Saturday, February 27, 2010, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Instructor: Kindra Welch, ClaySandStraw

Learn how to transform average, nondescript drywall walls into luscious, artful, healthful, natural surfaces.

Whether you live in an existing frame home or plan to participate in the building of a new home, you may have some drywall (“sheetrock”) wallboard that needs finishing or refinishing. Or perhaps you want to enliven a room with a single, special accent wall – Earth plaster is a great do-it-yourself alternative to paint. Earthen plasters of various colors and textures can be used to create wall finishes that look and “feel” wonderful and are completely nontoxic.

During this workshop you will learn how to:

• Select materials (clay, sand, pigments, additives)
• Mix and apply an adhesion coat
• Apply earth plaster to new drywall
• Apply earth plaster to old drywall
• Create a non-dusting finish

The project is the plastering of kitchen and living room walls in a 1958 frame house that Martina has been “greening up” since last February. Each room is to receive a different type of earth plaster, so we will be learning at least two mixes and applying them to two different types of surfaces.

The instructor, Kindra Welch, trained in architecture at Rice University, later completed an apprenticeship at the Cob Cottage Company and went on to establish herself as a respected designer/builder/educator in the natural building world. She and husband John work their magic as ClaySandStraw.

The fee for the workshop includes a healthy vegetarian lunch and all necessary workshop materials and tools. Water, tea and snacks will also be provided. Enrollment is limited to fifteen people.

To register, click HERE

For questions, contact Gayle through “Contact Us” or 512-478-9033.

By Gayle Borst, Board Chair and Executive Director

One of the things I like most about the beginning of a new year is that symbolically and psychologically it is a time for new beginnings and renewed efforts. What better time than the start of a new year to renew one’s commitment to supporting social justice, healing the environment, and nurturing peace. Educating ourselves and developing our global thinking is good, but now is the time to act.

Three years ago as we transitioned the 15-year-old Sustainable Building Coalition into a nonprofit organization with an expanded mission, we chose verbs for the new name – design, build, and live – to reflect our earnest desire to promote global thinking through local action. Some of the actions we accomplished in 2009 include:

Straw bale workshop - Group photo

• Organized guest speakers for 11 free sustainable living presentations
• Conducted 6 natural building workshops at real building sites
• Exposed hundreds of Central Texans to guest speaker Brad Lancaster and his life-changing approach to rainwater
• Promoted an integrated approach to water conservation through direct activities with the City of Austin
• Introduced scores of people to natural building and sustainable living through tabling at special events
• Organized a Partner appreciation dinner at Boggy Creek Farm to promote local, organic food. A gourmet 4-course meal, complete with local wines, was served outdoors on reclaimed, real dishes and glasses.

For an educational organization such as ours, producing educational events is a form of action; yet in 2010 our goal is to take the next step in our mission and do even more of the tangible actions – build! We plan to offer more workshops and build more public projects, and (hopefully!) start our village and sustainable learning center. We want to make a bigger difference in creating more sustainable, livable communities – through  teaching and building.

After a Board retreat later this month, Design~Build~Live will have more details to share regarding how we will make a greater impact in 2010. Watch for exciting volunteer opportunities to be part of these actions.

The New Year

At the start of this new year, I have also been reflecting on how each of us as individuals can make a difference. If we make sustainable lifestyle changes AND support others in making similar changes, we can make a difference. Here are what I understand to be some of the highest impact actions we can take:

1. Eat lower on the food chain (This is huge!)  – To reduce transportation energy, resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, cruel factory farming

According to the Sierra Club, livestock production is to blame for more than half of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions, and “If you refrain from eating meat just one day a week, you’ll save as many emissions as you would driving 1,000 fewer miles this year.” If and when you do eat meat, make sure it is local, natural and humanely raised.

