So, when last we left the Sustainable Household, we were discussing Water. Most Important. And then there are other elements to make a House a Home that is more livable. When Casita Dos Arbolitos was first inhabited, the Solar Electric Panel were still months away. Thanks to Brian, from Apollo Electric (see the Technologies in MapaVerde), when the Casita did get solar electricity, it exceeded the needs of its inhabitants.
Before the solar electricity was installed, there were chores that were best served by human power. For example, everyday, the roof tinaco had to have water carried up to it, so that the shower and sinks would be functional. This was about 5 to 6 5-Gallon Buckets a day; first, while the stairs were being finished, up a ladder; then directly---and more easily---up the stairs themselves. [This, by the way, turned out to be a competent way to measure water consumption] And then there was laundry; this, done with buckets of water, a grape/clothes-stomping method o agitation, and hand-wringing. Both of these above activities were labor intensive. But they made the solar electricity seem that much more magical and gave the people at the Casita 9 an appreciation of what it was like before relatively "modern times. [A Note: Even(i.e., Eddie and Kathy) as most residents of the Sustainable Neighborhood of San Jose de Gracia have solar electricity, not everyone in the Village of SJdG has electricity in their homes yet. And many of those that do, don't have ll of the modern conveniences, such as a washing machine]
Refrigeration was another issue at the Casita, before the panels were installed. This meant going to town every other day to supply ice to keep things cool. To one who is trying to live sustainably, this continual trekking to town is not conducive.
When Brian from Apollo installed the system, he warned the owners that the system was small (at that time 350 Watts) and that it was only good for lighting and some general uses such as a washing machine during daylight hours. No refrigeration, for sure. [It must be noted here that Brian, considered one of the best Solar technicians in SMA, is also known to be an energy fascist] After monitoring the system for two months, Eddie and Kathy bought a small refrigerator, which they used for some month before upgrading to a larger refrigerator (again, after monitoring usage). The point here is that a little electricity, monitored and used moderately, goes a long way.
With the addition of another panel, Casita Dos Arbolitos now has about 500 Watts of solar which is more than adequate for the needs for both it and the Guest/Garden Room). A system like this costs about $8000 USD; larger system, of course, cost more, but can served the needs of those who would prefer to not spend as much attention (though, in living the sustainable lifestyle, paying attention is a plus). The system a the Casita has 8 batteries for storage and a 1500 Watt Inverter to change the DC electricity to AC. There is room for more panels and batteries. Recommendations for a solid system would be to have the 8 batteries, 600+ Watts of panels, and a larger---1800+---inverter.
More on Living Green, later.
27 May 2011
21 May 2011
It's Not Easy Being Green.*
*Citation: Frog, Kermit the, 1969.
When considering undertaking a Green Lifestyle, it behooves one to remember Kermit's lament. Although there are numerous rewards in Being---that is, "living"---Green, it takes more than just a casual commitment. Green is a way of life that requires conscious, not casual awareness.
Many of the environmental problems over the past decades have been caused by two important issues. One is the heavy reliance on petroleum products, gas, oil, plastics. The other is the reliance and ignorance of how one obtains the "basic" necessities, such as water, electricity and disposal of wastes. These two create a culture that doesn't understand and doesn't want to think about the wheres and hows of ordinary living.
When one makes a commitment to live Green, these basics of ordinary living come more sharply into focus. The next few posts will offer a few examples of basic living practices as practiced at Casita dos Arbolitos, a Homesite in San Jose de Gracia:
1. Water. Casita dos Arbolitos (CDA)has a total of 1850 Gallons (70,000 liters) of water-capturing/water-storage capacity , in two concrete Cisterns. This is the average amount of water, per homesite; with both smaller (approximately 30,000 liters) and larger (approximately 109,000 liters) in other sites. The rains come, the water flows into the Cisterns to be used as need. When the rains come, monitoring the Cisterns allows for distribution. The smaller cistern fills quickly and then extra water is pumped into tanks or back into the larger cistern. During the dry months, monitoring informs whether the amount of water captured will serve the needs of the homesite until the rainy season.
Water is used directly for washing bodies, clothes, dishes and for watering edible plants. "Gray water," from washing, is distributed directly, by hose, to trees and bushes; and by bucket to other plants and smaller trees not accessible by hose. Because of the human waste disposal method at CDA (more on that in a future Post), there is no creation of "black water," or the extra measures that are required in its handling. All water is used, then reused, and kept on the land.
Another, important water-management issue is Keeping rain water from eroding the land and washing the soil away. To mitigate erosion and to keep both the soil on the land and to help keep the water from rushing away without serving the property, the area around Casita Dos Arbolitos has had several types of simple barriers set up to slow water down and let it sink into the ground. Swales, a series of relatively deep (2 feet) ditches were dug across the open areas of the property; rainwater, as it begins to move downward on the property, falls into the swales. Berms, made either with rocks or mounds of earth, also slow the water as it flows downward. And a third method, free-standing rock terraces, capture both water and soil so that, y the time the rainwater reaches the arroyo at the bottom of the property, it is traveling slowly and without having taken away the basics structure of the land.
For more about Casita Dos Arbolitos and Mexico, visit the CDA Blog: https://sites.google.com/site/casitadosarbolitos/SMA/journal-blog
When considering undertaking a Green Lifestyle, it behooves one to remember Kermit's lament. Although there are numerous rewards in Being---that is, "living"---Green, it takes more than just a casual commitment. Green is a way of life that requires conscious, not casual awareness.
