campus center for appropriate technology newsletter, spring 2007

8/9/2019 Campus Center for Appropriate Technology Newsletter, Spring 2007

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A . T . T r a n s f e r Reinventing the World Through Appropriate Technology

HSU Campus Center for Appropriate Technology Newsletter Spring 2007

Break-through Technologies in Arcata By Beckie MentenHere at CCAT, we generally choose to focus on energy efciency and less consumptive practices to solve the

global environmental crises. However, even in our own fair city, people are working hard to nd technologies

that supplement our existing lifestyle. Though they perpetuate the existing infrastructure that is based

on vehicular transportation, these technologies provide some hope for future environmentally conscious

development. Even more importantly, they have the potential to draw in the mainstream American society,

and can be the rst step in correcting our consumptive and fossil fuel addicted ways.

Contents

Thanks to All........................2

Hello Buck House.................3

Outgoing Co-Ds.....................4

Incoming Co-Ds.....................5

Ecovillages............................6

Natural Building....................7

Greywater..............................8

Rainwater Harvesting...........9

Garden Corner......................10,11

CCAT Fall Courses................12

Hydrogen fuel cars work as electric hybrid vehicles,but instead of running on a combination of gasoline

and electricity, they run on hydrogen and electricity.

These vehicles run a lot cleaner then the typical internal

combustion engine, with emissions that are primarily

water vapor. Schatz Energy Research Center, located on

the HSU campus at the corner of 14th and B, has been

working hard on hydrogen technology for many years.

Schatz is primarily responsible for the hydrogen fueling

station going up here at HSU. The fueling station will be

located at the north end of the Plant Operations parking

lot, and will have the capacity to fuel one Prius hydrogenhybrid car to run 100 miles day (approximately 2 kg

of hydrogen.) The hydrogen will be created within the

station through the electrolysis of water, or the splitting

of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Though the energy

provided for this system will come from the grid, the

Schatz lab is working on a concurrent energy plant at the

landll that would run on captured methane. The idea

is that the green electricity being put into the grid by this

plant will supplement the energy necessary to run the

hydrogen fueling station.Electric Vehicle Charging

Station at the Arcata PlazaThe city has sponsored the creation of an electricvehicle charging station which will be free and

open to the public. The station is currently under

construction and the city expects it to be open for

operation by this summer. The charging station has

three different types of plug-ins to accommodate

the different models of electric vehicles. Once

the vehicles are charged, they run completely on

electricity, creating no emissions and hence, no

greenhouse gasses.

Though these technologies are very excitingoptions for reducing carbon emissions from

transportation, they both require a substantial load

from grid electricity. The important question to

focus on is the ability of this area to create its own

clean energy from the considerable wind and water

resources available here. For more information on

the proposed wind and water power plants here in

Humboldt County, call the Redwood Coast Energy

Authority in Eureka at 707-269-1700.

Hydrogen Fueling Station

on the HSU Campus

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Paul BiasPaul and his partner Jennifer

Fuller own Organic House,

a contracting and consulting

business that specializes in

green building and design.

Over the course of the Buck

House project, they offered

countless hours of volunteer

time, assistance, andmaterials. The project would

not have been possible

without them.

Steve BohnerSteve and his wife

Amy operate Alchemy

Construction. Steve is

specialist in radiant oor

systems, and helped CCAT

stay warm for the future. He

secured a state of the art

boiler for a reduced price,

and donated other materials

that helped CCAT complete

this project on a limited

budget.

Ben ScurfeldBen is a member of the

CCAT steering committee

and owner of Scureld Solar.

Ben worked with CCAT,

students, and the Renewable

Energy Student Union to

install the photovoltaic and

solar hot water systems.

Travis SmithTravis is a licensed

electrician, small business

owner and fulltime student.

Travis donated his time

to teach students about

electricity, and completelyrewire the upper story of the

CCAT facility.

Nate McKeeverNate is a licensed electrician,

small business owner, and

fulltime student. Nate helped

students rewire the upper

story of the CCAT house and

worked with CCAT and HSU

administrators to resolve

issues with installation of

phone and data lines.

CCAT Thanks All who Helped Make the Buck House Move Happen

CCAT received an anonymous donation this semester that provided enoughmoney to pay Dave Grow, a local specialist in blown in cellulose insulation.The insulation consists of cellulose bers from recycled phone books and

newspapers that is mixed with wheat starch and thrown into a giant mixing

device called a hopper. A vacuum hose connected to the hopper is used to blow

the insulation into the walls.R value denes the ow of heat from the interior to the exterior of the house and

blown in cellulose insulation performs better than typical berglass insulation.

