Cob slideshow

[Robert Bolman]

 To begin with, I now have a web site:   www.efn.org/~robtb/
The northwest tour of my slide presentation entitled Natural Building and
Social Justice is fast approaching.
The following tour schedule is falling into place:
Salem:  Wednesday, June 17, on a Cob workshop (contact me if you'd like to
attend)
Portland:  Thursday, June 18, Environmental Building Supplies 1331 NW
Kearney St, Portland, OR 97207 7:00 pm, 503-222-3881
Oakville:  Saturday, June 20, Permaculture West Event, call 360-273-7117
Olympia:  Monday, June 22, Washington State Department of General
Administration Building Auditorium, 11th Ave & Columbia Street, (north end
of the state capitol campus) Olympia, WA

Seattle:  Wednesday, June 24, 6:30, Fremont Public Library, 731 N 35th (east
of Still Life Café)

Vancouver:  June 27, Saturday, Granville Information Centre, Granville
Island,      Vancouver, BC, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon.
Anyone wishing to host a presentation (even in a moderately full living
room) is encouraged to contact me.  Just set it up for a date that's not
filled above.    Plan on feeding me and putting me up for the night.
Contacts for environmental groups that would potentially host me anywhere in
the country would be appreciated.

My slide presentation takes about 75 minutes.  I use two projectors placing
images on side by side screens thereby enabling me to compare and juxtapose
images and ideas.  This also enables me to “leapfrog” through about 300
slides (hopefully) without putting people to sleep.
I begin by poking fun at the oversized, overpriced, environmentally clueless
houses that have become so common in recent years.  I waste no time in
revealing my political agenda.  I point out that while every effort is made
to see to it that those that can afford an expensive house have a variety to
chose from, those that are less fortunate (or less functional) are allowed
to sleep on the streets of this very wealthy country (the United States).
I then point to an alternative.  I show many examples of Natural Building.
Most notably, I focus on the highly innovative straw bale and earth
structure I’m presently building in Eugene, Oregon.  From straw bale to cob
& adobe to the earthship concept, I try to show a broad overview including
passive solar design, solar hot water, PV, gray water, catch water and
permaculture.  I also explore the rich historical precedent for this type of
building with a few examples of Natural Building from around the world.
I then begin talking with hard numbers about the poor distribution of the
world’s wealth.  While 90 % of my presentation focuses on Natural Building,
it is at this point that it begins to sound like a political tirade as I
suggest that U.S. foreign policy has served to perpetuate this poor
distribution of resources.
I then talk about a shanty town that I explored in Mexico.  I suggest that
from an environmental point of view, it would be better for us to live like
them than for them to somehow achieve our lifestyle.  I suggest voluntary
simplicity.
I close by talking about human consciousness and the need to learn to see
the world a little more clearly.  I end with photos of trees and children to
serve as a reminder of why we must do the best we can to save the world for
future generations.
I am comfortable sharing my presentation with groups ranging from a living
room full of people up to large crowds.  I bring my own projectors with zoom
lenses to accommodate a variety of room sizes and situations.  I’ll provide
a screen unless a screen or a white wall is already available in the room.
The following paragraph is from a thank you letter sent to me by Youth for
Environmental Sanity (YES):
“Your slide show was fantastic!  It was unanimously voted the best guest
presentation at our 2 Week Sustainable Living Skills Retreat July 20-August
2, 1997.  It was fast-paced, witty, hilarious, educational, and powerful.
To get across so much information, and yet have it be so entertaining is a
rare gift in a presenter.  A gift that you have in abundance.”