[Cob] building small - (was: long response to some of Jill's questions)

[Everhart, Gabe]

Although I agree a person should build as small as they can stand it.  5000 SF mini-mansions are an abomination - should be a law against them.

But WHY build small?  What is the purpose?  Is it to increase population density, and therefore better utilize available resources, like in an urban setting?  Then why do so many cobbers live on like 5 acres of land out in the woods (besides code issues)?  Doesn' t that just increase sprawl, and require them to drive that much more, increasing overall polution?

I like the idea of living in a small space because:  1) less use of material and resources (including land, our most non-renewable resource)  2) less power consumption for conditioning of space  3) less housework and  4) ultimately it leads to both lower upfront cost AND lifetime operational cost - although that's just a fringe benefit, not the main thing.  

In my mind, any other objection to a "large" living space vs. a "small" living space (both very subjective terms) is strickly philosophical.  And although I like hearing other people's philosphies, at the end of the day it's got nuttin to do wit' the price o' beans.

Gabe