Blown in cellulose insulation achieves an R value of 18 in a house with 4 inch

walls because it lls every nook and cranny in the wall. It contours around pipes

and wires, which signicantly reduces heat transfer. Batt berglass insulation,

comes in sheets and is installed between wall joists. It is impossible to seal batt

berglass insulation tightly, therefore heat transfer is signicant and although the

package may tout that the R value is 18 for this type of insulation, it is actually

about 13. The Buck House, with 6 inch walls and blown in cellulose insulation

will have an R value of about 21.

The secret admirer who donated this money to CCAT made it possible forour

home to have the highest quality insulation available on the market and allowedus to signicantly lower our heating costs. To see the superior quality of blown

in cellulose insulation come take a tour of our new facility in the fall. We have

installed a truth window that will let you see right into the wall as you enjoy the

cozy warmth that an anonymous donor afforded us.

Top

Sam Hart

Jeff Steuben

Beckie Menten

Niki Beckman

Patrick Wiley

Max Unger

Seth Magnuson

Bottom

Aydee Virgen

Dave Garrison

Danielle Ladimir

Marisa Evans

Sara Dykman

Rosie Records

Jasper Peach

Echo Casey

Eric Zielke

Matt Peters

Ben Mattio

CCAT Employees Deserve a Pat

on the Back as Well!!!


3/12

Good Bye Janky!! Hello Buck House!! By Nikkie BeckmanThe Janky Jenkins HouseEvery setback and obstacle we have faced with this move

has been a chance for growth. We moved a household, an

organization, and an entire community about a hundred

yards down what hill. It is amazing what a difference a

hundred yards can make. We moved from a site withabundant gardens, a blossoming greenhouse, functioning

greywater marshes, vermicompost, energy technologies,

and the list continues.

Our new site was

over run by ivy

and non-native

berries and the

Jenkins House

was an inefcient,

un-insulated,

1960s throwback,

complete with

asbestos pipes,

asbestos siding

and lead paint. We

made due with what

we had and now

our site is almost

unrecognizable with

ourishing gardens, budding fruit trees and an overowing

herb spiral and a native plant restoration project.

Numerous student projects have given the grounds a cob

oven, a few living roofs, and a plethora of designs for the

continuing renovation of the Buck House. As our time is

winding down in our temporary facility the CCAT communitybids farewell to a plenitude of problems and welcomes the

wealth of potential made possible by the renovation of the

Buck House.

The Buck HouseThe Buck House has been home to our student run organi-

zation since 1978. In the past thirty years, the house has

seen nearly 100 Co-Directors, hundreds of employees, and

thousands of volunteers and visitors. The Buck House will

soon be our home again, but it will take some more hardwork and perseverance to get there. This Spring semester

2007, the renovation of the Buck House has welcomed the

new presence of a student volunteer construction crew.

These students have dedi-

cated their Fridays to learning

about green construction,

and have helped to install the

electrical, plumbing, insula-

tion, drywall, etc under the

supervision of local green

contractors, all of which have

volunteered their time and

resources for our cause and

organization. By the end of

the summer 2007, we hope

to have construction nished

and the entire organization

(and residents!) moved back

into our rightful home. Once

in the Buck House we will need to reinstall the majority of

our technologies including our greywater marsh, rainwater

catchment system, greenhouse, compost demonstration

site, and the alternative and natural building demonstra-

tions for our new workshop. There will be a multitude

of volunteer and student opportunities for the followingsemester, so come and get involved with all the exciting

projects we will be working on this summer and next Fall

semester!

The new CCAT will be a place of exploration and experimentation where students of all

backgrounds can bring their projects and implement them. -Beckie Menten

I see solar power and the systems used at CCAT on the roof of every home in this

country. -Seth Magnuson

I envision our beautiful gardens as a welcoming place where tours and resources will

help people make a personal connection with organic gardening and healthy foods.-Marisa Evans

The new larger CCAT house will provide a sanctuary for the community to innovate

strategize, and implement eco-friendly ideas. -Jasper Peach

The rats that have inltrated our grounds will create their own sustainable community

entitled, RRAT Righteous Rats for Appropriate Technology. -Sam Hart

CCAT is changing just as fast as the rest of the world and the sun shall give us the

needed energy to ow like a wave to your front door. Charge it! -Max Unger

The technology that CCAT utilizes will eventually become so integrated within our

lifestyles that the human population will most likely take it for granted. -Eric Zielke

What do you th ink the fu ture ho l ds fo r CCAT?

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4/124

CCAT Bids Farewell To Two Co-Directors: Pat and Beckie...

Beckie Menten

The lessons I have learned in my whirlwind of time between

the walls and gardens of CCAT are those that will remain

with me for the rest of my life. I have learned in one

year more then I ever thought possible. Through battling

barriers, crying in frustration at the constraints holding us

back, facing down the restriction of a small budget, I have

learned to trust deeply in the community of people that

surround me. Working alongside motivated and inspired

volunteers and employees, I have watched a house

come down and go up again and I have seen people gainknowledge and skills they never thought possible.