2. Consume less – To reduce transportation energy and resource depletion

Before making a new purchase ask yourself these questions: Do I really need this? Could I borrow or buy pre-owned instead? Could I make it myself? Look for fulfillment in friends, family, community and your inner self instead of in “stuff”. (Check out the well-done video, “The Story of Stuff”)

3. Minimize motorized transportation – To reduce transportation energy and climate change impact

Walk or bike whenever possible. Use mass transit or carpool when biking or walking are not appropriate options. Minimize your motorized vehicle trips – Ask yourself if they are necessary, and combine trips to reduce total miles traveled.

Lifestyle changes hold the power to have significant impact on building a more sustainable world. Some of these actions are simple, while others may take some dedication, but all have the potential to help the Earth, save you money and make you healthier and happier. You can do it! We at DBL will do our best to support your efforts toward a more sustainable life.

Have a wonderful, fruitful 2010!

Thursday, January 14 – #1: Introduction to Permaculture – A talk with Dick Pierce

Thursday, January 21 – #2: The Global Gardener, Permaculture Projects World-Wide – a video with Bill Mollison

For details, see the Austin Permaculture Guild website.

January 30 through April 3, 2010

Permaculture is a world-wide movement for creating sustainable human environments. Once Permaculture opens the door to understanding the connectedness of  site, building and living systems at all scales, you will forever look upon your human existence in a new light.

This important, information-packed Permaculture design certification course runs for 10 Saturdays and involves classroom work, outdoor projects, small group discussion, and several field trips. Many DBL members have attend/graduated from this life-changing course. If you want to learn how to design, build and live more sustainably, this course is for you. Cost and details on the Austin Permaculture Guild website.

A Design~Build~Live Monthly Presentation

Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Lance Armstrong Foundation, 2201 East 6^th Street, Austin, TX (Map)

One of many natural building techniques suitable for Central Texas and beyond, cordwood construction uses short lengths of debarked trees or limbs laid up crosswise with masonry or cob mixtures to build walls. This resource-efficient technique is particularly suited to our local juniper (“cedar”), making use of a durable species that is sometimes considered a waste wood, is abundant, and is often available on site.

Cordwood construction can be used to create load-bearing walls or as an infill. Its versatility makes it appropriate for homes, cottages, chicken coops, tool sheds, and much more.

Guest Presenter:
Rick Nation is a wood artist and artisan, builder and musician who built his first cordwood cabin almost 30 years ago. Through his company, Texas Reconstruction Co., he builds green and natural homes, cordwood homes, rustic interiors and custom furniture.

This presentation is free and open to the public. No reservation required. For more information contact Gayle at gayle@designbuildlive.org or 512-478-9033.

Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο

Cordwood Site Visit: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Join DBL and Rick Nation as we visit two of his cordwood projects in the Wimberley area. See below for details and how to register.

Saturday, January 23, 2010, 1:00 – 3:30 pm

Whether you make it to Rick’s cordwood presentation at DBL’s meeting on Wednesday, January 20, or not, you are invited to visit two examples of cordwood construction that Rick built in the Central Texas area.

The first stop on our tour will be “The Handmade House” on Ranch Road 12. This charming little log house was built almost entirely with reclaimed wood. Next we will visit the “Coupe de Ville”, a beautiful and special chicken coop that further shows off Rick’s woodworking skills with both milled lumber and roundwood.

Donation: $8 per person;$5 for DBL Partners. Children accompanied by an adult are free. (All fees go to support the work of DBL)

Registration required. To register, click HERE. If you don’t already have a DBL account, you will be asked to create an account. Once you have created an account and are logged in, select “Current Events” from the “What would you like to do?” pull down menu. Addresses, map and directions will be emailed to you automatically upon registration.

Starting January 16, 2010

Now is the right time to take an Austin Gardening Course. Join the Austin Local Food Movement, become a home gardener, get great exercise, improve your nutrition. Pick one of the five 10-hour Courses. Pledge 10 hours of volunteer time with a CG Partner and the $50 Course fee is waived. See www.citizengardener.ning.com for details and to enroll.