Many of the environmental problems over the past decades have been caused by two important issues. One is the heavy reliance on petroleum products, gas, oil, plastics. The other is the reliance and ignorance of how one obtains the "basic" necessities, such as water, electricity and disposal of wastes. These two create a culture that doesn't understand and doesn't want to think about the wheres and hows of ordinary living.
When one makes a commitment to live Green, these basics of ordinary living come more sharply into focus. The next few posts will offer a few examples of basic living practices as practiced at Casita dos Arbolitos, a Homesite in San Jose de Gracia:
1. Water. Casita dos Arbolitos (CDA)has a total of 1850 Gallons (70,000 liters) of water-capturing/water-storage capacity , in two concrete Cisterns. This is the average amount of water, per homesite; with both smaller (approximately 30,000 liters) and larger (approximately 109,000 liters) in other sites. The rains come, the water flows into the Cisterns to be used as need. When the rains come, monitoring the Cisterns allows for distribution. The smaller cistern fills quickly and then extra water is pumped into tanks or back into the larger cistern. During the dry months, monitoring informs whether the amount of water captured will serve the needs of the homesite until the rainy season.
Water is used directly for washing bodies, clothes, dishes and for watering edible plants. "Gray water," from washing, is distributed directly, by hose, to trees and bushes; and by bucket to other plants and smaller trees not accessible by hose. Because of the human waste disposal method at CDA (more on that in a future Post), there is no creation of "black water," or the extra measures that are required in its handling. All water is used, then reused, and kept on the land.
Another, important water-management issue is Keeping rain water from eroding the land and washing the soil away. To mitigate erosion and to keep both the soil on the land and to help keep the water from rushing away without serving the property, the area around Casita Dos Arbolitos has had several types of simple barriers set up to slow water down and let it sink into the ground. Swales, a series of relatively deep (2 feet) ditches were dug across the open areas of the property; rainwater, as it begins to move downward on the property, falls into the swales. Berms, made either with rocks or mounds of earth, also slow the water as it flows downward. And a third method, free-standing rock terraces, capture both water and soil so that, y the time the rainwater reaches the arroyo at the bottom of the property, it is traveling slowly and without having taken away the basics structure of the land.
For more about Casita Dos Arbolitos and Mexico, visit the CDA Blog: https://sites.google.com/site/casitadosarbolitos/SMA/journal-blog
15 May 2011
SMA Green
In the past Twelve Years, since the beginnings of the Permaculture Neighborhood in San Jose de Gracia, San Miguel de Allende has begun to more completely develop its Green Consciousness. Green festivals, numerous natural foods stores, organic farms and municipal governments which not only encourage recycling but are also reforesting and, with the partnership of such organizations as Via Organica are making Green a way of Life and Education at the Municipal Nursery.
Solar Energy is now a thriving business in SMA. Listed in MapaVerde, the website which tracks the Green Movement in SMA, are 8 Solar Energy Businesses. Both the Federal and Municipal Governments are supporting efforts to make SMA and Mexico itself, less dependent on non-renewable resources such as oil.
Here in San Jose de Gracia, the residents are doing their part. In other areas, communities, not just neighborhoods, are dedicated to building and living Green.
Solar Energy is now a thriving business in SMA. Listed in MapaVerde, the website which tracks the Green Movement in SMA, are 8 Solar Energy Businesses. Both the Federal and Municipal Governments are supporting efforts to make SMA and Mexico itself, less dependent on non-renewable resources such as oil.
Here in San Jose de Gracia, the residents are doing their part. In other areas, communities, not just neighborhoods, are dedicated to building and living Green.
14 May 2011
There Really is A GREEN Neighborhood in San Jose de Gracia
A View to the East in Section One
Although this Blog has been inactive for almost 3 years, that hasn't stopped the Green neighborhood of SJdG from expanding. When this Blog was envisioned, there were only a few houses in each Section of the Neighborhood. In Section One, there was only two completed and two more being built. Since then, The first two have been improved, the two on the way have been mostly completed and two others are works-in-progress. And another has been planned.
In Section Two, there were Seven completed and another started. Now there are Ten Homes completed and Two are works-in-progress, near completion.
Not all of the neighbors agree on every aspect of green living. Still, most have water catchment, solar electricity, and some form of grey water disbursal. Most built with some or all of their materials coming from natural or renewable resources, such as adobe or stone. And everyone has built according to their particular vision of Green, even if it didn't live up to the first ideas of Permaculture, which were the early driving force.
The Green Neighborhood here, is taking some first steps in shrinking the Carbon footprint. We invite everyone to follow in our footsteps and begin shrinking theirs.
Although this Blog has been inactive for almost 3 years, that hasn't stopped the Green neighborhood of SJdG from expanding. When this Blog was envisioned, there were only a few houses in each Section of the Neighborhood. In Section One, there was only two completed and two more being built. Since then, The first two have been improved, the two on the way have been mostly completed and two others are works-in-progress. And another has been planned.
In Section Two, there were Seven completed and another started. Now there are Ten Homes completed and Two are works-in-progress, near completion.
Not all of the neighbors agree on every aspect of green living. Still, most have water catchment, solar electricity, and some form of grey water disbursal. Most built with some or all of their materials coming from natural or renewable resources, such as adobe or stone. And everyone has built according to their particular vision of Green, even if it didn't live up to the first ideas of Permaculture, which were the early driving force.
The Green Neighborhood here, is taking some first steps in shrinking the Carbon footprint. We invite everyone to follow in our footsteps and begin shrinking theirs.
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