

^ well, im here to help!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:42 AM

rachel- for sure.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:42 AM

its like making pottery in ceramics class, very very similar infact

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:42 AM

lets study this picture

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:42 AM

http://www.google.com/imgres?safe=active&client=ubuntu&hs=f2O&sa=X&channel=fs&biw=1301&bih=588&tbm=isch&tbnid=aNf-piiPljIpzM:&imgrefurl=http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1191113-no-bedbugs-here-a-wandering-thread-of-wonder-at-the-world&docid=4gYGxS

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:43 AM

whoops

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:43 AM

there

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:43 AM

No, that's is.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:43 AM

you see the large roof?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:43 AM

that protects the cobb from water

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:44 AM

inside the wall is the foundation of stone, supporting and holding off the water from the ground

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:44 AM

So - we need to get you and Maggie together to hash out principles for watershed and earth-friendly building. ;)

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:45 AM

wiring is solved by romex house wire buried in the earthen walls.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:45 AM

or in tubes buried inside the walls

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:45 AM

and plumbing is the same

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:45 AM

rachel- most of these houses we see in the search are build by first timers!!!!!!!!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:45 AM

I have this thought on the wiring and plumbing: I think you should just leave it outside the walls, run through tubes. That way, when there's a problem, you can SEE it.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:46 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“or maybe it takes THE Village People?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:46 AM

^ or that too, tubes outside

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:46 AM

it really dosnt matter as long as its safe.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:46 AM

And The Village People on the inside...

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:47 AM

jordan- RIGHT the village people! when you gather some friends and make some mud!!!!!!!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:47 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“Of course, when you're building your house, I hear it's fun to stay at the YMCA...”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:48 AM

So, questions about the design, science behind the choices?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:48 AM

of materials etc?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:48 AM

I'd like to make the point that our materials are TOXIC.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:48 AM

The materials we use today: carpet, paint, treated lumber, etc.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:49 AM

^ yea, just look it up, if you dare, fire retardant, formaldehyde etc.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:49 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“what about in very cold winter climates? like here is what IS the frozen tundra in Minnesota winters? do they have safeguards heat wise in these types of green buildings?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:49 AM

great!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:50 AM

Jordan, I've spent time in Central America, and they have very old stone and concrete buildings (and they build new in that style) and they just run conduit or tubing over the surface of the wall. Or on the ceiling.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:50 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“yes, how does indoor plumbing fit into the picture?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:50 AM

the idea there is to add insulation. cobb or earth has little "insulative" value on its own, what it does do fantastically well is absorb heat from the sun and then release it into the house during the night when temps drop

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:51 AM

what needs to be done there is insulate the outside with foam, probably. (ewwww) or vermeculite! the white beads in planting soil.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:52 AM

That doesn't sound terribly "Green"

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:52 AM

its puffed stone and if kept dry is close to as good as fiberglass

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:52 AM

so, a layer or earth, then puffed stone, then alother layer of mudd and POOF you have a snug house

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:52 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“awesome! Glad too know I wouldn't freeze! ;) so just more insulation.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:53 AM

no, the foam is not, but there is a new "greener" foam made from plant oils. its better

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:53 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“I'd like to see a house like that in Manhattan or Santa Monica.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:53 AM

Yeah - cities.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:53 AM

There's that.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:54 AM

What about urban areas?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:54 AM

and when you add in a "rocket stove" or "russian stove" (super efficent stove that can run on twigs) and integrate that into an interior wall with lots of "thermal mass" (stone or earth) it will radiate into the house and heat it LONG AFTER the fire

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:55 AM

goes out.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:55 AM

some stoves reach 2000 degrees

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:55 AM

(most wood stoves reach 500 to 600 and then thats the upper and slighty dangerous range

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:55 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“and in summer - what about A/C?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:56 AM

great!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:56 AM

well the opposite happens, in the night when its cooler, it "adsorbs" the cool and then releases it during the day!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:56 AM

