[Cob] size of houses and building sustainably

[Damon Howell]

Robert, you guys at the Abrazo House have much more experience than  
I, but I noticed from the photos on your website that most of your  
work is by machinery. Hardly sustainable, don't you think? Not  
knocking it at all, in fact, I encourage the use of machinery because  
otherwise it's a pain in the back. I have finally come to understand  
there is such thing as good enough after I did it all by hand. Why by  
hand? Just to show myself I could. I'll do everything with a machine  
if there is a next time! But sustainable? Not as long as there is a  
machine involved. If we all built our homes from cob but with  
machines it would only offset the energy it takes to cut and mill  
timber, mine and form steel, and heat sand and make cement. There is  
no REAL savings as far as Earth is concerned. But still, I would  
probably sleep better at night knowing my cob house was accepted by  
building officials. I mean one day I might want a family but if DFCS  
found out they'd put an end to it because the county didn't approve  
of my cob house. I look forward to the day we all can build cob  
legally. - Damon