Comments on: Want Your Own Hobbit Home! – Environmentally Friendly Homes

By: Forest

Forest — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:29:33 +0000

Ha ha, yes the lottery would sort it!

I don’t play any lottery games either..

No concrete isn’t really that envirofriendly… Unless they could find a way to reuse all the concrete they seem to be knocking down… Like bashing down a housing estate to build a new one (almost the same) on top! Always baffles me…

By: dragonsue

dragonsue — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:20:10 +0000

Forest I can’t see anyway in which anything made of concrete could possibly be environmentally friendly!
I think the best thing for me to do is win the lottery and build my own house, and then let him do what he wants! But then I’d have to play the lottery wouldn’t I? lol

By: Forest

Forest — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:42:00 +0000

Oh no , You will have to build some kind of half and half hybrid home… With one side all modern and crushing to the local landscape and the other half nice and integrated, both parts could be built to be pretty eco friendly though

By: Sue

Sue — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:19:47 +0000

Sadly, when I showed hubby he turned his nose up, and then showed me his ideal home, all concrete and glass! Shock Horror! I married an alien! Well alien to my ideals anyway! lol
I may well go to one of the workshops though, if my health holds up.

By: Forest

Forest — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:51:57 +0000

@Sue, Ben was a really really nice guy when I met him many years ago…. So if you could make it to one of his workshops that would be awesome.

These styles of sustainable house are absolutely awesome and it would be great to see these popping up instead of crappy housing developments.

By: dragonsue

dragonsue — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:45:50 +0000

Forest you have found me my dream home!
I love it! I have been interested in the whole area of sustainable living for a few years now, though have not had the money or the health to even think about building one of my own, it is though, a dream I have been building in my mind!
I have signed up to Ben’s site, and I am hoping, (against hope) to persuade my husband to get involved with me!
Thank you for finding this wonderful resource, and I’m sure I will be able to use some of the information I get there in my current suburban living.

By: Forest

Forest — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:43:18 +0000

@Stephen, sorry to take so long to reply.. I have read your comment about 6 times and every time been distracted to something else!!

It’s an awesome comment and I definitely plan on writing more on this subject I will most likely be in contact. If you ever feel the urge to guestpost please let me know.

Also I would love to hear more about your moving plans.

@Joe…. That would be awesome. Please let me know if the idea every bears fruit!

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:10:32 +0000

Wow, this looks like a really cool way to live. Maybe I’ll find a spot on my property to build one someday.

By: simply stephen

simply stephen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:58:55 +0000

Forest,

What a great article. I love the small sustainable style housing, especially when made with recycled materials. I have been researching sustainable living for over a decade now and am getting ready to make the plunge to the sticks as you put it.

There are many options for living in and out of the city and I have hundreds of great sources that I would be willing to share with you. If you or anyone ever wants to find somehting just drop me a note on twitter or at my site.

Other forms of amazing housing include Gers (Yurts), Adobe Homes, Straw Bale, Tire home, Monolithic domes, Tiny homes and…….yep the list goes on.

To live in the city it does become harder but is possible. It’s about creating community and sharing the cost of converting to an eco friendly home for several families (as one example). The problem lies in the bureaucracy and resistance from locals.

There is a apathetic view on tearing down homes. I get pretty mad about it too. Almost all of the material goes to landfill and much of it is toxic. The new homes aren’t built to last either, although they are often much more energy efficient (except twice the size so they consume more). It’s a conundrum because bigger isn’t better yet consumers are brainwashed to believe that it shows success and offers them comfort.

Tell me, how do you change this mindset? Rhetorically, I would say it’s about demonstrating what you are able to do – being the change you want to be.

Sorry for the rant and thanks for the great post.
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