(although in reality it works in reverse)

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:56 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“If i could find a way to live on the side of a mountain in one of these houses I'd give it a shot.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:57 AM

^so, we dont see them there.... because of building codes and insurance.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:58 AM

rick, people are building these in cities as well

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:58 AM

in New Mexico there are entire neibhorhoods made of adobe

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:58 AM

its not unusual

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:58 AM

crazy, eh?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:59 AM

well, please google with me

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:59 AM

(come take my hand)

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:59 AM

lets type COBB HOUSE into google image

Seth Westbrook Toker · 1:59 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“Seth, I'd love to see some pics.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:00 AM

(to rick)

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:00 AM

now everyone

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:00 AM

OHHHH!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:00 AM

AHHHH!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:00 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“So can we make cars that we start by peddling our feet too? (Flinstones reference -someone had to do it)”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:00 AM

i sure the heck hope so

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAkGBhQSERQTExQVFRUWFRoUFBgWGBgZFhgVFRgYGBYXFxUXHCYfFxskGRQYHy8gIycpLCwsFh4xNTAtNSYrLCkBCQoKDgwOGg8PGi8kHyUsKSwsLCwsKSoqLC0pLCwsLCwsLCksLCksLCopLCwsLCwpLCwpLCwsLiwsLCwsLCwsLP/AABEIAKUBAAMBIgACEQE

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

there ya go jordan

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

http://www.google.com/imgres?safe=active&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&biw=1301&bih=588&tbm=isch&tbnid=c_U-LfH9WB7lOM:&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/kkanouse/5748362681/&docid=qUCLluLyFJXVsM&imgurl=http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3173/5748913464_81

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

there

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

want one?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:02 AM

http://www.google.com/imgres?safe=active&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&biw=1301&bih=588&tbm=isch&tbnid=h8x7vVNZgucszM:&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewade/2468509727/&docid=hq9L29ErSaZU-M&itg=1&imgurl=http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2319/2468509

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:02 AM

try that

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:02 AM

Busycle!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

Yeah, i got Jamba Juice the first time, too. We finally hit gold on the third try. ;)

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“A Jamba Juice?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

like i said, internet is not my first language

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“Seth -you are definitely an expert in eco-friendly construction, but you don't know shit about cutting and pasting.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

sorry guys

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

well there are options, i chose the wrong one

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:04 AM

i fixed it quick, does that count?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:04 AM

So, would you like to give some other resources? I have been tripping over cobb building books for like 5 years now...

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:04 AM

yes!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:05 AM

One i really like is written by Becky Bee!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:05 AM

its just called cobb building or something

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:05 AM

amazon and it will apear

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:05 AM

(Nobody's offended - we're laughing.)

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:05 AM

Come on! You can do better!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:06 AM

another is the 50 dollar house

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:06 AM

http://home.budget.net/~sequoia/

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:06 AM

by sepp holzer

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:07 AM

Becky Bee, The Cobb Builder's Handbook. SHe does workshops, too.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:07 AM

well, actually i went to school for graphic design, so...

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:07 AM

now i have slight loss of face

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:08 AM

slight loss of face

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:08 AM

This is a fun TED Talk. http://www.ted.com/talks/catherine_mohr_builds_green.html

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:08 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“awesome so we can come to you with questions seth? when we try and build these things? lol just FYI I ask A LOT of questions lol”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:08 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“So, on a positive note, these houses would make for an incredible future! I would love it -think about no morgtages! everyone would be so much more relaxed.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:08 AM

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_7?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sepp%20holzer&sprefix=sepp+ho%2Caps%2C429&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asepp%20holzer

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:09 AM

Well, and it's easy to add green energy to it. Use geothermal. Install solar. Etc.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:09 AM

this is a search result for sepp holtzer

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:09 AM

jordan! right!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:09 AM

no morgage! fix it yourself cause you know how you built it!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:10 AM

no measuring and cutting!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:10 AM

water leaks are no big deal!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:10 AM

You can actually put a water tank on top of the house to heat water.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:10 AM

i mean water damage is like 95% of what ruins the house.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:10 AM

You can apply catchment techniques and not have to be on the grid for water - I've seen cool systems by expats in Central America.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:11 AM

rachel- i aint a-feared.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:11 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“then comes the task of what would the big banks think of this or do to deter people from building this way? *another eye roll* lol”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:11 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“people would feel way too empowered and happy. and then what would we do?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:12 AM

rachel- uhhhh. how can they do anything?

