Download The Necessity of Cob, Social, and Environmental

The Necessity of Cob, Social, and
Environmental Justice in the Campus Setting
GUTHRIE STRAW and RICH VANBUSKIRK
Department of Environmental Studies| Pacific University | 2043 College Way | Forest Grove, OR 97116 |
[email protected] U.C.#3911
Introduction:
As anthropogenic climate change continues to shape our interaction with the
environment, reactions to this phenomenon are stratified; split between efforts on
the local and global scale. At a personal level, citizens worry about heating and
electricity bills, or whether they should exhibit preference for food grown locally
(but with pesticides) or food from far away. At the global level, nations debate
what steps should be taken obligatorily to combat global warming. There are
many ways that one can seek to address environmental issues, but one factor
remains constant; the need for shelter and a place to call “home”.
Conventional construction requires materials that are often toxic in nature,
difficult to handle, and transported over great distances before reaching their final
destination. (Yang Et al. 2011) By using cob, a locally formulated non-toxic
mixture of sand, mud, straw, and clay builders now have an opportunity to make
environmentally and economically sound decisions when considering building
mediums. Through the creation of a natural built cob bench, my project examines
the individuals role in addressing climate change, and what it means to conduct
ourselves in a environmentally, and socially equitable manner.
The cob bench at Life & Sol Garden, a grassroots gardening, leisure, and
learning center represents a community based effort to engage the student, staff,
faculty, and Forest Grove population in natural building techniques, and theory.
Through this process, place attachment is formed. Place attachment is described
as “The positive emotional bond that develops between individuals or groups and
their environment” (Altman 1992). In the UCLA college review, Moos (1974) notes
that above all other factors affecting college retention rates “The arrangement of
environments is probably the most powerful technique we have for influencing
behavior” (Schuetz 2004). When combined with the concept of “environmental
presses” (Stern 1970) a correlation is shown between the existence of focused
interest groups such as the Life & Sol Garden and the increase in retention at two,
and four year universities. In addition, as a building medium inclusive to all ages,
nationalities, and socio-economic backgrounds, cob represents a practical solution
for addressing environmental and social justice needs at the same time.
My goal in building the bench was to, in an environmental sense, use the
experience and integration as a conversation piece towards the necessity of
continuing natural building projects in the college setting. When implemented
correctly, these projects have far reaching impacts both from a institutional and
community standpoint. The legacy of earthen projects has yet to be capitalized
upon by Pacific as a means of addressing the universities goals towards a
“Sustainable” future.
The Necessity of Cob:
Premise 1: Through our interactions with the built environment of the
commercial and residential sectors, global contributions to climate change and
social justice must be addressed immediately.
Premise 2: Broad reform at the State and National level has thus far failed to
remedy these pressing issues, providing little room for innovative, cost effective,
socially just and environmentally sound building practices.
Premise 3: Steps must be taken at the community level to address individual’s
impacts on climate change, in a process that is equitable to all members of
society. This should start with the dwellings that we live in.
Premise 4: Cob represents a unique medium with which we can address both
issues in a manner that is effective for building structures in the majority of
bioregions.
Figure 1. Equitable, and fun to work with this cob lizard showcases a low-cost
building medium that is non-discriminate, non-toxic, and environmentally sound.
Costing less than $33 to complete, this bench represents a building technique that
has minimal environmental impact, takes advantage of passive solar processes,
and provides a place to sit and relax. As shown in studies on people’s attachment
to “place” and their investment in community wellbeing is increased when open
spaces and communal structures such as this bench are present (Mesch & Manor
1998).
Acknowledgements: Planet Repair, Rich Vanbuskirk, Deke Gundersen
Figure 2. Community involvement and visioning process for Life & Sol Garden, and the
bench. Student, staff, faculty, and community members exchange ideas in the gathering
area on site.
Implementation: The bench was completed by approximately forty members of the
community over two 2 day work sessions spanning a two year interval. In partnership with
Planet Repair (A Portland based community building non-profit) (Lakeman 2011) the
majority of materials were donated to the site prior to each event. Of the materials that
were purchased, the total cost amounted to thirty-three dollars, furnishing Linseed Oil for
use in sealing the structure. Other materials included three shovels, four buckets, four
tarps, yogurt cups, and three trowels.
Conclusion: We must consider cob as a serious and mainstream option for displacing
conventional building methods occurring on college campuses, in an effort to address
anthropogenic climate change, and social justice inequities. LEED standards alone will not
influence people to adopt more conscious habits. It is through engagement with natural
building processes that students, staff, faculty, and community members are able to express
a willingness to work towards solutions. The bench serves two key functions at Pacific. First,
as example of where to set the bar for future “green” improvements on campus. It is crucial
that improvements such as these become the standard for what is considered acceptable
practice when new buildings or structures are erected. The existence of such a bench near
campus not only aids retention rates, but also serves as a beacon in the broader college
discussion of implementing sustainability policies. By taking the next logical step and
building cob structures in the confines of the main campus, Pacific will put its name in the
hat, joining institutions such as PCC, and Portland State in demonstrating its efforts to be at
the front of the college sustainability movement. Second, and with more consideration to
local needs, the bench serves a purpose in itself by offering unique, fun, and comfortable
seating for those interacting with the garden space.
Figure 3. Left - The master plan put in place at Life & Sol through community
feedback and engagement. Right – The location of Life & Sol in relation to the main
campus
References:
Yang, Y., Huang, Q., Yang, Y., Huang, Z., & Wang, Q. (August 2011). Formulation of criteria for pollution control on cement products produced from solid wastes in China. Journal of Environmental
Management, 92, 8. p.1931(7). Retrieved November 07, 2011, from Academic OneFile via Gale:
http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/start.do?prodId=AONE&userGroupName=s8865459
Altman, I., & Low, S. (Eds.). (1992). Place attachment. New York: Plenum
Moos, R. (1974). Evaluating treatment environments: A social ecological approach. New York: Wiley.
Schuetz, P. (2005). UCLA Community College Review . Community College Review, 32(4), 60-80. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from http://crw.sagepub.com/content/32/4/60.full.pdf+html
Stern, G. G. (1970). People in context: Measuring person-environment congruence in education and industry. New York: Wiley
Lakeman, M. (n.d.) City Repair. City Repair. Retrieved November 7, 2011, from http://cityrepair.org/