I have learned an enormous amount from the people

around me. The employees and volunteers who keep this

place constantly evolving, vibrant, beautiful and fun are

the soul of this organization. I am excited to watch CCAT

grow and develop in coming years, welcoming ever more

people to the community, forever an institution devoted

to the spread of knowledge and experimentation. Upon

the birth of the new CCAT facility, I envision years of such

development and I cannot wait to follow the many new

adventures that lay in store.

Endless thanks to the steering committee, a group oftalented and wise people that give so much to CCAT. A

special thanks to John Meyer for being such a phenomenal

presence in the existence of CCAT. Zach, thanks for

your unwavering commitment to realizing your dreams and

inspiring others around you. Jeff, Sam, and Jess, I have

so much faith in you three, and I cant wait to watch you

work. Pat and Niki, I have never laughed harder in my

life. Your friendship has kept me going, thanks for helping

to preserve the fun and laughter necessary to keep us all

alive. Hey Niki, I call it on the switch!

Patrick Wiley

My time as CCAT co-director was one of the most

challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. The

incredible diversity of tasks co-directors often face has

made me a better communicator and greatly improved my

ability to multitask. This past year has gone by so quickly

that I can hardly believe that my term as co-director is

nearing completion.

It was a privilege for me to become part of the CCAT

community. I have made many friends at CCAT, and will

miss Friday voyages to the local burrito carts. I had great

fun working with employees and volunteers on various

projects and especially enjoyed living with Zach, Beckie

and Niki. The hilarity and craziness of my CCAT roomies

will always make me smile.

So anyhow, good luck to the future Co-Ds. I have

tremendous faith in all of you. Thanks for the great times!!

In five years I envision a CCATthat is completely relocated

into its new facility. By that timeCCAT will have a steel roof, aworking greenhouse and su-

perbly designed greywater andrainwater catchment systems. Icannot wait to come back in fiveyears and see if my vision has

become a reality.


5/125

Jeff Steuben

Everybodys always congratulating me these days and

I dont know what to do with my newfound fame as Co-

Director. I just see myself as a guy who loves plants and its

that love that builds my platform: plants and food. Last year,

I attended the 250-mile potluck, which brought up many

important issues about food consumption. It seems to me

that average college students are practically the worst fed

and least connected to their food out of any group in our

society. Even though we in Humboldt like to see ourselves

as sustainable, much of our food must be imported longdistances on an all-to-vulnerable highway (if youve driven

past confusion hill, you know what I mean). A keystone

of sustainability and surviving in a post-peak oil world is

local food production, so with that, Id like to bring some

attention to our food cycles. Starting with compost and dirt,

and going all the way to our method of cooking we can

maximize the nutrients we get from our food and realize our

connection with and dependence on the land that sustains

us all.

On the political front, I also see advantages to keeping it

local, since regional governments are able to more closely

represent what the people want. I think we should invest in

bio-regional agriculture as well as governmental systems,perhaps looking to the American Northwest and the ideas

manifested in the proposed great nation of Cascadia.

Sam Hart

Two years ago, past Co-Director Jeff Adams shared his

perspective about the unique opportunities and challenges

CCAT was facing. As many of you know, Jeff was speaking

about how the program was relocated to the Jenkins House

from its original site where the new Behavioral and Social

Sciences building has now been erected. Rather than

expressing his dissatisfaction with the inconveniences of

the move, Jeff saw the move as an exciting opportunity for

students to learn from.

I started volunteering for this organization during thatperiod of time and later I was given a job here, which I have

continued to the present. Throughout that time I have seen

CCAT grow in a variety of positive ways: our grounds are

ourishing and expanding, new projects have been erected

such as the living roof over our cob bench, and ideas for

new projects are currently being constructed such as our

future greywater marsh. Jeff was right, it has been a unique

time for this program and I think all who work here would

agree that CCAT is progressively growing.

Recently, I was afforded a position as a future Co-Director

and I will be one of three persons who will live in the

recently moved and reconstructed Buck House. I see thisas yet another unique period in this organizations history,

a time which will see some much awaited changes. We will

be settling into a permanent residence and it will allow us

to make decisions that can be permanent, as opposed to

decisions that have been transient in the past. We will be

installing new Appropriate Technology systems and Niki,

Jeff, and myself are already planning a trip this summer to

a few different Permaculture sites to gain some insight as

to what we could add to the site. This is the beginning of

something altogether new for CCAT and I feel privileged

and excited to contribute to this time.

