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

[Ric Allan]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Everhart, Gabe" <geverhart at hjhigh.com>
To: <coblist at deatech.com>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 11:29 AM
Subject: [Cob] building small - (was: long response to some of
Jill'squestions)


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.

    What conceivable justification could you place on such a law.  Larer
homes
    COULD be needed with an extended family arrangement.  A family homestead
    with several generations...  or it could be a couple with an extended
non-human
    family...  whatever the case, this IS a philosophical argument you're
putting forth.


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?

   Basically, density overloads the natural environment.  People spread over
   larger areas (lower density) MAKES sense alleviating the need for
   sewers and water systems...  lessening the impact to the land.


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.

      Point two and four are a factor of design more than size.  Point one
is
      deceptive because the larger the plots, the less that can be made on
      them (more is locked away from others)...

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.

     Yup!





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