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:12 AM

you wont need a loan to do this. solar pannels will be so cheap you can afford them on even your budget in a few years.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:12 AM

heat your water with a rocket stove

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:12 AM

or solar heat

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:13 AM

why do you need a bank to allow you to live the way you want????

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:13 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“so rebecca tying in the other tawk on water.. is catchment illegal in some states? Like when you were talking about laws against "unsafe" water?”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:13 AM

^ that is true

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:13 AM

colorado does this

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:14 AM

and its CRAP.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:14 AM

its greed

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:14 AM

It's not as overblown as the Natural News article made it seem. Personal use is almost always okay. But you have to check. And most of the ordinances apply to urban areas. So if you're out in the bonies, it doesn't matter.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:14 AM

they are afraid of many people doing this and removing the water from the rivers so they have less to sell to So Cal and arizona

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:14 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“big eye roll all together for GREED.. *booo!!*”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:14 AM

its huge part of many states budgets

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:15 AM

i attended presentations on oklahoma water rights being sold to texas

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:15 AM

big dollars

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:15 AM

to water mcmansions lawns

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:16 AM

ALSO everything rebecca said is also true

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:16 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“but if you bulldozed your house and built one of these cobb houses.. would the mortgage go away? or really you'd have no reason to pay it anymore except for them telling you to”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:16 AM

holy crap that would be funny

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:16 AM

they would get you for land value

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:16 AM

Well, but enforcement is not huge. Like, technically, the FDA has said that home gardens are illegal-ish. But they're not enforcing YET. It's something to watch for in the future, when shit gets real with climate change.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:17 AM

and since its not "yours" till you pay it off...

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:17 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“wait how can they sell one states water rights to another?? what?”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:17 AM

(I'm referring to water still)

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:17 AM

yea. ask maggie

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:18 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“yes Rebecca I have been hearing about a few gardens here and there getting "busted" and destroyed. I'll just play my Native card and say hey man it was MY land first! :p”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:18 AM

or google it!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:18 AM

Best of luck with that one! (But I agree with you)

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:18 AM

ok my kid pooped

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:18 AM

gotta run

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:18 AM

before it does

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

Thank you guys for being here!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

har har

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

There was so much good interaction!

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

yea

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

thanks

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

it was fun

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

it you want to talk about this more e mail me, should be on my profile

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:19 AM

or here

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:20 AM

sirsedrith@gmail.com

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:20 AM

i think we can text like that too

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:20 AM

maholo

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:20 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“Thanks, you lovebirds!”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:20 AM

Thank you! rick rosner!\

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:20 AM

shes pretty reat

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:20 AM

great

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:21 AM

I forgot to mention that Seth has A LOT of experience in different styles of modern building from 10 years as a contractor. That's why the obsession with finding a better, simpler way.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:21 AM

she cloth dypers our kid, now THAT is detertmination

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:21 AM

yea

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:21 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“yay! great copy and paste job seth! haha ! JK ;)”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:21 AM

i hate fixing stupid stuff

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:22 AM

yea! by the way, when we build our commune youre all invited to visit/live.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:23 AM

its been fun. feel free to text or whatever

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:23 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“awesome! :) Yeah I'm with Jordan.. we can have a little cobb house hut village :)”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:23 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“I'll take live, please.”

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:23 AM

^ thats the idea.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:23 AM

later.

