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Cob California slideshow tour

Robert Bolman robtb at efn.org
Wed May 5 01:09:18 CDT 1999


 Hello,
I'll be taking my acclaimed talk and slide presentation entitled, "Natural
Building and Social Justice" to California in June and July.  I'm looking
for contacts that would be interested in setting up presentations in their
communities or throught their organizations.  I'll be traveling from Oregon
to San Francisco June 9, 10 & 11.  I'll be in the Bay Area for about three
weeks in the middle of which I'll be going to San Luis Obispo and possibly
Los Angeles if a well attended event can be organized there.
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."
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’m suggesting
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 20 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 money
situation is entirely flexible.  I mainly just want for the information to
get out.
Please check out my web site: www.efn.org/~robtb/
Any help would be very much appreciated,
Robert Bolman
541-344-7196 robtb at efn.org
888 Almaden St, Eugene OR 97402