Second Annual Austin Green Holiday Social

Tuesday, December 15, 6:00 – 10:00 pm

Barr Mansion and Artisan Ballroom

Admission: $22 in advance / $30 at door

(If you plan on joining us and paying at the door, you can also rsvp at rsvp@TexasGreenNetwork.org to make sure plenty of food and beverage is on hand.)

Join us at the beautiful Barr Mansion, the first certified organic events facility in the nation, as we bring together seven great organizations for one great evening.  We are coming together to celebrate the holidays, bring our groups closer together, network and prepare for a great and productive 2010.

Enjoy great live Latin/World Fusion music by Nelson Saga.  Delicious organic foods, beer, wine and teas will be provided.

Please bring a canned food item for a needy family over the holidays.  We will also have several great raffle items with all proceeds to benefit Mobile Loaves & Fishes.

A Design~Build~Live Special Presentation at City Hall

Monday, November 16, 2009, 2:30 – 4:30 pm

Sustainable development today is grappling with how to treat and reuse water in projects. LEED gives credits for water treatment and reuse, and the Living Building Challenge, at the forefront of green design, mandates it. Conventional treatment technology is centralized, expensive, energy intensive and difficult to translate onsite to buildings or developments. This presentation will discuss proven onsite water treatment solutions that offer the benefits of being attractive, inexpensive, flexible, robust, and low maintenance while using little-to-no energy.

Come learn about alternatives to centralized water treatment systems – alternatives that are sustainable and distributed, making treated water available for reuse locally where it’s needed. Both residential and commercial systems will be discussed. Also included will be a brief digression with pictures on European natural swimming pool technology which uses constructed wetlands instead of chlorine.

Presenters: Whole Water Systems principals are pioneers in sustainable onsite water treatment and have been designing biological treatment systems including constructed wetlands for more than twenty years. www.wholewater.com

Morgan Brown, LEED AP, NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer, BS electrical engineering. President, Whole Water Systems
David Venhuizen, P.E., MS civil engineering, BS biology. Principal Engineer, Whole Water Systems
Decentralize water treatment pioneer with 25 years design experience

Who should attend? City/regional water and stormwater regulators, civil engineers, landscape architects, architects, permaculturists, motivated general public.

Location: Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, 301 West 2^nd Street, Austin, TX 78701 (Map) Note: Parking in the City Hall parking garage beneath the building is free if you bring your parking ticket in for validation.

Admission: Free and open to the public

Thanks to Council Member Chris Riley for sponsoring this DBL water conservation event at the City Hall Council Chambers.

A Design~Build~Live Monthly Presentation: Water as a Cherished Resource

Wednesday, November 18, 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Lance Armstrong Foundation, 2201 East 6^th Street, Austin,TX (Map)

Continuing with DBL’s water priority, our guest presenters will discuss two wonderful, sustainable alternatives to conventional water systems:

Beautiful, healthful swimming pools that rely on biological systems rather than toxic chlorine to treat the water.

Attractive, vegetated constructed wetlands that treat wastewater naturally, as an alternative to conventional septic tanks that simply dispose of it.

Guest Presenters:

Morgan Brown, LEED AP, NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer, electrical engineer and President, Whole Water Systems, www.wholewater.com

David Venhuizen, P.E. civil engineer, biologist. Decentralize water treatment pioneer with 25 years design experience

This presentation is free and open to the public. No reservation required. For more information contact Gayle at gayle@designbuildlive.org or 512-478-9033.

For Sale:  80 bamboo poles for straw bale wall construction.  Random lengths 8 ft. and longer. Good diameters for external pinning.  Clean, solid, dry, bundled and ready to use.  $100.00.

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009,  7:00 Р8:30 PM

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009,  7:00 Р8:30 PM

All are welcome – attend yourself, bring/invite friends, neighbors – young, old, attentive youth, students, etc. These are fun and informative.

For more info, contact DickPierce at DickPierceDesigns@gmail.com or 512-992-8858
Also, please check out www.permie.us