Seth Westbrook Toker · 2:24 AM

be exellent to each other.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 3:45 PM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“thanks you two! you are both amazing people .. keep up the great work! :)”

Forum · 207

Forum· 207 comments

1,470 visitors

Tawkers AdminAug 24, 2013, 12:50 AM

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Tawkers AdminAug 24, 2013, 12:50 AM

Did you know that you can share this Tawk by clicking the share icon just under the search in the top right? Give it a try and let people know there's a Tawk happening!

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 12:59 AM★ Spotlighted

Hello friends.

Blake IanAug 24, 2013, 1:00 AM★ Spotlighted

Lets Tawk GREEN!

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:00 AM

yo Rick!!!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:00 AM

hey hey

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:00 AM

hey JB.....we should stop meeting like this you know...hehe

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:01 AM

lol lucy

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:03 AM

aw yes this is the husband and wife duo tawk! :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:03 AM★ Spotlighted

problem solved lol

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:03 AM★ Spotlighted

Just remember the words, Seth: Yes, my love.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:04 AM

@Rick don't forget "Hunny you're right" ;)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:04 AM

sounds like education

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:04 AM

More like submission.

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:04 AM

no no rick,ts "yes dear"...get it right

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:04 AM

the 1800s what? wow never knew that

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:05 AM

as i always say" i must be right even when i'm wrong,cos if i am wrong then i must be right to be wrong". :-)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:05 AM★ Spotlighted

And I'll blow and I'll blow and I'll blow your house down.

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:07 AM★ Spotlighted

I've seen tremendous eco-building in New Mexico.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:08 AM★ Spotlighted

I always wanted to build a house like inside a giant hill.. hobbit-esque how cool would that be?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:08 AM★ Spotlighted

Reminds me of the auto and computer industries -"built to break."

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:08 AM

haha @Rebecca yeah we pay so much for something that will fail... seems logical lol

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:09 AM★ Spotlighted

Built-in obsolescence equals profit down the road.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:10 AM★ Spotlighted

and we spend our lives in debt trying to pay for these pieces of crap

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:10 AM★ Spotlighted

Sorry, Rachel - for a second I thought you were tawking about college...

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:10 AM★ Spotlighted

But don't worry - we have granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:11 AM

ahaha omg yeah that too.. my debt is ridiculous!

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:11 AM

Rick dont bring in the marble counter tops.....eeek!

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:11 AM

Quartz is the shizzle

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:12 AM

i bet it is hehe

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:12 AM

I don't even know what the shizzle is - it just sounded hip.

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:12 AM★ Spotlighted

can you have a house that,well,literally decomposes into the ground? is that possible?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:12 AM★ Spotlighted

what are the best recyclable materials to use?

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:13 AM★ Spotlighted

I saw a lovely house in New Mexico framed with old tires.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:14 AM★ Spotlighted

what if it decomposes while you are still living in it?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:14 AM

what is egronomic?

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:14 AM

@rahcal - hobbit home harmful to country side http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299297/Pull-Hobbit-home-couple-told-Eco-house-straw-wood-harmful-countryside.html

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:14 AM

@Jordan my thoughts exactly! Like living in a house made of chocolate on a hot day? lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:15 AM

so much for the hobbits...

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:15 AM

well one without wood or straw? lol way to kill the dream Lucy lol

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:15 AM

nasty hobbiteses

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:15 AM

even before I knew what LotR was I just wanted to dig out the hill and just live in there lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:16 AM

that is what 6 year old me thought about hahaha

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:16 AM

yay dirt! :)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:17 AM★ Spotlighted

is dirt a finite resource?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:17 AM

but what about under tremendous heat? couldn't that become unstable? and not waterproof

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:17 AM

Dirt is OK;filth, not so much.

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:17 AM

this is pretty awesome - http://eco-friendlyhouses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/building-eco-friendlyhouses.html

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:18 AM

that is awesome lucy! I love when people incorporate the trees into the house.. some even do so as to not cut down the tree <3

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:19 AM

hahaha I am too gullible I was like what? we are going to run out of dirt?!? how? *face palm* lol

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:19 AM

i'm gonna sell me some dirt...i shall call the company Land Land!!!

