Even wood is not really wood anymore. Just look closely at plywood and other laminated boards and you will find it is a mixture of wood shavings or chips mixed with toxic glues and paints. It takes decades before we find out how humans, animals and plant life react to these materials.
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These new materials are mostly produced from mineral oil. Synthetic fabrics, paints, laminates, foams, plastics... the list of oil products are endless. Similarly long is the list of harmful by - and waste products, which are part of the long process from mining to the finished product and its disposal in landfill.
Manufacturers mass produce goods in huge quantities, giving us a feeling of consumer freedom which would not be possible with traditional and natural materials like wood, stone and plant fibers.
My childhood in the sixties was very much shaped by the endless trust in technology and science. Since then Laboratories constantly develop new molecular structures and materials which have previously not existed on earth.
Fossil fuels and throwaway society
Honesty, who hasn't been blinded by the seemingly endless shopping opportunities of our affluent consumer society? We love to refurbish even when not necessary. We buy new furniture, appliances and electronics and discard the old items. But where does the "old" stuff end up? Granddad contributes his strong health to his simple but quality life style. He never had slipped disks or back pain, even though the work back then was physically harder than it is now. His attitude is not really antiquated but does represent the "ultimate green" living standard. Just imagine what we could gain by taking advantage of his experience.
When these rags began to disintegrate, they still weren't considered rubbish but detoured via the compost back to the fields where they originally came from. Effectively, the compost was helping to grow more linen shirts.
It was a natural fiber and allowed the skin to breathe, even on the hottest days. A ripped shirt wasn't ready for the bin; it would be mended several times before the faithful garment was used as a cleaning cloth for many years to come.
The words rubbish, scrap and junk were non-existent for our ancestors. Everything was reused and found another purpose. Building a rubbish dump for the town? Granddad just shook his head, back then nobody heard of anything like that.
He told us that they always wore shirts made from hand-woven linen. He worked at a time, where it was normal to source as much as possible locally. This was not only the case for building materials, but also clothes, food and many other things.
Before presenting the argument that people were very poor, we should look at traditional life styles and adapt what can be useful to us today. In Granddad's home you feel comfortable with a sense of warmth and wellbeing. There is no dampness or mold growing; the air is free of formaldehyde and dioxins because no particle board, plastic windows or synthetic carpets/underlay have been used. All of which are very common in most modern buildings.
High energy consumption is an indicator of abnormal development:
1 American = 2 Germans = 60 Indians = 160 Tanzanians = 1100 Rwandans The curious thing of this comparison is that modern buildings are not necessarily nicer, healthier or more durable. Actually the contrary often is the case. The stories he tells are rich in experience and have our ears ringing with excitement. Here are some bits I would like to share with you.
Today, 50 years after our granddad built and furnished his home, the energy which is needed to build a home of the same size (depending on the kind of materials) is up to 130 times more. With simple means he built a home for his family with wood which had been locally harvested at the right time. He built everything himself, right down to the windows and chairs. The comfort and soul of this small cottage still enchants us each time we visit 'Urliopa' (granddad) with our children.
Waste - an unknown word
The best teacher I could ever have wished for was our granddad who was a carpenter well into his nineties. When he returned back home after the war with Russia, he had a short recovery period and then went back to his much loved vocation carpentry. ...or the milk and butter which is from our neighbor and is not trucked through several countries. My wife makes our yogurt and even the linen we use for clothing comes from our local hemp farmers.
I realize that this is not necessarily possible for everyone, however, with a little more thought we could do much better with the world's resources. When I look at our winter garden I remember the trees which I selected and where they had grown in our local forest. I remember the Ash, Spruce and Oaks I used for the floors in our home. I also am thinking about the local farmer who fills our Swiss Pine chest with fresh and organic grain, ...
While I am writing this, I remember a high school trip. We made a raft of round tree trunks and for days we traveled down the Danube River through all of Austria. I still carry these impressions and memories within me and I will never forget the landscapes.
Tree trunks are being shipped from Russia to Germany and Austria as well as from central Europe to Japan to be manufactured into particle boards.
Statistics show the increase in exhaust fumes, traffic accidents and land use for more road infrastructure. But does higher mobility really equate to a better quality of life? Restructuring local supply sources means much more than just reducing exhaust fumes. We spend hours every day to get to and from work and travel from one continent to another for relaxation. We transport potatoes hundreds of miles all through Europe just to get them washed and returned and then processed somewhere else.
If we want a healthy and happy life style for our children and grandchildren on this planet, this is one example where we need to change our perception and attitude.
Alternatives to fossil fuels In the 21st century we are very lucky to have limitless mobility. Technology and science has brought us many discoveries, advances and life changing events which our ancestors wouldn't have been able to imagine. Nevertheless, our basic life conditions depend on the preservation of countless ingenious, small and large natural cycles, one of which is the "Tree-Wood-Mulch/Ash-Tree..." cycle.
The average radiation burden in Germany is 150 millirem (mr). Just by living in homes with a variety of building materials, the following has to be added:
- Granite/Slag: +150 mr = total 300 mr - Plaster: +65 mr = total 215 mr - Brick and Concrete: +20 mr = total 170 mr - Natural Wood: -10 mr = total 140 mr The only building material which can actually lower radiation is natural wood. What emits radiation in a home?
This is not about the sun radiation or the smile on a happy person's face. It is about comparing all types of radiation which one is exposed to in living situations due to the building materials which have been used. the average exposure to radioactive radiation through naturally occurring and man sources: What is more hygienic?
An American study into salmonella and kitchen cutting boards showed drastic results. Salmonellas actually die after a few minutes on a natural, untreated woodcutting board. Wheras plastic cutting boards have salmonella thrive and increase in population. Think about laminated kitchen counters and cutting boards which many people think are more hygenic than untreated wood. |
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