...And Welcomes Two More: Jeff and Sam

A keystone of sustainabilityand surviving in a post-peak oilworld is local food production


6/12

It seems like our civilization is sedated by dreams of fuel drilling in foreign lands, material wealth, articial food,and trepidation toward one another. The images of vice and the words of hate clearly resonate unease over the fate

of humanity. Climate change, the Apocalypse, the wars that we will hand down to our grandchildren, the suffering of

so many for the prosperity of so few; this is chaos and mind scrambling. But however severed and sickened the world

may be, it is the world we have been given and in many respects, it is the greatest gift we could ever receive. I say this

because this is the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced and has the potential to unify this lone species.

Time is the essential elementand each morning people arewaking up to new ways of living, they are treading lightly, customizing their

destinies, adopting new technologies, networking countries, states, cities, towns

and communities. They are nding truth in information, dismantling cultural

boundaries, and creating a sort of Earth Village; One Earth Village, made of

many small EcoVillages. Homo Sapiens are once again on the move...and this

is the evolution to Homo Appropriatus.

An EcoVillage is simply a human settlement designed to integrate

life support systems into a self-cycling environment of continuity.

The philosophy behind this sort of organization is to build the

physical forum in which we can collectively construct our homes,

cultivate our food, raise our children, appropriate our commons,

express our ideas and develop ourselves without having to get

the go ahead from the upper crust of our society. This is achieved

through a masterful blending of a supportive social environment

with a low-impact way of life; their marriage giving birth to ecological

designs and building, renewable energy harvesting, full-loopwaste/food cycles and other sustainable concepts. Many share technologies that are (or will soon be) employed right

here at CCAT such as water collection, alternative energy systems, small-scale wastewater treatment and biodigestors,

collective organic farming grounds, protective dwellings, educational facilities, and recreational sites.

The personality of each village is unique!Communities are popping up all over the Globe. Brazil has

an amazing center called EcoCentro IPEC that has evolved

into a super successful instrument of education. In Europe

there is BedZed, Findhorn, ZEGG, Freetown, and others.

There are Ecovillages in Africa, Oceania, South and Central

America, Asia, and Australia. The U.S. has EVI, EarthHaven,

Dancing Rabbit, Los Angeles EcoVillage, The Farm, BereaCollege, Twin Oaks and many others. This brings us back

home to CCAT, the brainchild of 30 years of adaptation,

renovation and experimentation. Thus, it has become the

paragon for our society. CCAT is smack dab in the middle

of a plethora of alternative-thought culture and higher

education. I see this house and plot of land becoming a living

lab for ideas, a generator of sustainability, and the breeding

ground for new technologies, social re-design, and artistic

expression. This is the pioneering of the new generation; we

are the ones we have been waiting for.

EcoVillage Earth, Living Lightly By Matthew Peters

So what is a

contemporary EcoVillage?

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7/12

Imagine a sustainable world where you haveenough information to make the best choices for

your environment, your sense of beauty, and your

pocketbook. Whether you limit your vision to your

backyard or a grand scale global paradise, you should

feel fortunate to know that this world already exists.Sustainable living is attained by people all over the

planet through the use of natural building methods and

techniques.

Lonny Grafman, a lecturer in the HSU department

of Environmental Engineering, denes natural building

as working through nature and design, to rst protect

and shelter people and second, to do so with the least

impact and greatest enhancement to the environment

possible. Natural builders consider and attempt to

minimize the non-renewable energy resources that go

into nding and preparing materials (commonly referred

to as embedded energy) and the energy inputs after

construction, resulting from the operation of the homeor building. Utilizing the advantages of nature, the

homes created are often more efcient, less toxic, and

aesthetically beautiful.

Included are some examples of natural building

methods that are used around the world. You will notice

methods and styles of natural building are varied to suit

the needs of diverse environments. Those examples

listed are only the tip of the iceberg. For natural building,

the door to ingenuity is always open.

An interesting note, as you may choose to apply

these methods, is that despite the growing popularityof these designs and although these homes are

often more efcient and environmentally friendly

than the conventional alternative, they are often

subject to building and code regulations that are

not exible to their advantages. As a response

there is a ballot initiative currently underway called

the California Sustainable Healthy Home Waver

which is advocating for changes is statewide

policy. The initiative can be read at http://www.

greenhomebuilding.com/pdf/CSHHW.pdf.

Sustainable Living Through Natural Building By Jillian Luchner

New BuildingsAdobe is a mix of clay which acts as a binding agent,

sand for compressional strength and a ber, like hay,

for cohesion. Mixed in proper ratios and then made into

sun-cooked bricks, adobe is one of the oldest and most

widespread construction materials. Adobe design is bestsuited for the dry areas of the southern part of the states

where the warm summers and cooler winters work well

with the moderating capabilities of the material.