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:19 AM★ Spotlighted

yeah get on a way to privatize dirt Lucy! lol!

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:20 AM

actually Bill Hicks says it better lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:21 AM★ Spotlighted

adobe photoshop?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:22 AM★ Spotlighted

so why did we stop building this way?

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:22 AM

ok i cant see or hear that word - adobe - without thinking of photoshop..sorry

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:22 AM★ Spotlighted

yeah I can create a graphic of dirt in Adobe CS6 lol

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:22 AM

stop reading my mind JB! dam lol

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:23 AM

I have dirty thoughts. Is that eco-friendly?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:23 AM

totally, rick.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:24 AM

no worries seth! :)

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:24 AM

is it bio-degradable,Rick?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:24 AM

it's bio-degrading

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:24 AM

or recycled dirty thoughts? lol

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:24 AM

Only if you do it correctly, J.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:24 AM

I assume some bad guys are blocking progress on this front as well...

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:25 AM★ Spotlighted

and also would you say that the skills individuals used to have to build their own structures were lost in this "fast growth" of housing? so now we must outsource to people to build for us?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:26 AM

@Seth lol dang them and their useful skills!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:26 AM

so what's the ventilation like in an adobe (photoshop) house?

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:26 AM

homes around the world - http://naturalhomes.org/natural-building-1.htm

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:27 AM

also bonus: you're house will look like YOUR house and not like every other one on the block

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:27 AM

JB, wonder if theses house let in the (adobe) elements in?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:28 AM

That must be pretty cool though!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:29 AM

what about plumbing?

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:29 AM

see a doctor

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:30 AM★ Spotlighted

So what is your take on the roughly 18 million vacant homes out there do to foreclosures (aside from giving the homeless a place to live) could we merge these two ways of building right now? to get things going in the green direction?

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:30 AM

Which doctor?

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:30 AM

doctor who

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:31 AM

do-wee-ooo! ;) Did someone mention The Doctor! :D

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:31 AM

doctor morbius curve, md

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:31 AM

doctor doolittle?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:32 AM★ Spotlighted

lol. so it would be better to get rid of the entire old "bad" structure and rebuild in the green way

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:32 AM

doctor my eyes

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:33 AM

thanks Seth!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:34 AM

OMG, I WANT ONE!

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:34 AM

Wooden ships, on the water, very free

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:36 AM

That house.. is so cool! yes I want one too!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:36 AM

do we need different tools to build these? different training?

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:36 AM★ Spotlighted

Problem is, it costs money to be different.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:37 AM★ Spotlighted

ply trees?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:37 AM★ Spotlighted

I'd say that house and eco houses are WAY prettier than the same old development design

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:37 AM

ply trees! hahaaha @Jordan *nailed it* lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:39 AM

ugh corrupt health care system *eye roll*

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:40 AM

@Rebecca - probably true. But in building, unless you can do it yourself . . . maybe I just don;t know enough.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:40 AM★ Spotlighted

so yeah how easy is it for everyday people to just decide to build a building like this? from what you are saying it isn't that difficult for people to figure it out?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:40 AM

https://www.google.com/search?q=cobb+house&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Cg8YUp3UGrDh4AOy_4G4BA&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1241&bih=996

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:41 AM★ Spotlighted

I wouldn't trust a house that I built. I couldn't even make an ashtray in day camp.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:41 AM

they are gorgeous!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:41 AM

it wasn't you, rick. it was the kiln.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:41 AM

haha I've always wanted to build my own house @Rick and yes those Cobb Houses are amazingly beautiful! <3

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:42 AM

Finally! Closure on that issue! thanks, J.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:43 AM

that's a cool house!

