Cob: RE:Please help :)

Thu Jul 1 11:05:46 CDT 1999

I cannot believe what I read as a response to Trinas' letter. What the heck is going through your minds. I believe that we should ALL have the right to live within our means and what WE chose as long as no one is getting hurt. 
Trina, you are doing nothing wrong. As long as your children are happy and healthy(which I'm sure they are-you sound more careful than most:) then  if you chose to live in cramped conditions WHILE you build your house, you're doing nothing wrong.( I would think camping on your own land should be allowed, I hope the lawyer was able to help you)
In our society too much emphasis is placed on *decided* rules and regulations. Look at all the problems people have been having getting cob or straw houses approved. Yet so many people are living beyond their means and getting further into debt. Problems spiral out of this, yet the gov't figures it's good for the economy that *consumers* are spending. Our society is too materialistic, and full of unneccessary things. But because we figure we are so technologically advanced, that all these things around us is needed. NOT!!! Examples-Do you really need an 18 cu. ft. fridge for a family of 5? NO.
Because so many are accustomed to eating processed, premade foods the larger fridge is ideal but not neccessary-in Europe the norm is less than 10 cu. ft. A simple change of diet would alleviate this problem. Are flushing toilets needed? NO. If you do not know why please go do some research. This one should be obvious. Do you need multiple of items(stereos, t.v., cars, houses) NO.  I hope my point is coming clear. We have too many things that really are not neccessary to live-happy and healthy. Bigger, better, newer is not exactly better. Most of what we have and use today is new. Our ancestors never had the technology available to them that we have, yet they were happy and lived quite well.
I live in Canada, a couple of years ago there was a major ice storm in Quebec. Many had to leave their homes because the rules( and the norm) set up to protect them left them without heat/water/electricity. Now there is a resurgence in that province of people getting back to basics, not relying on the system for their essential needs. I would hope that it doesn't take a disaster for others to realize what is important(but that is human nature,isn't it?)
My house will be tiny, no power from the main grid, no flushing toilet, no electric range but my children and I will learn to live with the seasons, to be responsible to the Earth and ourselves. We will be happy and be able to appreciate life because of what we don't have.
~Diana

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<DIV>I cannot believe what I read as a response to Trinas' letter. What the heck 
is going through your minds. I believe that we should ALL have the right to live 
within our means and what WE chose as long as no one is getting hurt. </DIV>
<DIV>Trina, you are doing nothing wrong. As long as your children are happy and 
healthy(which I'm sure they are-you sound more careful than most:) then  if 
you chose to live in cramped conditions WHILE you build your house, you're doing 
nothing wrong.( I would think camping on your own land should be allowed, I hope 
the lawyer was able to help you)</DIV>
<DIV>In our society too much emphasis is placed on *decided* rules and 
regulations. Look at all the problems people have been having getting cob or 
straw houses approved. Yet so many people are living beyond their means and 
getting further into debt. Problems spiral out of this, yet the gov't figures 
it's good for the economy that *consumers* are spending. Our society is too 
materialistic, and full of unneccessary things. But because we figure we are so 
technologically advanced, that all these things around us is needed. NOT!!! 
Examples-Do you really need an 18 cu. ft. fridge for a family of 5? NO.</DIV>
<DIV>Because so many are accustomed to eating processed, premade foods the 
larger fridge is ideal but not neccessary-in Europe the norm is less than 10 cu. 
ft. A simple change of diet would alleviate this problem. Are flushing toilets 
needed? NO. If you do not know why please go do some research. This one should 
be obvious. Do you need multiple of items(stereos, t.v., cars, houses) NO.  
I hope my point is coming clear. We have too many things that really are not 
neccessary to live-happy and healthy. Bigger, better, newer is not exactly 
better. Most of what we have and use today is new. Our ancestors never had the 
technology available to them that we have, yet they were happy and lived quite 
well.</DIV>
<DIV>I live in Canada, a couple of years ago there was a major ice storm in 
Quebec. Many had to leave their homes because the rules( and the norm) set up to 
protect them left them without heat/water/electricity. Now there is a resurgence 
in that province of people getting back to basics, not relying on the system for 
their essential needs. I would hope that it doesn't take a disaster for others 
to realize what is important(but that is human nature,isn't it?)</DIV>
<DIV>My house will be tiny, no power from the main grid, no flushing toilet, no 
electric range but my children and I will learn to live with the seasons, to be 
responsible to the Earth and ourselves. We will be happy and be able to 
appreciate life because of what we don't have.</DIV>
<DIV>~Diana</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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