Bamboo is a strong, waterproof plant with a history

of use in building which ranges from old Japanese

suspension bridges to some of the rst airplanes. Although

bamboo habitat has been threatened by recent changes

to its natural ecosystems and its use was reduced in

some native locations due to a feeling that it was a poor

persons material, its functionality and beauty are now

making a cultural comeback.

Cob is made of many of the same elements as adobe,

but is applied to the housing framework in handmade

clumps or balls. The word Cob actually comes from

an old English word meaning lump. Most adobe and

cob housing are plastered in stucco, whitewash, lime

or cement to protect from erosion. With appropriate

protection from rain and wind, cob houses in the United

Kingdom have survived over 500 years.

Rammed Earth buildings have walls that are about

18-24 inches thick created by tightly wedging earth in

between two frames. The earth is sometimes mixed with

Portland Cement, which helps to protect the structure from

weathering in less arid climates. Parts of the Great Wall ofChina were made with rammed earth construction.

Straw Bale housing is known for its highly insulating

properties and resistance to re and is a great way to put

excess straw to use that can no longer be burned under

California Clean Air Standards.

Recycled BuildingsPaper Crete involves recycling most any ber-based

product, old phone books, newspaper, etc. and mixing it

with a concrete to make a stronger building material for

housing. With our nations annual production of paper

waste exceeding 84 million tons, papercrete appears quite

an available natural resource for the urban environment.

Old Tires can be used in roong and can also be used

like interlocking bricks and then plastered over and lled

with a cob or cement to create houses called earthships.

Concrete from old buildings, once viewed as waste

and trucked at great expense to disposal sites, is now

be recycled on site during demolition. The materials arecrushed and used as backll for the foundation of new

buildings.

Drywall is made of 90% gypsum, a natural earth mineral,

which serves a variety of uses in commercial products, soil

nutrients and cement making. The mineral, and the paper

on which it is adhered, are easily recyclable, reducing the

amount of resource mining needed as well as the amount

of gypsum making its way to landlls. As CCAT puts up the

gypsum dry-wall boards to its new home, it is comforting to

think that this material is also part of a larger life cycle.

* Check out www.appropedia.org, a central source for

appropriate technology and sustainable living founded by

Lonny Grafman.

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8/12

Canon Beach, ORThis system uses existing

wetlands where the only

physical alteration was

the construction of dykesto control water ow.

Due to high uctuations

in permanent population

from tourism, the city

developed a unique

two-part system, where a facultative lagoon

process is used to treat water in the winter

months, and in the summer months efuent is

discharged into the wooded wetlands for the

nal stage of treatment.

Hayward Marsh, Hayward, CAThe Hayward Marsh, system had a two-part

goal: rst, to restore nearly 400 acres of former

wetlands to their previous conditions, and

then to use wastewater as a resource instead

of as a liability. Situated on an area that was

once used for saltproduction, the dykes

were removed in the

early 80s to make

way for wetlands

development. After

the tidal action

brought wetland

conditions back to

the area, ve basins

were created to hold

marshes. The source

of the freshwater for

these constructedwetlands is treated

wastewater. This is a

high prole marsh in a

fairly populated area,

and primarily serves to

show that wastewater

can be used for many functions, and does not

have to be considered a liability.

Greywater is a term that describes domesticwastewater originating from showers, sinks and clothes

washers. Unlike blackwater, greywater does not contain

toilet water. Reuse of greywater enables the recycling

of large volumes of water, thus lowering demand on

potable water systems. While greywater systems

provide greatest benet in arid regions with waterscarcity issues, they can be benecial in a variety of

different settings.

Prior to the CCAT relocation project, volunteers,

students and employees successfully designed and

constructed a greywater system that met the needs of

the CCAT community. Over the past few semesters,

engineering students and members of the CCAT design

team have spent considerable time and effort designing

a greywater marsh for the new facility. The CCAT

greywater system aims to adequately treat greywater,

while minimizing the resources needed for consumption

and the continued operation of the greywater system.

Additionally, the end use of greywater for the irrigation of

ornamental plants located in multiple places will improve

the aesthetic appeal of the CCAT grounds.

The blackwater and greywater plumbing of the newCCAT are separated but exist nearly two feet below

grade, necessitating the installation of a subsurface

pump station. Greywater from the house will ow into

the pump station and be transported to a sedimentation

basin mounted atop a bike storage structure. The

greywater will remain in the sedimentation tank for2-3 hours, allowing heavier solids to settle to the tank

bottom. Efuent from the sedimentation basin will

gravity ow to a subsurface system. Marsh vegetation

effectively removes nutrients from greywater, while their

roots provide substrate that encourages the growth of

benecial microorganisms. In general, marsh plants

provide a simple, inexpensive and low energy method of

treating greywater.

Following treatment with a subsurface marsh, the

greywater will ow into a pond. In addition to its visual

appeal, algae, vegetation and other aquatic organisms

present in the pond will further treat the greywater.