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:44 AM

Rachel, you will never build a good house unless you straighten your head.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:44 AM

lol rick

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:45 AM

hahaha! I will work on getting a new profile pic ok Rick? haha! but yeah I would want some help from people who know what they are doing. I wouldn't fully trust myself with it all either lol!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:45 AM

yeah, it takes a village, people.

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:45 AM

A village idiot?

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:45 AM

@JB - *face palms*....

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:45 AM

yes tawk with maggie and seth would be great! :)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:45 AM★ Spotlighted

or maybe it takes THE Village People?

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:46 AM

Village of the Damned?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:46 AM

good idea Rebecca! And thanks for the vote of confidence Seth! I'd sure love to try it! :)

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:47 AM

Y...M...C....A....all together now!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:47 AM★ Spotlighted

Of course, when you're building your house, I hear it's fun to stay at the YMCA...

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:47 AM

haha! they just keep the atmosphere of the house cheery right Rebecca? ;) which is important also lol

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:47 AM

Wait, Lucy - let me get my cod piece.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:47 AM

Lucy, you beat me to it this time!

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:47 AM

woohoo go Rick!!

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:48 AM

i always beat you JB!....erm....oh my!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:48 AM★ Spotlighted

yes, how does indoor plumbing fit into the picture?

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:48 AM

Lucy, keep this clean.

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:48 AM

ok *sits in naughty corner* :-(

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:48 AM

lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:48 AM★ Spotlighted

what about in very cold winter climates? like here is what IS the frozen tundra in Minnesota winters? do they have safeguards heat wise in these types of green buildings?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:49 AM

yeah chemicals galore! in our building materials right now :/

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:50 AM

I don't want to freeze. lol

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:50 AM

I ran out of acid in 1996. Maybe i should chew the walls.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:50 AM

hahaha @Rick lol!

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:50 AM

i'v licked them all,rick

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:50 AM

I warned you, Lucy . . .

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:51 AM

what? :-(

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:51 AM

Te dirty talk, you vixen you

Lucy DyerAug 24, 2013, 1:51 AM

ok i'll go then

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:51 AM★ Spotlighted

awesome! Glad too know I wouldn't freeze! ;) so just more insulation.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:53 AM★ Spotlighted

and in summer - what about A/C?

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:53 AM★ Spotlighted

I'd like to see a house like that in Manhattan or Santa Monica.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:54 AM

plant oils or "plant" oils haha

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:55 AM

sweat it out Jordan A/C's are bad haha.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:55 AM

not Rick's kiln at camp....

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:56 AM★ Spotlighted

If i could find a way to live on the side of a mountain in one of these houses I'd give it a shot.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:56 AM

yeah wood stove would work nicely! :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:56 AM

I love country living.. I don't know how you "city" people handle it all the time.. :)

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:57 AM

Survive it, more like.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:57 AM

Yeah, I'm all in on one of those houses.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:57 AM

as much as I love some cities. like the AMAZING NYC.. I really just would love a little piece of ground in the open spaces and set up shop there :)

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:58 AM

Jordan, let's start a commune. Free love, just don;t tell Janice.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:58 AM

Well, we're starting it here, right?

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:58 AM★ Spotlighted

Seth, I'd love to see some pics.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:58 AM

I'll help you build! :D lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 1:58 AM

you know, without the free love part.

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 1:58 AM

A virtual commune doesn't work so well.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:59 AM

That's awesome Seth! glad to know people are loving this idea and going with it in larger numbers! :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 1:59 AM

haha.. as long as there is no kool aid involved I'm in lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:00 AM★ Spotlighted

So can we make cars that we start by peddling our feet too? (Flinstones reference -someone had to do it)

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 2:02 AM★ Spotlighted

A Jamba Juice?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:02 AM

I love this sky light http://www.kitchenclarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/cobb-house-225x300.jpg

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:03 AM★ Spotlighted

Seth -you are definitely an expert in eco-friendly construction, but you don't know shit about cutting and pasting.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:03 AM

burn!

