Eco-house built using straw bales. Photo: Bill Steen

Catherine Wanek, co-director of Builders Without Borders, was  recently busy in our national capitol featuring the organization’s straw bale house which was on display at the National Botanic Gardens. It is worthwhile visiting the BWB website:

FROM BUILDERS WITHOUT BORDERS:

Builders Without Borders
is an international network of ecological builders who advocate the use of straw, earth and other local, affordable materials in construction. We believe that the solution to homelessness is not merely housing, but individuals and communities trained to house themselves.

When Catherine returns from her project in Washington D.C., Green Streets will conduct an interview with her. She has many good things to share.

Educational Resources Fund
Builders Without Borders created a Strawbale Construction Curriculum, and donates this training manual, plus other books and videos, to worthy people and projects, and offers scholarships to BWB workshops for dedicated students.

Free consultation and educational materials have been provided to Navajo, Hopi, and Lakota tribes, as well as projects in Mexico, Mongolia, China, South Africa, Argentina, and Siberia. To help us continue this educational outreach, you can earmark a Donation to the BWB Educational Resources Fund.

Builders Without Borders is a project of NetWorks Productions, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible, the website reports.

In her email Catherine writes, “Please visit www.builderswithoutborders.org for more info about what I am doing here — I’m rather proud of what our BWB team of builders accomplished.  Perhaps I can send you photos and more info about it for your blog.  (There are also more photos of the construction process on my Picasa page: http://picasaweb.google.com/CatherineWanek, though there are more to add.)