| "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!" wrote Henry David Thoreau, raging
against the details that get in the way of life.
Simplification of lifestyles means different things to different people; usually it involves saving money and resources by decreasing the material clutter in our lives and saving time by decreasing the clutter in our schedules. These goals can benefit our physical, emotional, and mental health, and the environment. Simplifying is not always easy in a society based on consumption, but at November's meeting we'll discuss strategies for attaining a less complicated lifestyle and how to achieve the wealth Thoreau referred to when he continues his quote, "A man is rich in proportion of the number of things he can afford to let alone." We'll talk about efforts we may have made to simplify our own lives
as well as look at several books and newsletters devoted to the subject.
Feel free to bring sources you'd like to share. We'll also watch a short
clip from the PBS-produced video, Affluenza." The discussion will
be led by Tommy Butler, who currently is attending UT working on a Masters
in Community and Regional Planning and has been involved in hands on sustainable
building for several years.
The Circle of Simplicity by Cecile Andrews. Great ideas on how to conduct simplicity circles, a forum for sharing ideas on ways to live simply. The Simple Living Guide by Janice Lahrs.
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Web Sites
www.adbusters.org www.newdream.org The Center For A New American Dream promotes responsible consumption. The site has a section on simplifying Christmas that is especially worth checking out. www.cygnus-group.com/ULS/Current_ULS_Reports/Reports.html www.ucsusa.org//less/guide Odds and Ends
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Announcements
| FREE EVENING SEMINARS
6:30 to 8 p.m. at Austin Branch Public Libraries sponsored by Renewable Energy Association of Central Texas (REACT) Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES) 512.326.3391 Nov. 17 Rainwater Collection Manchaca Branch RD
Nov. 18 Home Energy
Awareness North Village
Nov. 22 Photovoltaics: Solar Electricity Howson Branch
Nov. 30 Passive Solar Energy
Design North Village
Dec. 1 Solar Hot Water Systems
Old Quarry Branch
Hornsby Bend Workshop Results
The two workshops that SBC cosponsored with EcoFair of Texas out at Hornsby Bend were a great success! The rainwater harvesting system, under the leadership of our Charles Gibson, was successfully installed during the daylong workshop. A beautiful wood-clad cistern was donated by Timber Tanks of Texas. (Much thanks to them!) Then the next weekend a hardworking crew framed up the walls and got a good start on the light clay wall infill. One of the biggest thrills was that all the water we used to make the light clay came out of the freshly installed rainwater system! Thanks to those SBC/SBAT members who helped organize and lead the light clay workshop: Keith Miller, Frank Meyer, Yvonne Hansen, Gayle Borst, and Frieda Rinehart. And special thanks to David Wanzer, Tommy Butler and EcoFair Director Cathy Blackwood. Book Sales
The Sustainable Building Coalition has taken on selling books. This is being done to help educate the public, provide a good source of sustainably oriented books for our members and help raise money for the SBC. Please support the SBC. At the November meeting we will be having a special pre-Christmas book sale.20% off the list price to current or new SBC members. Title List
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C.O.A. Green Building Seminars
Open to Green Building members. Call ahead to Mary Mcleod, City of Austin 505-3702 Nov 9 Green Building Basics Waller Creek Plaza 7-9:30 pm This seminar is a basic introduction to green building. New members who have joined since June 1999 must attend this course within a year of becoming a member (it is offered twice a year). You are welcome to send as many of your staff as you wish. December 6 Efficient Windows 721 Barton Springs 12-2 pm Alecia Ward, Program Manager for the Efficient Windows Collaborative
will speak about energy efficient and other important features and choices
in windows. U-Factor, sun controls, insulating treatments, gas, pane, and
other options will be explained. How to use the EWC Web Site will
be demonstrated. This interactive site can assist building professionals
compare energy ratings (Energy Star and NFRC) and the relative costs of
available choices. You will find it to be a user- friendly, valuable,
and free tool for use in your business.
Whole Life Expo a Success
From Shellie Reott This event was a fabulous SBC/SBAT group effort with so many dedicated volunteers and a multitude of talent. We can be proud of the work we did to help spread the word on sustainable building and straw bale construction! We raised over $650 in book sales, donations, and memberships and distributed a lot of literature. According to several event goers, our booth provided the most down-to-earth information Special thanks to Elena Montemayor - for organizing the booth design, cutting bamboo, and trying to get our straw bales inside Palmer; Paul McCutchen - for organizing volunteers' shifts at the booth, being shift leader on two days, and being on call all weekend; Elliot Johnson - for organizing and gathering all the literature at the booth, duplicating handouts, and staffing the booth despite being under the weather; Frieda Rinehart - for taking on book sales for the SBC and putting up w/me misspelling her name; Ken McKenzie - for being a can-do kind of guy and filling in wherever needed; Duncan Echelson - for contributing so much despite being gone during the event; Gareth Pollard - for preparing for and making his presentation at the Expo; Betty Gottlieb - for redesigning the SBC brochure for more eye catching appeal; Yvonne Hansen - for sharing all your knowledge on organizing past SBC events with all us neophytes; and Gayle Borst - for coordinating with Eco-Fair on the Special Event workshops. Thanks to all volunteers for your many contributions - Sue Barnett, Jesus Bendezu, Cathy Blackwood, Cat Brown, Carol Cannon, Bill and Jeanine Christenson, Josh Claycamp, Barshia Cohee, Clark Ellison, Penny England, Charles Gibson, Kathryn Houser, Cindy Jordan, Deirdrea Lyon, Melanie McAfee, Ruth Meaders, Diane Miller, Jim Mugford, Andy Pawlowski, Robert Southworth, Patricia Stevens, Mark Van Scoter, Bob Vorkoper, and Bala Wong. We also appreciate Eco-Wise and CDC Carpets for their contributions to beautify the booth. Thanks everyone - you made this an easy event to coordinate! Note: Shellie Reott wrote this article on SBC's efforts for the Whole
Life Expo and, being discretely modest, did not mention herself. So Gayle
would like to take this opportunity to make known Shellie's enormous contribution
to this effort. A huge thank you to Shellie for coordinating this most
successful project. She arranged and conducted organizational meetings,
assisted all of the committee leaders, kept all the balls in the air and
even mother henned the three day event. Thanks again, Shellie, for
all of your time and great organizational expertise!
December Holiday Party
Mark your calendar for Saturday, December 18 for this year’s combined SBC/SBAT Holiday Party. In order to make it more feasible for many of our remotely located members to attend and enjoy the celebration, we have moved the party to the weekend rather than the usual Wednesday night. Watch the mail for a postcard with details.
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