Efuent from the ponds will be used for irrigatingornamental plants housed in constructed planter boxes

and thus, CCAT will cbe able to close yet another loop.

GreywaterBy Patrick Wiley

8

Vermontville, MIThis town developed their system atop a hill to gain

maximum gravity ow potential. The open ponds

treat the water through microbial processes, and

then treated water ows downhill to seepage elds.

Over time, these seepage elds have developed

aquaculture vegetation, and have formed wetlands.

The placement of theponds at the top of the

hill eliminates the need

for pumping, cutting

energy use in the system

signicantly.


9/12

In the arid desert regions of the southwest, huge

amounts of money and resources are spent to access

and transport water from underground aquifers and other

sources, while local water resources are virtually ignored.

In Tucson, Arizona, more rain falls each year than is

consumed by residents, but drainage systems designed

for ood control quickly remove this valuable resourcefrom the valley. Residents rely on groundwater, which is

being pumped at rates far exceeding the time required

for natural recharge and as the water table continues to

decline about 3-4 feet every year, aquifers are beginning

to collapse, a phenomenon

known as subsidence.

In an effort to reduce

demand on these natural

underground storage tanks,

four billion dollars were

spent to initiate the Central

Arizona Project (CAP),

which brings thousands of

gallons of water from the

Colorado River to cities in

the southwest with scarce

water resources. Every

year, over 80 million dollars are spent to operate this

project, most of which pays for the electric bill. Ironically,

the project consumes 5-10 gallons of water for every one

kilowatt hour of electricity produced and countless gallons

are lost to evaporation as the water is transported across

the desert.

The advantages of rainwater harvesting are extensive,

including ood control, bioremediation of urban toxinsthat contaminate the water supply, reduced demand on

freshwater resources, and beautication of metropolitan

areas. This being said, it is obvious that arid regions

are not the only places that could benet from the

implementation of rainwater harvesting principles. In Los

Angeles, California for example, rainwater harvesting

could provide half of the citys water needs. Instead, the

city spends a billion dollars a year to import water for

municipal use, while a half a billion dollars are spent each

year to drain storm water run-off. In Seattle, Washington,

where water is abundantly available, neighborhoods have

been transformed into rainwater harvesting systems. City

streets have been narrowed, raised, and otherwise alteredto achieve a curvilinear shape conducive to passive water

transport and pavement has been reduced to 11% while

vegetative coverage has been substantially increased.

These modications have allowed for the passive

application of run-off to plant beds along the street side

and have the added benet of slowing down trafc.

Rainwater Harvesting, Not Just For Drylands By Echo CaseyIn some parts of the world, freshwater is readily

available and relatively affordable. However, it is a rapidly

declining natural resource and whether you live in a place

of plenty or one of scarcity, water use and conservation

are issues that affect us all. Even in Humboldt, where

rivers, lakes and precipitation provide ample sources of

freshwater, we must consider the social, environmentaland economic implications of water consumption and

depletion.

Rainwater harvesting is an appropriate technology

that can be used to reduce water use and the various

costs associated with water collection and

distribution and waste-water treatment.

Brad Lancaster,

author ofRainwater

Harvesting for

Drylands, argues that

rainwater harvesting is

an effective method for

achieving sustainability.

He states that

rainwater harvesting

enables you to thrive

within the constraints of your local rainfall

budget and reduce your footprint on the hydrogeologic

cycle. By storing water during times of plenty and drawing

on these stores during drought, rainwater harvesting

allows you to sustain and enhance your water resource

base, rather than deplete it.

Rainwater

harvesting

principles areconsistent with

the tenets of

permaculture,

dened by

Lancaster

as a design

methodology

that mimics

natural

systems.

Lancaster

explains that

we can designrainwater

harvesting

systems to

use passive

strategies that will do the bulk of the work for us and will

require little maintenance. Additionally, active design

strategies can be applied to supplement the system,

but these features are generally more costly and energy

intensive and should not be the foundation of the system.

The most important principle of rainwater harvesting is

plant the water where it falls.

An average residential street in

Tucson drains a whopping million

gallons of run-off every year. This is

enough to sustain 422 trees for every

mile, which equates to one tree every

25 feet on both sides of the road. In

addition to the aesthetic appeal and

habitat provided, the installation of

these trees would also decrease the

heat island effect by an average of 10

degrees Fahrenheit along the street.

*For more information on rainwater harvesting

check out Brad Lancasters website:

http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/

9


10/1210

G arde n s G row Eve ry w he re B y S a r a D y km a n

Californians have it pretty easy when it comes to growingfood, but rest assured it can be done anywhere elsein the world too. When I rst proposed the idea of turning

a small patch of Wyoming turf into a food producing haven

people questioningly raised their eyebrows under their sun

faded cowboy hats. Although it might not have been as

easy as say growing lettuce at CCAT, I knew it could be

done and began to dig the very next day.

