This is a link to a terrific little movie on cob building throughout the world. Well worth the time to watch it, even if you weren't contemplating an earthen home:
The bright side of the real estate decline is that homes are getting to be affordable again. As of July 1, 2010, there were 367 properties in Buncombe County listed for under $130,000, and there were 112 properties in Asheville listed for under $130,000. This is excellent news for people who work in Buncombe County and have been priced out of the housing market. With interest
North Carolina residents who are 65 years old or older, or who are totally and permanently disabled are entitled to some relief from property taxes if they meet certain requirements.
To get tax relief, you must:
• Be a North Carolina resident 65 years old or older, or totally and permanently disabled; and
MOSAIC Community Lifestyle Realty has created a Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability Relocation Guide to help people who are moving to our area have an easier time connecting to the creative culture of Asheville. This guide covers items from holistic health care to green cleaning companies.
The Triple Bottom Line is an accounting approach that measures the success of a business or organization using three criteria: People, Planet and Profit. John Elkington conceived of the Triple Bottom Line in 1994 to come up with a more complete method of assessing a business or organization’s practices. Typical accounting uses profit as the sole measure of success. The Triple Bottom Line factors in the environment and society in addition to profit, giving a more holistic accounting.
Biomimicry is the emulation of nature and its ecosystems to create sustainable human systems.
Using Biomimicry, we can learn a lot from a forest to inform the design of a city.
A forest’s systems are in balance. A forest receives energy from the sun. The flora and fauna in the forest have symbiotic relationships with one another- one species using the byproducts
Smart growth planning takes a holistic vision. When planning an area- be it a city, a town or a region- the smart growth planner will have to answer many questions. How do people get from point A to point B? Where will people live, work, shop, and play? How will crucial services be provided? How will the natural environment be protected?
When most people think of pollution, many things come to mind- oil spills, garbage, smog, light pollution. Light pollution? As if CO2 was not far-fetched enough, what in the world are those tree-hugging hippies calling pollution now?
While people make a place great, a neighborhood’s pattern of development has a large impact on how people within a neighborhood interact and socialize. An important characteristic of a well planned neighborhood is that people have many chances to unexpectedly run into each other.
