[Strawbale] ... and the future of strawbale building

[Max Vittrup Jensen]

Dear all,

I wholeheartedly agree with the list put forth by Herbert:
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> but the next thing we should ALL think about are - in my opinion:
> * is there a need for a better structure in the european network?
> * are the national networkers and organisations cited on the european
>    website really representatives of their countries or should we rely
>    on a more 'chaotic' variety of different people and aims?
> * is there a common base for simple, cheap, natural strawbale-building
>    and professional, passivehouse-like, prefab, high-tech-constructions
>    or should we separate these aims in the future?
> * what about funding and tests: is there a need for more cooperation?
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What I feel is necessary to add is the issue which Piet put forth: 
Should ESBG only be for SB professionals?

I may remind the list that it was initially my intention when we offered 
to host the ESBG.
However I was persuaded not to be so strict in this aspect: Mostly by 
Rikki, who pointed out that her participation in an ESBG changed her 
life, and subsquently has caused her to be a significant SB 
teacher/builder in Spain and co-author of a Spanish SB book. I also 
believe this was part of the input in the survey made by the (s)elective 
workgroup deciding how to decide where to host ESBG 2011.

In other words; such closure makes it very hard to get 'new blood'.   
(Though I still believe these initial steps should be through national 
gatherings, as the one we arranged on the last day of the ESBG; the 
Saturday E-Cohabitat fair).

I personally believe the input/output of the previous 3 ESBG's has 
spoken clearly:
No, there's not a sufficient 'critical mass' for neither an 
organizational structure of an European network, nor an articulated need 
for separation of aims, nor for big scale cooperation; All happens in 
accordance with the (permaculture!?) organizational approach of 
'mycelium organization'; un-structured non-hierarchical networks, rather 
than the much too often power grabbing or stagnancy of hierarchical 
organizations.

Cheers,
Max

Oh: For my 2 cents: I'll love to see ESBG 2013 in Poland hosted by the 
Cohabitat movement. As a neighbour looking over the fence, I'm very 
impressed about the popular, yet quiet, grassroot revolution which is 
happening in Poland these months.