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:03 AM

lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:04 AM

he's joking seth! :) We can't all be photoshop experts lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:04 AM

lol - just kidding!

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 2:04 AM

No you weren't.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:04 AM

(saved your ass Jordan! lol) haha

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:05 AM

this is a truth circle.. speaking of commune talk if you haven't watched WANDERLUST... it is HILARIOUS lol!

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 2:05 AM

I like Tawking with you guys. Too bad it's virtual.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:06 AM

we need a tawkers convention! :D

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:06 AM

(I am also laughing really hard right now lol)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:07 AM★ Spotlighted

awesome so we can come to you with questions seth? when we try and build these things? lol just FYI I ask A LOT of questions lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:08 AM★ Spotlighted

So, on a positive note, these houses would make for an incredible future! I would love it -think about no morgtages! everyone would be so much more relaxed.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:08 AM

or go to other green experts in the community?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:08 AM

so you ARE a photoshop expert! :D

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:08 AM

that is my dream @ Jordan

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:08 AM

No loss of face, Seth - you're a hero, brother.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:09 AM

yeah we all love your ideas Seth! :)

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 2:10 AM

I had an idea once . . .

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:10 AM★ Spotlighted

people would feel way too empowered and happy. and then what would we do?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:10 AM★ Spotlighted

then comes the task of what would the big banks think of this or do to deter people from building this way? *another eye roll* lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:12 AM★ Spotlighted

so rebecca tying in the other tawk on water.. is catchment illegal in some states? Like when you were talking about laws against "unsafe" water?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:12 AM

@Seth - me neither. they can go--> you know where!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:12 AM

they're banks, dude. they find a way.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:13 AM

@Jordan yeah that's what I was thinking :p

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:13 AM

except for those already in debt to mortgages

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:13 AM

because the citi never sleeps?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:14 AM★ Spotlighted

but if you bulldozed your house and built one of these cobb houses.. would the mortgage go away? or really you'd have no reason to pay it anymore except for them telling you to

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:14 AM★ Spotlighted

big eye roll all together for GREED.. *booo!!*

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:15 AM

that was my first ever coordinated group eye roll...

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:15 AM

yeah another reason to live in the country people! ;)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:15 AM

what can I say I get things done Jordan! lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:15 AM★ Spotlighted

wait how can they sell one states water rights to another?? what?

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:16 AM

disgusting

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:16 AM

sounds like a sitcom

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:17 AM★ Spotlighted

yes Rebecca I have been hearing about a few gardens here and there getting "busted" and destroyed. I'll just play my Native card and say hey man it was MY land first! :p

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:17 AM

Rob Schneider Is Bulldozing His House... (South Park reference)

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 2:18 AM

Dramatic new laws in the Southwest re grass lawns. The Colorado River is at it's limit for supply.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:18 AM

Rach - I didn't know you had Native American blood! You just got even cooler!

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:18 AM

Jordan - I would LOVE to see that sitcom.. "The Banks said whaaat?" haha

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:19 AM

@Jordan why thank you! :) Yes I am a little over a quarter Chippewa

Rick RosnerAug 24, 2013, 2:19 AM★ Spotlighted

Thanks, you lovebirds!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:19 AM

That was awesome!

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:19 AM

Thanks Seth and Rebecca! Great tawk! :D

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:20 AM

Seth - you're the man! Plus you landed the coolest wife ever, so you must be pretty cool.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:20 AM★ Spotlighted

yay! great copy and paste job seth! haha ! JK ;)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:21 AM

yes great husband and wife duo you make! :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:22 AM

wow way to go Rebecca that IS determination! (Cloth diapers)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 24, 2013, 2:22 AM★ Spotlighted

I'll take live, please.

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:23 AM★ Spotlighted

awesome! :) Yeah I'm with Jordan.. we can have a little cobb house hut village :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 24, 2013, 2:23 AM★ Spotlighted

thanks you two! you are both amazing people .. keep up the great work! :)