After three days of digging, I had removed three buckets

of rocks from a 6x12ft plot of clay outside my back door.

To mitigate the crappy soil I consulted the resources I

had on hand. From the state land near my house I lled

a plastic bag full with nutrient rich rabbit poop. The horsepasture provided ingredient number two: horse manure.

The garden store dumpster was my source of good old

potting soil. I turned the recipe into nutrient rich soil and

was uplifted with a sense of pride. There is nothing quite

like turning local resources like horse manure and hand

collected rabbit droppings into soil that will feed the plants

that will eventually feed you. I envisioned farmers markets,

potlucks, and crazy summer watermelon feeds.

After tackling the crappy soil dilemma I took on the

problem of hungry deer. Wyoming, if you havent been

there, has very few people, but an awful lot of deer. (and

by a lot of deer, I mean a lot of deer) Every evening they

would come to my backyard and a staring contest ensued.

Head to head we stomped and huffed until one of us got

board or spooked. The book of garden problems at the

garden store recommended that I shoot the deer, but I

took a less invasive approach and lined the garden with

chicken wire. I am especially proud of the door I made,

and rather than try and explain it, just take my word that it

was awesome. I made a skirt on the bottom of the fence

to keep the rabbits out and for aesthetics I used the rocks

I dug up to create a border.

As extra precaution I implemented every strategy to deer

proof my garden I could think of. I collected dog hair, cat

hair, and my own hair and it hung in the corners of the

garden. I also peed around the perimeter at night (so as

not to attract attention), put pepper on the leaves, planted

aromatic owers, and placed a fox skull at the entrance. Ifthe skull didnt keep the deer away, at least it would keep

my roommates out.

Meanwhile the little seeds that I had acquired over the

months were popping up. Every morning I sat with them

and ate breakfast as I watched the clouds oat over the

mountains. In the evenings I bid them goodnight and

shared a sip of Gatorade or refreshing OJ with them.

Before I knew it they were big enough to be planted in their

new home, my varmint free garden. The planting went

smoothly, and they continued to grow. I watered them,

weeded them, and of course sang to them, and encour-

aged them to grow faster because I was hungry. I plantedthem in no particular order as to mitigate bug infestations

and nibbles from the horses. All went as planned except

for the farmers markets and watermelon feeds.

My rst success was a pepper and let me tell you, it was

the best pepper I have ever eaten in my entire life. I must

say it will probably be the best I ever eat. By the time I was

on the greyhound back to Humboldt I had eaten one tasty

pepper and two green beans, and had learned that you can

plant a garden just about anywhere.

I was also sold on the idea of transforming Bermuda

grass lawns into productive food gardens, where people

can eat a carrot that isnt picked hundreds of miles away,where people can eat a potato that isnt shipped using our

dwindling supply of petroleum, where children can once

again feel the dirt between their ngers, and parents can

leave their children more than plastic money and asphalt.

Gardening is a

powerful action

that creates

sustainable

communities.

For every

location that

a garden isplanted, a new

and unique

set of creative

ideas must be

implemented

to tackle local

variations, but

the point is

anyone can do

it. Heck, I did it.


11/12

The CCAT Gardens Are Shaping UpBy Sara Dykman

Holding Back

With the demolition of the Jenkins House scheduled for

June and no one sure which part of the grounds they are

going to plunge their two-ton earth destroyers into I am

forced to bite my teeth and not plant the orchards and

annual vegetable beds quite yet, but there is still plenty ofwork to be done.

I utilized much of the grounds for planting quick growing

annuals: chard, lettuce, spinach, and annual herbs. This

way CCAT is still producing food, but no perennials will be

compromised when the demolition begins.

The mini greenhouses

were used to start

plants and when the

bulldozers are gone

my intent is to have

them ready to go

in the ground. The

cover crops planted

last semester were

cut and tilled under so

the grounds are ready

for planting and those

plants are going to

love that nutrient rich

soil. Look out!

Lots of people helped CCAT with the arduous task of

pulling weeds, but like my CCAT garden mentor told me

choose your ground cover before your ground cover

chooses you, so we planted some strawberry shoots,native Redwood sorrel, miners lettuce, bunchberry, and

English Ivy. Just kidding on the ivy, please for the love of

CCAT dont ever plant English Ivy. Many people have

spent many hours this semester pulling it up.

The North Coast Chapter of the California Native

Plant Society came out and gave CCAT a native plant

consultation. They identied many natives hidden in

corners and along the edge of the site where blackberries

and other invasive plants loom. Folks living on the North

Coast interested in native plant gardening can request

a consultation from the Native Plant Society at http://

northcoastcnps.org/ In the meantime, come to CCAT andcheck out the beauty of the natives; the Douglas irises,

bleeding hearts, trillium, sorrel, currents and huckleberries

are all blooming.

