Graywater NorCal Earthship

Can Gray water be used in Butte Co., CA?

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In addition to being extremely energy efficient, another key aspect of earthship sustainability is the ability these homes have to minimize water usage. This is particularly relevant in California where residents have suffered from drought conditions for several years. In this atmosphere of need the California legislature and local government have addressed the use of gray water on a statewide level, though in a conservative way that seems almost to hinder as much as to help.

As we reviewed the requirements for installing a septic system here in Butte Co., CA we ended up doing a little research into the requirements for gray water recycling. How gray water is dealt with can impact the design of a septic system and so we took the opportunity to dig into state regulations, as well as, those that govern our specific situation here.Continue reading→

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Olive Harvesting and Curing at the NCE 2015

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Looking to cure your own olives?

We recently did just that and have captured the process on video as we did it. Our video contains the basics of what’s required to prepare and enjoy your own savory olives. We also used the reference below from the University of California at Davis to help develop our methods.

http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8267.pdf

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NorCal Earthship/NorCal Pocket of Freedom Project

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California often touts itself to be a progressive state and in many ways it is. In other ways it is mired in bureaucracy and difficult to change.0001 house collage 2 8-30-13

We are going to build an Earthship here in Northern California and this blog, along with our other social media sites, will chronicle the journey and challenges we overcome along the way including permitting and requirements called for by the county we live in and the state of California.

This is the initial Blog for the project. Things are under construction a little now, but if you stopped by to see what’s going on this is the right place! Please check back soon, or sign up for updates!

thanks,

Chuck Seegert.

 

NorCal Earthship Initial Conceptual Design

NorCal Earthship; Conceptual Design

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The concepts behind Earthships promise empowerment and freedom, which is why the majority of living space in the NorCal Earthship project will be based on them. Different forms of sustainable building like, earthbags, haybale and cobb, exhibit powerful strengths, as well. Because of this, they are more suited to the other portions of the structure.

This post gives a description of what we are planning at a conceptual top level. Many of you have seen the collage type concept on our Facebook page and another post here. This give a little more detail to that image.Continue reading→