The groundskeepers and volunteers can always keep

busy researching other plants to plant now and in the

future. If anyone knows of any plants that they think CCAT

should try and grow, or they have had success with in

similar climates, please email us. The gardens are here

to showcase the potential of urban gardening, the more

people who share their knowledge with us, the more people

we can reach.

Plant Some Natives

Spring is in the air and the native plants at CCAT are going

wild. It is always a good idea when planning a garden

to incorporate some natives into the design. Many times

natives are easier to maintain because they are adapted to

the local climate, provide suitable homes for native critters,and can provide delicious food. Here are some native

plants you can incorporate into your own garden.

Ceanothus thyrsiorus-

Blue blossom

Blue blossom is an

evergreen shrub. It has

pretty blue owers that

bloom from March to June.It can cope with full sun

or grow in light shade.

The plants are beautiful

and smell good too. It

is a nitrogen xer so it

replenishes nitrogen in poor

soil which helps nearby

plants. The plant is rich

in saponins, which when

crushed in water creates a

mild soap.

Vaccinium ovatum-Huckleberry

It does not get much better

than this: color, food, and

easy to grow. This plant

grows well in sun or shade,

but if you plant it in the sun

you will be able to enjoy

sweet berries. If also likes

acidic soil, so add some

redwood duff to the soil.

Use the leaves to make a

tea, and the berries to eat

raw. You can also cookthe berries into pies or

preserves. Either way they

are good. CCAT has had

limited success with taking

cuttings from older plants

and getting them to root, but

it can be done.

Oxalis oregona-

Redwood sorrel

This is an excellent ground

cover that spreads relatively

easy, has beautiful purplish

owers, and is tasty in salad.

Iris douglasiana-Douglas iris

If you have a shady area of

your garden, and you like

beautiful owers, try the

Douglas iris. The purple

owers are long lasting. It

works well in rock gardens,

along boarders, and as a

groundcover under large

taller plants.

11


12/12

The Campus Center for Appropriate Technology

1 Harpst St.

HSU, Buck House, #97

Arcata, CA 95521

http://www.humboldt.edu/~ccat/

[email protected] (707) 826-3551

Non-Proft Org

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 78Arcata, CA 95521

CCATs Fall 2007 Courses

P i t d 100% l d d f P t C W t12

ENGR 280: Intro to Wastewater Management (1)

Facilitated by: Pat Wiley

Wednesday 6-8 pm (begins rst week of classes)

This seven week seminar is an introduction to variousbiological wastewater treatment systems, pumps,

process control parameters, dewatering equipment

and laboratory procedures.

ENGR 280: Lost Arts of Living (1)

Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Jeff Steuben

Wednesday 11-2 (begins rst week of classes)

This seven week series of experiential and

exploratory workshops covers skills, crafts and natural

patterns that are no longer commonly practiced.

Potential topics include shelter building, re building,

food preservation and more.

ENVS 480: Herbalism (1)

Facilitated by: Sabel Rose Regalia

Tuesday 12-2pm (begins third week of classes)

In this six week course students will learn about theuse of herbs as medicine and how they can be used

to maintain better health. Learn herb cultivation and

propagation, herbal remedy creation and alternative

healing methods.

ENGR 280:Sustainable Technologies Seminar(1)

Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Sam Hart

Wednesday 2-5pm (begins rst week of classes)

This seven week seminar series will cover a range of

technologies and their applications in the community.

Potential topics include green building, community

agriculture, greywater systems, alternative energy,

biodiesel as a fuel and more.

ENGR 280:Permaculture Lecture Series

Facilitated by: Selena Rowan

Monday 2-4pm (begins rst week of classes)This seven week course will cover the fundamentals

of permaculture-sustainable systems design

through readings and discussion of permaculture

literature, focus projects and surveys of permaculture

technologies and systems.

ENVS480: CCAT Design and Building Team(1)

Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Sam Hart, Jeff Steuben

Friday 12-2pm (begins rst week of classes)

This class will provide students with hands-on

experience, exploring the design and construction

possibilities for the new CCAT facilities and grounds.

Students will select green building materials, design

and construct Appropriate Technology systems, and

further the LEED certication process for CCAT.

ENVS 480: Organic Gardening (1)

Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Jeff Steuben, Sam HartThursday 1-3pm (begins rst week of classes)

This seven week course teaches small-scale food

production without the use of chemicals. Students

gain hands-on experience in soil preparation,

plant propagation, garden planning, greenhouse

management and more.

Course Descriptions for Environmental

Science and Engineering Courses to be

Offered Through CCAT:

campus center for appropriate technology newsletter, spring 2007

Documents